[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 61362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26560]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-921-01-1320-EL-P; MTM 88405]


Notice of Competitive Coal Lease Offering by Sealed Bid

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Montana State Office

ACTION: Notice of competitive coal lease offering by sealed bid MTM 
88405.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the coal resources in the lands 
described below in Big Horn County, Montana, will be offered for 
competitive lease by sealed bid. This offering is being made as a 
result of an application filed by Spring Creek Coal Company, in 
accordance with the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as 
amended (41 Stat. 437; 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).
    The lease sale will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 27, 
2000, in the main conference room, side B, at the Bureau of Land 
Management, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59102. Bids for the 
tract will be in the form of sealed bids. Sealed bids clearly marked 
``Sealed Bid for MTM 88405 Coal Sale--Not to be opened before 11:00 
a.m., Monday, November 27, 2000'' must be submitted on or before 10:00 
a.m., November 27, 2000, to the cashier, Bureau of Land Management, 
Montana State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Post Office Box 36800, 
Billings, Montana 59107-6800.
    An Environmental Assessment of the proposed coal development and 
related requirements for consultation, public involvement, and hearings 
have been completed in accordance with 43 CFR 3425. The results of 
these activities were a finding of no significant environmental impact.
    The coal resource to be offered consists of all recoverable 
reserves in the following-described lands:

T. 8 S., R. 39 E., P.M.M.
    Sec. 13: SW\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\
    Sec. 14: S\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/
4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/
4\SE\1/4\
    Sec. 23: NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/
2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\
    Sec. 24: NW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/
4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\
    Containing 150.00 acres, Big Horn County, Montana.

    The tract in this lease offering contains split estate lands. The 
surface is not held by a qualified surface owner as defined in the 
regulations, 43 CFR 3400.0-5.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The tract will be leased to the qualified 
bidder of the highest cash amount provided that the high bid meets the 
fair market value of the coal resource. The minimum bid for the tract 
is $100 per acre or fraction thereof. No bid that is less that $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 
cashier will issue a receipt for each hand-delivered bid. Bids received 
after 10:00 a.m., Monday, November 27, 2000, will not be considered. 
The minimum bid is not intended to represent fair market value. The 
fair market value will be determined by the authorized officer after 
the sale.
    If identical high bids are received, the tying high bidders will be 
requested to submit follow-up sealed bids until a high bid is received. 
All tie-breaking sealed bids must be submitted within 15 minutes 
following the Sale Official's announcement at the sale that identical 
high bids have been received.
    A lease issued as a result of this offering will provide for 
payment of an annual rental of $3 per acre, or fraction thereof; and a 
royalty payable to the United States of 12.5 percent of the value of 
coal mined by surface methods and 8.0 percent of the value of coal 
mined by underground methods. The value of the coal shall be determined 
in accordance with 30 CFR 206.250.
    Bidding instructions for the tract offered and the terms and 
conditions of the proposed coal lease are included in the Detailed 
Statement of Lease Sale. Copies of the statement and the proposed coal 
lease are available at the Montana State Office. Casefile MTM 88405 is 
also available for public inspection at the Montana State Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bettie Schaff, Land Law Examiner or 
Rebecca Good, Coal Coordinator at (406) 896-5063 or 896-5080, 
respectively.

    Dated: October 11, 2000.
Randy D. Heuscher,
Chief, Branch of Solid Minerals.
[FR Doc. 00-26560 Filed 10-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P