Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Caribou County, ID, Smoky Canyon Mine Panels F and G Project, 77118-77120 [05-24574]
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77118
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 70, No. 249
Thursday, December 29, 2005
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
For General Information about TAA,
Contact: Jean-Louis Pajot, Coordinator,
Trade Adjustment Assistance for
Farmers, FAS, USDA, (202) 720–2916,
e-mail: trade.adjustment@fas.usda.gov.
Dated: December 16, 2005.
W. Kirk Miller,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural
Service.
[FR Doc. E5–8004 Filed 12–28–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–10–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Trade Adjustment Assistance for
Farmers
Forest Service
Foreign Agricultural Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
Caribou-Targhee National Forest,
Caribou County, ID, Smoky Canyon
Mine Panels F and G Project
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
The Administrator, Foreign
Agricultural Service (FAS), approved a
petition for trade adjustment assistance
(TAA) that was filed on November 16,
2005, by a group of avocado producers
in Florida. The certification date is
December 29, 2005. Beginning on
January 2, 2006, Florida avocado
producers will be eligible to apply for
fiscal year 2006 benefits during an
application period ending April 3, 2006.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Upon
investigation, the Administrator
determined that increased imports of
avocados contributed importantly to a
decline in producer prices of avocados
in Florida by 36.1 percent during June
2004 through May 2005, when
compared with the previous 5-year
average.
Eligible producers must apply to the
Farm Service Agency for benefits. After
submitting completed applications,
producers shall receive technical
assistance provided by the Extension
Service at no cost and may receive an
adjustment assistance payment, if
certain program criteria are satisfied.
Applicants must obtain the technical
assistance from the Extension Service by
September 29, 2005, in order to be
eligible for financial payments.
Producers of raw agricultural
commodities wishing to learn more
about TAA and how they may apply
should contact the Department of
Agriculture at the addresses provided
below for General Information.
Producers Certified as Eligible for
TAA, Contact: Farm Service Agency
service centers in Florida.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:56 Dec 28, 2005
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Forest Service, USDA.
Revision of the Notice of Intent
to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Smoky Canyon Mine,
Panels F and G Project, as published in
the Federal Register page 53998 to
53999 on September 15, 2003 (Vol. 68,
No. 178). This revision includes a
change of project schedule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service,
DOI, Bureau of Land Management and
Idaho Department of Environmental
Quality are preparing an Environmental
Impact Statement to document the
analysis and disclose the environmental
impacts of the proposed Smoky Canyon
Mine, Panels F and G Project, a
phosphate mine expansion. This revised
Notice of Intent is to document some
changes in the schedule.
In the original NOI, the tentative date
for filing the Draft EIS was March of
2005 and the Final EIS was scheduled
for September, 2005. Due to scheduling
changes, the Draft EIS is now expected
to be available for review in December,
2005. The final EIS is scheduled to be
completed in July, 2006.
Plans have been developed and
submitted for agency review for an
extension of open pit mining operations
at the J.R. Simplot Company (Simplot)
Smoky Canyon Phosphate Mine in
Canyon County, Idaho, located
approximately 20 miles west of Afton,
Wyoming. Simplot has operated existing
Smoky Canyon Mine since 1983 and
within a few years will complete mining
of currently permitted reserves.
Agency Decisions: The BLM Idaho
State Director or delegated official will
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Sfmt 4703
make a decision regarding approval of
the proposed mine and reclamation plan
and appropriate land use authorizations
(including a proposed 520 acre
modification to I–27512 and up to a 100
acre modification to I–01441) on leased
lands. Decisions will be based on the
EIS and any recommendations the FS
may have regarding surface management
of leased National Forest System lands.
The Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Supervisor makes recommendations to
the BLM concerning surface
management and mitigation on leased
lands within the Caribou-Targhee
National Forest and makes decisions on
mine-related activities which occur offlease. The Army Corps of Engineers may
also make decisions related to permits
under section 404 of the Clean Water
Act.
A draft EIS is expected to be
completed by the end of December
2005. A final EIS is expected in July of
2006.
Scoping Procedure: The scoping
procedure used for this EIS involved:
Notification in Federal Register; a
mailing to interested and potentially
affected individuals, groups, Federal,
State and local government entities
eliciting comments, issues and
concerns; local news releases or
newspaper legal notices; and public
scoping meetings.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to:
Smoky Canyon Mine DEIS, c/o The
Shipley Group, PO Box 2000, Bountiful,
UT 84011–2000. E-mail:
scmldeis@contentanalysisgroup.com.
DATES:
Bill
Stout, Bureau of Land Management,
Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive,
Pocatello, Idaho 83204, phone (208)
478–6340; or Scott Gerwe, CaribouTarghee National Forest, Soda Springs
Ranger District, 410 E. Hooper Ave.,
Soda Springs, Idaho 83276, phone (208)
547–4356, Information is also available
at https://www.blm.gov/nhp/spotlight/
state_info/planning.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed new extension of mining
operations in Panels F and G lie within
the Caribou-Targhee National Forest on
lands administered by the FS and
Federal mineral leases administered by
the BLM. Mining as proposed would
take place on Panels F and G, including
lease modifications (enlargement) of
leases I–27512 and I–01441. These
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 249 / Thursday, December 29, 2005 / Notices
existing Federal mineral leases are
adjacent to the southwest portion of the
existing mine and were previously
issued to Simplot by competitive bid in
January of 2001 and October of 1950
respectively. Environmental impacts of
the proposed mining operations and
reasonable alternatives will be analyzed
in the EIS. Appropriate mitigation
measures will also be formulated.
The proposed mining activities
consist of two open pits—Panel F on
Federal phosphate lease I–27512
(sometimes referred to as the Manning
Creek lease) and Panel G on Federal
phosphate lease I–01441 (sometimes
referred to as the Deer Creek lease),
topsoil stockpiles, mine equipment
parking and service areas, access and
haul roads, a power line extension from
the existing Smoky Canyon loop,
permanent external overburden storage
areas, and runoff/sediment control
facilities. A new haul/access road to
transport ore to the existing Smoky
Canyon mill is proposed to be
constructed from the south end of the
existing Panel E approximately 2.5
miles to the proposed Panel F. As
operations move south to Panel G,
another haul road is proposed to
transport ore 7.8 miles from Panel G
north to Panel F. Much of these
activities are proposed to occur within
the FS Sage Creek inventoried roadless
area.
As proposed, the existing Smoky
Canyon Mine, maintenance,
administrative, and milling facilities
would continue to be used. However,
because G panel lies several miles south
of the currently existing maintenance
and fuel facilities, Simplot’s plans
propose mine support facilities at the
new panels including: Equipment ready
lines, electrical substations, warehouse
and storage areas, lunch rooms, repair
shops, restrooms, fuel and lubricant
storage and dispensing facilities and
blasting supplies.
Ore from the new panels would be
hauled in trucks over new and existing
haul/access roads to the existing Smoky
Canyon mill facilities to be
concentrated. Ore concentrate from the
mill would be transported to the
Simplot fertilizer plant in Pocatello,
Idaho via the existing slurry pipeline
system. Mill tailings would continue to
be deposited in the currently approved
and permitted tailings disposal facilities
located on Simplot property east of the
mill.
Initially, overburden generated from
Panel F would be trucked to the existing
Panel E open pit and used as backfill.
Excess waste rock is proposed to be
permanently placed in a 35-acre pit
overfill on-lease. Remaining overburden
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18:56 Dec 28, 2005
Jkt 208001
from Panel F would then be placed as
backfill in Panel F as soon as practical.
Overburden generated from mining
Panel G would be permanently placed
in 138 acres of external overburden fills
on-lease at Panel G as well as backfill in
the Panel G open pit.
Disturbed lands directly resulting
from the proposed activities total about
1,340 acres. New pits would disturb
approximately 763 acres of which
approximately 796 acres would be
backfilled and reclaimed. Forty-six acres
of highwall and pit bottoms would
remain after reclamation is complete.
The remaining 23 acres of the Panel E
(currently approved and active) open pit
would also be backfilled with
overburden from Panel F. This pit is
currently permitted to be left open. The
rest of the disturbed acreage would
consist of approximately 284 acres of
roads, 176 acres of overburden disposal
areas, and 117 acres of runoff
management facilities, water monitoring
facilities, and topsoil piles. Each would
be reclaimed. The FS Sage Creek
inventoried roadless area overlaps large
portions of the proposed mine and haul
road disturbance areas.
Potential impacts to surface resources
and water quality include erosion,
sediment, and dissolved contaminants
such as selenium. Simplot has proposed
to implement practices designed to
reduce, eliminate, or mitigate these
impacts. Suitable topsoil would be
salvaged from disturbed areas for use in
reclamation. Reclamation of mining
disturbances include: removal of
facilities and equipment, backfilling
pits, regrading slopes, restoring
drainages, spreading topsoil, stabilizing
surfaces, revegetation, testing and
treatment for remaining hydrocarbon
contaminants and environmental
monitoring.
Simplot has applied for two lease
modifications to expand Federal
Phosphate Lease I–27512 for the Panel
F operations. They are a smaller 120acre lease modification on the northern
edge of the lease and a larger 400-acre
modification on the southern edge of the
lease. The proposed northern lease
modifications would be included in all
action alternatives. The issuance and
mining of a southern lease modification
would be evaluated as a separate
alternative. Simplot will likely apply for
another lease modification to enlarge
lease I–01441 to accommodate 18 acres
of off-lease external overburden fill.
Environmental impacts of mining
operations within the lease
modifications will be analyzed in this
EIS.
Issues initially identified for the
proposed mining of F and G panels
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77119
include potential effects on: ground
water and surface water quantity and
quality, wildlife and their habitats;
livestock grazing, wetlands and riparian
habitat, socio-economics, FS
inventoried roadless areas, visual
resources, and cumulative effects.
At this early stage, the BLM and FS
believe that it is important to give
reviewers notice of several court rulings
related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First,
reviewers of draft EISs must structure
their participation in the environmental
review of the proposal to be meaningful
and alert an agency to reviewer’s
position and contentions. Vermont
Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC,
435 U.S. 518,553 (1978). Also,
environmental objections that could be
raised at the draft EIS stage but are not
raised until after completion of the final
EIS may be waived or dismissed by the
courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.
2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and
Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980).
Due to these court rulings, it is very
important that those interested in this
proposed action participate by the close
of the 60-day comment period for the
draft EIS. This is necessary so that
substantive comments and objections
are made available to the BLM and FS
at a time when they can meaningfully
consider them and respond to them in
the final EIS.
Possible Alternatives
The EIS will analyze the Proposed
Action with and without issuing a lease
modification on the southern margin of
Panel F operations, alternative access/
haul road alignment to access the Panel
G operations and the No Action
Alternative. Other alternatives may
include: Additional access and haul
road designs, use of conveyors to
transport ore to the existing mill,
revising the layout or sequencing of the
proposed mining facilities, different
methods for reducing impacts from
overburden handling, and other
alternatives that could provide
mitigation for impacts.
Tentative EIS Project Schedule
The tentative project schedule is as
follows:
• Estimated date for Draft EIS:
December 2005.
• Public Comment Period on Draft
EIS: 60 days from when the Notice of
Availability is published in the Federal
Register.
• Final EIS Publication: July 2006.
• Decision: August 2006.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 249 / Thursday, December 29, 2005 / Notices
Public Scoping Meetings
At least three public meetings will be
held. Each will be the open house type.
The open houses will include displays
explaining the project and provide a
forum for commenting on the project.
Meetings are currently planned for
Pocatello and Soda Springs, Idaho and
Afton, Wyoming. The dates, times, and
locations of the public scoping meetings
will be announced in mailings and
public notices issued by the BLM or
may be obtained from Bill Stout, Bureau
of Land Management, Pocatello Field
Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello,
Idaho 83204, or https://www.blm.gov/
nhp/spotlight/state_info/planning.htm,
phone (208) 478–6367.
Public Input Requested
Dated: December 21, 2005.
Sheryl Bainbridge,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee
National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05–24574 Filed 12–28–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Dated: December 23, 2005.
Paul Hart,
Designated Federal Official, Okanogan and
Wenatchee National Forests.
[FR Doc. 05–24591 Filed 12–28–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
SUMMARY: The Eastern Washington
Cascades Provincial Advisory
Committee and the Yakima Provincial
Advisory Committee will meet on
Wednesday, January 25, 2006 at the
Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests headquarters office, 215 Melody
Lane, Wenatchee, Washington. The
meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and
continue until 3 p.m. During this
meeting we will share information on
Roadless area considerations in the
Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests Forest Plan process, approaches
for future monitoring of Northwest
Forest Plan projects, and the Forest
Service Centennial anniversary. All
Eastern Washington Cascades and
Jkt 205001
Fremont and Winema Resource
Advisory Committee
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
SUMMARY: The Fremont and Winema
Resource Advisory Committee will meet
in Klamath Falls, Oregon, for the
purpose of conducting business as it
relates to the planning of RAC Project
Proposal workshops in the winter of
2006. The RAC will also discuss budget
and other outstanding business. The
RAC is authorized under the provisions
of Title II of the Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self-Determination Act
of 2000.
The meeting will be held at
the Fremont-Winema Forest
Headquarters located at 2819 Dahlia,
Klamath Falls, Oregon, 97603. Send
written comments to Fremont and
Winema Resource Advisory Committee,
c/o USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 67,
Paisley, OR 97636, or electronically to
agowan@fs.fed.us.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Gowan, Designated Federal
Official, c/o Klamath National Forest,
1312 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097,
telephone (530) 841–4421.
The
agenda will include time for RAC
proposal workshop planning, funding
review and FY 2002 to 2005 project
status report. All Fremont-Winema
Resource Advisory Committee Meetings
are open to the public. There will be a
time for public input and comment.
Interested citizens are encouraged to
attend.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Dated: December 15, 2005.
Amy A. Gowan,
Designated Federal Official.
[FR Doc. 05–24575 Filed 12–28–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
LA–05 Floating Marsh Creation
Demonstration Project, Terrebonne
Parish, LA
Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of finding of no
significant impact.
AGENCY:
The meeting will be held on
January 5, 2006, beginning at 9 a.m.
Eastern Washington Cascades
Provincial Advisory Committee and the
Yakima Provincial Advisory Committee
19:32 Dec 28, 2005
Direct questions regarding this meeting
to Paul Hart, Designated Federal
Official, USDA, Wenatchee National
Forest, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee,
Washington 98801, 509–664–9200.
DATES:
Forest Service
VerDate Aug<31>2005
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Forest Service
The BLM and FS are seeking
information and written comments from
Federal, State and local agencies as well
as individuals and organizations
interested in, or affected by, the
Proposed Action or Alternatives. To
assist the BLM and FS in identifying
issues and concerns related to the
Proposed Action or Alternatives,
comments for the Draft EIS, should be
as specific as possible.
ACTION:
Yakima Province Advisory Committee
meetings are open to the public.
Sfmt 4703
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969; the Council on
Environmental Quality Guidelines (40
CFR part 1500); and the Natural
Resources Conservation Service
Guidelines (7 CFR part 650); the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, gives notice
that an environmental impact statement
is not being prepared for the Floating
Marsh Creation Demonstration Project
(LA–05), Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Donald W. Gohmert, State
Conservationist, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, 3737 Government
Street, Alexandria, Louisiana 71302;
telephone (318) 473–7751.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
environmental assessment of the
federally assisted action indicates that
the demonstration project will not cause
significant local, regional, or national
impacts on the environment. As a result
of these findings, Donald W. Gohmert,
State Conservationist, has determined
that preparation and review of an
environmental impact statement is not
needed for this project.
The demonstration project will
develop and test unique, previously
untested technologies for creating
floating marsh in order to restore
significantly deteriorated wetland areas
that historically supported thick-mat
maidencane (Panicum hemitomon)
floating marsh, and other open
freshwater areas. The development of
appropriate technology through this
plan has potential use throughout fresh
and intermediate zones of coastal
Louisiana, particularly in Terrebonne
Basin where traditional techniques for
re-establishing attached marshes are not
applicable or feasible.
The recommended project plan
consists of two phases: The first phase
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 249 (Thursday, December 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77118-77120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24574]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Caribou County, ID, Smoky Canyon
Mine Panels F and G Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revision of the Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Smoky Canyon Mine, Panels F and G Project, as
published in the Federal Register page 53998 to 53999 on September 15,
2003 (Vol. 68, No. 178). This revision includes a change of project
schedule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, DOI, Bureau of Land Management and
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality are preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement to document the analysis and disclose
the environmental impacts of the proposed Smoky Canyon Mine, Panels F
and G Project, a phosphate mine expansion. This revised Notice of
Intent is to document some changes in the schedule.
In the original NOI, the tentative date for filing the Draft EIS
was March of 2005 and the Final EIS was scheduled for September, 2005.
Due to scheduling changes, the Draft EIS is now expected to be
available for review in December, 2005. The final EIS is scheduled to
be completed in July, 2006.
Plans have been developed and submitted for agency review for an
extension of open pit mining operations at the J.R. Simplot Company
(Simplot) Smoky Canyon Phosphate Mine in Canyon County, Idaho, located
approximately 20 miles west of Afton, Wyoming. Simplot has operated
existing Smoky Canyon Mine since 1983 and within a few years will
complete mining of currently permitted reserves.
Agency Decisions: The BLM Idaho State Director or delegated
official will make a decision regarding approval of the proposed mine
and reclamation plan and appropriate land use authorizations (including
a proposed 520 acre modification to I-27512 and up to a 100 acre
modification to I-01441) on leased lands. Decisions will be based on
the EIS and any recommendations the FS may have regarding surface
management of leased National Forest System lands. The Caribou-Targhee
National Forest Supervisor makes recommendations to the BLM concerning
surface management and mitigation on leased lands within the Caribou-
Targhee National Forest and makes decisions on mine-related activities
which occur off-lease. The Army Corps of Engineers may also make
decisions related to permits under section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
DATES: A draft EIS is expected to be completed by the end of December
2005. A final EIS is expected in July of 2006.
Scoping Procedure: The scoping procedure used for this EIS
involved: Notification in Federal Register; a mailing to interested and
potentially affected individuals, groups, Federal, State and local
government entities eliciting comments, issues and concerns; local news
releases or newspaper legal notices; and public scoping meetings.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Smoky Canyon Mine DEIS, c/o The
Shipley Group, PO Box 2000, Bountiful, UT 84011-2000. E-mail: scm_
deis@contentanalysisgroup.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Stout, Bureau of Land Management,
Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho 83204,
phone (208) 478-6340; or Scott Gerwe, Caribou-Targhee National Forest,
Soda Springs Ranger District, 410 E. Hooper Ave., Soda Springs, Idaho
83276, phone (208) 547-4356, Information is also available at https://
www.blm.gov/nhp/spotlight/state_info/planning.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed new extension of mining
operations in Panels F and G lie within the Caribou-Targhee National
Forest on lands administered by the FS and Federal mineral leases
administered by the BLM. Mining as proposed would take place on Panels
F and G, including lease modifications (enlargement) of leases I-27512
and I-01441. These
[[Page 77119]]
existing Federal mineral leases are adjacent to the southwest portion
of the existing mine and were previously issued to Simplot by
competitive bid in January of 2001 and October of 1950 respectively.
Environmental impacts of the proposed mining operations and reasonable
alternatives will be analyzed in the EIS. Appropriate mitigation
measures will also be formulated.
The proposed mining activities consist of two open pits--Panel F on
Federal phosphate lease I-27512 (sometimes referred to as the Manning
Creek lease) and Panel G on Federal phosphate lease I-01441 (sometimes
referred to as the Deer Creek lease), topsoil stockpiles, mine
equipment parking and service areas, access and haul roads, a power
line extension from the existing Smoky Canyon loop, permanent external
overburden storage areas, and runoff/sediment control facilities. A new
haul/access road to transport ore to the existing Smoky Canyon mill is
proposed to be constructed from the south end of the existing Panel E
approximately 2.5 miles to the proposed Panel F. As operations move
south to Panel G, another haul road is proposed to transport ore 7.8
miles from Panel G north to Panel F. Much of these activities are
proposed to occur within the FS Sage Creek inventoried roadless area.
As proposed, the existing Smoky Canyon Mine, maintenance,
administrative, and milling facilities would continue to be used.
However, because G panel lies several miles south of the currently
existing maintenance and fuel facilities, Simplot's plans propose mine
support facilities at the new panels including: Equipment ready lines,
electrical substations, warehouse and storage areas, lunch rooms,
repair shops, restrooms, fuel and lubricant storage and dispensing
facilities and blasting supplies.
Ore from the new panels would be hauled in trucks over new and
existing haul/access roads to the existing Smoky Canyon mill facilities
to be concentrated. Ore concentrate from the mill would be transported
to the Simplot fertilizer plant in Pocatello, Idaho via the existing
slurry pipeline system. Mill tailings would continue to be deposited in
the currently approved and permitted tailings disposal facilities
located on Simplot property east of the mill.
Initially, overburden generated from Panel F would be trucked to
the existing Panel E open pit and used as backfill. Excess waste rock
is proposed to be permanently placed in a 35-acre pit overfill on-
lease. Remaining overburden from Panel F would then be placed as
backfill in Panel F as soon as practical. Overburden generated from
mining Panel G would be permanently placed in 138 acres of external
overburden fills on-lease at Panel G as well as backfill in the Panel G
open pit.
Disturbed lands directly resulting from the proposed activities
total about 1,340 acres. New pits would disturb approximately 763 acres
of which approximately 796 acres would be backfilled and reclaimed.
Forty-six acres of highwall and pit bottoms would remain after
reclamation is complete. The remaining 23 acres of the Panel E
(currently approved and active) open pit would also be backfilled with
overburden from Panel F. This pit is currently permitted to be left
open. The rest of the disturbed acreage would consist of approximately
284 acres of roads, 176 acres of overburden disposal areas, and 117
acres of runoff management facilities, water monitoring facilities, and
topsoil piles. Each would be reclaimed. The FS Sage Creek inventoried
roadless area overlaps large portions of the proposed mine and haul
road disturbance areas.
Potential impacts to surface resources and water quality include
erosion, sediment, and dissolved contaminants such as selenium. Simplot
has proposed to implement practices designed to reduce, eliminate, or
mitigate these impacts. Suitable topsoil would be salvaged from
disturbed areas for use in reclamation. Reclamation of mining
disturbances include: removal of facilities and equipment, backfilling
pits, regrading slopes, restoring drainages, spreading topsoil,
stabilizing surfaces, revegetation, testing and treatment for remaining
hydrocarbon contaminants and environmental monitoring.
Simplot has applied for two lease modifications to expand Federal
Phosphate Lease I-27512 for the Panel F operations. They are a smaller
120-acre lease modification on the northern edge of the lease and a
larger 400-acre modification on the southern edge of the lease. The
proposed northern lease modifications would be included in all action
alternatives. The issuance and mining of a southern lease modification
would be evaluated as a separate alternative. Simplot will likely apply
for another lease modification to enlarge lease I-01441 to accommodate
18 acres of off-lease external overburden fill. Environmental impacts
of mining operations within the lease modifications will be analyzed in
this EIS.
Issues initially identified for the proposed mining of F and G
panels include potential effects on: ground water and surface water
quantity and quality, wildlife and their habitats; livestock grazing,
wetlands and riparian habitat, socio-economics, FS inventoried roadless
areas, visual resources, and cumulative effects.
At this early stage, the BLM and FS believe that it is important to
give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft EISs must structure their participation in the environmental
review of the proposal to be meaningful and alert an agency to
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 518,553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the draft EIS stage but are not raised until after
completion of the final EIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts.
City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and
Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis.
1980). Due to these court rulings, it is very important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 60-
day comment period for the draft EIS. This is necessary so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the BLM and
FS at a time when they can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final EIS.
Possible Alternatives
The EIS will analyze the Proposed Action with and without issuing a
lease modification on the southern margin of Panel F operations,
alternative access/haul road alignment to access the Panel G operations
and the No Action Alternative. Other alternatives may include:
Additional access and haul road designs, use of conveyors to transport
ore to the existing mill, revising the layout or sequencing of the
proposed mining facilities, different methods for reducing impacts from
overburden handling, and other alternatives that could provide
mitigation for impacts.
Tentative EIS Project Schedule
The tentative project schedule is as follows:
Estimated date for Draft EIS: December 2005.
Public Comment Period on Draft EIS: 60 days from when the
Notice of Availability is published in the Federal Register.
Final EIS Publication: July 2006.
Decision: August 2006.
[[Page 77120]]
Public Scoping Meetings
At least three public meetings will be held. Each will be the open
house type. The open houses will include displays explaining the
project and provide a forum for commenting on the project. Meetings are
currently planned for Pocatello and Soda Springs, Idaho and Afton,
Wyoming. The dates, times, and locations of the public scoping meetings
will be announced in mailings and public notices issued by the BLM or
may be obtained from Bill Stout, Bureau of Land Management, Pocatello
Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, or https://
www.blm.gov/nhp/spotlight/state_info/planning.htm, phone (208) 478-
6367.
Public Input Requested
The BLM and FS are seeking information and written comments from
Federal, State and local agencies as well as individuals and
organizations interested in, or affected by, the Proposed Action or
Alternatives. To assist the BLM and FS in identifying issues and
concerns related to the Proposed Action or Alternatives, comments for
the Draft EIS, should be as specific as possible.
Dated: December 21, 2005.
Sheryl Bainbridge,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05-24574 Filed 12-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
