[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 181 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49023-49024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24791]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[MT-960-1320-00]


Notice of Intent To Plan and Notice of Exchange Proposal

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Montana, Miles City District, 
Powder River Resource Area, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to plan and notice of proposed exchange of 
alluvial valley floor fee coal in Rosebud, County, for federal coal in 
Rosebud and Powder River Counties, Montana.

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SUMMARY: An Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared to consider 
an exchange proposal of fee coal in the alluvial valley floor of the 
Tongue River within the Powder River Resource Area, Miles City 
District. This action will be in conformance with the Powder River 
Resource Management Plan (1984). It will be based on existing statutory 
requirements and will meet the requirements of the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 and the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977. The Draft EIS is scheduled for 
completion by fall, 1998.

DATES: Any issues, concerns or alternatives should be submitted to BLM 
on or before November 14, 1997.
    A series of public meetings have been planned to facilitate public 
participation in the proposal. The schedule is as follows:

1. October 20, 7:00 p.m., Broadus, MT
2. October 21, 7:00 p.m., Forsyth, MT
3. October 22, noon, Lame Deer, MT
4. October 23, 7:00 p.m., Miles City, MT
5. October 27, 10:00 a.m., Crow Agency, MT
6. October 28, 6:00 p.m., Ashland, MT
7. October 29, 7:00 p.m., Billings, MT

ADDRESSES: All submissions should be sent to the following address: 
Bureau of Land Management, Powder River Resource Area Manager, 111 
Garryowen Road, Miles City, Montana 59301.
    The public meetings will be held at the following locations:

1. Broadus, Community Center
2. Forsyth, City Hall, 247 North 9th
3. Lame Deer, Chamber of Commerce Meeting Room
4. Miles City, Miles Community College, Room 106
5. Crow Agency, location to be announced
6. Ashland, St. Labre School Auditorium
7. Billings, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Conference 
Room, 2300 Lake Elmo Drive

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Benoit, Team Leader, (406) 233-
2841.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is considering a proposal to 
exchange fee coal pursuant to Section 206 of FLPMA, (43 U.S.C. 1716) as 
amended, and Section 510(b)(5) of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1260(b)(5)). The 
exchange has been proposed by the Nance Cattle Company, Brown Cattle 
Company, et al., through Montco acting as their agent. Section 
510(b)(5) of SMCRA provides that owners of coal determined to be 
unminable due to prohibitions against mining coal within an alluvial 
valley floor, west of the 100th Meridian, west longitude, are entitled 
to an exchange of coal with the Federal Government.
    The Nance Cattle Company, Brown Cattle Company, et al. have 
proposed to exchange to the United States the following described 
nonfederal Alluvial Valley Floor coal in Rosebud County, Montana:

Principal Meridian Montana

T. 4 S., R. 43 E.,
    Sec. 23, Lot 2, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, Lots 2 to 4 inclusive, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, 
SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 25, W\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 26, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\W\1/2\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, 
SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 27, Lot 1;
    Sec. 33, Lot 1;
    Sec. 34, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35, W\1/2\NW\1/4\;
T. 5 S., R. 42 E.,
    Sec. 22, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 25, Lot 5, E\1/2\E\1/2\;
    Sec. 27, Lot 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35, E\1/2\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
T. 5 S., R.43 E.,
    Sec. 3, Lots 3 and 4;
    Sec. 9, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 17, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
T. 6 S., R. 42 E.,
    Sec. 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, E \1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 12, E\1/2\E\1/2\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, W\1/
2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 13, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
T. 6 S., R. 43 E.,
    Sec. 6, Lots 2 to 7 inclusive, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, Lots 1 to 4 inclusive, E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 18, Lots 1 and 2, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\.


[[Page 49024]]


    Approximately 3,737.99 acres.

    In exchange, the United States would transfer title to federal coal 
of equal value, as determined by appraisal and in accordance with the 
procedures found in 43 CFR 2201.6, from the following described pool of 
federal coal:

Principal Meridian Montana, (Rosebud County, Montana)

T. 4 S., R. 44 E.,
    Sec. 7, Lots 6 and 7, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 8, Lots 2 to 4 inclusive, Lots 6 to 13 inclusive, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 16, SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20, all;
    Sec. 30, Lots 1 to 4 inclusive, E\1/2\, E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 31, Lot 1, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\N\1/2\S\1/
2\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\S\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/
4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/
4\, N\1/2\N\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 32, Lots 1 to 4 inclusive, N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\;
T. 5 S., R. 43 E.,
    Sec. 2, Lots 1 to 10 inclusive, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, 
N\1/2\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 10, Lots 1 to 11 inclusive, NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.

    Approximately 4,147.78 acres.

Principal Meridian Montana, (Powder River County, Montana)

T. 2 S., R. 45 E.,
    Sec. 29, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 30, Lots 1 to 4 inclusive, E\1/2\, E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 32, Lots 1 to 4 inclusive, N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\;
T. 3 S., R. 45 E.,
    Sec. 4, Lots 3 and 4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 6, Lots 1, 2, 6 and 7, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/
4\;
    Sec. 8, all.

    Approximately 3,048.60 acres.

Principal Meridian Montana, (Rosebud County, Montana)

T. 3 S., R. 44 E.,
    Sec. 34, all;
T. 4 S., R. 44 E.,
    Sec. 2, Lots 1 to 4 inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 4, Lots 1 to 10 inclusive, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\.

    Approximately 1,883.17 acres.

    Subject to valid existing rights, the federal land identified above 
has been segregated from appropriation under the public land laws and 
minerals laws, except from a coal exchange for a period of three years 
beginning August 6, 1997.

    Dated: September 12, 1997.
Darrel Pistorius,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 97-24791 Filed 9-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P