[Federal Register: November 13, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 219)] [Notices] [Page 63489-63490] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr13no98-101] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CO-933-99-1320-01; COC 61357] Notice of Public Hearing and Request for Comments on Environmental Assessment, Maximum Economic Recovery Report, and Fair Market Value; Application for Competitive Coal Lease COC 61357; Colorado AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of public hearing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office, Lakewood, Colorado, hereby gives notice that a public hearing will be held to receive comments on the environmental assessment, maximum economic recovery, and fair market value of federal coal to be offered. An application for coal lease was filed by Oxbow Mining, Inc., requesting the Bureau of Land Management offer for competitive lease 3,702.81 acres of federal coal in Delta and Gunnison Counties, Colorado. Tract delineation by the Uncompahgre Field Office resulted in the addition of 160 acres of federal coal in sec. 32, T. 12 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M. for a grand total of 3,862.81 acres. DATES: The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m., December 3, 1998. Written comments should be received no later than December 17, 1998. ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in the Paonia Town Hall, 214 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado. Written comments should be addressed to the Bureau of Land Management, Field Office Manager, Uncompahgre Field Office, 2505 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, Colorado 81401. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allan Belt, field Office Manager, Uncompahgre field Office at the address above, or by telephone at (970) 240-5315. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office, Lakewood, Colorado, hereby gives notice that a public hearing will be held on December 3, 1998, at 7 p.m., in the Paonia Town Hall at the address given above. An application for coal lease was filed by Oxbow Mining, Inc., requesting the Bureau of land Management offer for competitive lease federal coal in the lands outside established coal production regions described as: T. 12 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M. Sec. 31, lots 1 to 14, inclusive, and NE\1/4\; Sec. 32, lots 3 to 6, inclusive, lots 11 to 14, inclusive, and NW\1/4\. T. 12 S., R. 91 W., 6th P.M. Sec. 35, lots 1, 2, and 4 to 8, inclusive, 13 to 16, inclusive, lots 21, 22, and that part of HES No. 134 lying in the NE\1/4\; Sec. 36, lots 1 to 17, inclusive, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/ 4\NW\1/4\, and that part of HES No. 134 lying in lot 1. T. 13 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M. Sec. 5, lots 7 to 10, inclusive; Sec. 6, lots 8 to 17, inclusive. T. 13 S., R. 91 W., 6th P.M. Sec. 1, lots 1 and 4, inclusive, S\1/2\NW\1/4\ and SW\1/4\; Sec. 2, lot 1, and S\1/2\NE\1/4\; Sec. 12, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, and NW\1/4\. Containing 3,862.81 acres. The coal resource to be offered is limited to coal recoverable by underground mining methods. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain public comments on the environmental assessment and on the following items: (1) The method of mining to be employed to obtain maximum economic recovery of the coal, [[Page 63490]] (2) The impact that mining the coal in the proposed leasehold may have on the area; and (3) The methods of determining the fair market value of the coal to be offered. Written requests to testify orally at the December 3, 1998, public hearing should be received at the Uncompahgre Field Office prior to the close of business December 3, 1998. Those who indicate they wish to testify when they register at the hearing may have an opportunity if time is available. In addition, the public is invited to submit written comments concerning the fair market value and maximum economic recovery of the coal resource. Public comments will be utilized in establishing fair market value for the coal resource in the described lands. Comments should address specific factors related to fair market value including, but not limited to: 1. The quality and quantity of the coal resource. 2. The price that the mined coal would bring in the market place. 3. The cost of producing the coal. 4. The interest rate at which anticipated income streams would be discounted. 5. Depreciation and other accounting factors. 6. The mining method or methods which would achieve maximum economic recovery of the coal. 7. Documented information on the terms and conditions of recent and similar coal land transactions in the lease area, and 8. Any comparable sales data of similar coal lands. Should any information submitted as comments be considered to be proprietary by the commenter, the information should be labeled as such and stated in the first page of the submission. Written comments on the environmental assessment, maximum economic recovery, and fair market value should be sent to the uncompahgre Field Office at the above address prior to close of business on December 17, 1998. Substantive comments, whether written or oral, will receive equal consideration prior to any lease offering. The Environmental Assessment and Maximum Economic Recovery Report are available from the Uncompahgre Field Office upon request. A copy of the Environmental Assessment, the Maximum Economic Recovery Report, the case file, and the comments submitted by the public, except those portions identified as priorietary by the commenter and meeting exemptions stated in the Freedom of Information Act, will be avaiable for public inspection at the Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield, Lakewood, Colorado, 80215. Dated: November 05, 1998. Karen A. Purvis, Solid Minerals Team Resource Services. [FR Doc. 98-30424 Filed 11-12-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-JB-M