Wyoming State Office
| Contacts: | Beverly Gorny, | |||
| 307-775-6158 |
Powder River Regional Coal Team Sets Meeting
The Powder River Regional Coal Team (RCT) will meet Oct. 26, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Hearing Room, 2211 King Blvd., Casper, Wyo. The RCT will review current and proposed activities in the Powder River Coal Region including pending coal lease applications. The meeting is open to the public.
The RCT consists of Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, BLM Montana State Director Jamie Connell, BLM Wyoming State Director Don Simpson, and BLM Wyoming Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands Larry Claypool. There are also a number of ex-officio members from other federal and state agencies, county governments and Native American tribes.
Specific agenda items for the RCT include discussing progress in processing existing coal Leases by Application (LBAs) in the Powder River Coal Region, the U.S. Geological Survey coal inventory work and BLM land use planning efforts in the Powder River Coal Region. The RCT will hear presentations on Belle Ayr West and Antelope Ridge LBAs and may make recommendations to the BLM regarding application processing. The agenda includes a presentation on the potential exchange of Preference Right Lease Applications in New Mexico held by Ark Land Company for competitive bidding rights in Wyoming. The RCT will also consider any other coal-related issues that may arise prior to the meeting.
The meeting is a forum for public discussion on federal coal management issues of concern in the Powder River Coal Region. Any party interested in providing comments or data related to pending applications may do so in writing to: State Director (922), BLM Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, Wyo. 82003, no later than Oct. 12, or by addressing the RCT with their concerns at the meeting.
For more information, contact Kathy Muller Ogle, BLM Wyoming regional coal coordinator at (307) 775-6206, or Greg Fesko, BLM Montana regional coal coordinator at (406) 896-5080.
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.
Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Cheyenne, WY 82009