Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for an Expansion of Mining Operations at Barrick Gold Corporation's Bald Mountain and Money Basin Mines, NV, 15155-15156 [07-1589]

Download as PDF cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 61 / Friday, March 30, 2007 / Notices Alternative, the BLM would not issue a ROW grant for the OP Pipeline. The project, including the pipeline, temporary access roads, and temporary use areas during construction, would not be approved or authorized as described in the ROW application. The BLM’s preferred alternative is the Proposed Action Alternative. The Proposed Action Alternative analyzed in the DEIS reflects minor revisions to the original route as proposed by Overland Pass Company. The Southern Energy Corridor Alternative reflects the Green River Resource Management Plan’s preferred locations for future proposed ROWS. Other alternatives, including transportation system alternatives and route variations, were considered, but not studied in detail. The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental consequences of granting Overland Pass Company a ROW to construct an approximately 760-mile pipeline that would transport NGLs from Opal, Wyoming, to its terminus at the company’s existing facilities in Conway, Kansas. The pipeline would be approximately 14 inches in diameter between Opal and Echo Springs, Wyoming, and 16 inches in diameter from Echo Springs, Wyoming, to Conway, Kansas. As part of the proposed action, the OP Pipeline would be routed across southern Wyoming from Opal to Echo Springs along various existing utility or pipeline ROWs. From Echo Springs, the pipeline ROW would run in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the existing Southern Star Pipeline, and proceed to the south of Cheyenne, Wyoming, before entering Colorado. A major portion of the proposed route in Wyoming would cross public lands administered by the BLM. From the Colorado border, the pipeline ROW would continue to parallel Southern Star Pipeline southeasterly crossing the Pawnee National Grassland, which is administered by the USDA Forest Service, and then into Kansas. From the Colorado-Kansas state line, the OP Pipeline would continue to run parallel to the Southern Star Pipeline to south of WaKeeney, Kansas. It would then follow an existing BP Amoco pipeline to Bushton, Kansas. From this point, the OP Pipeline would not parallel existing pipelines until reaching Mitchell, Kansas, where it would then follow an existing Williams Pipeline to the termination point at Conway, Kansas. At Bushton and Conway, Kansas, the transported NGL would be processed at existing facilities and distributed through an existing transportation infrastructure to consumer markets in VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:49 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 211001 the Midwest and Texas Gulf of Mexico coast. About 82 percent of the proposed 760-mile pipeline would be co-located within existing pipeline ROW corridors. In addition to the pipeline, three electric pump stations would be needed to move the NGL at a maximum pressure of 1,440 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) through the pipeline. The pump stations are proposed to be located near Echo Springs and Laramie, Wyoming, and near WaKeeney, Kansas. The pipeline would have manual or selfactuating shut-off valves at regular intervals, as well as cleaning facilities and meter stations. The OP Pipeline would be constructed and installed within a 75foot-wide construction area. After construction and reclamation, the permanent ROW would be 50 feet wide, centered on the pipeline. All temporary workspace areas needed for construction activities outside the 50 foot wide permanent ROW would require Temporary Use Permits. All comment submittals must include the commenter’s name and street address. Comments, including the names and street addresses of respondent, will be available for public review at the Rawlins Field Office during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised 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 from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Dated: February 21, 2007. Robert A. Bennett, State Director. [FR Doc. E7–5575 Filed 3–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–22–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [NV–040–07–5110–CF05 1990–EX–1990; N82888] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for an Expansion of Mining Operations at Barrick Gold Corporation’s Bald Mountain and Money Basin Mines, NV AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ACTION: 15155 Notice of Intent. SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and 43 CFR part 3809, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely Field Office, Nevada intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed consolidation and expansion of the existing Plans of Operation for Barrick Gold Corporation’s Bald Mountain Mine and Mooney Basin Mine located in White Pine County, Nevada. The two existing mines would be combined into one new expanded operation which would be called the North Operations Area. The EIS will analyze anticipated impacts of the expansion under this new consolidated Plan of Operation, and will incorporate analysis from a previous EIS and environmental assessments associate with the existing disturbance. DATES: Publication of this notice initiates the public scoping process. Scoping meetings will be held in Ely, Elko, and Eureka, Nevada. All public meetings will be announced through local news media, newsletters or flyers, and will be posted on the BLM Web site, https://www.nv.blm.gov/ely/ 2007_releases.htm at least 15 days prior to each event. The minutes and list of attendees for each meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any participants who wish to clarify the views they expressed. Comments and resource information should be submitted to the BLM within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • E-mail: lynn_bjorklund@nv.glm.gov. • Fax: 775–189–1910. • Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Ely Field Office, Attention: Lynn Bjorklund, HC33 Box 33500, Ely, Nevada, 89301. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ely Field Office. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have your name added to our mailing list, contact Lynn Bjorklund, Ely Field Office, at 775 289–1893 or by e-mail to lynn_bjorklund@nv.blm.gov. Barrick Gold Corporation has submitted a proposal to expand and consolidate their existing Bald Mountain and Mooney Basin Mines, which are located approximately 65 air miles northwest of the town of Ely, Nevada. The project (consolidating the existing Bald Mountain Mine N–68193 and Mooney SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\30MRN1.SGM 30MRN1 cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES 15156 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 61 / Friday, March 30, 2007 / Notices Basin Mine N–46–94–010P into one unified operation called the North Operations Area) would consist of extending existing open pits, expanding existing rock disposal areas and heap leach facilities, construction of a truck shop, and continuing the operation, reclamation, and closure of the existing Bald Mountain Mine and Mooney Basin Mine operations (to include mine offices, truck shops/warehouse, haul roads, ore stockpiles, access roads, diversion ditches, power transmission lines, water wells and pipelines, process solution transmission pipelines and a landfill). This proposed expansion is entirely on unpatented mining claims on BLM-administered public land. Project access would continue to be via existing public roads. The projected life of the existing mine operation would increase approximately 10 years under this proposed project. Under the proposed action, there would be an additional disturbance of 3,808 acres. The BLM previously authorized Barrick Gold Corporation to disturb 3,418 acres within the Bald Mountain Mine Plan boundary and 742 acres within the Mooney Basin Plan boundary (for a total of approximately 4,160 acres) associated with pits, rock disposal areas, heap leaching, roads, growth media stockpiles, exploration, and underground mining activities. The Proposed North Operations Area would include the 4,160 acres of previously permitted disturbance and 3,808 acres of new disturbance, for a final disturbance footprint of 7,968 acres. The North Operations Area EIS would incorporate existing analysis that includes several environmental assessments and the 1995 Bald Mountain Mine Expansion EIS. Combining the Mooney Basin Mine and the Bald Mountain Mine into one project area would result in the new North Operations Area project boundary expanding to include an additional 3,738 acres of public land. The original boundaries of the two mines encompassed 12,737 acres of public land. The proposed project boundary for the North Operations Area would encompass 16,475 acres. These project boundaries define an area of potential operations although not all of the acreage within these boundaries would be disturbed. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and EIS alternatives. Federal, state, and local agencies, and other individuals or organizations that may be interested in or affected by the BLM’s decision on this Plan of Operations amendment are VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:49 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 211001 invited to participate in the scoping process. To be most helpful, you should submit formal scoping comments within 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised 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 from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations, businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be available for public inspection in their entirety. The minutes and list of attendees for each public meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any participants who wish to clarify the views they expressed. All comments will be available to the public for review at the Ely Field Office BLM throughout the EIS process. Potentially significant direct, indirect, residual, and cumulative impacts from the proposed action will be analyzed in the EIS and will include wildlife, BLM sensitive species, socioeconomics, and cultural resources. Additional issues to be addressed may arise during the scoping process. from the mining laws, but not from other forms of disposition as may by law be authorized on National Forest System land or the mineral leasing laws to protect the Petersburg Administrative Site in Siskiyou County. This notice also gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting. DATES: Comments and requests for a public meeting must be received by June 28, 2007. ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting requests should be sent to Duane Marti, BLM California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Duane Marti, BLM California State Office, (916) 978–4675, or at the above address and Jan Ford, Klamath National Forest, (530) 841–4483. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The withdrawal created by PLO No. 6652 (52 FR 27552) will expire on July 21, 2007, unless extended. The Forest Service has filed an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior to extend PLO No. 6652 for an additional 20-year term. The withdrawal was made to protect the Petersburg Administrative Site of the Forest Service on National Forest System land described as follows. Dated: February 26, 2007. John R. Ruhs, Field Manager. [FR Doc. 07–1589 Filed 3–29–07; 8:45 am] The purpose of the proposed extension is to continue the withdrawal created by PLO No. 6652 for an additional 20-year term to protect the Petersburg Administrative Site. The use of a right-of-way, interagency, or cooperative agreement would not provide adequate protect of the Federal investment. There are no suitable alternative sites as the land described contains permanent Federal facilities. No additional water rights would be needed to fulfill the purpose of the requested withdrawal extension. Records relating to the application may be examined by contacting Curt Hughes at the above address or 530– 842–6131. For a period of 90 days from the date of publication of this notice, all persons who wish to submit comments, suggestions, or objections in connection with the proposed extension may present their views in writing to the Forest Supervisor, Klamath National Forest, at the address noted above. BILLING CODE 4310–HC–M DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CACA 14340] Notice of Proposed Withdrawal Extension and Opportunity for Public Meeting; California Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Forest Service has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6652 for an additional 20-year term. PLO No. 6652 withdrew 30 acres of National Forest System land PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Klamath National Forest Mount Diablo Meridian T. 38 N., R. 11 W., Sec. 34, E1⁄2E1⁄2SW1⁄4SW1⁄4 and W1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4. The area described contains 30 acres in Siskiyou County. E:\FR\FM\30MRN1.SGM 30MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 61 (Friday, March 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15155-15156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1589]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-040-07-5110-CF05 1990-EX-1990; N82888]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
an Expansion of Mining Operations at Barrick Gold Corporation's Bald 
Mountain and Money Basin Mines, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(c) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and 43 CFR part 3809, the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM) Ely Field Office, Nevada intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed consolidation and 
expansion of the existing Plans of Operation for Barrick Gold 
Corporation's Bald Mountain Mine and Mooney Basin Mine located in White 
Pine County, Nevada. The two existing mines would be combined into one 
new expanded operation which would be called the North Operations Area. 
The EIS will analyze anticipated impacts of the expansion under this 
new consolidated Plan of Operation, and will incorporate analysis from 
a previous EIS and environmental assessments associate with the 
existing disturbance.

DATES: Publication of this notice initiates the public scoping process. 
Scoping meetings will be held in Ely, Elko, and Eureka, Nevada. All 
public meetings will be announced through local news media, newsletters 
or flyers, and will be posted on the BLM Web site, https://
www.nv.blm.gov/ely/2007_releases.htm at least 15 days prior to each 
event.
    The minutes and list of attendees for each meeting will be 
available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any 
participants who wish to clarify the views they expressed. Comments and 
resource information should be submitted to the BLM within 30 days of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: lynn_bjorklund@nv.glm.gov.
     Fax: 775-189-1910.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Ely Field Office, 
Attention: Lynn Bjorklund, HC33 Box 33500, Ely, Nevada, 89301.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ely 
Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Lynn Bjorklund, Ely Field 
Office, at 775 289-1893 or by e-mail to lynn_bjorklund@nv.blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Barrick Gold Corporation has submitted a 
proposal to expand and consolidate their existing Bald Mountain and 
Mooney Basin Mines, which are located approximately 65 air miles 
northwest of the town of Ely, Nevada. The project (consolidating the 
existing Bald Mountain Mine N-68193 and Mooney

[[Page 15156]]

Basin Mine N-46-94-010P into one unified operation called the North 
Operations Area) would consist of extending existing open pits, 
expanding existing rock disposal areas and heap leach facilities, 
construction of a truck shop, and continuing the operation, 
reclamation, and closure of the existing Bald Mountain Mine and Mooney 
Basin Mine operations (to include mine offices, truck shops/warehouse, 
haul roads, ore stockpiles, access roads, diversion ditches, power 
transmission lines, water wells and pipelines, process solution 
transmission pipelines and a landfill). This proposed expansion is 
entirely on unpatented mining claims on BLM-administered public land. 
Project access would continue to be via existing public roads. The 
projected life of the existing mine operation would increase 
approximately 10 years under this proposed project.
    Under the proposed action, there would be an additional disturbance 
of 3,808 acres. The BLM previously authorized Barrick Gold Corporation 
to disturb 3,418 acres within the Bald Mountain Mine Plan boundary and 
742 acres within the Mooney Basin Plan boundary (for a total of 
approximately 4,160 acres) associated with pits, rock disposal areas, 
heap leaching, roads, growth media stockpiles, exploration, and 
underground mining activities. The Proposed North Operations Area would 
include the 4,160 acres of previously permitted disturbance and 3,808 
acres of new disturbance, for a final disturbance footprint of 7,968 
acres. The North Operations Area EIS would incorporate existing 
analysis that includes several environmental assessments and the 1995 
Bald Mountain Mine Expansion EIS.
    Combining the Mooney Basin Mine and the Bald Mountain Mine into one 
project area would result in the new North Operations Area project 
boundary expanding to include an additional 3,738 acres of public land. 
The original boundaries of the two mines encompassed 12,737 acres of 
public land. The proposed project boundary for the North Operations 
Area would encompass 16,475 acres. These project boundaries define an 
area of potential operations although not all of the acreage within 
these boundaries would be disturbed.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and 
EIS alternatives. Federal, state, and local agencies, and other 
individuals or organizations that may be interested in or affected by 
the BLM's decision on this Plan of Operations amendment are invited to 
participate in the scoping process. To be most helpful, you should 
submit formal scoping comments within 30 days after publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register.
    Individual respondents may request confidentiality. Before 
including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, be advised 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 from public review your personal identifying information, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from 
organizations, businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves 
as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be 
available for public inspection in their entirety. The minutes and list 
of attendees for each public meeting will be available to the public 
and open for 30 days after the meeting to any participants who wish to 
clarify the views they expressed. All comments will be available to the 
public for review at the Ely Field Office BLM throughout the EIS 
process.
    Potentially significant direct, indirect, residual, and cumulative 
impacts from the proposed action will be analyzed in the EIS and will 
include wildlife, BLM sensitive species, socioeconomics, and cultural 
resources. Additional issues to be addressed may arise during the 
scoping process.

    Dated: February 26, 2007.
John R. Ruhs,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 07-1589 Filed 3-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-M

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