[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 169 (Wednesday, August 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52781-52782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22119]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-070-00-1310-AC]


Notice of Intent To (1) Prepare a Revision to the Farmington 
Resource management Plan and (2) Prepare an Amendment (Oil and Gas) to 
the Rio Puerco Resource Management Plan. Call for Coal Information and 
Invitation To Participate in Identification of Issues and Planning 
Criteria

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent and call for coal information.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Farmington Field Office, 
New Mexico, is initiating the preparation of a Resource Management Plan 
Revision (RMP Revision) and Amendment which will include an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The RMP Revision will establish 
land use management policy for multiple resource uses on approximately 
1.5 million acres of public land and 2.26 million acres of federal 
mineral resources in the Farmington Field Office. The RMP will estimate 
reasonable foreseeable development (RFD) of federal oil and gas mineral 
resources in the San Juan Basin portions of the Albuquerque and 
Farmington Field Offices. The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 43, 
Subpart 1600, will be followed for this planning effort. The public is 
invited to participate in the planning process, beginning with the 
identification of issues and planning criteria for the RMP Revision.
    This notice also solicits coal resource information for federal 
minerals located adjacent to existing mines pursuant to 43 CFR 3420.1-2 
for inclusion in the RMP Revision. Coal companies, state and local 
governments, and the general public is encouraged to submit information 
to the BLM to assist in the determinations of coal development 
potential and possible conflicts with other resources. If this 
information is determined to indicate development potential, further 
considerations for leasing will be given.

DATES: Comments relating to the identification of issues, planning 
criteria and information submitted for the Call for Coal Information 
will be accepted until October 16, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: BLM, Farmington Field Office, RMP 
Revision, 1235 La Plata Highway, Suite A, Farmington, NM 87401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Henke, Project Manager, 
Albuquerque Field Office, NM, (505) 761-8935.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area will include the public 
land (Farmington Field Office) and federal mineral ownership 
(Albuquerque and Farmington Field Offices) in all or part of McKinley, 
Rio Arriba, San Juan, and Sandoval Counties. This encompasses 
approximately 1.5 million acres of BLM-administered surface and 2.26 
million acres of federal minerals under federal, state, or private 
surface in the four-county area in the Farmington Field Office. The 
planning area also includes the federal minerals located in the San 
Juan Basin portion of the Albuquerque Field Office (McKinley, Rio 
Arriba, and Sandoval Counties).
    Anticipated issues to be addressed during development of the RMP 
Revision include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Which 
public lands could be transferred to other than BLM-administration and 
which lands would be beneficial to BLM programs if acquired; (2) which 
public lands should be designated as open, restricted or closed to 
motorized vehicle access; (3) which public lands will be considered for 
special management designation; (4) which federal minerals should be 
closed to leasing or designated as open to oil and gas development 
under (a) standard terms and conditions, (b) timing limitations 
(seasonal) constraints, (c) controlled surface use constraints, or (d) 
no surface occupancy constraints; and

[[Page 52782]]

(5) ecosystem function. These preliminary issues are not final and may 
be further refined by direct input through active public participation. 
The only program element within the Albuquerque Field Office, that will 
be addressed during development of the RMP Amendment, is projected oil 
and gas development in the Albuquerque Field Office for the next 20 
years.
    Four criteria are proposed to guide the resolution of the issues 
that will be considered in the RMP Revision.
    1. Actions must comply with laws, regulations, and executive 
orders.
    2. Actions must be reasonable and achievable.
    3. Actions will be considered for their long-term benefits to the 
public in relation to short-term benefits.
    4. Actions will be considered in an interdisciplinary approach.
    Industry and other interested parties are asked to provide any 
information for areas adjacent to existing mines that will be useful in 
meeting the requirements of the Federal Coal Management Program defined 
in 43 CFR part 3420, including application of the coal planning screens 
and possible future activity planning such as tract delineation, 
ranking and selection. Information resulting from this call will be 
used to determine potential for coal development and the likelihood of 
conflict with other resources.
    The issue of federal coal leasing and development will include:
    1. Determining areas acceptable for further coal leasing 
consideration with standard stipulations;
    2. Determining areas acceptable for consideration with special 
stipulations;
    3. Determining areas unacceptable for further coal leasing 
consideration.
    The BLM will apply the coal development, unsuitability criteria, 
multiple use conflict and consultation screens in order to make these 
determinations.
    The type of information needed includes, but is not limited to, the 
following:
    1. Location:
    a. Federal coal tracts desired by mining companies should include a 
narrative description with areas delineated on a map with a scale of 
not less than \1/2\ inch to the mile.
    b. Descriptions of both public and private industry coal users in 
the general region.
    2. Quantity needs (tonnage, dates) for both public and private 
industry coal users and coal developers.
    3. Quality needs (by type and grade) for end users of the coal.
    4. Coal reserve drilling data which may pertain to the planning 
area.
    5. Information relating to surface and mineral ownership.
    a. Surface owner consents previously granted, whether consent is 
transferable, surface owner leases with coal companies.
    b. Non-federal, or fee coal ownership adjacent to federal tracts 
currently leased or mined.
    6. Other resource values occurring within the planning area which 
may conflict with coal development:
    a. Describe the resource value and locate it on a map with a scale 
of not less than \1/2\ inch to the mile.
    b. State the reasons the particular resource would conflict with 
coal development. Any individual, business entity, or public body may 
participate in this process by providing coal or other resource 
information under this call for information. A public participation 
plan is being prepared. It is intended to involve interested or 
affected parties early and continuously throughout the planning 
process. The public participation plan will emphasize localized one-to-
one contacts, media coverage, direct mailings, and continual 
coordination and collaboration. Meetings will be held to (1) determine 
the scope of the RMP Revision and Amendment and (2) obtain input on 
issues and planning criteria. The meetings will be held in Cuba, 
Crownpoint, and Farmington, New Mexico at the following times and 
locations.

September 26, 2000, 7 p.m., Cuba, Senior Citizen Center
September 27, 2000, 7 p.m. Crownpoint, Chapter House
September 28, 2000, 7 p.m., Farmington, Civic Center

    Complete records of all phases of the planning process will be 
available for public review at the Farmington Field Office throughout 
development of the RMP Revision and Amendment. It is estimated it will 
take approximately 18 months to complete the Proposed RMP Revision and 
Amendment. Alternatives will be developed and analyzed to resolve the 
issues addressed in the document. A Draft RMP Revision and Amendment 
and Draft EIS will be published and made available for a 90-day comment 
period. Comments made on the Draft RMP Revision and Amendment and Draft 
EIS will be addressed in a Proposed RMP Revision and Amendment and 
Final EIS. There will be a 30-day protest period on the Proposed RMP 
Revision and Amendment for individuals who participated in the planning 
process.

    Dated: August 21, 2000.
M.J. Chavez,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 00-22119 Filed 8-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-M