Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:

Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service

Description:

Extraction of metallurgical coal resources by means of underground longwall mining techniques.

The purpose of the project is to provide for responsible development of coal resources in the Warrior Basin by responding to two Federal coal Lease by Application (LBA) submissions by Warrior Met Coal to access a total of approximately 14,040 acres of Federal minerals underlying split-estate (privately owned) lands in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.  If approved, the proposed action would authorize approximately 53.2 million tons of Federal metallurgical coal to be offered for lease. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would hold two competitive lease sales, one for each LBA, subsequently issuing leases to the successful bidder(s).  

A decision to lease the proposed federal tracts would not provide the successful bidder with an authorization to engage in mining activities. The lease holder would submit a permit application to the Alabama Surface Mining Commission (ASMC), including an operations and reclamation plan. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) would provide a recommendation (in the form of a mining plan decision document) to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals (ASLM) whether to approve, disapprove, or conditionally approve the mining plan. Because mining is a logical extension of leasing the Federal coal reserves, The BLM, in collaboration with OSMRE and ASMC as cooperating agencies, is preparing a NEPA analysis that considers the potential impacts of mining. Potential impacts of the proposed action include, but are not limited to, impacts to air quality, impacts from potential subsidence from underground mining; and impacts to groundwater and surface water quality. 

This project is posted in the interest of transparency and response to Executive Order 14241.