Record of decision : environmental impact statement for the Eagle Butte West Coast lease application : WYW155132

2007·10.6 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Casper Field Office

RECORD OF DECISION
Environmental Impact Statement for the
Eagle Butte West Coal Lease Application
WYW155132
October2007
MISSIONSTATEMENT
ItisthemissionoftheBureauofLandManagmenttosustainthehealth,diversity,
andproductivityofthepubliclandsfortheuseandenjoymentofpresentand
futuregenerations.
BLM/WY/PL-08/002+1320
ID MP
U.S.DEPARTMENTOFTHEINTERIOR £
BUREAUOFLANDMANAGEMENT Q.0Cl\i
RECORDOFDECISION
EAGLEBUTTEWESTLEASEBYAPPLICATION
WYW155132
CAMPBELLCOUNTY,WYOMING
INTRODUCTION
OnDecember28,2001,theoperatoroftheEagleButteMinefiledanapplicationwiththeBLM
forFederalcoalreservesinatractlocatedwestofandimmediatelyadjacenttotheminein
CampbellCounty,Wyoming,approximatelythreemilesnorthofthecityofGillette(Appendix1
-Figure1). TheapplicationwasmadepursuanttotheLeasingonApplicationregulationsfound
intheCodeofFederalRegulations(CFR)at43CFRSubpart3425. Intheapplication,thetract
wBaLsMreafsesrirgednetdocaasstehfeilEeangluembBeutrtWeMYiWne1W55es1t32EtxotetnhseiaopnplLiecaasteioBnyanAdpprleincaatmieodni(tLtBheA)EaTgrlaectB.utte
WestLBATract.
TheoperatoroftheEagleButteMinewhentheapplicationwasfiledwasRAGCoalWest,Inc.
InAugust2004,RAGfinalizedthesaleoftheEagleButteMinetoFoundationCoalWest,Inc.
(FCW),adirectlyheldsubsidiaryofFoundationCoalHoldings,Inc.
TheFederalcoalreserveswereappliedforasamaintenancetractfortheEagleButteMine.A
maintenancetractisatractofFederalcoalthatisadjacentto,andcanbeminedby,anexisting
activecoalmine. Asappliedfor,theEagleButteWestLBATractincludesatotalof
approximately1,397.64acres(Appendix1-Figure2).FCWestimatesthat,asappliedfor,the
tractincludesapproximately238milliontonsofmineableFederalcoalreservesinCampbell
County,Wyoming.
TbeProposedActionanalyzedintheEagleButteWestCoalLeaseApplicationEnvironmental
ImpactStatement(EIS)istoholdacompetitivesealed-bidleasesaleandissuealeaseforthe
tractasappliedfor. Accordingtotheapplicant,theEagleButteMineneedstheFederalcoal
includedintheEagleButteWestcoalleaseareainordertoextendthelifeofthemine. The
applicantwouldrecovertheFederalcoalusingthesamemethodology,machinery,andfacilities
thatarecurrentlybeingusedtorecoverthecoalintheexistingEagleButteMinecoalleases.
FCWanticipatesthat,iftheyacquirealeasefortheEagleButteWestLBATract,itwouldtake
approximatelynineyearstorecovertheFederalcoalincludedinthetract.
TheEagleButteMinehasapermitapprovedbytheWyomingDepartmentofEnvironmental
QualityLandQualityDivision(WDEQ/LQD)andaMineralLeasingAct(MLA)miningplan
approvedbytheSecretaryoftheInteriortoconductsurfacecoalminingoperationsontheir
existingcoalleases. TheminealsohasanairqualitypermitapprovedbytbeAirQuality
DivisionoftheWyomingDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality(WDEQ/AQD)whichallows
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miningofupto35milliontonsofcoalperyearthroughtheyear2008.
BACKGROUND
TheLeaseByApplicationProcess
InthePowderRiverBasin(PRB),maintenancetractsarenominatedforleasingbycompanies
withadjacentexistingmines. ToprocessanLBAtheBLMmustevaluatethequantity,quality,
maximumeconomicrecovery(MER)andfairmarketvalue(FMV)oftheFederalcoal. The
BLMmustalsoevaluatetheenvironmentalandsocioeconomicimpactsofleasingandminingthe
FederalcoalinaccordancewiththerequirementsoftheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyActof
1969(NEPA). BLMpreparedtheEagleButteWestCoalLeaseApplicationEnvironmental
ImpactStatementtoevaluatetheimpactsofleasingtheFederalcoalincludedintheEagleButte
Westcoalleaseapplication. LeasingtheEagleButteWestLBATractwouldnotauthorizethe
lesseetobeginminingoperationsonthetract,buttheEISevaluatesthepotentialimpactsof
miningtheEagleButteWestLBATractbecauseminingisalogicalconsequenceofissuinga
leaseforamaintenancetract.
TheOfficeofSurfaceMiningReclamationandEnforcement(OSM)isacooperatingagencyon
theEISbecauseOSMistheFederalagencywhichadministersprogramsthatregulatesurface
coalmininginaccordancewiththeSurfaceMiningControlandReclamationActof1977
(SMCRA). TheWyomingStatePlanningOffice(WSPO),WDEQ/LQD,WDEQ/AQD,
WyomingDepartmentofTransportation(WYDOT),andtheCampbellCountyBoardof
CommissionersarealsocooperatingagenciesonthisEIS. WSPOcoordinatesplanningwithin
Stateagenciesandfacilitatescollaborationamongtheagencies,theFederalgovernment,other
states,theprivatesector,andthegeneralpublic. WDEQhasenteredintoacooperative
agreementwiththeSecretaryoftheInteriortoregulatesurfacecoalminingoperationsonFederal
andnon-FederallandswithintheStateofWyoming. WYDOT’sresponsibilitiesinclude
planningandsupervisingroadimprovementwork,maintainingroads,andsupportingairports
andaviationinWyoming. TheresponsibilitiesoftheCampbellCountyBoardofCommissioners
include,butarenotlimitedto,managementandoversightofcountyroadsandfacilitiesand
planningandzoningrulesinthecounty.
BylawandregulationtheLBAprocessisanopen,public,andcompetitiveleasingprocess;
biddingisnotrestrictedtotheapplicant. FCWfdedtheEagleButteWestcoalleaseapplication
becausetheareaappliedforisadjacenttotheirexistingapprovedminingoperationsattheEagle
ButteMineandtheFederalcoalcanbeminedusingtheirexistingminefacilities,equipmentand
employees. AsshowninAppendix1-Figure1,noneoftheotherexistingsurfacecoalminesin
thePRBareimmediatelyadjacenttotheEagleButteWestLBATract.IntheEagleButteWest
CoalLeaseApplicationEIS,thealternativesanalyzedindetailassumethattheapplicantwillbe
thesuccessfulbidderifacompetitivesaleisheld.
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RecentCoalLeasingActivityintheWyomingPowderRiverBasin
SincedecertificationofthePowderRiverFederalCoalRegionin1990,seventeen(17)Federal
coalleasesinCampbellandConversecounties,Wyoming,havebeenissuedaftercompetitive
sealed-bidsalesusingtheLBAprocess. Theseleasesincludeapproximately44,400acresand
5.184billiontonsofmineablecoal(seeTable1-1,EagleButteWestCoalLeaseApplication
EIS). Sixteenofthenewleaseswereissuedtothefollowingexistingminesforthepurposeof
extendingoperationsatthosemines: JacobsRanchMine(2),BlackThunderMine(3),North
AntelopeRochelleMine(5),EagleButteMine(1),AntelopeMine(3),BuckskinMine(1)and
theformerNorthRochelleMine(l). TheI?"'lease,theWestRockyButtelease,wasissuedto
theNorthwesternResourcesCompanyin1992. Theyplannedtostartanewminetorecoverthe
coalincludedintheRockyButteandWestRockyButteleases. CaballoCoalCompany,a
subsidiaryofPeabodyHoldingCompany,Inc.andoperatoroftheadjacentCaballoMine,isnow
thelesseefortheRockyButteandWestRockyButteleases.
PendingCoalLeasingApplicationsandOtherProposedProjectsintheWyomingPowder
RiverBasin
Thereare12pendingmaintenanceleaseapplicationsintheWyomingportionofthePRB,
includingtheEagleButteWestLBATract(Appendix1-Figure1). Thependinglease
applicationsincludeapproximately4.4billiontonsofFederalcoal. Salesarependingforthe
NorthMaysdorfandSouthMaysdorfLBATracts,adjacenttotheCorderoRojoMine. In
additiontotheMaysdorfandEagleButteWestLBAs,thependingcoalleaseapplicationsand
applicantminesare: BelleAyrNorth{BelleAyrMine),WestAntelopeII{AntelopeMine),
HilightField{BlackThunderMine),WestHilightField{BlackThunderMine),WestCoalCreek
{CoalCreekMine),CaballoWest{CaballoMine),HayCreekII(BuckskinMine),WestJacobs
Ranch(JacobsRanchMine),MaysdorfII(CorderoRojoMine),andPorcupine(NorthAntelope
RochelleMine).
Oilandgasleasinganddevelopmenthaveoccurredandareoccurringinthisareainadditionto
theongoingcoalleasingandmining. Bothconventionalandcoalbednaturalgas(CBNG)wells
havebeendrilledinandaroundtheEagleButteMineandtheEagleButteWestLBAarea.
ConventionalandCBNGresourcesarecurrentlybeingrecoveredfromFederalandprivateoil
andgasleasesintheapplicationarea. FederaloilandgasleaseownershipintheEagleButte
WestLBAareaisdescribedinFigure3-19andTable3-10ofthefinalEIS. Table3-10was
updatedbetweenthepreparationofthedraftandfinalEISdocumentstoidentitychangesin
Federalleaseownership. Federaloilandgaslesseesandprivateinterestsidentifiedbythe
applicantwereincludedonthemailinglistfortheEagleButteWestCoalLeaseApplicationEIS.
TheEISdiscussesconventionaloilandgasdevelopmentinandaroundtheEagleButteWest
LBATract. Thediscussionincludesasummaryoftheresultsofananalysisoftheconventional
oilandgasdrillingthathasoccurredinthearea,preparedbytheBLMWyomingReservoir
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ManagementGroup(WSO-RMG). TheEISidentifiesthestatusandlocationoffour
conventionaloilandgaswellswithintheBLMstudyareafortheEagleButteWestcoallease
application(Figure3-19). AtthetimethedraftEISanalysiswasprepared,noneofthosewells
werecapableofproducing. ReviewoftheWyomingOilandGasConservationCommission
(WOGCC)welldatabaseasofSeptember2007didnotindicatethepresenceofanynewly
producingconventionaloilandgaswells.
TheEISalsodiscussescoalbednaturalgas(CBNG)developmentinandaroundtheEagleButte
WestLBAarea,includingasummaryofananalysisofCBNGresourcesintheEagleButteWest
LBATractpreparedbytheBLMWSO-RMG. AttheEagleButteMine,therearetwomineable
coalseams,whicharelocallyreferredtoastheRolandandSmithcoalseams. TheUSGSrefers
tothesecoalbedsastheWyodak-Andersonzone. Inthisarea,CBNGhasbeenproducedfrom
theWyodak-Andersonzonesincethelate1980’s. TheWSO-RMGestimatedthat,asof2000,
thecoalintheareaoftheEagleButteWestLBATracthadanaveragecontentofapproximately
about6.3standardcubicfeetofCBNGpertonofcoalandtheestimatedrecoverableCBNG
resourceinthetractatthattimewouldhaverangedfromapproximately1.1to1.5billioncubic
feet. TheEISidentifiesthestatusandlocationofCBNGwellswithintheBLMstudyareaforthe
tractwhentheEISwasprepared(Figure3-19). ReviewoftheWOGCCwelldatabaseasof
September2007didnotindicatethepresenceofadditionalproducingCBNGwells.
Thereareseveralmechanismsthatcanbeusedtofacilitaterecoveryoftheconventionaloiland
gasandCBNGresourcespriortominingiftheFederalcoalinthetractisleasednow:
• BLMwillattachaMultipleMineralDevelopmentstipulationtotheFederalcoallease
whichstatesthatBLMhastheauthoritytowithholdapprovalofcoalminingoperations
thatwouldinterferewiththedevelopmentofmineralleasesissuedpriortothecoallease
[seeAppendix2].
• Conventionaloilandgaswellsmustbeabandonedwhileminingandreclamation
operationsareinprogressbutcouldberecompletedorredrilledfollowingmining,ifthe
valueoftheremainingreserveswouldjustilytheexpenseofreestablishingproduetion.
TherearecurrentlynoproducingconventionaloilandgaswellsonthisLBAtract. The
analysispreparedbyWSO-RMGindicatesthattherehasbeenlittleconventional
explorationanddevelopmentinthisareainrecentyears.
• BLMhasapolicyinplaceonCBNG-coalconflicts(BLMInstructionMemorandumNo.
2006-153),whichdirectsBLMdecision-makerstooptimizetherecoveryofbothCBNG
andconventionalresourcesandensurethatthepublicreceivesareasonablereturn. This
memorandumoffersroyaltyincentivestoCBNGoperatorstoaccelerateproduetionin
ordertorecoverthenaturalgaswhilesimultaneouslyallowinguninterruptedcoalmining
operations. Inaddition,thismemorandumalsostatesthatitisthepolicyoftheBLMto
encourageoilandgasandcoalcompaniestoresolveconflictsbetweenthemselvesand.
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whenrequested,theBLMwillassistinfacilitatingagreementsbetweenthecompanies.
• CBNGhasbeenproducedfromtheWyodakAndersoncoalzone(locallyreferredtoas
theRolandandSmithcoalseams)inthisareasincethelate-1980s. Theanalysisprepared
byWSO-RMGsuggeststhatCBNGresourceinthiszonehasbeensubstantiallydepleted
inthevicinityofthetract,eitherbyminingoperationsorbyrecoveryfromproducing
wellsandthatthereareinsufficientremainingreservestosupportadditionaldrilling.
MiningoftheEagleButteWestLBATractwouldnotbeauthorizeduntilthecoallessee
hasapermittominethattractapprovedbytheWDEQ/LQDandaMLAminingplan
approvedbytheSecretaryoftheInterior. BeforetheMLAminingplancanbeapproved,
BLMmustapproveaResourceRecoveryandProtectionPlan. Priortoapprovingthe
ResourceRecoveryandProtectionPlan,BLMcanreviewthestatusofCBNGand
conventionaloilandgasdevelopmentonthetractandtheminingsequenceproposedby
thecoallessee. Thepermitapprovalprocessgenerallytakesthecoallesseeseveralyears,
duringwhichtimeCBNGresourcescancontinuetoberecovered.
• PriortominingtheFederalcoal,thecoallesseecannegotiateanagreementwithowners
andoperatorsofexistingoilandgasfacilitiesonthetract,includingownersandoperators
ofoilandgaswellandpipelinefacilities,regardingremovalofthosefacilitiespriorto
mining.
OtherproposedprojectsintheWyomingPRBthathaveadvancedtotheplanning,permitting,or
constructionstagesandthatwouldreasonablybeexpectedtobecompletedintheforeseeable
ffiurteudrepoinwcelrudpel:antthseaatltmhoesBtlcaocmkpHlieltlesdCWorypgoeranti11onanedn,eprogtyenctoiamlplly,exthneeparrotphoesWeydoWdyagkenMiInIIecsoiatle-m
Gillette,Wyoming;theDryForkStationcoal-firedpowerplantproposedbyBasinElectric
PowerCooperativeneartheDryForkMine,northofGillette;theTwoElkcoal-firedpowerplant
proposedbytheNorthAmericanPowerGroup(NAPG),whichwouldbelocatedeastofthe
BlackThunderMine;andarailroadlinefromthePRBtoMinnesotaproposedbytheDakota,
Minnesota,andEasternRailroadCorporation(DM&E). InearlySeptember,2007,Canadian
PacificRailwayLtdannounceditisintheprocessofbuyingDM&E.
TheproposedpowerplantsandtheDM&Erailroadlineandtheongoingandproposedoiland
gasoperations(includingCBNG)areseparateprojectsbeingdevelopedindependentlyofleasing
theEagleButteWestLBATract. IftheseotherprojectsaredevelopedasproposedandtheEagle
ButteWestleaseapplicationareaisleasedandminedasproposed,therewouldpotentiallybe
someoverlapbetweentheenvironmentalandeconomicimpactsofconstructingandoperating
someofthoseprojectsandtheenvironmentalandeconomicimpactsofminingtheEagleButte
TWewsotELlBkApoTwreacrt.plaTnht,etchuemDulraytFiovrekefSfteacttisonofpaolwleorftplhaenste,ptrhoejeDctMs&(tEherWaiylgroeadn,ptoheweorngpolainntgs,atnhde
pleraospionsgeodfoEilagalnedBguatstedeWveesltoplmeaesnetaapnpdlipcraotidounctairoena,aannddtthheeoctohaelrmpiennidnigngthLatBwAoutrladctfs)olalroewthe
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describedinChapter4oftheEagleButteWestCoalLeaseApplicationEIS. Thecumulative
impactdiscussionintheEISisbasedontheanalysesdoneforthePRBCoalReview,whichcan
beviewedontheBLMwebsiteat:
http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/erL/programs/energy/Coal_Resources/PRB_Coal/prbdocs.html.
DECISION
ThedecisionistoselectAlternative1,asdescribedinChapter2oftheEagleButteWestCoal
LeaseApplicationEIS. UnderAlternative1,theFederalcoalincludedintheEagleButteWest
LBATract,asmodifiedbyBLM,wouldbeofferedforleaseatacompetitivesealed-bidsaleand
aleasewouldbeissuedtothesuccessfulqualifiedhighbidder,ifthehighestbidreceivedatthe
salemeetsorexceedstheFMVasdeterminedbytheBLMandifallotherleasingrequirements
aremet. Thecompetitiveleasesalewillbeheldundertheregulationsfoundat43CFRSubpart
3422,LeaseSales. AsdescribedunderAlternative1intheEIS,theEagleButteWestLBATract
(WYW155132),asmodifiedbytheBLM,includes1,427.77acresmoreorlessandtheBLM
estimatesthatthetractcontainsapproximately255milliontonsofmineableFederalcoal
resourcesinCampbellCounty,Wyoming.
ThisdecisionisinconformancewiththeApprovedResourceManagementPlanforPublicLands
AdministeredbytheBLMBuffaloFieldOffice(RMP),whichwascompletedin2001anamended
in2003. Ihaveincorporatedbyreferenceinthisdecisionstandardcoalleasestipulations
addressingcompliancewithbasicrequirementsoftheenvironmentalstatutesandhaveattached
BLMspecialstipulations(Appendix2).
IntheeventthatthebidorbidssubmittedatthecompetitiveleasesaleoftheEagleButteWest
LBATractdonotmeetorexceedtheFMVasdeterminedbytheBLM,theBLMmayschedulea
follow-upsale.
BUuntdteerWAelstterLnaBtAiveTr1a,cittiasndastshuatmethdetchoaatlthweilalpbpleimcainntedw,ilplrboecetshseesduaccnedsssfoulldbbiyddteherEoangtlheeBEuatgtlee
Mine. Ifthetractismined,itwouldbeenvironmentallypreferabletomineandreclaimtheEagle
ButteWestLBATractasamaintenanceleaseinalogicalsequencewiththeongoingminingand
reclamationoperationsatanadjacentexistingmine. Thiswouldbeconsistentwiththeanalysis
oftheimpactsdescribedintheEIS.
REASONSFORTHEDECISION
TheBLMdecisiontoholdaleasesalefortheFederalcoallandsincludedintheEagleButte
WestLBAareaisbasedoncarefulconsiderationofanumberoffactors,including:
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• ThedecisiontooffertheEagleButteWestLBATract(1,427.77acrescontaining
approximately255milliontonsofmineableFederalcoalreserves),inresponsetothecoal
leaseapplicationreceivedonDecember28,2001,isinconformancewiththeBLMland
useplancoveringthisarea(SeeConformancewithExistingLandUsePlansSection,
below).
• TheEagleButteWestCoalLeaseApplicationEISwaspreparedinresponsetoan
applicationBLMreceivedtoleaseatractofFederalcoaltoanexistingminein
Wyoming. TheenvironmentalimpactsofthisdecisionwerefullydisclosedinthatEIS.
PubliccommentwasaddressedintheFinalEIS.
• TheEagleButteMineappliedfortheEagleButteWestLBATractinordertoacquire
accesstoacontinuingsupplyoflowsulphurcompliancecoalthatwouldbesoldtopower
plantsforthepurposeofgeneratingpower. ContinuedleasingofthelowsulphurPRB
coalenablescoal-firedpowerplantstomeetCleanAirActrequirementswithout
constructingnewpowerplants,revampingexistingplants,orswitchingtoother
alternativefuels. Generally,thecostsofconstructingnewpowerplants,retrofittingor
revampingexistingplants,orre-toolingandswitchingtootheralternativefuelseffect
additionalcoststoenergycustomers.
• TheBLM’spreferredtractconfigurationunderAlternative1providesformaximum
economicrecoveryofthecoalresource.
• WhenanapplicationtoleaseFederalcoalissubmitted,theBLMmustdecidewhetherto
processtheapplicationandholdacompetitivesealed-bidleasesaleforthecoalorreject
theapplicationandnotofferthecoalforlease. Regardlessofthedecision,theBLMmust
notifytheapplicantinatimelyfashionofitsdecision. TheEISprovidestheBLMwith
theinformationneededtomeetitsobligationstorespondtoanapplicationinatimely
fashion.
• AprimarygoaloftheNationalEnergyPolicyistoaddenergysuppliesfromdiverse
sourcesincludingdomesticoil,gas,andcoalinadditiontohydropowerandnuclear
power. TheBLMrecognizesthatthecontinuedextractionofcoalisessentialtocontinue
tomeetthenation’sdemandsforenergy. Asaresult,privatedevelopmentofFederalcoal
reservesisintegraltotheBLMcoalleasingprogramsundertheauthoritiesoftheMineral
LeasingActof1920,theFederalLandPolicyandManagementActof1976(FLPMA)
andtheFederalCoalLeasingAmendmentsActof1976(FCLAA).
• TheBLMcoalleasingprogramencouragesthedevelopmentofdomesticcoalreserves
andreductionoftheUnitedStates’dependenceonforeignsourcesofenergy. Theleasing
andsubsequentminingofFederalcoalreservesprovidetheUnitedStates,theStateof
Wyoming,andaffectedcountieswithincomeintheformofleasebonuspayments,lease
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royaltypayments,andtaxpayments. ProductionofFederalcoalalsoprovidesthepublic
withasupplyofcost-efficient,lowsulphurcoalforpowergeneration. Thealternative
selectedmeetsthegoalsoftheNationalEnergyPolicyandachievestheobjectivesofthe
FederalcoalleasingprogramsmanagedbytheBLM. Federalcoalleasingissupportedby
theWyomingGovernor,theWyominglegislature,andotherstateandlocalofficials.
• TheU.S.FishandWildlifeServicehasprovidedwrittenconcurrenceforleasingthe
EagleButteWestLBATractpursuanttosection7(a)(2)oftheEndangeredSpeciesActof
1973,asamended(Appendix3).
• ConsultationwiththeappropriateNativeAmericantribeswasinitiatedinJuneof2007.
Onetriberequestedadditionalinformationontheculturalsitessurveyedonthetract.
BLMiscontinuingtocorrespondwiththistriberegardingtheirrequest. Nositeswere
recommendedaseligibletotheNationalRegisterbasedontestingandevaluation,and
noneofthesiteshaveassociationsorcharacteristicsofTraditionalCulturalProperties
NationalHistoricPreservationActconsultationwiththeWyomingStateHistoric
PreservationOfficewillbecompletedasrequiredduringthepermittingprocess,priorto
anydisturbanceofthetract.
• Coal-firedpowerplantemissionsincludegreenhousegases,whichcontributetoglobal
warming,andmercury,whichcanhaveadversehealtheffectstobothhumansandother
animals. IftheFederalcoalincludedintheEagleButteWestLBATractisleased,mined
atcurrentlypermittedlevels,andusedtogenerateelectricitybyacoal-firedpowerplant,
theemissionsofgreenhousegasesandmercuryattributabletotheEagleButteMine
wouldbeextendedforseventotenadditionalyearsatapproximatelycurrentlevels.
IssuingaFederalcoalleasefortheEagleButteWestLBATraetwouldnotresultinthe
creationofnewsourcesofanthropomorphicgreenhousegasormercuryemissionsandthe
ratesofanthropomorphicgreenhousegasormercuryemissionswouldnotbeexpectedto
increase.
PUBLICINVOLVEMENT
BLMreceivedtheEagleButteWestcoalleaseapplicationonDecember28,2001. OnApril29,
2002,theBLMpublishednoticeofthereceiptofthisleaseapplicationintheFederalRegister.
Copiesofthisnoticeweresenttovotingandnon-votingmembersofthePowderRiverRegional
CoalTeam(PRRCT),includingthegovernorsofWyomingandMontana,theNorthern
CheyenneTribe,theCrowTribe,ForestService,OSM,U.S.Fish&WildlifeService,U.S.
NationalParkService,U.S.GeologicalSurvey,andothers.
OnMay30,2002andApril27,2005,thePRRCTreviewedtheEagleButteWe.stcoallease
applicationatpublicmeetingsheldinCasperandGillette,Wyoming,respectively. ThePRRCT
recommendedthattheBLMprocesstheapplication. TheBLMpublishedaNoticeofIntentto
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