Rock Springs Field Office
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory, | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
BLM Rock Springs Seeking Comment on Bridger Coal Lease Modification
he Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office is launching a public comment period on an environmental assessment on a proposal by Bridger Coal Company to expand their coal lease (WYW154595) by 320 acres for underground mining.
The additional 320 acres of BLM-administered land is in the checkerboard region of mixed public, private and state owned land. The modified lease is adjacent to the current Bridger Permit Boundary. The permit covers approximately 26,691 acres of land the company leases east of Sweetwater County Road 15, roughly 35 miles northeast of Rock Springs, Wyo. In addition to the federal lease modification request, the company is proposing to conduct underground coal mining on connecting private land.
Bridger Coal Company operates the Jim Bridger Coal Mine complex which includes surface, underground, and highwall mining methods, along with ongoing reclamation, and has been in production since 1974.
Public comments are most useful when they are specific, cite additional relevant issues and/or determine the extent of those issues. Written substantive scoping comments should be received by Jan. 25, 2013, and may be submitted via email, mail, or hand-delivery during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to:
Nancy Favour, Planning and Environmental Coordinator
Bridger Coal Lease Modification–WYW154595
BLM Rock Springs Field Office
280 Highway 191 North
Rock Springs, WY 82901
Email: BLM_WY_Bridger_Coal_WYW154595_EA@blm.gov
Please include “Bridger Coal Lease Modification WYW154595” in the subject line. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment–including your personal identifying information–may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, visit: www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rsfo/bridgercoal.html or contact Nancy Favour at 307-352-0211.
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.
Rock Springs Field Office 280 Hwy 191 N. Rock Springs, WY 82901