[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18243-18244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7718]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVW0300. L5110000. GN0000. LVEMF1000880 241A; 11-08807;
MO4500019124; TAS: 14X5017]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Hycroft Mine Expansion Project, Humboldt and Pershing
Counties, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca
District, Black Rock Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada intends to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS.
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until June 30, 2011. The
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM
Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo.html. In order to be
included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the
close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Hycroft Mine
Expansion Project by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo.html;
E-mail: [email protected];
Fax: (775) 623-1503; or
Mail: BLM Winnemucca District, Black Rock Field Office,
5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, Nevada 89445.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Black
Rock Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Kathleen Rehberg, project
lead, telephone: (775) 623-1500; e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Hycroft Resources and Development, Inc.
(Hycroft) proposes to expand its existing open pit operation and
associated disturbance of 1,371 acres by including an additional 2,041
acres in its operation. This would lead to operations on 3,412 acres of
public land managed by the BLM Winnemucca District. The proposal would
also add 1,812 acres of new disturbance on private land controlled by
Hycroft. The proposed operations would extend the mine life by 12
years. The BLM regulates this operation through 43 CFR part 3809.
Current mining was analyzed in four previous environmental
assessments: NV-020-4-25-EA, Lewis Mine Project, Decision Record (DR)/
Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) dated 4/4/1984; NV-020-07-31-
EA, Crofoot Project, DR/FONSI dated 8/3/1987; NV020-05-19-EA Brimstone
Pit Expansion Project, DR/FONSI dated 5/5/1995; NV-020-06-30-EA,
Hycroft Crofoot/Lewis Mine, DR/FONSI dated 10/2/1996.
A range of alternatives will be developed, including the no-action
alternative, to address the issues identified during scoping.
Mitigation measures will be considered to minimize environmental
impacts and to assure the proposed action does not result in
unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands.
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis,
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS.
At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues:
(a) Waste rock dumps, heap leach pads, or pit walls may potentially
produce acid rock drainage or heavy metals. These features need to be
analyzed to ensure that the proposed action does not degrade the waters
of the State or cause undue or unnecessary degradation of public lands;
(b) Potential effects to the viewshed posed by the close proximity of
the project to the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon-Emigrant Trails
National Conservation Area (NCA) and the Black Rock Desert Wilderness
Area. While the project is outside of the NCA and the wilderness area,
it is within the viewshed of both areas; (c) An updated inventory of
lands with wilderness characteristics will be utilized in order to
comply with Secretarial Order 3310 and should lands with wilderness
characteristics be identified they will be considered in the NEPA
process; (d) Wildlife issues include potential impacts to sage-grouse
winter habitat, potential bighorn sheep habitat, and
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possible habitat for Townsend's big-eared bats; and (e) A BLM sensitive
plant species, the Crosby buckwheat, and a Nevada at-risk plant, the
sand cholla, have been observed in the project area.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy, and tribal concerns will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other
stakeholders that may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision
on this project are invited to participate in the scoping process and,
if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a
cooperating agency.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Gene Seidlitz,
Manager, Winnemucca District.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. and 43 CFR 3809.
[FR Doc. 2011-7718 Filed 3-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P