Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2011 / Notices 11259 

at 307–775–6258, and 307–775–6487, 

respectively. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This coal 

lease sale is being held in response to 

a lease by application (LBA) filed by 

Antelope Coal LLC, Gillette, Wyoming. 

The coal resource to be offered consists 

of all reserves recoverable by surface 

mining methods in the following 

described lands located north of the 

Campbell/Converse county line 

approximately 2–5 miles east of State 

Highway 59 and adjacent to the western 

and northern lease boundary of the 

Antelope Mine. 

T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th Principal Meridian, 

Sec. 9, lots 9 through 16 inclusive; 

Sec. 10, lots 11 through 16 inclusive; 

Sec. 11, lot 13; 

Sec. 14, lots 3 and 4; 

Sec. 15, lots 1 through 5 inclusive, and lots 

12 and 13; 

Sec. 20, lots 14 through 16 inclusive; 

Sec. 21, lots 1 through 16 inclusive; 

Sec. 22, lots 2, 7, 8, and lots 14 through 

16 inclusive; 

Sec. 27, lots 6 through 11 inclusive; 

Sec. 28, lots 1 through 8 inclusive; and 

Sec. 29, lots 1 through 3 inclusive, and lots 

6 through 8 inclusive. 

Containing 2,837.63 acres, more or less in 

Campbell County, Wyoming. 

The tract is adjacent to Federal leases 

to the east and south and surrounds a 

State of Wyoming lease, all controlled 

by the Antelope Mine. It is adjacent to 

additional unleased Federal coal to the 

west and north. 

All of the acreage offered has been 

determined to be suitable for mining 

except for the mainline railroad right-ofway in the far northeast portion of the 

tract. Features such as utilities and 

pipelines can be moved to permit coal 

recovery. A possible alluvial valley floor 

crosses the tract along Horse Creek, but 

is unlikely to be significant for farming 

and so will be available for mining with 

appropriate reclamation. In addition, 

numerous producing coal bed natural 

gas wells have been drilled on the LBA 

tract. The estimate of the bonus value of 

the coal lease will include consideration 

of the future production from these 

wells. An economic analysis of the 

future income stream from coal mining 

will consider reasonable compensation 

for lost production of coal bed natural 

gas when the wells are bought out by 

the coal lessee. Mining will eliminate 

the gas reservoir. The surface estate of 

the tract is owned by Antelope Coal 

Company or private individuals and 

other entities. 

The tract contains surface mineable 

coal reserves in the Wyodak-Anderson 

coal zone currently being recovered in 

the adjacent, existing mine. On the LBA 

tract, there are generally two recoverable 

seams, the shallower Anderson and the 

deeper Canyon. On the LBA tract, both 

seams are generally continuous 

although a thin split off the bottom of 

the Anderson occasionally occurs. This 

split can usually be recovered with the 

main Anderson seam. The Anderson 

seam varies from 35 to 42 feet thick 

while the Canyon seam varies from 32 

to 36 feet thick. The interburden varies 

significantly and can be as thin as 12 

feet to as thick as 95 feet but is usually 

in the 65 to 75 foot thick range. 

Overburden depths to the Anderson 

seam range from about 250 to 440 feet 

thick on the LBA tract. 

The tract contains an estimated 

350,263,000 tons of mineable coal. This 

estimate of mineable reserves includes 

both of the main seams and the thin 

split mentioned above, but does not 

include any tonnage from localized 

seams or splits where the coal is less 

than 5 feet thick. It does not include the 

coal in the State of Wyoming coal lease, 

although these reserves are expected to 

be recovered in conjunction with the 

LBA tract. It also excludes coal within 

and along the railroad right-of-way since 

this coal cannot be recovered using 

typical mining practices. The total 

mineable stripping ratio of the coal in 

bank cubic yards per ton is 

approximately 4.6:1. Potential bidders 

for the LBA tract should consider the 

recovery rate expected from thick seam 

and multiple seam mining. The West 

Antelope II North LBA coal is ranked as 

subbituminous C. The overall average 

quality on an as-received basis is 8,967 

British Thermal Units per pound 

containing approximately 0.23 percent 

sulfur. The average quality of these coal 

reserves are equal to some of the best 

quality coal currently being mined in 

the Wyoming portion of the Powder 

River Basin. 

The tract in this lease offering 

contains split estate lands. There are 

qualified surface owners as defined in 

the regulations at 43 CFR 3400.0–5. 

Consent granted by the qualified surface 

owners has been filed with and verified 

by the BLM. The LBA tract lands 

included in the consent documents are: 

T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th P.M., 

Sec. 9, lots 9 through 16 inclusive; 

Sec. 10, lots 11 through 16 inclusive; 

Sec. 14, lots 3 and 4; 

Sec. 15, lots 1 through 4 inclusive; and 

Sec. 21, lots 1through 8 inclusive. 

Containing 1147.43 acres, more or less, in 

Campbell County, Wyoming. 

The purchase price of the consent is 

$10,097,500. 

The tract will be leased to the 

qualified bidder of the highest cash 

amount provided that the high bid 

meets or exceeds the BLM’s estimate of 

the fair market value of the tract. The 

minimum bid for the tract is $100 per 

acre or fraction thereof. No bid that is 

less than $100 per acre, or fraction 

thereof, will be considered. The bids 

should be sent by certified mail, return 

receipt requested, or be hand delivered. 

The BLM Wyoming State Office Cashier 

will issue a receipt for each handdelivered bid. Bids received after 4 p.m. 

local time, on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 

will not be considered. The minimum 

bid is not intended to represent fair 

market value. The fair market value of 

the tract will be determined by the 

Authorized Officer after the sale. The 

lease issued as a result of this offering 

will provide for payment of an annual 

rental of $3.00 per acre, or fraction 

thereof, and a royalty payment to the 

United States of 12.5 percent of the 

value of coal produced by surface 

mining methods and 8 percent of the 

value of the coal produced by 

underground mining methods. The 

value of the coal will be determined in 

accordance with 30 CFR 206.250. 

Bidding instructions for the LBA tract 

offered and the terms and conditions of 

the proposed coal lease are available 

from the BLM Wyoming State Office at 

the address above. Case file documents, 

WYW163340, are available for 

inspection at the BLM Wyoming State 

Office. 

Donald A. Simpson, 

State Director. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4364 Filed 2–28–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLIDI02000.L71220000.EO0000. 

LVTFD0977370] 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine 

and Reclamation Plan, Caribou 

County, ID 

AGENCIES: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. U.S. Forest Service, 

Agriculture. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, the Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act of 1976, and the 

Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as 

amended, notice is hereby given that the 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
11260 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2011 / Notices 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM), Pocatello 

Field Office, and the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest, will 

jointly prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) to determine and 

analyze the effects of a proposed 

phosphate mine and reclamation plan. 

The EIS will also consider the effects of 

modifying the lease to increase its size. 

DATES: To ensure that comments will be 

considered, the BLM must receive 

written comments on the scope of the 

analysis described in this notice by 

March 31, 2011. The BLM will 

announce future meetings or hearings 

and any other public involvement 

activities at least 15 days in advance 

through public notices, media news 

releases, and/or mailings. 

Scoping Procedure: The scoping 

procedure to be used for this EIS will 

involve notification in the Federal 

Register; a mailing to interested and 

potentially affected individuals, groups, 

Federal, State, and local government 

entities requesting comments, issues 

and concerns; news releases or legal 

notices; and public scoping meetings. 

Please note that public comments and 

information submitted, including 

names, street addresses, and e-mail 

addresses of respondents, will be 

available for public review and 

disclosure at the address listed below 

during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 

4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

The BLM and the USFS are seeking 

information and written comments from 

Federal, State, Tribal, and local 

agencies, individuals and organizations 

interested in, or affected by the 

Proposed Action or Alternatives. To 

assist the BLM and the USFS in 

identifying issues and concerns related 

to the Proposed Action, scoping 

comments should be as specific as 

possible. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: 

Rasmussen Valley Mine EIS, Bureau of 

Land Management, Pocatello Field 

Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, 

Idaho 83204. E-mail: 

Rasmussen_Valley_EIS@blm.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill 

Volk, Bureau of Land Management, 

Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, 

Pocatello, Idaho 83204, phone (208) 

236–7503. Information is also available 

at: http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/ 

pocatello/planning/ 

rasmussen_valley_mine.html. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM 

will serve as the lead agency and the 

USFS as the co-lead agency. The Idaho 

Department of Environmental Quality is 

a cooperating agency. The mining and 

reclamation plans have been developed 

and submitted for agency review of 

proposed open pit mining operations at 

the Rasmussen Valley Phosphate 

Federal Mineral Lease I–05975, in 

Caribou County, Idaho, by Nu-West 

Industries, Inc., doing business as 

Agrium Conda Phosphate Operations 

(Agrium). The Rasmussen Valley 

Phosphate Lease Area is located about 

18 miles northeast of Soda Springs, 

Idaho. 

The proposed new mining operations 

at the Rasmussen Valley Phosphate 

Lease area lie on lands where the 

surface estate is administered by the 

BLM, the USFS, the Idaho Department 

of Fish and Game, and private owners. 

The Federal mineral estate is 

administered by the BLM. The portion 

where the surface estate is administered 

by the USFS lies within the Soda 

Springs Ranger District of the CaribouTarghee National Forest. The lease was 

originally issued in 1955. Subsequent 

lease transactions resulted in the 

transfer of the lease to Agrium in 2004. 

These leases grant the lessee, Agrium in 

this case, exclusive rights to mine and 

otherwise dispose of the federally 

owned phosphate deposit at the site. 

Through development of this EIS, the 

BLM and the USFS will analyze 

environmental impacts of the proposed 

mining operations and reasonable 

alternatives to the proposed action. 

Appropriate mitigation measures will 

also be formulated. 

Agency Decisions: The BLM Idaho 

State Director or delegated official will 

make a decision regarding approval of 

the proposed mine and reclamation 

plan, a proposed lease modification or 

grant of a fringe acreage lease 

(enlargement of leased areas), and 

appropriate land use authorizations on 

leased lands. Decisions will be based on 

the EIS and any recommendations the 

USFS may have regarding surface 

management of leased National Forest 

System lands. The USFS CaribouTarghee National Forest Supervisor 

makes: 

(1) Recommendations to the BLM 

concerning surface management and 

mitigation on leased lands within the 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest; and 

(2) Decisions on mine related 

activities that occur off-lease within the 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest. 

Special use authorizations from the 

USFS would be necessary for any 

support structures and facilities for the 

mine located off-lease within the 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest. 

The Army Corps of Engineers may 

also make decisions related to permits 

under Section 404 of the Clean Water 

Act. 

Background: Agrium has operated the 

existing North Rasmussen Ridge and 

Dry Valley Mines since 2003. Agrium 

has indicated that they will eventually 

complete mining of these currently 

permitted reserves, requiring the 

proposed mining of the Rasmussen 

Valley phosphate lease if mining is to 

continue in the immediate area. Because 

of the significant construction time 

associated with the infrastructure 

needed for the proposed mine (new haul 

road and mine infrastructure), this 

proposal is being analyzed in advance of 

depleting the currently permitted ore 

reserves at Agrium’s North Rasmussen 

Ridge and Dry Valley Mines. The 

proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine 

project would include an open pit 

phosphate mine and associated features 

including growth media stockpiles, 

temporary and permanent external 

overburden storage areas, storm water 

retention ponds and mine pit backfill 

areas, a haul road, an equipment staging 

area, and re-routing of an existing 

county road and power line. 

The lease currently contains 511.4 

acres of which approximately 311.4 

acres are on National Forest System 

Lands, 40 acres are on BLM public 

lands, and 160 acres are on lands 

managed by the Idaho Department of 

Fish and Game (IDFG). The lessee has 

proposed a lease modification 

(enlargement) of the Federal Phosphate 

Lease I–05975 in three areas totaling 170 

acres to allow optimum recovery of 

existing ore currently contiguous to 

Lease I–05975. This proposed 

modification will be analyzed in the 

EIS. Approximately 420.4 acres are 

proposed for disturbance both on-lease 

and off-lease by the mining project, of 

which 198.5 acres would be on National 

Forest System Lands, 28.7 acres on BLM 

public lands, 134.9 acres on the IDFG 

Blackfoot Wildlife Management Area, 

0.4 acres on Idaho Department of Lands, 

and 57.9 acres on private land. 

Of the total proposed 420.4 acres of 

disturbance, approximately 310.3 acres 

are on-lease for the mine pit, backfill 

areas, temporary and permanent 

external overburden disposal areas, an 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2011 / Notices 11261 

equipment staging area and haul roads, 

and approximately 110.1 acres of 

disturbance are off-lease for haul roads, 

a county road re-route, growth media 

stockpiles and storm water retention 

ponds. 

Of the 110.1 total acres of off-lease 

disturbance, 31.3 acres are proposed to 

be disturbed on private land, and 13.6 

acres are proposed to be disturbed on 

National Forest System Lands within 

the 170-acre proposed lease 

modification. Off-lease disturbance on 

National Forest System Lands of 

approximately 30.8 acres for the haul 

road, storm water retention ponds, and 

growth media stockpiles is proposed to 

be permitted by a 71-acre Special Use 

Permit (SUP) rather than a lease 

modification. Off-lease disturbance of 

approximately 7.4 acres is proposed by 

Agrium on the Idaho Fish and Game’s 

Blackfoot Wildlife Management Area, 

primarily for storm water retention 

ponds and the county road realignment. Approximately 26.6 acres of 

disturbance off-lease on private land, 

but not within the lease modification, is 

proposed for the haul road, storm water 

retention ponds, and growth media 

stockpiles. Approximately 0.4 acres of 

proposed off-lease disturbance for the 

haul road is on land managed by the 

Idaho Department of Lands. Mining is 

proposed to begin at the southern end 

of the Rasmussen Valley Mine deposit, 

continuing northwest through the 

deposit to the extent of the lease. 

Initially, overburden from the pit would 

be placed in an external overburden 

storage area located on-lease directly to 

the west of the pit. As mining progresses 

northwest, overburden would be placed 

either back in the mined-out portion of 

the pit, or in additional external 

overburden storage areas located onlease to the west of the pit. 

Agrium has proposed management 

practices in its mine and reclamation 

plan to reduce environmental impacts. 

Reclamation would be conducted 

concurrently with mining. Agrium’s 

plan emphasizes the backfill of mine 

pits and limiting the amount of 

overburden placed in permanent 

external storage areas. To reduce the 

potential for contaminant release to 

water or uptake into reclamation 

vegetation, Agrium is proposing to limit 

the amount of time that seleniferous 

overburden is exposed to the elements, 

to return all seleniferous overburden 

material to the mine pits, and to cap 

overburden with low-seleniferous 

material consisting of approximately 3 

feet of cherty material, overlain by 2 feet 

of growth media. 

Agrium has proposed to build 

associated new facilities including an 

ore stockpile and groundwater supply 

well(s). To assist personnel needs and 

mobile equipment operation, a small 

support staging facility would be 

constructed at the active mining site 

immediately west of the pit. This 

facility provides electrical power, fuel 

and grease storage within secondary 

containment, communication, safety 

structures, and a temporary shift change 

building. 

Off-lease facilities would include haul 

roads and storm water control features, 

and growth media stockpiles. Trucks 

would be used to transport ore to the 

Wooley Valley rail head and overburden 

to a permanent disposal area. 

Potential impacts to surface resources 

and water quality include erosion, an 

increase in stream sediment load, and 

contamination from dissolved metals 

and selenium. Agrium has proposed to 

implement practices designed to reduce, 

eliminate, or mitigate these impacts. 

Suitable growth media would be 

salvaged from disturbed areas for use in 

reclamation. Mine reclamation would 

include removal of facilities and 

equipment, backfilling pits as mining 

progresses, grading slopes, capping 

overburden disposal areas and pit 

backfill, restoring drainages, spreading 

growth media, stabilizing surfaces, 

revegetation, and testing and treatment 

for any remaining contaminants. 

Environmental monitoring will be 

performed to ensure impacts do not 

exceed those authorized. 

Issues initially identified for the 

proposed mining of the Rasmussen 

Valley phosphate lease include 

potential effects on groundwater and 

surface water quantity and quality; 

vegetation, soil and mineral resources; 

air quality; wildlife and their habitats 

(including fisheries); livestock grazing; 

wetlands and riparian habitat; 

recreation; and socio-economics such as 

employment and the continued 

operation of a fertilizer plant and 

support businesses; Native American 

rights, treaties, and land uses; visual 

resources; and cumulative effects. 

The EIS will analyze the Proposed 

Action and the No Action Alternative. 

Other alternatives may be considered 

that could provide mitigation of 

potential impacts. 

The tentative EIS project schedule is 

as follows: 

• Begin public scoping period and 

meetings: Winter 2011. 

• Estimated date for draft EIS and 

associated comment period: Spring 

2013. 

• Final EIS publication: Winter 2014. 

• Record of Decision: Winter 2014. 

At least three ‘‘open-house’’ style public 

scoping meetings will be held which 

will include displays explaining the 

project and providing a forum for 

commenting on the project. 

Meetings are planned to be held in 

Pocatello, Fort Hall, and Soda Springs, 

Idaho. The dates, times, and locations of 

the public scoping meetings will be 

announced in mailings and public 

notices issued by the BLM (see DATES

above). 

Authorities: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR 

parts 1500–1508; 43 CFR part 46; 43 U.S.C. 

1701; and 43 CFR part 3590. 

Joe Kraayenbrink, 

District Manager, Idaho Falls District, Bureau 

of Land Management. 

Brent Larson, 

Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee National 

Forest. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4535 Filed 2–28–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLMT926000–11–L19100000–BJ0000– 

LRCME0R04763] 

Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; 

Montana 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of filing of plats of 

survey. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) will file the plat of 

survey of the lands described below in 

the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, 

Montana, on March 31, 2011. 

DATES: Protests of the survey must be 

filed before March 31, 2011 to be 

considered. 

ADDRESSES: Protests of the survey 

should be sent to Branch of Cadastral 

Survey, Bureau of Land Management, 

5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 

59101–4669. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Toth, Cadastral Surveyor, Branch 

of Cadastral Survey, Bureau of Land 

Management, 5001 Southgate Drive, 

Billings, Montana 59101–4669, 

telephone (406) 896–5121 or (406) 896– 

5009. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

survey was executed at the request of 

the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky 

Mountain Region, Billings, Montana, 

and was necessary to determine 

individual and tribal trust lands. 

The lands we surveyed are: 

Principal Meridian, Montana 

T. 27 N., R. 48 E. 


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