BLM to open comment period on Coal Lease Modification Application
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NORMAN, Okla. — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the effects of approving a lease modification on a federal coal lease in LeFlore County, Okla. (lease # OKNM 091190). This notice announces the availability of the EA and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for public review and comment.
The applicant, Georges Colliers Inc. (GCI), has submitted a lease modification application (LMA) to expand the existing Pollyanna #8 Mine (also known as the South Central Coal Mine) to include 270 acres of additional federal coal reserves located approximately 2 miles east of the town of Spiro, Oklahoma at a depth of 150 to 700 feet below the surface. The LMA, submitted by GCI would be a continuation of the existing mining operation, and would extend the life of the mine by approximately three years.
The BLM’s proposed decision is to approve the lease modification subject to the existing lease stipulations and project design features identified in the EA.
The EA and FONSI are available on the BLM’s ePlanning website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/lup/lup_register.do. Interested parties will have 30 days to comment on the EA and FONSI. Comments must be received on or before November 30, 2019. All comments can be mailed to the Bureau of Land Management, Oklahoma Field Office, Attn: Robert Pawelek, Pollyanna 8 LM#3, 201 Stephenson Parkway, Suite 1200, Norman, OK 73072.
Comments may also be submitted electronically through the BLM’s national NEPA register website, identified above. Alternatively, comments may be submitted by email BLM_NM_OK_Coal@blm.gov. Please be sure to include “Pollyanna 8 Lease Modification” in the subject line.
Before including your address, phone number, email address or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identify information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Please contact the BLM Oklahoma Field Office at 405-579-7100 if you need assistance with the documents.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.