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Manti-La Sal National Forest, Muddy Creek Coal Area, Sanpete and Sevier Counties, UT; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
Notices
D09002ee1bdea8fac
D09002ee1bdea904c
United States
Department of Agriculture
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org
United States Government Agency or Subagency
United States
Forest Service
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org
United States Government Agency or Subagency
The Forest Service (FS) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental and human effects of coal mining within the Muddy Creek Area, and to identify terms and conditions needed to protect non-mineral resources consistent with the Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will participate as cooperating agencies. The coal estate in a portion of the Muddy Creek area was conveyed to the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), creating an outstanding mineral right on those lands. This conveyance may be temporary; ownership of the coal estate will revert to the Federal government if a specified quantity of coal is produced. As owner of an outstanding mineral right, the State of Utah has sole authority to lease the coal estate. Under the Utah Coal Rules and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SITLA, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Department of the Interior, dated January 5, 1999, the Forest may provide terms and conditions that must be incorporated into the mining permit approved under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) prior to mine development. Under the terms of the MOU, in providing conditions of concurrence with the mining permit the FS will abide by the standards and guidelines contained in the Forest Plan in effect on May 8, 1998 (the date on which the Utah Schools and Land Exchange Act of 1998 was ratified). Further, this MOU provides that subject to reasonable terms and conditions for the protection of the surface estate consistent with the Forest Plan, any permit requirements may not prohibit reasonable economic development of the conveyed coal estates. The Muddy Creek Area is located approximately 10 miles northwest of Emery, Utah, immediately north of the SUFCO Mine permit area. The area to be analyzed in this EIS encompasses approximately 8,646 acres of coal lands on the Manti-La Sal National Forest in T. 20 S., R. 4 E., T. 20 S., R. 5 E., and T. 21 S., R. 5 E., SLM, in Sanpete and Sevier Counties, Utah. Included within the area is approximately 2,560 acres of coal lands that were transferred to SITLA, as part of the Utah Schools and Land Exchange Act of 1998. The FS and cooperating agencies will conduct the environmental analysis considering the most likely mining scenarios and reasonably foreseeable alternatives. As required by the MOU and the Mineral Leasing Act, the FS will identify terms and conditions for the protection of non-mineral resources. This would allow identification of the measures required for minimizing effects to non-mineral resources consistent with the Forest Plan and provide a basis for a reasonable estimate of the tract's recoverable coal reserves. The proposed action is to identify terms and conditions necessary for the protection of non-mineral resources, consent to any Federal coal tract delineated within the Muddy Creek Area, issue surface occupancy authorizations as necessary, and to consent to any subsequent mining and reclamation plan(s). The EIS process for this project will include preparation of a reasonably foreseeable mining scenario for the tract that will be used as the basis for determining effects. The most likely access to the coal reserves would be through the existing SUFCO Mine. Mining would be entirely underground, using predominantly longwall methods. Surface disturbance will most likely be limited to several exploration drill holes over the life of the mine with a total area not to exceed 20 acres. The disturbed areas would be reclaimed when no longer needed. Subsidence similar to that experienced over other areas mined with underground methods on the southern Wasatch Plateau is expected. The Forest Service has determined that the Muddy Creek Area is available for further consideration for coal mining under the Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) Final EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Manti-La Sal National Forest, 1986. The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed action. The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the issues related to the proposed action and the area being analyzed. Information received will be used to prepare the Draft and Final EIS and to make the agency decision. For most effective use, comments should be submitted to the Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Agency Decisions: A. Identify terms and conditions needed to protect non-mineral resources. B. Issue permits to authorize surface occupancy associated with the SITLA coal estate. C. Consent to any Federal Coal Lease Tract delineated within the Muddy Creek Area. D. Provide terms and conditions to be incorporated into any mining permit(s) issued by the State Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.
69 FR 10398
https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2004-03-05/04-4981
04-4981
fr05mr04-37
3410-11-M
https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2004-03-05/04-4981
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-03-05/html/04-4981.htm
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-03-05/pdf/04-4981.pdf
2 p.
10398
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69 FR 10398
Manti-La Sal National Forest, Muddy Creek Coal Area, Sanpete and Sevier Counties, UT; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; Federal Register Vol. 69, Issue
NOTICE
04-4981
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
2004-04-12
3410-11-M
04-4981
Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
The Forest Service (FS) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental and human effects of coal mining within the Muddy Creek Area, and to identify terms and conditions needed to protect non-mineral resources consistent with the Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will participate as cooperating agencies. The coal estate in a portion of the Muddy Creek area was conveyed to the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), creating an outstanding mineral right on those lands. This conveyance may be temporary; ownership of the coal estate will revert to the Federal government if a specified quantity of coal is produced. As owner of an outstanding mineral right, the State of Utah has sole authority to lease the coal estate. Under the Utah Coal Rules and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SITLA, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Department of the Interior, dated January 5, 1999, the Forest may provide terms and conditions that must be incorporated into the mining permit approved under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) prior to mine development. Under the terms of the MOU, in providing conditions of concurrence with the mining permit the FS will abide by the standards and guidelines contained in the Forest Plan in effect on May 8, 1998 (the date on which the Utah Schools and Land Exchange Act of 1998 was ratified). Further, this MOU provides that subject to reasonable terms and conditions for the protection of the surface estate consistent with the Forest Plan, any permit requirements may not prohibit reasonable economic development of the conveyed coal estates. The Muddy Creek Area is located approximately 10 miles northwest of Emery, Utah, immediately north of the SUFCO Mine permit area. The area to be analyzed in this EIS encompasses approximately 8,646 acres of coal lands on the Manti-La Sal National Forest in T. 20 S., R. 4 E., T. 20 S., R. 5 E., and T. 21 S., R. 5 E., SLM, in Sanpete and Sevier Counties, Utah. Included within the area is approximately 2,560 acres of coal lands that were transferred to SITLA, as part of the Utah Schools and Land Exchange Act of 1998. The FS and cooperating agencies will conduct the environmental analysis considering the most likely mining scenarios and reasonably foreseeable alternatives. As required by the MOU and the Mineral Leasing Act, the FS will identify terms and conditions for the protection of non-mineral resources. This would allow identification of the measures required for minimizing effects to non-mineral resources consistent with the Forest Plan and provide a basis for a reasonable estimate of the tract's recoverable coal reserves. The proposed action is to identify terms and conditions necessary for the protection of non-mineral resources, consent to any Federal coal tract delineated within the Muddy Creek Area, issue surface occupancy authorizations as necessary, and to consent to any subsequent mining and reclamation plan(s). The EIS process for this project will include preparation of a reasonably foreseeable mining scenario for the tract that will be used as the basis for determining effects. The most likely access to the coal reserves would be through the existing SUFCO Mine. Mining would be entirely underground, using predominantly longwall methods. Surface disturbance will most likely be limited to several exploration drill holes over the life of the mine with a total area not to exceed 20 acres. The disturbed areas would be reclaimed when no longer needed. Subsidence similar to that experienced over other areas mined with underground methods on the southern Wasatch Plateau is expected. The Forest Service has determined that the Muddy Creek Area is available for further consideration for coal mining under the Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) Final EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Manti-La Sal National Forest, 1986. The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed action. The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the issues related to the proposed action and the area being analyzed. Information received will be used to prepare the Draft and Final EIS and to make the agency decision. For most effective use, comments should be submitted to the Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Agency Decisions: A. Identify terms and conditions needed to protect non-mineral resources. B. Issue permits to authorize surface occupancy associated with the SITLA coal estate. C. Consent to any Federal Coal Lease Tract delineated within the Muddy Creek Area. D. Provide terms and conditions to be incorporated into any mining permit(s) issued by the State Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.
Written comments concerning issues to be considered and the scope of the analysis described in this notice should be received on or before April 12, 2004.
Questions concerning the proposed
Environmental statements; notice of intent:
Manti-La Sal National Forest, UT,
Federal Register
Vol. 69, no. 44
Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
2004-03-05
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https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2004-03-05
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https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-03-05/pdf/FR-2004-03-05.pdf
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-03-05/xml/FR-2004-03-05.xml
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