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Waste Mine Methane Policy I BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Page 3 of 4 <br />Budget Impact: Minimal. <br />Background: As discussed above, WMM is defined as methane released as a direct consequence of underground mining before, <br />during, and after the mining of coal or other solid leasable minerals. Because methane gas is potentially combustible and explosive, <br />it has historically been ventilated to the atmosphere in order to protect the health and safety of mine workers. While methane is alsc <br />a valuable natural gas that is commercially developed, WMM is not widely captured in the United States for commercial use. A <br />primary impediment to greater commercial use of WMM is that much of it is commonly contaminated with air from the mine <br />ventilation system. In these situations, the air must be removed before the methane may be sold in commercial markets, and <br />separating the air from the WMM could be costly. <br />In some situations, however, it maybe economically feasible for a coal lessee to capture the WMM for beneficial use or sale. To do <br />so, the lessee first needs authorization in its coal lease to capture, use, or sell the WMM. This policy seeks to address granting coal <br />lessees this authorization in coal leases, as appropriate. <br />Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None. <br />Coordination: This IM was developed by the Washington Office Division of Solid Minerals (WO -320), in consultation with the <br />Washington Office Division of Fluid Minerals and the Division of Mineral Resources in the Solicitors Office. <br />Contact Persons: If you have any questions concerning the content of this IM, please contact me at 202-208-4201, or your staff may <br />contact Mitchell Leverette, Solid Minerals Division Chief, at 202-912-7113. <br />Signed by: Authenticated by: <br />Jenna Whitlock Ambyr Fowler <br />Acting, Deputy Director Division of IT Policy and Planning (WO -870) <br />Operations <br />3 Attachments <br />1 - Coal Lease Addendum (2 pp) (/sites/bim.gov/files/uploads/IM%202017-037%20Attl .docx) <br />2 - Lease Addendum (2 Dg) (/sites/blm.gov/files/unloads/IM%202017-037%20Att2.docx) <br />3 - Cooperative Management of Waste Mine Methane and Federal Solid Mineral <br />Resources (1 p)s/sites/blm.gov/files/unloads/IM%202017-037%20Att3.docx) <br />VIEW ALL POLICIES <br />;3 ,- •. a-.. .,1.. .i'._r,�- .. „ <br />R OperatorDelayLetter_UT_20171M-37.pdf (/download/file/fid/8962) <br />FISCAL YEAR <br />2017 <br />https://www.blm.gov/policy/im-2017-037 6/16/2017 <br />