2008-04-03_REVISION - C1996083 (3)

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United States Forest Grand Mesa, 2250 Highway 50 Service Uncompahgre and Delta, CO 81416 Gunnison Voice: 970-874-6600 National Forests TDD: 970-874-6660 ~.,~~[,~_~,, Department of '- ~ _ Agriculture tJ~O ~~~ . Da Q~ ~3~~ ~ ~s`O.~ ga~~,e~ p. M~~~~ File Code: 2820-4 Date: April 1, 2008 Notice of Opportunity to Comment Federal Coal Lease COC-61209 Modification 4 The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) and the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office (BLM) are seeking comments on an application filed by Bowie Resources Limitf~d (BRL) to modify an existing federal coal lease by adding 560 acres. The lease modification application contains National Forest System (NFS) surface lands managed by the GMUG. The coal estate is administered by the BLM. The lease modification application will be processed according to procedures set forth in 43 CFR 3432. The proposed le:use modification is located Sections 27 and 28, Township 12 South, Range 91 West, in Delta County, Colorado (approximately 8 miles north/northeast of Paonia, Colorado), and is shown on the attached map. The coal in this lease modification would be accessed and recovered by underground longwall mining methods. BRL applied for this lease modification to compensate for <;hanges in mine design, which were driven by underground hazards associated with local geology. This notice (including maps) is also available on the GMUG website at www.fs.fed.uslr2,~nnuc/policy under Mining. Purpose and Need The GMUG acid BLM have identified the need to consider issuing a coal lease modification for federal coal lands immediately adjacent to exiting federal coal lease COC-61209. The purpose the lease modification is to accommodate a change in mine design, and to ensure that compliant and super-compl~~int coal reserves are recovered. The BLM, charged with administration of the mineral estate on these Federal lands, is required, by law, to consider leasing Federally-owned minerals for economic recovery. The USDA-Forest Service (FS), as the surface management agency, considers consenting to the BLM leasing reserves underlying lands under its jurisdiction, and prescribes conditions .(as stipulations) for the protection of no~i-mineral resources. This action considers modifying one existing federal coal lease. Under 43 CFR 3432 (as amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005), the holder of a federal coal lease may apply to modify a lease by up to 960 acres. The federal agencies are responding to an application to modify an existing lease. The proposed action conforms to the overall guidance given in the GMUG Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended (Forest Plan, 1991) which encourages environmentally sound energy and mineral development, and the BLM Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan (RMP, 1989). The USDI- Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western ;Regional Coordinating Center will participate as a cooperating agency. ~s ~~ Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on RecyGed Paper