[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13737-13738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03721]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM MT FRN MO#4500173844]


Notice of Realty Action: Proposed Amendment to an Existing Lease, 
Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received an application 
from Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) to amend its existing 
lease pursuant to section 302 of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, and BLM regulations. The proposed 
lease amendment would allow surface use only, and no mineral 
extractions would be allowed on the subject lands. The annual rental 
for this lease is $115.47 per acre, and the lease would expire on April 
22, 2032, with the option of renewal. This project is located southeast 
of Billings, Montana.

DATES: Interested parties may submit written comments regarding the 
proposed amendment on or before. April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be mailed, or hand delivered to BLM 
Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301. 
Comments may also be submitted electronically at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bbf9f7f6e4f6efe4f6d2d7dec8f8d2cfc2e4fdf4fbd9d7d695dcd4cd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eba9a7a6b4a6bfb4a682878e98a8829f92b4ada4ab898786c58c849d">[email protected]</span></a>. The BLM will not consider comments 
received by telephone.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth Klempel, Assistant Field Manager, 
BLM Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301, 
telephone 406-233-2800, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2240494e474f52474e62404e4f0c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="01636a6d646c71646d41636d6c2f666e77">[email protected]</span></a>. For information 
regarding this case, refer to case file MTM 74913 and/or MTMT 
106077659. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, 
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services for contacting 
Beth Klempel. Individuals outside the United States should use the 
relay services offered within their country to make international calls 
to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed lease amendment effects the 
following described lands:

Principal Meridian, Montana

T. 8 S., R. 39 E.,
    Sec. 13, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\ that portion lying westerly of the west 
right-of way boundary of MTM-37463, and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
    Sec. 35, W\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, 
W\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate 67 acres according to the official 
plat of the survey of the said lands on file with the BLM, as well 
as approximate GIS calculations.

    The BLM is considering amending the existing lease, which currently 
includes 277.12 acres, to authorize an additional 67 acres, which would 
increase the total acreage to 344.12 acres. The additional acreage 
would allow for surface layback, establishing a highwall crest, topsoil 
and overburden stockpiles, and transportation and utility corridors. 
Layback on the area proposed by the lease amendment is a critical 
component in coal surface mine recovery to stabilize the wall as mining 
on the adjoining land progresses.
    The BLM is considering offering the lease amendment 
noncompetitively to NTEC because the authorized officer has determined 
that: (1) these parcels are surrounded by land owned or controlled by 
NTEC; and (2) it is unlikely there would be interest in competitive 
bidding on these lands.
    If the BLM approves the application to amend the lease, the 
reimbursement of costs and annual rental is the responsibility of the 
applicant in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR 2920.6 and 
2920.8, respectively. The lease amendment, as proposed in the 
application, is consistent with the 2015 Miles City Field Office 
Resource Management Plan.
    Comments on the proposed lease amendment should be specific, 
confined to issues pertinent to the proposed action, and should explain 
the reason for any recommended revisions. Where possible, comments 
should include references with specific sections or paragraphs. The BLM 
is not obligated to consider or include comments received after the 
close of the comment period or comments delivered to an address other 
than the one listed above.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the BLM Miles City Field Office 
address listed in ADDRESSES above. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comments, 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

[[Page 13738]]

cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Any adverse comments regarding the proposed lease amendment will be 
reviewed by the BLM Montana State Director or other authorized official 
of the Department of the Interior, who may sustain, vacate, or modify 
this realty action in whole or in part.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2920.4)

Eric D. Lepisto,
Miles City Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2024-03721 Filed 2-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-20-P


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