⚒️Draft Environmental Assessment for Freedom Mine Coal Lease
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) announce that a draft environmental assessment (EA) is available for public review and comment for the Coteau Property Company's emergency Federal coal lease- by-application (LBA) for Freedom Mine, serial number NDM-111186, and mining plan modifications for NDM-091535 and the proposed NDM-111186. The BLM and OSMRE also announce that a public hearing will be held to receive comments on the draft EA, Fair Market Value (FMV), Maximum Economic Recovery (MER), and on factors that may affect the FMV and MER determinations of the coal resources contained in the proposed LBA lease tracts. The BLM and OSMRE take these actions in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended.
Learn More⛏️TVA Approves Sugar Camp Mine Boundary Revision and Expansion
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has decided to adopt the preferred alternative identified in the Sugar Camp Energy, LLC Mine No. 1 Significant Boundary Revision (SBR) Number (No.) 8 Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS; Document ID EISX-455-00-000- 1729685514). A Notice of Availability of the Final EIS was published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025. The purpose and need of the proposed action is to comply with the terms and conditions of the previously executed leases and agreements regarding the TVA-owned mineral rights in Illinois which total approximately 64,689 acres (hereafter, TVA Mineral Rights Area). TVA's preferred alternative, analyzed in the EIS as Alternative B, consists of implementing the terms of the existing coal lease agreement, approving the plan to expand its underground longwall mining operations by approximately 22,414 acres (hereafter, SBR No. 8 Mine Area), and pursuing divestment of the TVA Mineral Rights Area from TVA's control and custody. This Record of Decision (ROD) describes TVA's decision to implement the terms of the existing coal lease agreement and approve the plan to mine TVA-owned coal in the SBR No. 8 Mine Area. TVA will consider divestiture of the property in a separate ROD, likely later in 2025, through subsequent consideration and action by the TVA Board of Directors.
Learn More💵2025 CMP Inflation Adjustments
Pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (referred to herein as the "Inflation Adjustment Acts"), and Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") guidance, ONRR is adjusting for inflation the civil monetary penalty ("CMP") amounts it assesses under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 ("FOGRMA").
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