BLM receives request for coal lease modification

MONTROSE, CO— Bowie Resources LLC submitted an application to the Bureau of Land Management requesting a modification to the Iron Point coal lease. A coal lease modification is noncompetitive and must be contiguous to the existing lease. The proposed lease modification would add approximately 82 acres to the existing lease, COC-61209, and is located in Delta County, Colorado, northeast of the town of Paonia.

“The mineral estate is managed by BLM, and most of the surface estate is privately owned with the exception of about 22 acres managed by the BLM,” said Uncompahgre Field Office Manager Barb Sharrow. “The coal would be mined by underground mining methods from existing Bowie No. 2 facilities.”

Approximately 65,000 tons of federal coal from the B seam would be recovered from the modification area. The additional coal would not increase the production level of the Bowie No. 2 Mine.

The BLM Uncompahgre Field Office is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) for the modification. The purpose of the EA is to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the lease modification issuance. Issues to be considered and addressed in the EA should be sent in writing to Lynn Lewis, BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, 2505 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose, Colorado. The comment period ends April 4, 2005. For additional information, contact Lewis at (970) 240-5305.

-BLM-