[Federal Register: September 3, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 170)]
[Notices]               
[Page 56300-56301]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03se02-70]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ES-020-1320-EL]

 
Notice of Intent to Prepare a Land Use Analysis/Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Land Use Analysis/Environmental 
Assessment.

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SUMMARY: A Land Use Analysis/Environmental Assessment (LUA/EA) is being 
prepared to consider leasing Federal coal in response to lease 
application KYES-51088. The 64.51-acre application area in Whitley and 
McCreary Counties, Kentucky is managed by the Daniel Boone National 
Forest. The LUA/EA will be a cooperative effort among the Bureau of 
Land Management, the Forest Service and the Office of Surface Mining. 
This notice is issued pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFFR 1610.2(c).
    The planning effort will follow the procedures set forth in 43 CFR 
part 1600. As provided at 43 CFR 3420, information and data pertaining 
to the coal deposits or other resources, which potentially may be 
affected by development of the coal, are requested. Additionally, the 
public is invited to participate in this planning process, beginning 
with the identification of planning issues and criteria.

DATES: Input will be accepted for 30 days from the date of this 
publication. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you 
wish to withhold your name or street address from public review or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your written comments. Such requests 
will be honored to the extent allowed by the law. All submissions from 
organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Jackson Field Office, 411 Briarwood Drive, Suite 404, Jackson, MS 
39206-3039.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John A. Lewis, Lead for the LUA/EA, 
Jackson Field Office at 601-955-5437.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The coal lease application was filed by 
Southfork Coal Company to supplement their existing private and other 
federal reserves currently under lease. The reserves would be mined by 
underground methods from a portal area on private surface and mineral 
estates. A permit has been issued by the State of Kentucky for this 
14.47-acre portal area located 0.8 miles from the intersection of 
County Highway 92 and the Whitley/McCreary County line.
    The BLM has responsibility to address coal lease applications on 
federal mineral estate. The Forest Service has the responsibility to 
consider consenting to lease Federal coal underlying Forest Service 
managed surface lands. The Office of Surface Mining provides 
recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior regarding approval of 
mining plans. An interdisciplinary team from these three agencies will 
be used in the preparation of the LUA/EA. Preliminary issues, subject 
to change as a result of public input, are (1) potential impacts of 
coal exploration and development on the surface and subsurface 
resources and (2) consideration of restrictions on lease rights to 
protect surface resources and uses by the Forest Service.
    Due to the limited scope of this LUA/EA process, a public meeting 
is not scheduled during this scoping stage; however, a public hearing 
will be conducted, in accordance with 43 CFR 3420 and 1600, upon the 
completion of the LUA/EA.


[[Page 56301]]


    Dated: July 23, 2002.
Duane Winters,
Acting Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 02-22399 Filed 8-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-AG-P