Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Ochoa Mine Project in Lea County, NM, 11463-11464 [2014-04257]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 40 / Friday, February 28, 2014 / Notices
Washington as vacated by Final Order of
Vacation recorded under Auditor’s File
Number 201111070157, records of said
County, totaling 283.17 acres, more or
less.
Situate in the County of Kitsap, State
of Washington.
The above-described lands contain a
total of 283.17 acres, more or less,
which is subject to all valid rights,
reservations, rights-of-way, and
easements of record.
This proclamation does not affect title
to the land described above nor does it
affect any valid existing easements for
public roads and highways, for public
utilities and for railroads and pipelines
and any other rights-of-way or
reservations of record.
Dated: February 21, 2014.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014–04439 Filed 2–27–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNMP02000
L51100000.GE0000.LVEMG14CG200
14XL5017AR]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Ochoa Mine Project in Lea County,
NM
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) has prepared
a Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Ochoa Mine Project and by
this notice is announcing its
availability.
SUMMARY:
The BLM will not issue a final
decision on the proposal for a minimum
of 30 days from the date that the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its own notice of availability
in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Ochoa Mine
Project Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the Carlsbad Field Office,
620 E Greene Street, Carlsbad, NM
88220. Interested persons may also
review the Final EIS on the Web site at:
www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/ochoaMine/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Herrell or Shiva Achet, project
co-leads, telephone 575–234–2229
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
DATES:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:47 Feb 27, 2014
Jkt 232001
(David) or 575–234–5924 (Shiva);
address BLM Carlsbad Field Office, 620
East Greene Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220;
email blm_nm_cfo_comments@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:
Intercontinental Potash Corporation
(ICP) is proposing to develop a new
underground mine in southern Lea
County, New Mexico, to extract
polyhalite ore for the production of the
sulfate of potash and sulfate of potash
magnesia, potassium fertilizers for food
production. The project area includes
Federal, State, and private lands totaling
31,134 acres, of which 2,400 acres
would be disturbed. The surface
landownership consists of about 22
percent public lands managed by the
BLM, 53 percent owned by the State of
New Mexico, and 25 percent privately
owned. About 55 percent of the
minerals within the proposed mine area
is owned by the Federal Government.
ICP holds BLM prospecting permits
and has applied for preference right
leases. These prospecting permits are
located about 40 miles southeast of
Carlsbad and 20 miles west of Jal, in Lea
County, New Mexico. ICP has proposed
a Mine Plan of Operations that includes
an underground mine accessed by a
shaft and a ramp, and processing
facilities, including the ore process
plant, dry stack tailings pile,
evaporation ponds, water wells,
pipelines, power lines, and a railroad
load out facility. The polyhalite will be
continuously mined using the
conventional room and pillar retreat
method. In order to mine in proximity
to active oil and gas wells, ICP has
elected to follow the rules and
regulations of a Category IV gassy mine.
Processing would require pumping a
maximum of 4,000 gallons per minute of
groundwater from the Capitan Reef
Aquifer.
The BLM initiated the NEPA process
for the project by publication of a Notice
of Intent to prepare an EIS on January
3, 2012 (77 FR 130). Public scoping
meetings were conducted on January
23–24, 2012. Major issues identified for
this project include oil and gas, water
resources, land use, socioeconomic
impacts, air quality, wildlife, livestock
grazing, and health and safety. A
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
11463
scoping report was compiled and
published on March 27, 2012.
Alternatives developed in the Draft
EIS include the proposed action
(Alternative A), which would include
approval of ICP’s Mine Plan of
Operations, granting new rights-of-way,
and approval of preference right leases
to allow the mining and processing of
polyhalite ore for the production of the
sulphate of potash and sulphate of
potash magnesia. In addition, three
action alternatives were analyzed in the
Draft EIS. Alternative B is identical to
Alternative A except that the visual
impacts of the tailing stockpile would
be reduced. Alternative C is identical to
Alternative A except that standards and
guidance would be established for
managing concurrent development of
fluid minerals. Alternative D is similar
to Alternative A, except that the
location of the evaporation ponds and
tailings stockpile would be at a different
location. A no action alternative was
also analyzed, in which the proposed
mine plan of operations, rights-of-way,
and preference right leases would be
denied.
The Draft EIS was published on
August 9, 2013, starting a 45-day public
comment period. Three public scoping
meetings were held in Carlsbad, New
Mexico, on August 26, 2013, and in
Hobbs and Jal, New Mexico, on August
27, 2013. Briefings were also held for
the City of Eunice, New Mexico, and a
cooperating agency. Twenty-nine
written comment letters consisting of
490 comments were received and
analyzed. Comments on the Draft EIS
received from the public and internal
BLM review were considered and
incorporated as appropriate into the
Final EIS. The Final EIS Preferred
Alternative consists of a mixture of what
the BLM considers the best features of
Alternatives A, B, and C, as well as
some new aspects incorporated in
response to public comments and BLM
concerns. The Preferred Alternative is
similar to the proposed action
(Alternative A), as it incorporates the
same proposed mine area, mining
methods, facilities, and processing
methods. Additionally, water demands,
well field and water pipelines, and
layout facilities remain the same as the
proposed action. The Preferred
Alternative differs from the proposed
action as it requires additional
monitoring of water resources, includes
subsidence, dust, and reclamation
requirements, a smaller tailings
stockpile, a more formalized codevelopment coordination program with
stakeholders, and a dispute resolution
process.
E:\FR\FM\28FEN1.SGM
28FEN1
11464
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 40 / Friday, February 28, 2014 / Notices
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
Aden L. Seidlitz,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014–04257 Filed 2–27–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–FB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASONRSS–15011; PPWOVPADW0,
PPMPRLE1Y.LB0000]
Information Collection Request Sent to
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for Approval; Research Permit
and Reporting System Applications
and Reports
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice; request for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
We (National Park Service)
have sent an Information Collection
Request (ICR) to OMB for review and
approval. We summarize the ICR below
and describe the nature of the collection
SUMMARY:
and the estimated burden and cost. This
information collection is scheduled to
expire on February 28, 2014. We may
not conduct or sponsor and a person is
not required to respond to a collection
of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number.
However, under OMB regulations, we
may continue to conduct or sponsor this
information collection while it is
pending at OMB.
DATES: You must submit comments on
or before March 31, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments and
suggestions on this information
collection to the Desk Officer for the
Department of the Interior at OMB—
OIRA at (202) 395–5806 (fax) or OIRA_
Submission@omb.eop.gov (email).
Please provide a copy of your comments
to Madonna L. Baucum, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, National
Park Service, 1849 C Street NW. (2601),
Washington, DC 20240 (mail); or
madonna_baucum@nps.gov (email).
Please include ‘‘1024–0236’’ in the
subject line of your comments.
Number of
respondents
Activity
Number of
annual
responses
To
request additional information about
this ICR, contact Bill Commins at bill_
commins@nps.gov (email) or at 202–
513–7166 (telephone). You may review
the ICR online at https://
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the
instructions to review Department of the
Interior collections under review by
OMB.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 1024–0236.
Title: Research Permit and Reporting
System Applications and Reports, 36
CFR 2.1 and 2.5.
Service Form Number(s): 10–226, 10–
741a, and 10–741b.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals; businesses; academic and
research institutions; and Federal, State,
local, and tribal governments.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion
for applications; annually for reports.
Completion time per
response
Total annual
burden hours
5,395
4,980
5,395
4,980
15 minutes .............................
1.38 hours ..............................
1,349
6,872
415
415
1 hour .....................................
415
TOTALS ...........................................................................
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Investigator’s Annual Report (Form 10–226) ..........................
Application for a Scientific Research and Collecting Permit
(Form 10–741a).
Application for a Science Education Permit (Form 10–741b)
10,790
10,790
...........................................
8,636
Abstract: Regulations at 36 CFR 2.1
and 2.5 provide for taking of scientific
research specimens in parks. We use a
permit system to manage scientific
research and collecting. National Park
Service Forms 10–741a (Application for
a Scientific Research and Collecting
Permit) and 10–741b (Application for a
Science Education Permit) collect
information from persons seeking a
permit to conduct natural or social
science research and collection
activities in individual units of the
National Park System. The information
we collect includes, but is not limited
to:
• Names and business contact
information.
• Project title, purpose of study,
summary of proposed field methods and
activities, and study and field
schedules.
• Location where scientific activities
are proposed to take place, including
method of access.
• Whether or not specimens are
proposed to be collected or handled,
and if yes, scientific descriptions and
proposed disposition of specimens.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:47 Feb 27, 2014
Jkt 232001
• If specimens are to be permanently
retained, the proposed repositories for
those specimens.
Persons who receive a permit must
report annually on the activities
conducted under the permit. Form 10–
226 (Investigator’s Annual Report)
collects the following information:
• Reporting year, park, and type of
permit.
• Names and business contact
information and names of additional
investigators.
• Project title, park-assigned study or
activity number, park-assigned permit
number, permit start and expiration
dates, and scientific study start and
ending dates.
• Activity type, subject discipline,
purpose of study/activity during the
reporting year, and finding and status of
study or accomplishments of education
activity during the reporting year.
We use the above information to
manage the use and preservation of park
resources and for reporting to the public
via the Internet about the status of
permitted research and collecting
activities. We encourage respondents to
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
use the Internet-based, automated
Research Permit and Reporting System
(RPRS) to complete and submit
applications and reports. For those who
use RPRS, much of the information
needed for the annual report is
generated automatically through
information supplied in the application
or contained in the permit.
Comments: On September 19, 2013,
we published in the Federal Register
(78 FR 57654) a notice of our intent to
request that OMB renew approval for
this information collection. In that
notice, we solicited comments for 60
days, ending November 3, 2013. We did
not receive any comments.
We again invite comments concerning
this information collection on:
• Whether or not the collection of
information is necessary, including
whether or not the information will
have practical utility;
• The accuracy of our estimate of the
burden for this collection of
information;
• Ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and
E:\FR\FM\28FEN1.SGM
28FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 40 (Friday, February 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11463-11464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04257]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNMP02000 L51100000.GE0000.LVEMG14CG200 14XL5017AR]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Ochoa Mine Project in Lea County, NM
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ochoa
Mine Project and by this notice is announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a
minimum of 30 days from the date that the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes its own notice of availability in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Ochoa Mine Project Final EIS are available for
public inspection at the Carlsbad Field Office, 620 E Greene Street,
Carlsbad, NM 88220. Interested persons may also review the Final EIS on
the Web site at: www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/ochoaMine/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Herrell or Shiva Achet, project
co-leads, telephone 575-234-2229 (David) or 575-234-5924 (Shiva);
address BLM Carlsbad Field Office, 620 East Greene Street, Carlsbad, NM
88220; email blm_nm_cfo_comments@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: Intercontinental Potash Corporation (ICP) is
proposing to develop a new underground mine in southern Lea County, New
Mexico, to extract polyhalite ore for the production of the sulfate of
potash and sulfate of potash magnesia, potassium fertilizers for food
production. The project area includes Federal, State, and private lands
totaling 31,134 acres, of which 2,400 acres would be disturbed. The
surface landownership consists of about 22 percent public lands managed
by the BLM, 53 percent owned by the State of New Mexico, and 25 percent
privately owned. About 55 percent of the minerals within the proposed
mine area is owned by the Federal Government.
ICP holds BLM prospecting permits and has applied for preference
right leases. These prospecting permits are located about 40 miles
southeast of Carlsbad and 20 miles west of Jal, in Lea County, New
Mexico. ICP has proposed a Mine Plan of Operations that includes an
underground mine accessed by a shaft and a ramp, and processing
facilities, including the ore process plant, dry stack tailings pile,
evaporation ponds, water wells, pipelines, power lines, and a railroad
load out facility. The polyhalite will be continuously mined using the
conventional room and pillar retreat method. In order to mine in
proximity to active oil and gas wells, ICP has elected to follow the
rules and regulations of a Category IV gassy mine. Processing would
require pumping a maximum of 4,000 gallons per minute of groundwater
from the Capitan Reef Aquifer.
The BLM initiated the NEPA process for the project by publication
of a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS on January 3, 2012 (77 FR 130).
Public scoping meetings were conducted on January 23-24, 2012. Major
issues identified for this project include oil and gas, water
resources, land use, socioeconomic impacts, air quality, wildlife,
livestock grazing, and health and safety. A scoping report was compiled
and published on March 27, 2012.
Alternatives developed in the Draft EIS include the proposed action
(Alternative A), which would include approval of ICP's Mine Plan of
Operations, granting new rights-of-way, and approval of preference
right leases to allow the mining and processing of polyhalite ore for
the production of the sulphate of potash and sulphate of potash
magnesia. In addition, three action alternatives were analyzed in the
Draft EIS. Alternative B is identical to Alternative A except that the
visual impacts of the tailing stockpile would be reduced. Alternative C
is identical to Alternative A except that standards and guidance would
be established for managing concurrent development of fluid minerals.
Alternative D is similar to Alternative A, except that the location of
the evaporation ponds and tailings stockpile would be at a different
location. A no action alternative was also analyzed, in which the
proposed mine plan of operations, rights-of-way, and preference right
leases would be denied.
The Draft EIS was published on August 9, 2013, starting a 45-day
public comment period. Three public scoping meetings were held in
Carlsbad, New Mexico, on August 26, 2013, and in Hobbs and Jal, New
Mexico, on August 27, 2013. Briefings were also held for the City of
Eunice, New Mexico, and a cooperating agency. Twenty-nine written
comment letters consisting of 490 comments were received and analyzed.
Comments on the Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM
review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Final
EIS. The Final EIS Preferred Alternative consists of a mixture of what
the BLM considers the best features of Alternatives A, B, and C, as
well as some new aspects incorporated in response to public comments
and BLM concerns. The Preferred Alternative is similar to the proposed
action (Alternative A), as it incorporates the same proposed mine area,
mining methods, facilities, and processing methods. Additionally, water
demands, well field and water pipelines, and layout facilities remain
the same as the proposed action. The Preferred Alternative differs from
the proposed action as it requires additional monitoring of water
resources, includes subsidence, dust, and reclamation requirements, a
smaller tailings stockpile, a more formalized co-development
coordination program with stakeholders, and a dispute resolution
process.
[[Page 11464]]
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
Aden L. Seidlitz,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-04257 Filed 2-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P
