Ouachita National Forest, Scott and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas; Heavener Coal Leasing Project; Environmental Impact Statement

Résumé

The USDA Forest Service (FS) is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) as the lead Federal agency with support from Federal cooperating agencies, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). The purpose of the analysis is to respond to a Federal coal Lease by Application (LBA) submitted to the BLM from the Emera Corporation on behalf of Ouro Mining Inc. The application seeks approval to access and recover Federal metallurgical coal resources from approximately 3,077 acres that underly lands on the Ouachita National Forest (ONF). No surface mining is proposed on National Forest System (NFS) lands. The FS and BLM have consent and leasing determinations to be made based in association with this EIS. The OSMRE does not have a decision to be made at this time but may tier to this analysis in the future.