[Federal Register: April 9, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 68)] [Notices] [Page 17440-17441] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09ap98-108] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CO-933-98-1320-01; COC 61209] 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 61209; 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 Bowie Resources Limited requesting the Bureau of Land Management offer for competitive lease 3,403.27 acres of federal coal in Delta County, Colorado. DATES: The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m., April 22, 1998. Written comments should be received no later than May 12, 1998. ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in the Paonia Town Hall, 214 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado. Written comments should be addresses to the Bureau of Land Management, Area Manager, Uncompahgre Basin Resource Area, 2505 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, Colorado 81401. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allan Belt, Area Manager, Uncompahgre Basin Resource Area 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 April 22, 1998, at 7 p.m., in the Paonia Town Hall at the address given above. An application for coal lease was filed by Bowie Resources Limited 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. 91 W., 6th P.M. Sec. 33, lots 1 to 16, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\; Sec. 34, lots 1 to 16, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\. T. 13 S., R. 91 W., 6th P.M. Sec. 2, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\; Sec. 3, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\, and N\1/2\S\1/2\; Sec. 4, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\, and S\1/2\; [[Page 17441]] Sec. 5 S\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\; Sec. 8 NE\1/4\; Sec. 9 NW\1/4\, and N\1/2\SW\1/4\; Sec. 11, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\. Containing 3,403.27 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, (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 April 22, 1998, public hearing should be received at the Uncompahgre Basin Resource Area Office prior to the close of business April 22, 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 Basin Resource Area Office at the above address prior to close of business on April 22, 1998. Substantive comments, whether written or oral, will receive equal consideration prior to any lease offering. The Draft Environmental Assessment and Maximum Economic Recovery Report are available from the Uncompahgre Basin Resource Area Office upon request. A copy of the Draft Environmental Assessment, the Maximum Economic Recovery Report, the case file, and the comments submitted by the public, except those portions identified as proprietary by the commenter and meeting exemptions stated in the Freedom of Information Act, will be available for public inspection at the Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield, Lakewood, Colorado 80215. Dated: March 31, 1998. Karen A. Purvis, Solid Minerals Team, Resource Services. [FR Doc. 98-9365 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-JB-M