Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bald Mountain Mine North Operations Area Project in White Pine County, NV, 58648 [E9-27325]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 218 / Friday, November 13, 2009 / Notices
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inspection at BLM’s Bakersfield Field
Office (3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield,
CA 93308) and the California State
Office (2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento,
CA 95825). Interested persons may also
review the CPNM PRMP/FEIS at the
following Web site: https://www.blm.gov/
ca/bakersfield. All protests must be in
writing and mailed to the following
addresses:
Regular Mail (U.S. Postal Service):
Director (210), Attention: Brenda
Williams, P.O. Box 66538,
Washington, DC 20035.
Overnight Mail (non-U.S. Postal
Service): Director (210), Attention:
Brenda Williams, 1620 L Street, NW.,
Suite 1075, Washington, DC 20036.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Johna Hurl, Carrizo Plain National
Monument Manager, 3801 Pegasus
Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308, (661) 391–
6093.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
planning area for the CPNM PRMP/FEIS
falls within the Bakersfield Field
Office’s area of management
responsibility. The planning area
comprises the Carrizo Plain National
Monument. A total of 200,000 acres of
public lands are administered by the
BLM in the planning area.
The decisions in the RMP will only
apply to the BLM-administered public
lands and mineral estate within the
planning area.
Comments on the Draft RMP/EIS
received from the public and internal
BLM review were considered and
incorporated, as appropriate, into the
PRMP. Public comments resulted in the
addition of clarifying text and several
changes to the decisions contained in
the PRMP, including adding lands to be
managed for Wilderness characteristics
and limiting vehicle use on monument
roads to street licensed vehicles only.
However, these comments did not result
in significant changes to the decisions
in the PRMP. Instructions for filing a
protest with the Director of the BLM
regarding this plan may be found in the
Dear Reader Letter of the CPNM PRMP/
FEIS and at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. E-mail
and faxed protests will not be accepted
as valid protests unless the protesting
party also provides the original letter by
either regular or overnight mail
postmarked by the close of the protest
period. If these conditions are met, the
BLM will consider the e-mail or faxed
protest as an advance copy and it will
receive full consideration. If you wish to
provide the BLM with such advance
notification, please direct faxed protests
to the attention of the BLM protest
coordinator at 202–452–5112, and
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:07 Nov 12, 2009
Jkt 220001
e-mails to Brenda_HudgensWilliams@blm.gov.
All protests, including the follow-up
letter (if e-mailing or faxing), must be in
writing and mailed to the appropriate
address, as set forth in the ADDRESSES
section above.
Timothy Z. Smith,
Bakersfield Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E9–27323 Filed 11–12–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL00000.L51100000.
GN0000.LVEMCF050000; 09–08807; TAS:
14X5017]
Final Environmental Impact Statement
for the Bald Mountain Mine North
Operations Area Project in White Pine
County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: In accordance with section
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) Nevada Ely
District has prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for a proposed expansion of the existing
plans of operation for Barrick Gold U.S.
Inc.’s Bald Mountain Mine and Mooney
Basin Mine. The two existing mines
would be combined into one new
expanded operation which would be
called the North Operations Area. The
Final EIS analyzes the environmental
effects of the Proposed Action, two
action alternatives, and the No Action
Alternative.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final
decision on the proposal for a minimum
of 30 days following the Environmental
Protection Agency’s publication of a
Notice of Availability of the Final EIS in
the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Print and compact disk
copies of the North Operations Area
Final EIS are available in the Ely District
Office at 702 North Industrial Way,
HC33 Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301. The
document is available at: https://
www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field
_office.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lynn Bjorklund, phone: 775 289–1893,
e-mail: Lynn_Bjorklund@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Barrick
Gold U.S. Inc. has submitted a proposal
to expand and combine its existing Bald
Mountain and Mooney Basin mines into
one project area to be administered
PO 00000
Frm 00052
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
under the North Operations Area Plan of
Operation. The mines are located
approximately 65 miles northwest of
Ely, Nevada. This proposed expansion
is entirely on unpatented mining claims
on BLM-administered public land. The
proposed North Operations Area would
include 4,160 acres of previously
permitted disturbance and 3,920 acres
of new disturbance, for a total of 8,080
acres. The project would consist of
extending existing open pits, expanding
existing rock disposal areas and heap
leach facilities, construction of a truck
shop, additional exploration, concurrent
reclamation, and continuing operation
of existing facilities. The projected life
of the existing mine operation would
increase by approximately ten years
under this proposed project.
The Draft EIS analyzed the Proposed
Action and two action alternatives. The
alternatives were a partial pit backfill
and a leach pad alternative whereby the
expansion of the Mooney Basin leach
pad would be reduced by processing the
ore at the existing Bald Mountain leach
pad. Both the BLM and the Nevada
Department of Wildlife have designated
the partial pit backfill as the Preferred
Alternative.
The Draft EIS was released for public
review on December 19, 2008. Public
meetings were held in Nevada during a
45-day public comment period in Ely,
Elko, and Eureka, Jan. 6–8, 2009. A total
of 17 comment letters were received
throughout the comment period. All
comments were analyzed and
appropriate changes or clarifications
were incorporated into the Final EIS.
The BLM will prepare a Record of
Decision for the proposed project no
earlier than 30 days following the
publication of the Notice of Availability
by the Environmental Protection Agency
of the Final EIS.
Authority: 43 CFR part 3809.
Jeffrey A. Weeks,
Associate District Manager.
[FR Doc. E9–27325 Filed 11–12–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Proposed New Central Valley Project
Water Service Contract, El Dorado
County Water Agency, El Dorado
County, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Reopening of comment period
for review of the Draft Environmental
E:\FR\FM\13NON1.SGM
13NON1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 218 (Friday, November 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 58648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27325]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL00000.L51100000.GN0000.LVEMCF050000; 09-08807; TAS: 14X5017]
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bald Mountain Mine
North Operations Area Project in White Pine County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) Nevada Ely District has prepared a Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for a proposed expansion of the existing plans of
operation for Barrick Gold U.S. Inc.'s Bald Mountain Mine and Mooney
Basin Mine. The two existing mines would be combined into one new
expanded operation which would be called the North Operations Area. The
Final EIS analyzes the environmental effects of the Proposed Action,
two action alternatives, and the No Action Alternative.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a
minimum of 30 days following the Environmental Protection Agency's
publication of a Notice of Availability of the Final EIS in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Print and compact disk copies of the North Operations Area
Final EIS are available in the Ely District Office at 702 North
Industrial Way, HC33 Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301. The document is
available at: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Bjorklund, phone: 775 289-1893,
e-mail: Lynn_Bjorklund@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Barrick Gold U.S. Inc. has submitted a
proposal to expand and combine its existing Bald Mountain and Mooney
Basin mines into one project area to be administered under the North
Operations Area Plan of Operation. The mines are located approximately
65 miles northwest of Ely, Nevada. This proposed expansion is entirely
on unpatented mining claims on BLM-administered public land. The
proposed North Operations Area would include 4,160 acres of previously
permitted disturbance and 3,920 acres of new disturbance, for a total
of 8,080 acres. The project would consist of extending existing open
pits, expanding existing rock disposal areas and heap leach facilities,
construction of a truck shop, additional exploration, concurrent
reclamation, and continuing operation of existing facilities. The
projected life of the existing mine operation would increase by
approximately ten years under this proposed project.
The Draft EIS analyzed the Proposed Action and two action
alternatives. The alternatives were a partial pit backfill and a leach
pad alternative whereby the expansion of the Mooney Basin leach pad
would be reduced by processing the ore at the existing Bald Mountain
leach pad. Both the BLM and the Nevada Department of Wildlife have
designated the partial pit backfill as the Preferred Alternative.
The Draft EIS was released for public review on December 19, 2008.
Public meetings were held in Nevada during a 45-day public comment
period in Ely, Elko, and Eureka, Jan. 6-8, 2009. A total of 17 comment
letters were received throughout the comment period. All comments were
analyzed and appropriate changes or clarifications were incorporated
into the Final EIS. The BLM will prepare a Record of Decision for the
proposed project no earlier than 30 days following the publication of
the Notice of Availability by the Environmental Protection Agency of
the Final EIS.
Authority: 43 CFR part 3809.
Jeffrey A. Weeks,
Associate District Manager.
[FR Doc. E9-27325 Filed 11-12-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P