Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 44 / Thursday, March 6, 1997 / Notices 10289

requesting comments on the collection.

The comment period ended November

4, 1996. No comments were received.

Copies of the proposed collection of

information may be obtained by

contacting the Bureau’s Clearance Office

at the phone number listed below.

OMB is required to respond to this

request within 60 days but may respond

after 30 days. For maximum

consideration, your comments and

suggestions on the requirement should

be made within 30 days directly to the

Office of Management and Budget,

Interior Department Desk Officer (1004–

0074), Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Washington, D.C.

20503, telephone (202) 395–7340. Please

provide a copy of your comments to the

Bureau Clearance Officer (WO–630)

1849 C St., N.W., Mail Stop 401 LS,

Washington, D.C. 20240.

Nature of Comments:

We specifically request your

comments on the following:

1. Whether the collection of

information is necessary for the proper

functioning of the Bureau of Land

Management, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

2. The accuracy of BLM’s estimate of

the burden of collecting the information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

3. The quality, utility, and clarity of

the information to be collected; and

4. How to minimize the burden of

collecting the information on those who

are to respond, including the use of

appropriate automated electronic,

mechanical, or other forms of

information technology.

Title: Oil and Gas and Geothermal

Resources Leasing (43 CFR 3120, 3209

and 3220).

OMB Approval Number: 1004–0074.

Abstract: Respondents supply

information that will be used to

determine the highest qualified bonus

bid submitted for a competitive oil and

gas or geothermal resources parcel on

Federal land and to enable the BLM to

complete reviews in compliance with

the National Environmental Policy Act.

The BLM needs the information to

determine the eligibility of an applicant

to hold, explore for, develop, and

produce oil and gas and geothermal

resources on Federal lands.

Form Numbers: 3000–2 and 3200–9.

Frequency: On occasion.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals, small businesses, large

corporations.

Estimated Completion Time: 2 hours

each form.

Annual Responses: 443.

Annual Burden Hours: 886.

Bureau Clearance Officer: Carole

Smith (202) 452–0367.

Dated: February 27, 1997.

Frank P. Bruno,

Acting Manager, Regulatory Affairs Group.

[FR Doc. 97–5556 Filed 3–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–84–P

[MT–921–07–1320–01; NDM 85515]

Coal Lease Offering

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Montana State Office, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of coal lease offering by

sealed bid NDM 85515, NDM 85517,

NDM 85537 (Acq.)—The Coteau

Properties Company, and NDM 85516—

The Falkirk Mining Company.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the coal resources in the tracts described

below in Mercer and McLean Counties,

North Dakota, will be offered for

competitive lease by sealed bid, in

accordance with the provisions of the

Mineral Leasing Act of February 25,

1920, as amended (41 Stat. 437; 30

U.S.C. 181 et seq.), and The Mineral

Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of

August 7, 1947, as amended (30 U.S.C.

351–359 et seq.). This offering is being

made as a result of applications filed by

The Coteau Properties Company and

The Falkirk Mining Company.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Environmental Assessments of the

proposed coal developments 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.

Each 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 each

tract is $100 per acre, or fraction thereof.

No bid that is less than $100 per acre,

or fraction thereof, will 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.

All tracts in this lease offering contain

split estate lands. Regulations at 43 CFR

3427 set out the protection that shall be

afforded qualified surface owners of

split estate lands (as defined at 43 CFR

3400.0–5).

Coal Tracts Offered

The recoverable coal reserves of the

tracts NDM 85515, NDM 85517, and

NDM 85537 (Acquired) are contained in

the Beulah-Zap lignite seam of the

Sentinel Butte Formation of the Fort

Union Group. The recoverable coal

reserve of NDM 85516 is contained in

the Hagel lignite seam of the Sentinel

Butte Formation of the Fort Union

Group.

NDM 85515

The coal resource to be offered

consists of all recoverable reserves in

the following-described lands located in

Mercer County, North Dakota:

T. 145 N., R. 87 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 2: Lot 3, SE1⁄4NW1⁄4

The 79.470-acre tract contains an

estimated 2.00 million tons of

recoverable coal reserves. For NDM

85515, the Beulah-Zap seam averages

15.5 feet in thickness with an average

overburden depth of 125 feet, 6,690

BTU/lb. in heating value, and 1.43%

sulphur content.

NDM 85516

The coal resource to be offered

consists of all recoverable reserves in

the following-described lands located in

McLean County, North Dakota:

T. 146 N., R. 81 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 30: Lot 4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, S1⁄2SE1⁄4

The recoverable coal reserve in this

158.75-acre tract is contained in the

Hagel lignite seam. The Hagel seam of

the Sentinel Butte Formation of the Fort

Union Group is split into two benches

throughout the area. The upper bench,

the Hagel A, ranges from 0 to 10.6 feet

over the Falkirk Mine area and averages

8.6 feet in thickness, 6,082 BTU/lb. in

heating value, and 0.55% sulphur

content. Separating the upper and lower

benches of the Hagel seam is an

interburden layer ranging from 8 to 32

feet in thickness and consisting of clays,

silts, and carbonaceous matter. The

lower bench, the Hagel B, ranges from

0 to 4.4 feet over the mine area and

averages 3.5 feet in thickness, 6,012

BTU/lb. in heating value, and 0.62%

sulphur content. An estimated 1.75

million tons of recoverable lignite are

present in the Hagel A and Hagel B coal

seams.

NDM 85517

The coal resource to be offered

consists of all recoverable reserves in

the following-described lands located in

Mercer County, North Dakota:

T. 146 N., R. 87 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 30: Lot 2

T. 146 N., R. 88 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 26: SE1⁄4SE1⁄4

Sec. 34: E1⁄2

The 398.790-acre tract contains an

estimated 5.61 million tons of

recoverable coal reserves. For NDM
10290 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 44 / Thursday, March 6, 1997 / Notices

85517, the Beulah-Zap averages 17.0

feet in thickness with an average

overburden depth of 57 feet, 6,766 BTU/

lb. in heating value, and 0.46% sulphur

content.

NDM 85537 (Acquired)

The coal resource to be offered

consists of all recoverable reserves in

the following-described lands located in

Mercer County, North Dakota. The

United States owns 50 percent mineral

interest in these lands.

T. 146 N., R. 87 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 31: NE1⁄4

The Federal interest in the 160.00-

acre tract contains an estimated 0.51

million tons of recoverable coal

reserves. For NDM 85537 (Acquired),

the Beulah-Zap seam averages 16.0 feet

in thickness with an average overburden

depth of 70 feet, 6,766 BTU/lb. in

heating value, and 0.46% sulphur

content.

Rental and Royalty

Leases 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.

Date

The lease sale will be held at 11:00

a.m., Wednesday, March 26, 1997, in

the Conference Room on the Sixth Floor

of the Granite Tower Building, Bureau

of Land Management, 222 North 32nd

Street, Billings, Montana 59101.

Bids

Sealed bids must be submitted on or

before 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March

26, 1997, to the cashier, Bureau of Land

Management, Montana State Office,

Second Floor, Granite Tower Building,

222 North 32nd Street, Post Office Box

36800, Billings, Montana 59107–6800.

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 that time will not be

considered.

If identical high sealed bids are

received, the tying high bidders will be

requested to submit follow-up sealed

bids until a high bid is received. All tiebreaking sealed bids must be submitted

within 15 minutes following the Sale

Official’s announcement at the sale that

identical high bids have been received.

Notice of Availability

Bidding instructions for the offered

tracts are included in the detailed

statement of Lease Sale. Copies of the

detailed statement and the proposed

coal leases are available at the Montana

State Office. Casefile documents are also

available for public inspection at the

Montana State Office.

Dated: February 26, 1997.

Thomas P. Lonnie,

Deputy State Director, Division of Resources.

[FR Doc. 97–5528 Filed 3–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P

[NV–030–1992–02]

Notice of Availability for the DentonRawhide Mine Expansion Project Final

Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability for the

Denton-Rawhide Mine Expansion Final

Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS),

Mineral County, Nevada.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2) (C)

of the National Environmental Policy

Act, 40 CFR 1500–1508 and 43 CFR

3809, notice is given that the Bureau of

Land Management (BLM) has prepared,

with the assistance of a third-party

consultant, a FEIS for Kennecott

Rawhide Mining Company’s proposed

Denton-Rawhide Mine Expansion,

located approximately 55 miles

southeast of Fallon, Nevada. Copies of

the document are available for public

review.

DATES: Written comments on the FEIS

will be accepted until close of business

on April 7, 1997. No public meetings are

scheduled. Following the 30-day

availability period of this FEIS, a Record

of Decision (ROD) will be issued.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the FEIS can be

obtained from: Bureau of Land

Management, Carson City District

Office, Attn: Terri Knutson, Rawhide

Project Manager, 1535 Hot Springs Road

89706.

The FEIS is available for inspection at

the following locations: BLM State

Office (Reno) and BLM Carson City

District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

additional information, write to the

above address or call Terri Knutson at

(702) 885–6156.

Dated: February 24, 1997.

John O. Singlaub,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–5476 Filed 3–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P

[(NM–930–1310–01); (NMNM 92169)]

New Mexico: Proposed Reinstatement

of Terminated Oil and Gas Lease

Under the provisions of Public Law

97–451, a petition for reinstatement of

oil and gas lease NMNM 92169 for lands

in Chaves County, New Mexico, was

timely filed and was accompanied by all

required rentals and royalties accruing

from December 1, 1996, the date of

termination.

No valid lease has been issued

affecting the lands. The lessee has

agreed to new lease terms of rentals and

royalties at rates of $10.00 per acre or

fraction thereof and 162⁄3 percent,

respectively. The lessee has paid the

required $500 administrative fee and

has reimbursed the Bureau of Land

Management for the cost of this Federal

Register notice.

The Lessee has met all the

requirements for reinstatement of the

lease as set out in Sections 31(d) and (e)

of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1930 (30

USC 188), and the Bureau of Land

Management is proposing to reinstate

the lease effective December 1, 1996,

subject to the original terms and

conditions of the lease and the

increased rental and royalty rates cited

above.

For further information contact:

Lourdes B. Ortiz, BLM, New Mexico

State Office, (505) 438–7586.

Dated: February 26, 1997.

Lourdes B. Ortiz,

Land Law Examiner

[FR Doc. 97–5473 Filed 3–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–FB–M

[NM–070–1430–01; NMNM039649/

NMNM96454, NMNM22493/NMNM97415]

Notice of Realty Action; Recreation

and Public Purpose (R&PP) Act

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: R&PP transfer of title and

change of use located in San Juan

County, New Mexico.

SUMMARY: The following described

public land are classified (previously) as

being suitable for lease/conveyance

under the provisions of the R&PP Act,

as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.). An

assignment from the City of Farmington

to the Farmington Municipal School

District #5, with a change of use taking

place for the following lands.

New Mexico Principal Meridian

T. 30 N., R. 13 W.,

Sec 25, S1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4,

SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4,