Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project, Lander County, NV, 41516-41517 [2010-17420]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
41516
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 136 / Friday, July 16, 2010 / Notices
of approximately 672 wells per year
using 28 drilling rigs and would be
drilled over a period of approximately
20 years or until the resource base is
fully developed. The construction of
additional new roads, pipelines, and
other support facilities would be similar
to those described in the Proposed
Action, but in some cases more facilities
would be needed because of the higher
number of wells and increased gas
volumes produced. Total new surface
disturbance under the Optimal Recovery
Alternative would be approximately
42,620 acres, or 26 percent of the total
GNBPA.
5. Alternatives Considered, but
Eliminated from Further Analysis—The
BLM considered two alternatives to the
proposed project that were not carried
forward for detailed analysis. These
include a No Further Development
Alternative under which no further
development would take place in the
GNBPA, and a Phased Development
Alternative, which was intended to
rotate concentrated disturbance
activities through smaller, pre-defined
areas (subareas), while the remainder of
the GNBPA would be less impacted
than under the Proposed Action. Under
this alternative, oil and gas development
activities would be restricted to one of
several subareas within the GNBPA
boundary. One subarea at a time would
be opened to oil and gas construction
and development activities for a limited
time period, after which construction
and development activities would cease.
An indicator, such as successful interim
reclamation within a subarea, would be
required prior to developing a new
subarea. Oil and gas extraction and
processing would continue (i.e.,
operational activities) in the subarea,
while construction and development
activities would move to another
subarea. An additional intent is to
encourage concurrent and efficient
reclamation of surface disturbance. The
No Further Development Alternative
was eliminated from detailed analysis
because ongoing oil and gas
development continues on valid leases
within the GNBPA as disclosed under
existing NEPA decision documents,
which are not being revisited under this
EIS. The Phased Development
Alternative was eliminated from further
analysis because: (a) Phased
development could not be imposed by
the BLM on state, tribal, or private lands
within the GNBPA; (b) the BLM would
still be required to process reasonable
access ROW applications for
development of private and state leases
within the subareas not currently being
developed (BLM Manual, Part 2800.06
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:00 Jul 15, 2010
Jkt 220001
‘‘Policy’’ [D]), allowing owners to
develop for the reasonable use and
enjoyment non-Federal lands
surrounded by public lands managed
under FLPMA; (c) phased development
could delay benefits to surface owners
within the GNBPA (e.g., payments to the
Ute Tribe for surface disturbance
activities); (d) phased development
would concentrate traffic and drilling
activities to the active subarea, but
production and maintenance activities
in the existing field would continue
regardless of subarea; (e) under phased
development, operators would be
unable to return to subareas where
construction and development activity
has ceased, which would prevent
redevelopment of a subarea in the event
of a change in commodity price or an
improvement in drilling technology;
and, (f) concentrated development
under a Phased Development
Alternative would focus surface
disturbance impacts in individual
grazing allotments, which could result
in rapid reduction in forage and a
corresponding reduction in animal unit
months (AUMs).
The public is encouraged to comment
on any of these alternatives. The BLM
asks that those submitting comments
make them as specific as possible with
reference to chapters, page numbers,
and paragraphs in the Draft EIS
document. Comments that contain only
opinions or preferences will not receive
a formal response; however, they will be
considered, and included, as part of the
BLM decision-making process. The most
useful comments will contain new
technical or scientific information,
identify data gaps in the impact
analysis, or provide technical or
scientific rationale for opinions or
preferences.
Selma Sierra,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010–17268 Filed 7–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVB00000 L71220000.EX0000
LVTFF0986020 241A.00; MO#4500011839;
10–08807; TAS: 14X8069]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Cortez Hills
Expansion Project, Lander County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
PO 00000
Frm 00087
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), Battle
Mountain District, Mount Lewis Field
Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada,
intends to prepare a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project in
Lander County, Nevada.
DATES: This notice initiates the NEPA
process for the Supplemental EIS. We
will provide opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the
Draft Supplemental EIS.
ADDRESSES: Background information,
print and electronic copies of the 2008
Final EIS for the Cortez Hills Expansion
Project are available at the BLM Battle
Mountain District Office, 50 Bastian
Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada, during
regular business hours of 7:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays. Copies of the 2008
Final EIS are also available at the
following Web site: https://www.blm.gov/
nv/battlemountain.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information and/or to have your
name added to our mailing list, contact
Christopher Worthington, (775) 635–
4000, or e-mail:
Christopher_Worthington@blm.gov.
The BLM
signed a Record of Decision on
November 12, 2008, for the Cortez Gold
Mines (CGM) Cortez Hills Expansion
Project, which is an expansion of
existing open-pit gold mining and
processing operations in northeastern
Nevada. The project entails new surface
disturbance of approximately 6,633
acres, including 6,412 acres of public
land administered by the BLM Battle
Mountain District and 221 acres of
private land owned by CGM. The Notice
of Availability of the Final Cortez Hills
Expansion Project Environmental
Impact Statement, Nevada was
published in the Federal Register on
Oct. 3, 2008.
On December 3, 2009, the United
States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit partially reversed the lower
court’s denial of preliminary injunctive
relief with respect to BLM’s
environmental analysis of air quality
and water resource issues. The BLM
subsequently elected to prepare a
Supplemental EIS to refine the analysis
of potential air quality effects and the
dewatering mitigation effectiveness for
the Cortez Hills Expansion Project.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM
16JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 136 / Friday, July 16, 2010 / Notices
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Gerald M. Smith,
District Manager, Battle Mountain.
[FR Doc. 2010–17420 Filed 7–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOF02000 L71220000.EA0000
LVTFC09C6050]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Over The RiverTM Art
Project, Colorado
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) has prepared
a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Proposed Over The RiverTM
Art Project (Over The RiverTM Draft EIS)
and by this notice is announcing the
opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Over The
RiverTM Draft EIS on or before August
30, 2010. The BLM will announce future
meetings or hearings and any other
public involvement activities at least 15
days in advance through public notices,
media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Over The RiverTM Draft
EIS by any of the following methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/co/st/
en/fo/rgfo/planning/otr.html.
• E-mail: co_otr_comments@blm.gov.
• Fax: (719) 269–8599.
• Mail: BLM Royal Gorge Field
Office, Over the River Comments, 3028
˜
E. Main St., Canon City, Colorado
81212.
Please write ‘‘OTR Comments’’ in the
subject line of comments that are emailed or faxed. Copies of the Over The
RiverTM Draft EIS are available in the
BLM Royal Gorge Field Office at the
above address, and on the project Web
site listed above. A review copy of the
Over The RiverTM Draft EIS is available
˜
at the Canon City Public Library, 516
˜
Macon Ave., Canon City, Colorado;
Salida Regional Library, 405 ‘‘E’’ Street,
Salida, Colorado; Arkansas Headwaters
Recreation Area (AHRA) office, 307
West Sackett Ave., Salida, Colorado;
and the Denver Public Library, 10 W.
Fourteenth Ave. Parkway, Denver,
Colorado.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:00 Jul 15, 2010
Jkt 220001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Mr. Vincent
Hooper, Over The RiverTM Project
Manager, at the Royal Gorge Field Office
(see ADDRESSES above); telephone (719)
269–8555; or e-mail:
co_otr_comments@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OTR
Corporation (OTR Corp.), formed by the
artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude,
proposes to install a work of art, known
as Over The RiverTM, on Federal, State,
and private lands adjacent to the
Arkansas River between the cities of
˜
Salida and Canon City in Colorado. It
has filed with the BLM an application
for a land use authorization under
Section 302 of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act, 43 U.S.C. 1732,
and its implementing regulations, 43
CFR Part 2920. Following an estimated
2-year construction period, the exhibit
is proposed for a 2-week display and
viewing period in early August 2013.
The proposed art exhibit is a no-fee
visitor event. At the end of the 2-week
exhibition period, the system of cables
and anchors and other above-ground
materials would be removed over an
estimated 3-month period. The artists
would be responsible for restoring the
river corridor according to the standards
defined by permitting and approval
authorities.
The proposed art exhibit involves the
installation of 925 porous, semitransparent fabric panels, weighing an
average of 140 lbs/panel. These panels
would be suspended 8 to 25 feet above
the water for a total of 5.9 miles in eight
locations dispersed along a 42-mile
stretch of the Arkansas River. A support
structure of an estimated 9,100 steel
anchors would be drilled along and into
the banks of the Arkansas River to
support 2,275 steel anchor transition
frames for an estimated 1,275 steel
cables that would support the fabric
panels. OTR Corp. also proposes to
construct two equipment laydown areas
totaling approximately 56 acres (acreage
includes visitor facilities) and a 4,000square-foot warehouse/office building.
Upon project completion, the
warehouse would be donated to a public
agency or deconstructed and removed
from the site.
The earliest that the project would be
exhibited is in 2013. An estimated
344,000 visitors (which includes
100,000 baseline visitors to the area) are
expected to visit the Arkansas River
canyon during the 2-week exhibition
period. An additional 36,000 visitors are
expected to view both the installation
and the removal of the art. The resulting
traffic in the area is estimated to be
118,620 cars during the overall
PO 00000
Frm 00088
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
41517
exhibition period, and 12,862 cars
during installation and removal. It is
assumed there would be an average of
2.9 visitors per vehicle.
The footprint of the proposed project
would encompass approximately 310
acres. The project would be located
primarily on Federal lands administered
by the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office,
but would also be located on lands
owned or managed by the Colorado
State Land Board (SLB), Union Pacific
Railroad, and private landowners; lands
leased by the Colorado Division of
Wildlife (CDOW); and lands owned or
cooperatively managed by Colorado
State Parks in the AHRA. The Colorado
Department of Transportation (CDOT)
and Colorado State Patrol (CSP) have
jurisdiction for activities along U.S.
Highway 50. The majority of the project
area is within Fremont County.
However, a small portion at the western
end of the project is within Chaffee
County. Approximately 80 percent of
the area in the proposed project would
be located in the Arkansas Canyonlands
Area of Critical Environmental Concern
(ACEC), a BLM-specific designation that
recognizes the need for recreation use as
well as protection of outstandingly
remarkable values.
The BLM Royal Gorge Field Office is
the lead Federal agency responsible for
preparing the EIS and complying with
the requirements of NEPA and other
applicable laws and regulations.
Multiple cooperating agencies and
permitting authorities have participated
and provided input in the development
of the Draft EIS including the Colorado
Department of Natural Resources
(DNR)—which consists of CDOW,
Colorado State Parks, and SLB—as well
as CDOT, CSP, and Chaffee and Fremont
counties.
Considerations for decisions to be
made through the BLM’s EIS process
include:
• Whether to authorize, and under
what terms and conditions, the artists’
request for use of public lands;
• Which combination of project
elements may be authorized if the
proposed project is determined to result
in unacceptable impacts and the artists’
proposed action is not authorized in its
entirety;
• Whether some or all mitigation
measures identified in the EIS may be
adopted or if additional measures may
be required;
• Whether the project and its
potential effects are in conformance
with the Resource Management Plan
(RMP), including the Arkansas
Canyonlands ACEC; and
• Whether an amendment to the
Royal Gorge Resource Area RMP is
E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM
16JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41516-41517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17420]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVB00000 L71220000.EX0000 LVTFF0986020 241A.00;
MO4500011839; 10-08807; TAS: 14X8069]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project, Lander County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Battle
Mountain District, Mount Lewis Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada,
intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project in Lander County, Nevada.
DATES: This notice initiates the NEPA process for the Supplemental EIS.
We will provide opportunities for public participation upon publication
of the Draft Supplemental EIS.
ADDRESSES: Background information, print and electronic copies of the
2008 Final EIS for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project are available at
the BLM Battle Mountain District Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle
Mountain, Nevada, during regular business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Copies of the 2008 Final
EIS are also available at the following Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nv/battlemountain.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Christopher Worthington,
(775) 635-4000, or e-mail: Christopher_Worthington@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM signed a Record of Decision on
November 12, 2008, for the Cortez Gold Mines (CGM) Cortez Hills
Expansion Project, which is an expansion of existing open-pit gold
mining and processing operations in northeastern Nevada. The project
entails new surface disturbance of approximately 6,633 acres, including
6,412 acres of public land administered by the BLM Battle Mountain
District and 221 acres of private land owned by CGM. The Notice of
Availability of the Final Cortez Hills Expansion Project Environmental
Impact Statement, Nevada was published in the Federal Register on Oct.
3, 2008.
On December 3, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit partially reversed the lower court's denial of
preliminary injunctive relief with respect to BLM's environmental
analysis of air quality and water resource issues. The BLM subsequently
elected to prepare a Supplemental EIS to refine the analysis of
potential air quality effects and the dewatering mitigation
effectiveness for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project.
[[Page 41517]]
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Gerald M. Smith,
District Manager, Battle Mountain.
[FR Doc. 2010-17420 Filed 7-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
