| Contacts: | Shannon Borders, 970-240-5399 |
BLM approves coal exploration license (09-11-12)
MONTROSE, Colo. – On Tuesday, Sept. 11, the Bureau of Land Management signed a decision record approving Oxbow Mining, LLC’s Federal Coal Exploration License. The project, called Oak Mesa, extends from the edge of the Bowie Mine holdings westward across the mesa to the Leroux Creek area, encompassing about 13,873 acres, north of Hotchkiss, Colo.
Exploration activities to determine seam reserve availability will begin with the issuance of the license and will be completed within two years. The project includes drilling up to 43 exploration drill holes on private and federal lands into federal subsurface holdings.
To review the environmental documents, go to http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Information/nepa/ufo.html.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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