Inland Waterways Users Board, 6763 [06-1211]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 27 / Thursday, February 9, 2006 / Notices
tons of ore. The ore would be hauled by
truck approximately 1.9 miles on a
proposed new haul road spur and then
an additional 5.5 miles on an existing
haul road to Ispat’s currently permitted
and operating Minorca taconite
processing facility north of Virginia,
MN. Tailing waste would be disposed of
in Ispat’s currently permitted and
operating Minorca and Upland tailings
basins. The mining process would
require the construction of overburden,
waste rock, and lean ore stockpiles on
the north side of the proposed pits. The
total stockpile area would cover
approximately 375 acres. Project plans
call for the mining of an average of just
over six million long tons of crude ore
per year over the proposed 18-year life
of the mine. The project would allow
mining operations and taconite
processing at the Minorca Plant to
continue until 2024.
The project would require the
discharge of dredged or fill material into
approximately 75.7 acres of wetlands.
While some of the wetlands may be
isolated, the majority of the wetlands
are adjacent to an unnamed tributary to
the Embarrass River, which is a
tributary to the St. Louis River, which
is a navigable water of the U.S., or the
wetlands are adjacent to an unnamed
tributary to the Pike River, which is a
navigable water of the United States.
Ispat proposes to utilize wetland credits
from the existing Ispat Inland wetland
mitigation bank in Aitkin County, MN
to compensate for the lost wetland
functions and values that would be
caused by the proposed project. The
discharge of dredged or fill material into
waters of the United States requires a
permit issued by the Corps under
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The
final environmental impact statement
will be used as a basis for the permit
decision and to ensure compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA).
ADDRESSES: Questions concerning the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) can be addressed to Mr. Jon K.
Ahlness, Regulatory Branch by letter at
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 190 Fifth
Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN
55101–1638, by telephone or by e-mail
at jon.k.ahlness@mvp02.usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Jon K. Ahlness, (651) 290–5381.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps
and the State of Minnesota will jointly
prepare the DEIS. The Corps is the lead
federal agency and the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources
(MnDNR) is the lead agency. The
MnDNR has already completed its
scoping process and had hired a
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consultant to prepare its DEIS. The
Corps is joining with the MnDNR to
prepare a joint Federal/State DEIS. The
Corps, with assistance from the MnDNR,
will prepare and release to the public a
Draft Scoping Decision Document, along
with the MnDNR Scoping
Environmental Assessment Worksheet
(EAW). The public will have 30 days to
provide comments on those two
documents. In accordance with 40 CFR
1506.5(c) and Corps policy, the Corps
will determine the suitability of the
MnDNR consultant for Federal
purposes. We anticipate that the DEIS
will be available to the public in May of
2006.
The DEIS will assess impacts of the
proposed action and reasonable
alternatives, identify and evaluate
mitigation alternatives, and discuss
potential environmental monitoring.
Significant issues and resources to be
identified in the DEIS will be
determined through coordination with
responsible federal, state, and local
agencies; the general public; interested
private organizations and parties; and
affected Native American Tribes.
Anyone who has an interest in
participating in the development of the
DEIS is invited to contact the St. Paul
District, Corps of Engineers. Major
issues identified to date for discussion
in the DEIS are the impacts of the
proposed project on:
1. Fish, wildlife, and ecologically
sensitive resources.
2. Water resources, including: Water
use and potential impacts to the water
supplies of Biwabik and McKinley;
surface water hydrology; groundwater
hydrology; waters of the U.S., including
wetlands; and receiving stream
geomorphology.
3. Water quality, including: Surface
water runoff; storm water management;
and mercury discharges from pit
dewatering.
4. Cumulative impacts, including:
Wildlife habitat loss/fragmentation and
habitat corridor obstruction/landscape
barriers; wetlands; and water flow/
volume and water quality in unnamed
streams and the Embarrass River.
Additional issues of interest may be
identified through the public scoping
process.
Issuing a permit for the development
of an open pit taconite mine is
considered to be a major Federal action
that may have a significant impact on
the quality of the human environment.
The project: (1) Would have a
significant adverse effect on wetlands
(which are special aquatic sites), and (2)
has the potential to significantly affect
water quality, groundwater, fish, and
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wildlife. Our environmental review will
be conducted to the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, National Historic Preservation Act
of 1966, Council of Environmental
Quality Regulations, Endangered
Species Act of 1973, Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act, and other applicable
laws and regulations.
Dated: January 29, 2006.
Michael F. Pfenning,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 06–1212 Filed 2–8–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–CY–M
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Inland Waterways Users Board
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice of open meeting.
SUMMARY: In Accordance with 10(a)(2)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(Pub. L. 92–463), announcement is
made of the forthcoming meeting.
Name of Committee: Inland
Waterways Users Board (Board).
Date: February 22, 2006.
Location: The Embassy Suites—Old
Town Alexandria, 1900 Diagonal Road,
Alexandria, VA 22314, (703–684–5900).
Time: Registration will begin at 8:30
a.m. and the meeting is scheduled to
adjourn at 12:30 p.m.
Agenda: The Board will consider its
project investment priorities for the next
fiscal year. The Board will also hear
briefings on the status of both the
funding for inland navigation projects
and studies, and the Inland Waterways
Trust Fund.
Mr.
Mark R. Pointon, Headquarters, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, CECW–MVD,
441 G Street, NW., Washington, DC
20314–1000; Ph: 202–761–4258.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The
meeting is open to the public. Any
interested person may attend, appear
before, or file statements with the
committee at the time and in the
manner permitted by the committee.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 06–1211 Filed 2–8–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–92–M
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[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 6763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1211]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Inland Waterways Users Board
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of open meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In Accordance with 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (Pub. L. 92-463), announcement is made of the forthcoming meeting.
Name of Committee: Inland Waterways Users Board (Board).
Date: February 22, 2006.
Location: The Embassy Suites--Old Town Alexandria, 1900 Diagonal
Road, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703-684-5900).
Time: Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the meeting is
scheduled to adjourn at 12:30 p.m.
Agenda: The Board will consider its project investment priorities
for the next fiscal year. The Board will also hear briefings on the
status of both the funding for inland navigation projects and studies,
and the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark R. Pointon, Headquarters,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CECW-MVD, 441 G Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20314-1000; Ph: 202-761-4258.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting is open to the public. Any
interested person may attend, appear before, or file statements with
the committee at the time and in the manner permitted by the committee.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-1211 Filed 2-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-92-M
