Coal Exploration License, WY

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of invitation for coal exploration license.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to section 2(b) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended by section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, 90 Stat. 1083, 30 U.S.A. 201(b), and to the regulations adopted at 43 CFR 3410, all interested parties are hereby invited to participate with RAG Coal West, Inc. on a pro rata cost sharing basis in its program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in the following-described lands in Campbell County, WY:

T. 51 N., R. 72 W., 6th P.M., Wyoming

Sec. 17: Lots 1-16;

Sec. 18: Lots 5-20;

Sec. 19: Lots 5-20;

Sec. 20: Lots 1-15;

Sec. 29: Lots 1 (W2), 2-7, 8 (W2 & SE), 9-16;

Sec. 30: Lots 5-20;

Sec. 31: Lots 5-20;

Sec. 32: Lots 1-16.

Containing 5,497.318 acres, more or less.

All of the coal in the above-described land consists of unleased Federal coal within the Powder River Basin Known Recoverable Coal Resource Area. The purpose of the exploration program is to obtain information on the geology and quality of coal resources within the area of the West Extension Lease by Application (WYW155132) filed by RAG Coal West, Inc. as a maintenance tract to the west of the Eagle Butte Mine.

ADDRESSES:

The proposed exploration program is fully described and will be conducted pursuant to an exploration plan to be approved by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Copies of the exploration plan are available for review during normal business hours in the following offices (serialized under number WYW156345): BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, PO Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003; and, BLM Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice of invitation will be published in “The News-Record” of Gillette, WY, once each week for two consecutive weeks beginning the week of August 26, 2002, and in the Federal Register. Any party electing to participate in this exploration program must send written notice to both the BLM and RAG Coal West, Inc., no later than thirty days after publication of this invitation in the Federal Register. The written notice should be sent to the following addresses: RAG Coal West, Inc., Attn: Bill Bolger, P.O. Box 3040, Gillette, WY 82717-3040, and the BLM Wyoming State Office, Branch of Solid Minerals, Attn: Mavis Love, P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003-1828.

The foregoing is published in the Federal Register pursuant to 43 CFR 3410.2-1(c)(1).