Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Three Rivers Stone Quarry Expansion, 36738-36739 [E9-17677]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management
• Land Management Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 141 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36738-36739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17677]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLIDI01000-L71220000-PH0000-LVTF80230000; DDG-07-0010]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Three Rivers Stone Quarry Expansion

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM), Challis Field Office, announces the availability 
of the Three Rivers Stone Quarry Expansion Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS). The FEIS addresses a proposal submitted by L&W Stone 
Corporation to amend the existing Plan of Operations to allow for 
expansion of its existing building stone quarry.

DATES: The FEIS is available for 30 days following publication of the 
Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Availability (NOA) in the 
Federal Register. The Record of Decision (ROD) will not be approved by 
the BLM for at least 30 days following publication of the NOA for the 
FEIS by the Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are available upon request from the BLM 
Idaho Falls District Office, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 
83401, phone 208-524-7530. You may request either a paper or an 
electronic (CD) copy. A copy of the FEIS is also available on the 
Internet at https://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/challis/nepa/Three_Rivers.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Horsburgh, Project Manager, 
BLM Idaho Falls District, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 
83401, phone 208-524-7530, or fax 208-524-7505.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: L&W Stone Corporation mines locatable 
flagstone on public lands administered by the BLM's Challis Field 
Office in Custer County, Idaho. L&W Stone submitted an Amended Plan of 
Operations for its quarry under the 43 CFR 3809 Regulations in December 
2002. The BLM completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the 
Amended Plan of Operations, signed a Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) in July 2004, and approved the project. As a result of a 
lawsuit that was filed objecting to that approval, the BLM was ordered 
by a Federal judge to prepare an EIS for the Amended Plan of 
Operations.
    A Notice of Intent to Prepare the EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on October 21, 2005, inviting comments on the scope of the 
EIS, concerns, issues, and proposed alternatives. Public scoping 
meetings were held during the 45-day public comment period in Challis, 
Idaho, on November 16, 2005, and in Boise, Idaho, on November 17, 2005.
    The Draft EIS was released for public review on December 14, 2007. 
Public meetings were held during the 45-day public comment period in 
Boise, Idaho, on January 16, 2008, and in Challis, Idaho, on January 
17, 2008. A total of 13 written comments were received during this 
process. All comments were analyzed and appropriate changes or 
clarifications were incorporated into the FEIS. The comments and 
responses are appended to the FEIS.
    The BLM will prepare a Record of Decision (ROD) for the proposed 
project no earlier than 30 days following the publication of the NOA by 
the Environmental Protection Agency. Public comments will be accepted 
on the FEIS and will be considered as part

[[Page 36739]]

of the BLM decision making process. However, the BLM will not formally 
respond to the comments.
    The BLM asks that those submitting comments make them as specific 
as possible with reference to page numbers and chapters in the FEIS.
    Public comments, including the names and mailing addresses of 
respondents, will be available for public review at the Idaho Falls 
District Office in Idaho Falls, Idaho, during regular business hours 
from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. 
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. Before including 
your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your 
comments to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All 
submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

David Rosenkrance,
BLM Challis Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E9-17677 Filed 7-23-09; 8:45 am]
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