Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project, Eddy County, NM, 21401-21402 [2011-9074]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2011 / Notices srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES Virginia, and West Virginia. The proposed activities are for the enhancement of survival of the species in the wild. Permit Application Number: TE38858A. Applicant: The Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, OH. The applicant requests a permit to take (survey and collect seed) Houghton’s goldenrod (Oligoneuronhoughtonii) on lands within Crawford and Kalkaska Counties, Michigan. Proposed activities are for enhancement of survival of the species in the wild. Permit Application Number: TE38860A. Applicant: Jason M. Garvon, Sault Sainte Marie, MI. The applicant requests a permit to take (conduct habitat surveys; monitor nesting sites; erect nesting enclosures) Piping plover (Charadriusmelodus) throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Proposed activities are for the recovery and enhancement of survival of the species in the wild. Permit Application Number: TE38862A. Applicant: George R. Cunningham, Omaha, NE. The applicant requests a permit to take (capture and release) Topeka shiners (Notropistopeka) throughout Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Minnesota. Proposed activities are for the recovery and enhancement of survival of the species in the wild. Permit Application Number: TE38866A. Applicant: David Mech, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Paul, MN. The applicant requests a permit to take (capture, radio-tag, use chemical immobilization, assess and treat health conditions, implant isotopes, salvage, and release) gray wolf (Canis lupus) in Minnesota, and other locations within the 48 continental States of the United States to monitor the status of the species. The proposed research is for the recovery of the species in the wild. Public Comments We seek public review and comments on these permit applications. Please refer to the permit number when you submit comments. Comments and materials we receive are available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section. 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 VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:58 Apr 14, 2011 Jkt 223001 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. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we have made an initial determination that the proposed activities in these permits are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement (516 DM6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)). Dated: April 7, 2011. Lynn Lewis, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3. [FR Doc. 2011–9151 Filed 4–14–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNMP02000 L71220000.EX0000 LVTFGX9G4200] Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project, Eddy County, NM Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. AGENCY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project, 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 HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project Draft EIS within 60 days following the date of publication of this Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. 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 HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project by any of the following methods: • Web site: https://www.nm.blm.gov/ cfo/HBIS/ • E-mail: nmcfo_comment@blm.gov SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 21401 • Fax: 575–885–9264 • Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 620 E. Greene St., Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220 Copies of the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project proposal are available in the Carlsbad Field Office at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact David Alderman, Assistant Project Manager; telephone 575–234– 6232; address 620 E. Greene St., Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220; e-mail david_alderman@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 800–877–8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Intrepid Potash, Inc. (Intrepid) is proposing to extract potash, a potassium compound commonly used for fertilizer, remaining in inactive underground mine workings using solution mining methods. Intrepid proposes to construct and operate a solution mining project in an existing deep mine located approximately 20 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Eddy County, New Mexico, in the Secretary’s Potash Area. The potash left in the pillars and walls of the inactive underground mine workings is not accessible through conventional methods. The proposed action is to inject saline water into the mine workings, dissolve potash, and extract the mineral solution. This mineral-rich solution would be pumped to the surface and transported through a series of surface pipelines to evaporation ponds. Once the solution evaporates in the ponds, the potassiumbearing salts would be harvested from the ponds and transported to a newly constructed mill for ore refinement. The project area is located in portions of Township 19 South, Range 30 and 31 East, Township 20 South, Ranges 29, 30 and 31 East and Township 21 South, Ranges 29 and 30 East, New Mexico Principal Meridian. The project area, which encompasses the proposed facilities and inactive workings under consideration, includes a total of 38,453 acres, of which 82 percent is on public lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Four thousand three hundred and thirty acres of open mine workings are targeted for flooding but the total surface footprint of the project would be 822 acres. E:\FR\FM\15APN1.SGM 15APN1 srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES 21402 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2011 / Notices The BLM initiated the NEPA process for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project by preparing an environmental assessment (EA) in 2008. Two public scoping meetings were held on September 16, 2008, to receive public input and comments on the proposed project. During development of the EA and prior to publication, the BLM determined that the preparation of an EIS would be required for the proposed project. The Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project was published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2010, and two public scoping meetings were conducted on January 26, 2010. A scoping report was compiled and published on April 1, 2010. Major issues identified for this project include water use, ground subsidence, and the concurrent development of oil and gas resources in the same area. Alternatives developed include the proposed action (Alternative A) which uses non-potable water supplied by seven wells in the Rustler formation. Alternative B includes six of the seven wells from the proposed action but also considers that a substantial portion of the water needed for the project would be supplied from fresh water wells in the Caprock formation (Ogallala Aquifer) 30 miles northeast of the project area. Alternative C buries the pipelines to reduce surface impacts. An alternate routing of pipelines to the Caprock is also being considered under Alternative B. Currently, a preferred alternative has not been selected. Alternative A uses a greater quantity of non-potable saline water; however, this has impacts to the environment from the drawdown of the aquifer. Alternative B uses a greater quantity of potable fresh water but impacts from drawdown of the aquifers would be reduced. Please note that public comments and information submitted including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address 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. VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:58 Apr 14, 2011 Jkt 223001 Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10. Linda S.C. Rundell, State Director. [FR Doc. 2011–9074 Filed 4–14–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–OX–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CACA 048649, LLCAD06000, L51010000. FX0000, LVRWB09B2490] Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Desert Sunlight Holdings, LLC, Desert Sunlight Solar Farm and Proposed California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm (DSSF) project and by this notice is announcing its availability. SUMMARY: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM’s Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment/Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions and files a protest must file the protest within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its notice in the Federal Register. The protest procedures are described in the ‘‘Dear Reader’’ letter accompanying the Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS. DATES: Copies of the DSSF Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment/Final EIS have been sent to affected Federal, state, and local government agencies and to other stakeholders. Copies are available for public inspection at the Palms Springs South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262. Interested persons may also review the document at the following Web site: https://www.blm.gov /ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/Solar_ Projects/Desert_Sunlight.html. All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the following addresses: ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024–1383; Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 20 M Street, S.E., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Allison Shaffer, BLM Project Manager, telephone (760) 833–7100; address (see above); or e-mail CAPSSolarFirstSolar DesertSunlight@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 800–877–8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Desert Sunlight Holdings, LLC has submitted a right of way (ROW) application to the BLM to construct the proposed DSSF which includes a 550-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) facility and associated 220- kilovolt (kV) interconnection line (gen-tie line), and to facilitate the construction and operation by Southern California Edison (SCE) of the new 500/220-kV Red Bluff Substation, where the project would interconnect with the SCE regional transmission system. The total project footprint consists of approximately 4,165 acres of BLM-managed lands with a proposed ROW encompassing approximately 4,317 acres. The power generation site would consist of several components: A main generation area which includes PV arrays, combining switchgear, overhead lines, and access corridors; an operations and maintenance facility; a solar energy visitor center; an on-site substation; and site security and fencing. The gen-tie line ROW from the project to the proposed Red Bluff Substation would cover 256 acres with a 12-mile long, 160-foot wide corridor. The gen-tie line would transmit power to SCE’s existing Devers-Palo Verde 1 (DPV1) 500-kV transmission line. The Red Bluff Substation would consist of a 500/220-kV substation on approximately 76 acres, with an additional 73 acres for related features including access roads and drainage control. Substation features would include: connection of the project transmission line into the substation; transmission lines to connect the substation to the DPV1 line; modification of DPV1 towers near the substation; construction of an electric E:\FR\FM\15APN1.SGM 15APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21401-21402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9074]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMP02000 L71220000.EX0000 LVTFGX9G4200]


Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for the HB In-Situ 
Solution Mine Project, Eddy County, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HB In-
Situ Solution Mine Project, 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 HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project Draft EIS 
within 60 days following the date of publication of this Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register. 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 HB In-Situ Solution 
Mine Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: https://www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/HBIS/
     E-mail: nmcfo_comment@blm.gov
     Fax: 575-885-9264
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 620 E. Greene St., 
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
    Copies of the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project proposal are 
available in the Carlsbad Field Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact David Alderman, Assistant 
Project Manager; telephone 575-234-6232; address 620 E. Greene St., 
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220; e-mail david_alderman@blm.gov. Persons who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Intrepid Potash, Inc. (Intrepid) is 
proposing to extract potash, a potassium compound commonly used for 
fertilizer, remaining in inactive underground mine workings using 
solution mining methods. Intrepid proposes to construct and operate a 
solution mining project in an existing deep mine located approximately 
20 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Eddy County, New Mexico, in the 
Secretary's Potash Area.
    The potash left in the pillars and walls of the inactive 
underground mine workings is not accessible through conventional 
methods. The proposed action is to inject saline water into the mine 
workings, dissolve potash, and extract the mineral solution. This 
mineral-rich solution would be pumped to the surface and transported 
through a series of surface pipelines to evaporation ponds. Once the 
solution evaporates in the ponds, the potassium-bearing salts would be 
harvested from the ponds and transported to a newly constructed mill 
for ore refinement.
    The project area is located in portions of Township 19 South, Range 
30 and 31 East, Township 20 South, Ranges 29, 30 and 31 East and 
Township 21 South, Ranges 29 and 30 East, New Mexico Principal 
Meridian. The project area, which encompasses the proposed facilities 
and inactive workings under consideration, includes a total of 38,453 
acres, of which 82 percent is on public lands managed by the U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Four thousand 
three hundred and thirty acres of open mine workings are targeted for 
flooding but the total surface footprint of the project would be 822 
acres.

[[Page 21402]]

    The BLM initiated the NEPA process for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine 
Project by preparing an environmental assessment (EA) in 2008. Two 
public scoping meetings were held on September 16, 2008, to receive 
public input and comments on the proposed project. During development 
of the EA and prior to publication, the BLM determined that the 
preparation of an EIS would be required for the proposed project. The 
Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine 
Project was published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2010, and 
two public scoping meetings were conducted on January 26, 2010. A 
scoping report was compiled and published on April 1, 2010. Major 
issues identified for this project include water use, ground 
subsidence, and the concurrent development of oil and gas resources in 
the same area.
    Alternatives developed include the proposed action (Alternative A) 
which uses non-potable water supplied by seven wells in the Rustler 
formation. Alternative B includes six of the seven wells from the 
proposed action but also considers that a substantial portion of the 
water needed for the project would be supplied from fresh water wells 
in the Caprock formation (Ogallala Aquifer) 30 miles northeast of the 
project area. Alternative C buries the pipelines to reduce surface 
impacts. An alternate routing of pipelines to the Caprock is also being 
considered under Alternative B.
    Currently, a preferred alternative has not been selected. 
Alternative A uses a greater quantity of non-potable saline water; 
however, this has impacts to the environment from the drawdown of the 
aquifer. Alternative B uses a greater quantity of potable fresh water 
but impacts from drawdown of the aquifers would be reduced.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who 
submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at 
the above address 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.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Linda S.C. Rundell,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-9074 Filed 4-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-OX-P
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