Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine and Reclamation Plan, Caribou County, ID, 11259-11261 [2011-4535]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2011 / Notices
at 307–775–6258, and 307–775–6487,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This coal
lease sale is being held in response to
a lease by application (LBA) filed by
Antelope Coal LLC, Gillette, Wyoming.
The coal resource to be offered consists
of all reserves recoverable by surface
mining methods in the following
described lands located north of the
Campbell/Converse county line
approximately 2–5 miles east of State
Highway 59 and adjacent to the western
and northern lease boundary of the
Antelope Mine.
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T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th Principal Meridian,
Sec. 9, lots 9 through 16 inclusive;
Sec. 10, lots 11 through 16 inclusive;
Sec. 11, lot 13;
Sec. 14, lots 3 and 4;
Sec. 15, lots 1 through 5 inclusive, and lots
12 and 13;
Sec. 20, lots 14 through 16 inclusive;
Sec. 21, lots 1 through 16 inclusive;
Sec. 22, lots 2, 7, 8, and lots 14 through
16 inclusive;
Sec. 27, lots 6 through 11 inclusive;
Sec. 28, lots 1 through 8 inclusive; and
Sec. 29, lots 1 through 3 inclusive, and lots
6 through 8 inclusive.
Containing 2,837.63 acres, more or less in
Campbell County, Wyoming.
The tract is adjacent to Federal leases
to the east and south and surrounds a
State of Wyoming lease, all controlled
by the Antelope Mine. It is adjacent to
additional unleased Federal coal to the
west and north.
All of the acreage offered has been
determined to be suitable for mining
except for the mainline railroad right-ofway in the far northeast portion of the
tract. Features such as utilities and
pipelines can be moved to permit coal
recovery. A possible alluvial valley floor
crosses the tract along Horse Creek, but
is unlikely to be significant for farming
and so will be available for mining with
appropriate reclamation. In addition,
numerous producing coal bed natural
gas wells have been drilled on the LBA
tract. The estimate of the bonus value of
the coal lease will include consideration
of the future production from these
wells. An economic analysis of the
future income stream from coal mining
will consider reasonable compensation
for lost production of coal bed natural
gas when the wells are bought out by
the coal lessee. Mining will eliminate
the gas reservoir. The surface estate of
the tract is owned by Antelope Coal
Company or private individuals and
other entities.
The tract contains surface mineable
coal reserves in the Wyodak-Anderson
coal zone currently being recovered in
the adjacent, existing mine. On the LBA
tract, there are generally two recoverable
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seams, the shallower Anderson and the
deeper Canyon. On the LBA tract, both
seams are generally continuous
although a thin split off the bottom of
the Anderson occasionally occurs. This
split can usually be recovered with the
main Anderson seam. The Anderson
seam varies from 35 to 42 feet thick
while the Canyon seam varies from 32
to 36 feet thick. The interburden varies
significantly and can be as thin as 12
feet to as thick as 95 feet but is usually
in the 65 to 75 foot thick range.
Overburden depths to the Anderson
seam range from about 250 to 440 feet
thick on the LBA tract.
The tract contains an estimated
350,263,000 tons of mineable coal. This
estimate of mineable reserves includes
both of the main seams and the thin
split mentioned above, but does not
include any tonnage from localized
seams or splits where the coal is less
than 5 feet thick. It does not include the
coal in the State of Wyoming coal lease,
although these reserves are expected to
be recovered in conjunction with the
LBA tract. It also excludes coal within
and along the railroad right-of-way since
this coal cannot be recovered using
typical mining practices. The total
mineable stripping ratio of the coal in
bank cubic yards per ton is
approximately 4.6:1. Potential bidders
for the LBA tract should consider the
recovery rate expected from thick seam
and multiple seam mining. The West
Antelope II North LBA coal is ranked as
subbituminous C. The overall average
quality on an as-received basis is 8,967
British Thermal Units per pound
containing approximately 0.23 percent
sulfur. The average quality of these coal
reserves are equal to some of the best
quality coal currently being mined in
the Wyoming portion of the Powder
River Basin.
The tract in this lease offering
contains split estate lands. There are
qualified surface owners as defined in
the regulations at 43 CFR 3400.0–5.
Consent granted by the qualified surface
owners has been filed with and verified
by the BLM. The LBA tract lands
included in the consent documents are:
T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th P.M.,
Sec. 9, lots 9 through 16 inclusive;
Sec. 10, lots 11 through 16 inclusive;
Sec. 14, lots 3 and 4;
Sec. 15, lots 1 through 4 inclusive; and
Sec. 21, lots 1through 8 inclusive.
Containing 1147.43 acres, more or less, in
Campbell County, Wyoming.
The purchase price of the consent is
$10,097,500.
The tract will be leased to the
qualified bidder of the highest cash
amount provided that the high bid
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11259
meets or exceeds the BLM’s estimate of
the fair market value of the tract. The
minimum bid for the tract is $100 per
acre or fraction thereof. No bid that is
less than $100 per acre, or fraction
thereof, will be considered. The bids
should be sent by certified mail, return
receipt requested, or be hand delivered.
The BLM Wyoming State Office Cashier
will issue a receipt for each handdelivered bid. Bids received after 4 p.m.
local time, on Tuesday, May 10, 2011,
will not be considered. The minimum
bid is not intended to represent fair
market value. The fair market value of
the tract will be determined by the
Authorized Officer after the sale. The
lease issued as a result of this offering
will provide for payment of an annual
rental of $3.00 per acre, or fraction
thereof, and a royalty payment to the
United States of 12.5 percent of the
value of coal produced by surface
mining methods and 8 percent of the
value of the coal produced by
underground mining methods. The
value of the coal will be determined in
accordance with 30 CFR 206.250.
Bidding instructions for the LBA tract
offered and the terms and conditions of
the proposed coal lease are available
from the BLM Wyoming State Office at
the address above. Case file documents,
WYW163340, are available for
inspection at the BLM Wyoming State
Office.
Donald A. Simpson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011–4364 Filed 2–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLIDI02000.L71220000.EO0000.
LVTFD0977370]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine
and Reclamation Plan, Caribou
County, ID
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior. U.S. Forest Service,
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCIES:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976, and the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as
amended, notice is hereby given that the
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2011 / Notices
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), Pocatello
Field Office, and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS),
Caribou-Targhee National Forest, will
jointly prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to determine and
analyze the effects of a proposed
phosphate mine and reclamation plan.
The EIS will also consider the effects of
modifying the lease to increase its size.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the scope of the
analysis described in this notice by
March 31, 2011. The BLM will
announce future meetings or hearings
and any other public involvement
activities at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media news
releases, and/or mailings.
Scoping Procedure: The scoping
procedure to be used for this EIS will
involve notification in the Federal
Register; a mailing to interested and
potentially affected individuals, groups,
Federal, State, and local government
entities requesting comments, issues
and concerns; news releases or legal
notices; and public scoping meetings.
Please note that public comments and
information submitted, including
names, street addresses, and e-mail
addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review and
disclosure at the address listed below
during regular business hours (8 a.m. to
4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware 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 your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
The BLM and the USFS are seeking
information and written comments from
Federal, State, Tribal, and local
agencies, individuals and organizations
interested in, or affected by the
Proposed Action or Alternatives. To
assist the BLM and the USFS in
identifying issues and concerns related
to the Proposed Action, scoping
comments should be as specific as
possible.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to:
Rasmussen Valley Mine EIS, Bureau of
Land Management, Pocatello Field
Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello,
Idaho 83204. E-mail:
Rasmussen_Valley_EIS@blm.gov.
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Bill
Volk, Bureau of Land Management,
Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive,
Pocatello, Idaho 83204, phone (208)
236–7503. Information is also available
at: https://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/
pocatello/planning/
rasmussen_valley_mine.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The BLM
will serve as the lead agency and the
USFS as the co-lead agency. The Idaho
Department of Environmental Quality is
a cooperating agency. The mining and
reclamation plans have been developed
and submitted for agency review of
proposed open pit mining operations at
the Rasmussen Valley Phosphate
Federal Mineral Lease I–05975, in
Caribou County, Idaho, by Nu-West
Industries, Inc., doing business as
Agrium Conda Phosphate Operations
(Agrium). The Rasmussen Valley
Phosphate Lease Area is located about
18 miles northeast of Soda Springs,
Idaho.
The proposed new mining operations
at the Rasmussen Valley Phosphate
Lease area lie on lands where the
surface estate is administered by the
BLM, the USFS, the Idaho Department
of Fish and Game, and private owners.
The Federal mineral estate is
administered by the BLM. The portion
where the surface estate is administered
by the USFS lies within the Soda
Springs Ranger District of the CaribouTarghee National Forest. The lease was
originally issued in 1955. Subsequent
lease transactions resulted in the
transfer of the lease to Agrium in 2004.
These leases grant the lessee, Agrium in
this case, exclusive rights to mine and
otherwise dispose of the federally
owned phosphate deposit at the site.
Through development of this EIS, the
BLM and the USFS will analyze
environmental impacts of the proposed
mining operations and reasonable
alternatives to the proposed action.
Appropriate mitigation measures will
also be formulated.
Agency Decisions: The BLM Idaho
State Director or delegated official will
make a decision regarding approval of
the proposed mine and reclamation
plan, a proposed lease modification or
grant of a fringe acreage lease
(enlargement of leased areas), and
appropriate land use authorizations on
leased lands. Decisions will be based on
the EIS and any recommendations the
USFS may have regarding surface
management of leased National Forest
System lands. The USFS CaribouTarghee National Forest Supervisor
makes:
(1) Recommendations to the BLM
concerning surface management and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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mitigation on leased lands within the
Caribou-Targhee National Forest; and
(2) Decisions on mine related
activities that occur off-lease within the
Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
Special use authorizations from the
USFS would be necessary for any
support structures and facilities for the
mine located off-lease within the
Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
The Army Corps of Engineers may
also make decisions related to permits
under Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act.
Background: Agrium has operated the
existing North Rasmussen Ridge and
Dry Valley Mines since 2003. Agrium
has indicated that they will eventually
complete mining of these currently
permitted reserves, requiring the
proposed mining of the Rasmussen
Valley phosphate lease if mining is to
continue in the immediate area. Because
of the significant construction time
associated with the infrastructure
needed for the proposed mine (new haul
road and mine infrastructure), this
proposal is being analyzed in advance of
depleting the currently permitted ore
reserves at Agrium’s North Rasmussen
Ridge and Dry Valley Mines. The
proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine
project would include an open pit
phosphate mine and associated features
including growth media stockpiles,
temporary and permanent external
overburden storage areas, storm water
retention ponds and mine pit backfill
areas, a haul road, an equipment staging
area, and re-routing of an existing
county road and power line.
The lease currently contains 511.4
acres of which approximately 311.4
acres are on National Forest System
Lands, 40 acres are on BLM public
lands, and 160 acres are on lands
managed by the Idaho Department of
Fish and Game (IDFG). The lessee has
proposed a lease modification
(enlargement) of the Federal Phosphate
Lease I–05975 in three areas totaling 170
acres to allow optimum recovery of
existing ore currently contiguous to
Lease I–05975. This proposed
modification will be analyzed in the
EIS. Approximately 420.4 acres are
proposed for disturbance both on-lease
and off-lease by the mining project, of
which 198.5 acres would be on National
Forest System Lands, 28.7 acres on BLM
public lands, 134.9 acres on the IDFG
Blackfoot Wildlife Management Area,
0.4 acres on Idaho Department of Lands,
and 57.9 acres on private land.
Of the total proposed 420.4 acres of
disturbance, approximately 310.3 acres
are on-lease for the mine pit, backfill
areas, temporary and permanent
external overburden disposal areas, an
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2011 / Notices
equipment staging area and haul roads,
and approximately 110.1 acres of
disturbance are off-lease for haul roads,
a county road re-route, growth media
stockpiles and storm water retention
ponds.
Of the 110.1 total acres of off-lease
disturbance, 31.3 acres are proposed to
be disturbed on private land, and 13.6
acres are proposed to be disturbed on
National Forest System Lands within
the 170-acre proposed lease
modification. Off-lease disturbance on
National Forest System Lands of
approximately 30.8 acres for the haul
road, storm water retention ponds, and
growth media stockpiles is proposed to
be permitted by a 71-acre Special Use
Permit (SUP) rather than a lease
modification. Off-lease disturbance of
approximately 7.4 acres is proposed by
Agrium on the Idaho Fish and Game’s
Blackfoot Wildlife Management Area,
primarily for storm water retention
ponds and the county road realignment. Approximately 26.6 acres of
disturbance off-lease on private land,
but not within the lease modification, is
proposed for the haul road, storm water
retention ponds, and growth media
stockpiles. Approximately 0.4 acres of
proposed off-lease disturbance for the
haul road is on land managed by the
Idaho Department of Lands. Mining is
proposed to begin at the southern end
of the Rasmussen Valley Mine deposit,
continuing northwest through the
deposit to the extent of the lease.
Initially, overburden from the pit would
be placed in an external overburden
storage area located on-lease directly to
the west of the pit. As mining progresses
northwest, overburden would be placed
either back in the mined-out portion of
the pit, or in additional external
overburden storage areas located onlease to the west of the pit.
Agrium has proposed management
practices in its mine and reclamation
plan to reduce environmental impacts.
Reclamation would be conducted
concurrently with mining. Agrium’s
plan emphasizes the backfill of mine
pits and limiting the amount of
overburden placed in permanent
external storage areas. To reduce the
potential for contaminant release to
water or uptake into reclamation
vegetation, Agrium is proposing to limit
the amount of time that seleniferous
overburden is exposed to the elements,
to return all seleniferous overburden
material to the mine pits, and to cap
overburden with low-seleniferous
material consisting of approximately 3
feet of cherty material, overlain by 2 feet
of growth media.
Agrium has proposed to build
associated new facilities including an
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ore stockpile and groundwater supply
well(s). To assist personnel needs and
mobile equipment operation, a small
support staging facility would be
constructed at the active mining site
immediately west of the pit. This
facility provides electrical power, fuel
and grease storage within secondary
containment, communication, safety
structures, and a temporary shift change
building.
Off-lease facilities would include haul
roads and storm water control features,
and growth media stockpiles. Trucks
would be used to transport ore to the
Wooley Valley rail head and overburden
to a permanent disposal area.
Potential impacts to surface resources
and water quality include erosion, an
increase in stream sediment load, and
contamination from dissolved metals
and selenium. Agrium has proposed to
implement practices designed to reduce,
eliminate, or mitigate these impacts.
Suitable growth media would be
salvaged from disturbed areas for use in
reclamation. Mine reclamation would
include removal of facilities and
equipment, backfilling pits as mining
progresses, grading slopes, capping
overburden disposal areas and pit
backfill, restoring drainages, spreading
growth media, stabilizing surfaces,
revegetation, and testing and treatment
for any remaining contaminants.
Environmental monitoring will be
performed to ensure impacts do not
exceed those authorized.
Issues initially identified for the
proposed mining of the Rasmussen
Valley phosphate lease include
potential effects on groundwater and
surface water quantity and quality;
vegetation, soil and mineral resources;
air quality; wildlife and their habitats
(including fisheries); livestock grazing;
wetlands and riparian habitat;
recreation; and socio-economics such as
employment and the continued
operation of a fertilizer plant and
support businesses; Native American
rights, treaties, and land uses; visual
resources; and cumulative effects.
The EIS will analyze the Proposed
Action and the No Action Alternative.
Other alternatives may be considered
that could provide mitigation of
potential impacts.
The tentative EIS project schedule is
as follows:
• Begin public scoping period and
meetings: Winter 2011.
• Estimated date for draft EIS and
associated comment period: Spring
2013.
• Final EIS publication: Winter 2014.
• Record of Decision: Winter 2014.
At least three ‘‘open-house’’ style public
scoping meetings will be held which
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11261
will include displays explaining the
project and providing a forum for
commenting on the project.
Meetings are planned to be held in
Pocatello, Fort Hall, and Soda Springs,
Idaho. The dates, times, and locations of
the public scoping meetings will be
announced in mailings and public
notices issued by the BLM (see DATES
above).
Authorities: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR
parts 1500–1508; 43 CFR part 46; 43 U.S.C.
1701; and 43 CFR part 3590.
Joe Kraayenbrink,
District Manager, Idaho Falls District, Bureau
of Land Management.
Brent Larson,
Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee National
Forest.
[FR Doc. 2011–4535 Filed 2–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLMT926000–11–L19100000–BJ0000–
LRCME0R04763]
Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey;
Montana
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of filing of plats of
survey.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) will file the plat of
survey of the lands described below in
the BLM Montana State Office, Billings,
Montana, on March 31, 2011.
DATES: Protests of the survey must be
filed before March 31, 2011 to be
considered.
SUMMARY:
Protests of the survey
should be sent to Branch of Cadastral
Survey, Bureau of Land Management,
5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana
59101–4669.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Toth, Cadastral Surveyor, Branch
of Cadastral Survey, Bureau of Land
Management, 5001 Southgate Drive,
Billings, Montana 59101–4669,
telephone (406) 896–5121 or (406) 896–
5009.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
survey was executed at the request of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky
Mountain Region, Billings, Montana,
and was necessary to determine
individual and tribal trust lands.
The lands we surveyed are:
ADDRESSES:
Principal Meridian, Montana
T. 27 N., R. 48 E.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11259-11261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4535]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLIDI02000.L71220000.EO0000. LVTFD0977370]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine and Reclamation Plan, Caribou
County, ID
AGENCIES: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. U.S. Forest Service,
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, and the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, notice is hereby given that
the
[[Page 11260]]
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Pocatello
Field Office, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
(USFS), Caribou-Targhee National Forest, will jointly prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine and analyze the
effects of a proposed phosphate mine and reclamation plan. The EIS will
also consider the effects of modifying the lease to increase its size.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the scope of the analysis described in this notice
by March 31, 2011. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings
and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media news releases, and/or mailings.
Scoping Procedure: The scoping procedure to be used for this EIS
will involve notification in the Federal Register; a mailing to
interested and potentially affected individuals, groups, Federal,
State, and local government entities requesting comments, issues and
concerns; news releases or legal notices; and public scoping meetings.
Please note that public comments and information submitted,
including names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses of respondents,
will be available for public review and disclosure at the address
listed below during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday
through Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware 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 your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
The BLM and the USFS are seeking information and written comments
from Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, individuals and
organizations interested in, or affected by the Proposed Action or
Alternatives. To assist the BLM and the USFS in identifying issues and
concerns related to the Proposed Action, scoping comments should be as
specific as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Rasmussen Valley Mine EIS, Bureau
of Land Management, Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive,
Pocatello, Idaho 83204. E-mail: Rasmussen_Valley_EIS@blm.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Volk, Bureau of Land Management,
Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho 83204,
phone (208) 236-7503. Information is also available at: https://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/pocatello/planning/rasmussen_valley_mine.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM will serve as the lead agency and
the USFS as the co-lead agency. The Idaho Department of Environmental
Quality is a cooperating agency. The mining and reclamation plans have
been developed and submitted for agency review of proposed open pit
mining operations at the Rasmussen Valley Phosphate Federal Mineral
Lease I-05975, in Caribou County, Idaho, by Nu-West Industries, Inc.,
doing business as Agrium Conda Phosphate Operations (Agrium). The
Rasmussen Valley Phosphate Lease Area is located about 18 miles
northeast of Soda Springs, Idaho.
The proposed new mining operations at the Rasmussen Valley
Phosphate Lease area lie on lands where the surface estate is
administered by the BLM, the USFS, the Idaho Department of Fish and
Game, and private owners. The Federal mineral estate is administered by
the BLM. The portion where the surface estate is administered by the
USFS lies within the Soda Springs Ranger District of the Caribou-
Targhee National Forest. The lease was originally issued in 1955.
Subsequent lease transactions resulted in the transfer of the lease to
Agrium in 2004. These leases grant the lessee, Agrium in this case,
exclusive rights to mine and otherwise dispose of the federally owned
phosphate deposit at the site. Through development of this EIS, the BLM
and the USFS will analyze environmental impacts of the proposed mining
operations and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.
Appropriate mitigation measures will also be formulated.
Agency Decisions: The BLM Idaho State Director or delegated
official will make a decision regarding approval of the proposed mine
and reclamation plan, a proposed lease modification or grant of a
fringe acreage lease (enlargement of leased areas), and appropriate
land use authorizations on leased lands. Decisions will be based on the
EIS and any recommendations the USFS may have regarding surface
management of leased National Forest System lands. The USFS Caribou-
Targhee National Forest Supervisor makes:
(1) Recommendations to the BLM concerning surface management and
mitigation on leased lands within the Caribou-Targhee National Forest;
and
(2) Decisions on mine related activities that occur off-lease
within the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Special use authorizations
from the USFS would be necessary for any support structures and
facilities for the mine located off-lease within the Caribou-Targhee
National Forest.
The Army Corps of Engineers may also make decisions related to
permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Background: Agrium has operated the existing North Rasmussen Ridge
and Dry Valley Mines since 2003. Agrium has indicated that they will
eventually complete mining of these currently permitted reserves,
requiring the proposed mining of the Rasmussen Valley phosphate lease
if mining is to continue in the immediate area. Because of the
significant construction time associated with the infrastructure needed
for the proposed mine (new haul road and mine infrastructure), this
proposal is being analyzed in advance of depleting the currently
permitted ore reserves at Agrium's North Rasmussen Ridge and Dry Valley
Mines. The proposed Rasmussen Valley Mine project would include an open
pit phosphate mine and associated features including growth media
stockpiles, temporary and permanent external overburden storage areas,
storm water retention ponds and mine pit backfill areas, a haul road,
an equipment staging area, and re-routing of an existing county road
and power line.
The lease currently contains 511.4 acres of which approximately
311.4 acres are on National Forest System Lands, 40 acres are on BLM
public lands, and 160 acres are on lands managed by the Idaho
Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). The lessee has proposed a lease
modification (enlargement) of the Federal Phosphate Lease I-05975 in
three areas totaling 170 acres to allow optimum recovery of existing
ore currently contiguous to Lease I-05975. This proposed modification
will be analyzed in the EIS. Approximately 420.4 acres are proposed for
disturbance both on-lease and off-lease by the mining project, of which
198.5 acres would be on National Forest System Lands, 28.7 acres on BLM
public lands, 134.9 acres on the IDFG Blackfoot Wildlife Management
Area, 0.4 acres on Idaho Department of Lands, and 57.9 acres on private
land.
Of the total proposed 420.4 acres of disturbance, approximately
310.3 acres are on-lease for the mine pit, backfill areas, temporary
and permanent external overburden disposal areas, an
[[Page 11261]]
equipment staging area and haul roads, and approximately 110.1 acres of
disturbance are off-lease for haul roads, a county road re-route,
growth media stockpiles and storm water retention ponds.
Of the 110.1 total acres of off-lease disturbance, 31.3 acres are
proposed to be disturbed on private land, and 13.6 acres are proposed
to be disturbed on National Forest System Lands within the 170-acre
proposed lease modification. Off-lease disturbance on National Forest
System Lands of approximately 30.8 acres for the haul road, storm water
retention ponds, and growth media stockpiles is proposed to be
permitted by a 71-acre Special Use Permit (SUP) rather than a lease
modification. Off-lease disturbance of approximately 7.4 acres is
proposed by Agrium on the Idaho Fish and Game's Blackfoot Wildlife
Management Area, primarily for storm water retention ponds and the
county road re-alignment. Approximately 26.6 acres of disturbance off-
lease on private land, but not within the lease modification, is
proposed for the haul road, storm water retention ponds, and growth
media stockpiles. Approximately 0.4 acres of proposed off-lease
disturbance for the haul road is on land managed by the Idaho
Department of Lands. Mining is proposed to begin at the southern end of
the Rasmussen Valley Mine deposit, continuing northwest through the
deposit to the extent of the lease. Initially, overburden from the pit
would be placed in an external overburden storage area located on-lease
directly to the west of the pit. As mining progresses northwest,
overburden would be placed either back in the mined-out portion of the
pit, or in additional external overburden storage areas located on-
lease to the west of the pit.
Agrium has proposed management practices in its mine and
reclamation plan to reduce environmental impacts. Reclamation would be
conducted concurrently with mining. Agrium's plan emphasizes the
backfill of mine pits and limiting the amount of overburden placed in
permanent external storage areas. To reduce the potential for
contaminant release to water or uptake into reclamation vegetation,
Agrium is proposing to limit the amount of time that seleniferous
overburden is exposed to the elements, to return all seleniferous
overburden material to the mine pits, and to cap overburden with low-
seleniferous material consisting of approximately 3 feet of cherty
material, overlain by 2 feet of growth media.
Agrium has proposed to build associated new facilities including an
ore stockpile and groundwater supply well(s). To assist personnel needs
and mobile equipment operation, a small support staging facility would
be constructed at the active mining site immediately west of the pit.
This facility provides electrical power, fuel and grease storage within
secondary containment, communication, safety structures, and a
temporary shift change building.
Off-lease facilities would include haul roads and storm water
control features, and growth media stockpiles. Trucks would be used to
transport ore to the Wooley Valley rail head and overburden to a
permanent disposal area.
Potential impacts to surface resources and water quality include
erosion, an increase in stream sediment load, and contamination from
dissolved metals and selenium. Agrium has proposed to implement
practices designed to reduce, eliminate, or mitigate these impacts.
Suitable growth media would be salvaged from disturbed areas for use in
reclamation. Mine reclamation would include removal of facilities and
equipment, backfilling pits as mining progresses, grading slopes,
capping overburden disposal areas and pit backfill, restoring
drainages, spreading growth media, stabilizing surfaces, revegetation,
and testing and treatment for any remaining contaminants. Environmental
monitoring will be performed to ensure impacts do not exceed those
authorized.
Issues initially identified for the proposed mining of the
Rasmussen Valley phosphate lease include potential effects on
groundwater and surface water quantity and quality; vegetation, soil
and mineral resources; air quality; wildlife and their habitats
(including fisheries); livestock grazing; wetlands and riparian
habitat; recreation; and socio-economics such as employment and the
continued operation of a fertilizer plant and support businesses;
Native American rights, treaties, and land uses; visual resources; and
cumulative effects.
The EIS will analyze the Proposed Action and the No Action
Alternative. Other alternatives may be considered that could provide
mitigation of potential impacts.
The tentative EIS project schedule is as follows:
Begin public scoping period and meetings: Winter 2011.
Estimated date for draft EIS and associated comment
period: Spring 2013.
Final EIS publication: Winter 2014.
Record of Decision: Winter 2014.
At least three ``open-house'' style public scoping meetings will be
held which will include displays explaining the project and providing a
forum for commenting on the project.
Meetings are planned to be held in Pocatello, Fort Hall, and Soda
Springs, Idaho. The dates, times, and locations of the public scoping
meetings will be announced in mailings and public notices issued by the
BLM (see DATES above).
Authorities: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR parts 1500-1508; 43
CFR part 46; 43 U.S.C. 1701; and 43 CFR part 3590.
Joe Kraayenbrink,
District Manager, Idaho Falls District, Bureau of Land Management.
Brent Larson,
Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2011-4535 Filed 2-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P
