GCC Energy, LLC has filed for a license to explore for coal on 4,486 acres in La Plata County.
Bureau of Land Management regulations require the filing party to invite other interested parties to participate, in this case by Dec. 3.
The area of interest is north of the King II Mine near Hesperus.
Opening the invitation allows sharing of data and costs to encourage wide dissemination of resource information and encourage competition.
GCC Energy wants to drill 24 wells. Existing roads would be used to access 14 sites, with 10 reached by overland routes that would require limited clearing but no grading.
The disturbed area would be fewer than 6 acres, the proponent says. Initial operations would last four to seven weeks. The company later could apply for a lease if conditions appear favorable.
In Colorado there are currently eight producing coal mines, two surface and six subterranean, on 66,000 acres.
In fiscal 2013, coal production on BLM holdings contributed $734 million and generated $42 million in royalty revenue.
daler@durangoherald.com
