BLM denies Wyoming coal lease application

Sunday, 12 Jun 2011

AP reported that he US Bureau of Land Management has denied a coal lease application for possibly the first time in Wyoming because a landowner hasn't given permission for his land to be mined.

Arch Coal subsidiary Thunder Basin Coal Co is seeking to expand its Coal Creek Mine in southern Campbell County in the Powder River Basin. The BLM says talks between company representatives and the landowner have yet to result in permission to mine.

The BLM announced Friday that it has denied an application by Arch subsidiary Ark Land Co. to lease 63 million tons of coal underlying some 1,150 acres as a result.

The BLM oversees federal land and mineral rights in the West. BLM officials in Casper and Cheyenne said they couldn't think of any previous example of the BLM denying a coal lease application in the 20 years companies have applied for permission to mine coal in Wyoming.

They said they weren't privy to the talks between the landowner and company and pointed out that the denial isn't necessarily final if circumstances change.

Ms Teresa Johnson, an environmental protection specialist for the BLM's High Plains District in Casper said "The record of decision is a document that can be appealed if the company or the landowner wishes to do so."

BLM documents say the landowner name is Mr Dennis Edwards. A phone message left for a Dennis Edwards in Wright wasn't immediately returned Friday. St Louis-based Arch Coal declined to comment.

Ms Kim Link company spokeswoman said "We do not comment on matters related to a coal tract that's in an active leasing phase."

The lease was covered in an announcement by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar during a visit to Cheyenne in March. Salazar announced plans to sell of 758 million tons of coal in the Powder River Basin in four auctions this summer. (sourced from AP)