Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Amendment to the Challis Resource Management Plan for the Thompson Creek Mine Expansion and Public Land Disposal, Custer and Bannock Counties, Idaho, 16420-16422 [2015-07005]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16420-16422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07005]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[XXX LLIDI00000.L71220000.EX0000.LVTFD0977240; IDI-33145, IDI-35728-FD, 
IDI-35728-PT 241A 4500073633]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement and Proposed Amendment to the Challis Resource Management 
Plan for the Thompson Creek Mine Expansion and Public Land Disposal, 
Custer and Bannock Counties, Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance 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) 
Challis Field Office, Idaho, has prepared a final environmental impact 
statement (Final EIS) and proposed resource management plan (RMP) 
amendment for: (1) A proposed modified mining plan of operations (MMPO) 
for the Thompson Creek molybdenum mine, and (2) a land exchange 
proposal with the mine operator. By this notice, the BLM announces the 
availability of the Final EIS/proposed RMP amendment and the U.S. 
Forest Service draft decision for the proposed MMPO.

DATES: The BLM announces the start of a 30-day availability period for 
the Final EIS and a 30-day protest period for the proposed RMP 
amendment. The BLM will not issue a decision on the proposed MMPO, land 
exchange proposal, or proposed RMP amendment, for a minimum of 30 days 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a 
notice of availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS/proposed RMP amendment have been 
made available to affected Federal, State and local government agencies 
and to other stakeholders as appropriate. Copies of the Final EIS/
proposed RMP amendment are also available for review at the BLM Challis 
Field Office, 1151 Blue Mountain Road, Challis, Idaho 83226 from 7:45 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. Copies of the Final EIS/proposed RMP amendment are also 
available online at https://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/prog/nepa_register/TCM-exlx_EIS.html. All protests of the BLM proposed RMP amendment must be 
in writing and mailed to one of the following addresses:

Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator, P.O. 
Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator, 
20 M Street SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Gardner, project manager, at the 
BLM Challis Field Office, telephone: 208-879-6210; address: 1151 Blue 
Mountain Road, Challis, Idaho 83226; email: ksgardner@blm.gov. Persons 
who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339 to contact the 
above individual. The FIRS

[[Page 16421]]

is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message for the 
above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business 
hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Thompson Creek Mining Company (TCMC) has 
submitted an MMPO for the Thompson Creek molybdenum mine, as well as a 
separate, but related land exchange proposal. These proposals would 
affect BLM-administered land, National Forest System land, and waters 
of the United States. Pursuant to NEPA, the Final EIS analyzes the 
potential environmental effects of the proposed MMPO, a proposed RMP 
amendment, and a proposed land exchange. In response to these 
proposals: (1) The BLM will decide whether to approve the portion of an 
MMPO involving BLM-administered land under BLM regulations at 43 CFR 
3809; (2) the Forest Service will decide whether to approve the portion 
of an MMPO involving National Forest System land under Forest Service 
regulations at 36 CFR 228, Subpart A; (3) the US Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE) will decide whether to issue a permit under Section 
404 of the Clean Water Act and USACE regulations at 33 CFR 320; (4) the 
BLM will decide whether to amend the Challis Field Office 1999 resource 
management plan (RMP), pursuant to Section 202 of FLPMA and BLM 
regulations at 43 CFR 1610, so as to identify the BLM-administered land 
in the land exchange proposal as available for disposal; and (5) the 
BLM will decide whether to approve a land exchange action. The 
cooperating agencies for the Final EIS/proposed RMP amendment are the 
Forest Service, Salmon-Challis National Forest; USACE, Walla Walla 
District; US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10; Idaho 
Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho Falls Regional Office; and 
Idaho Department of Lands, Eastern Idaho Supervisory Area Office.
    TCMC owns and operates the mine, which is 7 miles northwest of 
Clayton and 21 miles southwest of Challis in Custer County, Idaho. The 
mine has operated since 1981 and is currently authorized for about 
3,300 acres of surface disturbance, of which 2,300 acres are on private 
land, 750 acres are on BLM-administered land, and 250 acres are on 
National Forest System land. The current surface disturbance at the 
mine is approximately 2,800 acres.
    The MMPO would allow an approximate 10-year extension of the mine 
life and expansion of the waste rock and tailings storage facilities 
which would require additional authorized surface disturbance on about 
200 acres of BLM-administered land, 190 acres of National Forest System 
land, and 110 acres of private land.
    The land exchange proposal is an offer to exchange 901 acres of 
private lands owned by TCMC in Custer and Bannock counties for 5,100 
acres of BLM-administered land where the mine is located in Custer 
County, including nearly all of the BLM-administered land identified in 
the MMPO. The offered lands are the Broken Wing Ranch (813 acres) in 
Custer County and the Garden Creek property (82 acres) in Bannock 
County. Broken Wing Ranch borders several miles of the Salmon River, 
and the Garden Creek property contains a portion of the headwaters of 
Garden Creek. Public ownership of these lands would prevent their 
subdivision and development, enhance habitat for four threatened and 
endangered fish species and several species of wildlife, and 
substantially increase public access to the Lyon Creek drainage in 
Custer County.
    Approval of the MMPO is not contingent on the approval of the land 
exchange. They are separate decisions, and the Final EIS analyzes them 
separately. The Final EIS also analyzes a set of MMPO alternatives and 
a completely independent set of land disposal alternatives. In 
connection with the land exchange proposal, the Final EIS also 
evaluates amending the RMP to identify the selected lands as suitable 
for disposal pursuant to Section 202 of FLPMA.
    The BLM, Forest Service, and Idaho Department of Lands each 
administer its respective portions of a single plan of operations for 
the mine. If the BLM approves the land exchange, TCMC would obtain 
title to nearly all of the BLM-administered land involved with the 
mine. A small amount of BLM-administered land with a few mine support 
features (i.e., pipelines, power lines, access roads and a pump 
station) is not included in the proposed land exchange, and thus, it 
would continue to be administered by the BLM. TCMC could continue to 
use these features through a subsequent MMPO or by obtaining grants for 
rights-of-ways and special use permits under FLPMA.
    The Final EIS analyzes a set of MMPO alternatives and a set of 
independent land disposal alternatives. As explained above, MMPO 
alternatives do not depend on the outcome of the land disposal 
alternatives. TCMC would not operate the mine any differently if the 
BLM-administered land in the land exchange proposal were owned by TCMC 
or continued to be administered by the BLM. However, the nature of 
BLM's involvement and its relationship to the MMPO would change if any 
of the land disposal alternatives were selected.
    The MMPO alternatives include:
    [ssquf] Alternative M1--No Action. TCMC would complete mining and 
reclamation under the current mining plan of operations (Phase 7), with 
molybdenum mining ending in the short term. Approximately 2,800 acres 
would be disturbed.
    [ssquf] Alternative M2--MMPO as submitted by TCMC. TCMC would 
complete mining and reclamation under the proposed MMPO (Phase 8), with 
molybdenum mining ending in approximately 2025. The two existing waste 
rock storage facilities would be enlarged. Approximately 3,300 acres 
would be disturbed by time of closure.
    [ssquf] Alternative M3--No Name Waste Rock Facility. A variation of 
Alternative M2 in which TCMC would develop a new waste rock storage 
facility in the No Name drainage, with less waste rock placed into the 
two existing waste rock storage facilities. Approximately 3,500 acres 
would be disturbed by time of closure.
    The land exchange alternatives include:
    [ssquf] Alternative L1--No Action. The BLM would not amend the RMP 
and the land exchange would not occur. Mining would occur according to 
the selected MMPO alternative, as MMPO alternatives do not depend on 
the outcome of the land disposal alternatives.
    [ssquf] Alternative L2--Land Exchange Proposal submitted by TCMC. 
The BLM would amend the RMP, TCMC would acquire up to approximately 
5,100 acres of BLM-administered land, and the US would acquire up to 
approximately 900 acres of private land that would be administered by 
the BLM. Livestock grazing and agricultural operations would continue 
on the Broken Wing Ranch.
    [ssquf] Alternative L2-B--The same as Alternative L2 except the 
ranch would be converted to native vegetation and livestock grazing 
would not occur at the ranch.
    [ssquf] Alternative L3--Land Sale. The BLM would amend the RMP 
allowing conveyance of up to about 5,100 acres of BLM-administered land 
to TCMC via a sale at the appraised fair market value pursuant to 
Section 203 of the FLPMA.
    [ssquf] Alternative L4--Reduced Area Land Exchange, Fee Simple. The 
BLM would amend the RMP, TCMC would acquire approximately 3,600 acres 
of BLM-administered land, and the US would acquire approximately 30 
percent less private land by fair market value compared to Alternative 
L2.

[[Page 16422]]

    [ssquf] Alternative L5--Reduced Area Land Exchange, Easement. The 
BLM would amend the RMP and TCMC would acquire approximately 5,100 
acres of BLM-administered land, with a conservation easement placed on 
approximately 1,500 acres. The US would accordingly acquire 
approximately 10 percent less private land by fair market value 
compared to Alternative L2.
    These alternatives are the same alternatives as those analyzed in 
the Draft EIS/draft RMP. BLM held public meetings during the public 
comment period for the Draft EIS/draft RMP amendment in Challis, Idaho 
on May 13, 2014 and in Boise, Idaho on May 14, 2014. A total of 684 
public responses containing 2,693 comments were received during the 90-
day public comment period. Approximately 75 percent of the responses 
contained similar form statements. The majority of the comments focused 
on the economic effects of the project. In addition, there were 
approximately 500 mostly general comments regarding the long-term water 
quality at the mine site, methods of reclaiming the mine, financial 
guarantees for reclaiming the mine, stability of the tailings storage 
facility, range of alternatives, cumulative effects analysis, effects 
to an outfitter using the selected land under a BLM special recreation 
permit, and how the Broken Wing Ranch would be administered by the BLM. 
The comments were considered and addressed in Chapter 7 (Public 
Involvement) of the Final EIS. The BLM revised its analysis in response 
to the comments to include additional supporting text and to make minor 
corrections. There were no substantive changes to the analysis in 
response to the comments.
    The BLM and Forest Service have selected Alternative M2 as the 
preferred MMPO alternative. The BLM's preferred land disposal 
alternative is Alternative L2. Pursuant to the Notice of Intent (75 FR 
45652), the Notice of Exchange proposal in local newspapers, the 
Notices of Availability for the Draft EIS/draft RMP amendment published 
in the Federal Register on March 21, 2014 (79 FR 15741, 79 FR 15771, 
and March 28, 2014, 79 FR 17538, and this Notice, the BLM is complying 
with the requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2 to notify the public of 
potential amendments to land use plans, based on the analysis in an 
EIS.
    The responsible officials for the proposed actions are the Field 
Manager, Challis Field Office, BLM (MMPO); District Manager, Idaho 
Falls District, BLM (land disposal); State Director, Idaho State 
Office, BLM (RMP amendment).
    Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM 
regarding the proposed RMP amendment are at 43 CFR 1610.5-2 and also in 
the ``Dear Reader'' letter for the Final EIS/proposed RMP amendment. 
All protests must be in writing and mailed to the appropriate address, 
as set forth in the ``ADDRESSES'' section above. Protests sent by email 
will not be accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also 
provides the original letter by either regular mail or overnight 
delivery postmarked by the close of the protest period. Under these 
conditions, the BLM will consider the email as an advance copy and it 
will receive full consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with 
such advance notification, please direct emails to protest@blm.gov.
    Before including your phone number, email address, or other 
personal identifying information in your protest, you should be aware 
that your entire protest--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your protest to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR 1506; 43 CFR 46; 43 
CFR 1610.2.

Todd Kuck,
Challis Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2015-07005 Filed 3-26-15; 8:45 am]
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