Payette and Boise National Forests; Valley County, Idaho; Stibnite Gold Project Environmental Impact Statement, 25759-25761 [2017-11483]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 106 / Monday, June 5, 2017 / Notices
Responsible Officials for the MNF
LRMP Amendment and the GWNF
LRMP Amendment, respectively.
However, since the Regional Foresters
for the Eastern and Southern Region
will be the Responsible Officials for the
decision to authorize the construction
and operation of ACP, in the interest of
administrative efficiencies as well as to
simplify the administrative review
process for the public, the Responsible
Officials for the LRMP Amendments
will now be the Regional Forester
Eastern Region for the MNF LRMP
Amendment and the Regional Forester
Southern Region for the GWNF LRMP
Amendment.
Dated: May 10, 2017.
Robert M. Harper,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National
Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017–11484 Filed 6–2–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Payette and Boise National Forests;
Valley County, Idaho; Stibnite Gold
Project Environmental Impact
Statement
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Payette National Forest
(PNF) is preparing an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate and
disclose the potential environmental
effects from: (1) Approval of the
‘‘Stibnite Gold Project Plan of
Restoration and Operations’’ (Plan)
submitted by Midas Gold Idaho, Inc.
(Midas Gold) in September 2016, to
occupy and use National Forest System
(NFS) lands for operations associated
with open-pit mining and ore
processing; and (2) related amendments
to the Payette National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan (Payette
Forest Plan, 2003) and/or the Boise
National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan (Boise Forest Plan, as
amended in 2010).
The United States Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) will cooperate on
the preparation of the EIS and evaluate
its content to ensure that the EIS can be
adopted by the USACE to support an
eventual decision to either issue, issue
with conditions, or deny a Department
of the Army Permit under Section 404
of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for the
Plan. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) will cooperate
on the preparation of the EIS and
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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evaluate its content to ensure that the
EIS can be adopted in support of the
decision-making process for issuance of
a National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) Permit
under Section 402 of the CWA.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by July
20, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Webform submission of
comments is encouraged. Comments can
be submitted via the project Web page
at https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/payette/
StibniteGold by selecting the ‘‘Comment
on Project’’ link on the right side of the
page. Written comments may also be
sent to Payette National Forest, ATTN:
Forest Supervisor Keith Lannom—
Stibnite Gold EIS, 500 N. Mission St.,
McCall, Idaho 83638. Comments may
also be sent via email with a subject line
reading ‘‘Stibnite Gold EIS Scoping
Comment’’ to comments-intermtnpayette@fs.fed.us or via facsimile (FAX)
to 1–208–634–0744. Additional
information regarding submittal of
comments is provided below in the
Scoping Process section. Written
comments may also be submitted during
public scoping meetings that will be
held by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest
Service), as follows:
1. June 27, 2017, 5:00–7:00 p.m., Ashley
Inn, Cascade, Idaho
2. June 28, 2017, 5:00–7:00 p.m., Payette
Forest Supervisor’s Office, McCall,
Idaho
3. June 29, 2017, 1:00–3:00 and 5:00–
7:00 p.m., Holiday Inn Express and
Suites (Airport), Boise, Idaho
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Harris, Public Affairs Officer, at
1–208–634–0784 or bdharris@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Stibnite Gold Project (Project) is located
in both the PNF and BNF. The PNF will
be the lead unit for processing and
administering the Plan on NFS lands.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Forest Service’s
action is to provide for approval of the
Plan, which would govern occupancy
and use of NFS lands for operations that
are reasonably incident to mining. To
provide for such approval, the
Responsible Official needs to determine
whether reasonable changes or
additions to the Plan are necessary in
order to meet the requirements of
regulations set forth in 36 CFR 228
Subpart A and other applicable laws,
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25759
regulations, or policies, prior to
approval.
Midas Gold submitted a plan of
operations for mining on NFS lands,
titled ‘‘Stibnite Gold Plan of Restoration
and Operations’’ (Plan) to the Forest
Service in September 2016, in
accordance with Forest Service
regulations for locatable minerals set
forth at 36 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) 228 Subpart A. In order to comply
with its statutory and regulatory
obligations to respond to the Plan
submitted by Midas Gold Idaho, Inc.
(Midas Gold), the Forest Service must:
(1) Evaluate the Plan; (2) consider
requirements set forth at 36 CFR 228.8,
including those to minimize adverse
effects to the extent feasible, comply
with applicable laws, regulations, and
standards for environmental protection,
and provide for reclamation; and (3)
respond to the Plan as set forth at 36
CFR 228.5(a). The Responsible Official
determined the Plan to be
administratively complete in December
2016. Approval of the Plan and issuance
of permits under the CWA would be
major federal actions subject to the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). Accordingly, the federal land
management and regulatory agencies
must also prepare an EIS to consider
and publicly disclose the potential
environmental effects of the proposed
action.
Proposed Action
The Responsible Official proposes to
approve the Plan submitted by Midas
Gold, with any modifications
determined necessary through the
analysis to comply with applicable laws
and regulations. USACE would review
the Plan and EIS for purposes of
evaluating Midas Gold’s application for
a Department of the Army Permit under
Section 404 of the CWA. EPA would
review the Plan and EIS for purposes of
evaluating Midas Gold’s application for
a related NPDES Permit under Section
402 of the CWA. As described in the
Plan, the Project would affect federal,
state, and private lands. The proposed
action by the Forest Service would only
authorize approval of mining-related
operations on NFS lands, because the
Forest Service does not have
jurisdiction to regulate mining
operations that occur on private or state
land. However, the EIS will consider
and disclose environmental effects of
mining-related operations that would
occur on private and state lands.
Connected actions related to the Plan,
including but not necessarily limited to
CWA permitting by USACE and EPA
and related amendments of the Payette
and Boise Forest Plans, will be
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25760
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 106 / Monday, June 5, 2017 / Notices
considered. Impacts of past, present,
ongoing, and reasonably foreseeable
future actions in the Project area will be
considered in combination with the
impacts of the Project to estimate the
potential cumulative impacts of Project
implementation.
Project Location
The Project area is located in the
upper East Fork of the South Fork of the
Salmon River (EFSFSR) drainage,
approximately 44 air miles northeast of
the City of Cascade and three miles east
of the Frank Church-River of No Return
Wilderness in Valley County, Idaho.
Operations would impact approximately
500 acres of patented mining claims
owned or controlled by Midas Gold and
approximately 1,500 acres of federal
public lands comprised of adjacent NFS
lands administered by the PNF and two
supporting-infrastructure corridors
located primarily in the BNF. Parts of
the Project area, such as the Stibnite
mine site, have been impacted by
historic mining and ore processing
operations. Some of these impacts have
been remediated, but legacy mining
impacts remain.
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Project Description
Midas Gold’s stated objective is to
economically develop and operate a
modern mine, while providing
environmental restoration of impacts
related to historic mining activities at
the site and socioeconomic benefits in
surrounding areas. Midas Gold’s Plan
includes descriptions of the following
operations and activities to be
conducted on a mixture of NFS, State,
and private lands:
• Redevelopment and Construction (2
to 3 years): Developing supporting
infrastructure, including upgraded and
reconstructed powerline,
communication sites, upgraded and/or
new roads (including a long-term,
temporary mine access and public bypass route), maintenance facility, and
onsite housing, oxygen plant, and water
management infrastructure; relocation
and reuse of spent ore and construction
of a lined tailings storage facility;
modifying stream channel to reduce
sedimentation and restore wetland
function and fish passage (including
temporarily rerouting the East Fork of
the South Fork of the Salmon River
[EFSFSR] through a fish-passable
tunnel); planting burned areas; initial
mining of one open pit (which will
require closure of the Stibnite road
through the mine site); and constructing
development rock storage and
temporary ore stockpile facilities,
crusher, and ore processing facilities.
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Jkt 241001
• Mining and Ore Processing (12 to
15 years): Resuming mining from two
historical and one new open pit at a rate
of approximately 40,000 to 100,000 tons
of material per day; processing up to
25,000 tons per day of ore to recover
`
gold/silver dore and antimony
concentrate; historical tailings
reprocessing and clean-up; placing
neutralized new and reprocessed
tailings in the tailings storage facility;
placing development rock in four
engineered facilities, backfilling Yellow
Pine pit; and concurrent reconstruction
of stream channels, riparian areas,
wetlands, and upland habitat, including
restoring the EFSFSR to its approximate
original gradient across the backfilled
Yellow Pine pit.
• Initial Closure and Reclamation (2
to 3 years): Removing structures and
facilities; decommissioning temporary
roads; recontouring and drainage;
additional wetland mitigations;
reconstructing the Stibnite Road and
various stream channels in the project
area; and growth media placement and
revegetation.
• Post-Closure and Monitoring (5 to 7
years): Establishing a wetland on top of
the tailings storage facility; reclaiming
rock storage facilities; monitoring
reclamation and remediation projects.
The Plan includes operational standards
and practices to minimize, mitigate or
eliminate the potential for negative
impacts and environmental monitoring
to document compliance and to
facilitate adaptive management through
the redevelopment, mining,
reclamation, and post-closure periods.
An initial review of the consistency of
the Plan with both the Payette and Boise
Forest Plans indicates that approval of
the Plan as submitted would result in
conditions that are inconsistent with the
forest plans. Amendments to the forest
plans may be required to address
inconsistencies with Forest Plan
standards including standards for
recreation, roadless areas, vegetation,
visual quality, and wildlife.
Possible Alternatives
The EIS will disclose the effects of the
no-action alternative, which, while not
within the Responsible Official’s
discretion, would provide a baseline
against which action alternatives can be
compared, and the proposed action,
approval of Midas Gold’s Plan.
Additional alternatives and Project
design features may be evaluated in the
EIS. Alternatives and design features
determined reasonable and necessary to
meet Forest Service regulations for
locatable minerals set forth at 36 CFR
228 Subpart A may require changes
and/or additions to the Plan. Further
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Sfmt 4703
information regarding the nature of the
decision(s) to be made is presented in
the following section.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service will be the lead
agency preparing the EIS. Currently, five
Cooperating agencies have been
identified, they are:
—U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
—U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE)
—Idaho Department of Lands
—Idaho Department of Environmental
Quality
—Governor’s Office of Energy and
Mineral Resources
Other agencies or governmental entities
may join as cooperators during the
process.
Responsible Official
The Forest Supervisor of the PNF has
been delegated authority for decisions
related to the Plan on the BNF and will
be the Responsible Official who
prepares the record of decision (ROD)
necessary to approve the portions of the
Plan on NFS lands. USACE and EPA
will prepare final decisions for their
respective permitting action(s).
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will consider
the beneficial and adverse impacts of
each alternative. With respect to the
portions of the Plan on NFS lands, the
Forest Service Responsible Official has
discretion to determine whether
changes in, or additions to, the Plan will
be required prior to approval. However,
the Responsible Official cannot
categorically prohibit operations that are
reasonably incident to mining of
locatable minerals on NFS lands in the
area of the proposed Plan.
Using the analysis in the EIS and
supporting documentation, the Forest
Service Responsible Official will make
the following decisions regarding the
Plan:
1. Decide whether to approve the Plan
as submitted by Midas Gold, or to
require changes or additions to the Plan
to meet the requirements for
environmental protection and
reclamation set forth at 36 CFR 228
Subpart A before approving a final Plan.
The Forest Service decision may be to
approve a plan of operations composed
of elements from one or more of the
alternatives considered. The alternative
that is selected for approval in the final
Plan must minimize adverse impacts on
NFS surface resources to the extent
feasible.
2. Decide whether to approve
amendments to the forest plans, if
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 106 / Monday, June 5, 2017 / Notices
required in order to approve the final
Plan.
3. Decide whether and/or how to
mitigate the effects of the proposed
mining operation to existing public
motorized access.
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Final EIS and Record of Decision
The Forest Service would release a
draft ROD in conjunction with the final
EIS. The draft ROD would address
approval of the Plan, and any related
project-specific Forest Plan or Travel
Plan amendments that may be required.
The draft decision would be subject to
36 CFR 218, ‘‘Project-Level Predecisional Administrative Review
Process.’’ Depending on the nature of
the forest plan amendments required,
the draft decisions may also be subject
to 36 CFR 219 Subpart B, ‘‘Predecisional Administrative Review
Process.’’
Following resolution of objections to
the draft ROD, a final ROD would be
issued. As the operator, Midas Gold
would have an opportunity to appeal
the decision as set forth at 36 CFR 214,
‘‘Postdecisional Administrative Review
Process for Occupancy and Use of
National Forest System Lands and
Resources.’’
Prior to approval of the Plan, Midas
Gold may be required to modify the
September 2016 Plan to comply with
the description of the selected
alternative in the final ROD. In addition,
the PNF Forest Supervisor would
require Midas Gold to submit a
reclamation bond or provide proof of
other acceptable financial assurance to
ensure that NFS lands and resources
involved with the mining operation are
reclaimed in accordance with the
approved Plan and Forest Service
requirements for environmental
protection (36 CFR 228.8 and 228.13).
After the Forest Service has determined
that the Plan conforms to the ROD as
well as other regulatory requirements,
including acceptance of financial
assurance for reclamation, it would
approve the Plan. Implementation of
mining operations that affect NFS lands
and resources may not commence until
the reclamation bond or other financial
assurance is in place and a plan of
operations is approved.
Preliminary Issues
Issues to be analyzed in the EIS will
be developed during this scoping
process. Preliminary issues expected to
be analyzed include potential impacts
to: Access and transportation; aesthetics
and visual resources; botanical
resources, including wetlands and
threatened, endangered, proposed, and
sensitive species; climate and air
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17:31 Jun 02, 2017
Jkt 241001
quality; cultural and heritage resources;
environmental justice; federal land
management and environmental
protection; fire and fuels management;
fisheries and wildlife, including
threatened, endangered, proposed, and
sensitive species; geochemistry; geology;
hazardous materials; land use; longterm, post-closure site management;
noise; public health and safety;
recreation; roadless and wilderness
resources; socioeconomics; soils and
reclamation cover materials; timber
resources; water resources (groundwater
and surface water); and water rights.
Permits or Licenses Required
Aspects of the Plan will also require
other permitting, including by the Idaho
Departments of Lands, Environmental
Quality, and Water Resources.
those individuals will not have standing
for objection.
Dated: May 12, 2017.
Robert M. Harper,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National
Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017–11483 Filed 6–2–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Updated Information
Concerning the Mountain Valley
Pipeline Project and Equitrans
Expansion Project and the Associated
Forest Service Land and Resource
Management Plan Amendments
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice; updating information.
AGENCY:
Scoping Process
ACTION:
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping (public involvement) process,
which guides the development of the
EIS. Public comments may be submitted
to the PNF in a variety of ways,
including: via email, via the project Web
site, by mail, and via FAX. In addition,
the PNF will conduct scoping meetings,
during which members of the public can
learn about the Forest Service proposed
action and the NEPA process and
submit written comments. Comments
sought by the PNF include comments
specific to the proposed action,
information that could be pertinent to
analysis of environmental effects,
identification of significant issues, and
identification of potential alternatives.
Written comments may be sent to:
Payette National Forest, ATTN: Forest
Supervisor Keith Lannom—Stibnite
Gold EIS, 500 N. Mission St., McCall, ID
83638. Comments may also be sent via
email with a Subject Line reading
‘‘Stibnite Gold EIS Scoping Comment’’
to comments-intermtnpayette@fs.fed.us, submitted via Web
site at https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/
payette/StibniteGold, or sent via FAX to
1–208–634–0744.
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such manner that they are useful to
preparation of the EIS. Therefore, to be
most useful, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the
scoping comment period and should
clearly articulate the reviewer’s
concerns and contentions.
Comments submitted anonymously
will be accepted and considered;
however, without an associated name
and address, receiving further
correspondences concerning the
proposed action will not be possible and
SUMMARY:
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25761
The USDA Forest Service
(Forest Service) is participating as a
cooperating agency with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
and the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) in the preparation of the
Mountain Valley Pipeline Project (MVP)
and Equitrans Expansion Project (EEP)
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
On October 14, 2016, the Forest Service
published in the Federal Register (81
FR 71041) a Notice of Availability of the
Mountain Valley Pipeline Project and
Equitrans Expansion Project Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and
the Draft of Amendments to the
Jefferson National Forest’s Land and
Resource Management Plan (LRMP) to
allow for the MVP to cross through the
Jefferson National Forest. Since that
publication, the Forest Service
determined there is a need to disclose
the following: New information relating
to the proposed LRMP amendments and
the substantive provisions in the 2012
Planning Rule that are likely to be
directly related to the proposed
amendments. In addition, a proposed
change to one of the LRMP amendments
will result in a change to the
administrative review procedures as
outlined in the October 14, 2016
Federal Register Notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Information about the MVP Project is
available from the FERC’s Office of
External Affairs at 866–208–FERC
(3372), or on the FERC Web site
(www.ferc.gov). On the FERC’s Web site,
go to ‘‘Documents & Filings,’’ click on
the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link, click on ‘‘General
Search’’ and enter the docket number
CP16–10. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
E:\FR\FM\05JNN1.SGM
05JNN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 106 (Monday, June 5, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25759-25761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11483]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Payette and Boise National Forests; Valley County, Idaho;
Stibnite Gold Project Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Payette National Forest (PNF) is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate and disclose the
potential environmental effects from: (1) Approval of the ``Stibnite
Gold Project Plan of Restoration and Operations'' (Plan) submitted by
Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. (Midas Gold) in September 2016, to occupy and
use National Forest System (NFS) lands for operations associated with
open-pit mining and ore processing; and (2) related amendments to the
Payette National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Payette
Forest Plan, 2003) and/or the Boise National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan (Boise Forest Plan, as amended in 2010).
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will cooperate on
the preparation of the EIS and evaluate its content to ensure that the
EIS can be adopted by the USACE to support an eventual decision to
either issue, issue with conditions, or deny a Department of the Army
Permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for the Plan. The
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will cooperate on
the preparation of the EIS and evaluate its content to ensure that the
EIS can be adopted in support of the decision-making process for
issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Permit under Section 402 of the CWA.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by July 20, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Webform submission of comments is encouraged. Comments can
be submitted via the project Web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/payette/StibniteGold by selecting the ``Comment on Project'' link on
the right side of the page. Written comments may also be sent to
Payette National Forest, ATTN: Forest Supervisor Keith Lannom--Stibnite
Gold EIS, 500 N. Mission St., McCall, Idaho 83638. Comments may also be
sent via email with a subject line reading ``Stibnite Gold EIS Scoping
Comment'' to comments-intermtn-payette@fs.fed.us or via facsimile (FAX)
to 1-208-634-0744. Additional information regarding submittal of
comments is provided below in the Scoping Process section. Written
comments may also be submitted during public scoping meetings that will
be held by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service), as follows:
1. June 27, 2017, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Ashley Inn, Cascade, Idaho
2. June 28, 2017, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Payette Forest Supervisor's Office,
McCall, Idaho
3. June 29, 2017, 1:00-3:00 and 5:00-7:00 p.m., Holiday Inn Express and
Suites (Airport), Boise, Idaho
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Harris, Public Affairs Officer,
at 1-208-634-0784 or bdharris@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Stibnite Gold Project (Project) is
located in both the PNF and BNF. The PNF will be the lead unit for
processing and administering the Plan on NFS lands.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Forest Service's action is to provide for
approval of the Plan, which would govern occupancy and use of NFS lands
for operations that are reasonably incident to mining. To provide for
such approval, the Responsible Official needs to determine whether
reasonable changes or additions to the Plan are necessary in order to
meet the requirements of regulations set forth in 36 CFR 228 Subpart A
and other applicable laws, regulations, or policies, prior to approval.
Midas Gold submitted a plan of operations for mining on NFS lands,
titled ``Stibnite Gold Plan of Restoration and Operations'' (Plan) to
the Forest Service in September 2016, in accordance with Forest Service
regulations for locatable minerals set forth at 36 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 228 Subpart A. In order to comply with its statutory
and regulatory obligations to respond to the Plan submitted by Midas
Gold Idaho, Inc. (Midas Gold), the Forest Service must: (1) Evaluate
the Plan; (2) consider requirements set forth at 36 CFR 228.8,
including those to minimize adverse effects to the extent feasible,
comply with applicable laws, regulations, and standards for
environmental protection, and provide for reclamation; and (3) respond
to the Plan as set forth at 36 CFR 228.5(a). The Responsible Official
determined the Plan to be administratively complete in December 2016.
Approval of the Plan and issuance of permits under the CWA would be
major federal actions subject to the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). Accordingly, the federal land management and regulatory
agencies must also prepare an EIS to consider and publicly disclose the
potential environmental effects of the proposed action.
Proposed Action
The Responsible Official proposes to approve the Plan submitted by
Midas Gold, with any modifications determined necessary through the
analysis to comply with applicable laws and regulations. USACE would
review the Plan and EIS for purposes of evaluating Midas Gold's
application for a Department of the Army Permit under Section 404 of
the CWA. EPA would review the Plan and EIS for purposes of evaluating
Midas Gold's application for a related NPDES Permit under Section 402
of the CWA. As described in the Plan, the Project would affect federal,
state, and private lands. The proposed action by the Forest Service
would only authorize approval of mining-related operations on NFS
lands, because the Forest Service does not have jurisdiction to
regulate mining operations that occur on private or state land.
However, the EIS will consider and disclose environmental effects of
mining-related operations that would occur on private and state lands.
Connected actions related to the Plan, including but not necessarily
limited to CWA permitting by USACE and EPA and related amendments of
the Payette and Boise Forest Plans, will be
[[Page 25760]]
considered. Impacts of past, present, ongoing, and reasonably
foreseeable future actions in the Project area will be considered in
combination with the impacts of the Project to estimate the potential
cumulative impacts of Project implementation.
Project Location
The Project area is located in the upper East Fork of the South
Fork of the Salmon River (EFSFSR) drainage, approximately 44 air miles
northeast of the City of Cascade and three miles east of the Frank
Church-River of No Return Wilderness in Valley County, Idaho.
Operations would impact approximately 500 acres of patented mining
claims owned or controlled by Midas Gold and approximately 1,500 acres
of federal public lands comprised of adjacent NFS lands administered by
the PNF and two supporting-infrastructure corridors located primarily
in the BNF. Parts of the Project area, such as the Stibnite mine site,
have been impacted by historic mining and ore processing operations.
Some of these impacts have been remediated, but legacy mining impacts
remain.
Project Description
Midas Gold's stated objective is to economically develop and
operate a modern mine, while providing environmental restoration of
impacts related to historic mining activities at the site and
socioeconomic benefits in surrounding areas. Midas Gold's Plan includes
descriptions of the following operations and activities to be conducted
on a mixture of NFS, State, and private lands:
Redevelopment and Construction (2 to 3 years): Developing
supporting infrastructure, including upgraded and reconstructed
powerline, communication sites, upgraded and/or new roads (including a
long-term, temporary mine access and public by-pass route), maintenance
facility, and onsite housing, oxygen plant, and water management
infrastructure; relocation and reuse of spent ore and construction of a
lined tailings storage facility; modifying stream channel to reduce
sedimentation and restore wetland function and fish passage (including
temporarily rerouting the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon
River [EFSFSR] through a fish-passable tunnel); planting burned areas;
initial mining of one open pit (which will require closure of the
Stibnite road through the mine site); and constructing development rock
storage and temporary ore stockpile facilities, crusher, and ore
processing facilities.
Mining and Ore Processing (12 to 15 years): Resuming
mining from two historical and one new open pit at a rate of
approximately 40,000 to 100,000 tons of material per day; processing up
to 25,000 tons per day of ore to recover gold/silver dor[egrave] and
antimony concentrate; historical tailings reprocessing and clean-up;
placing neutralized new and reprocessed tailings in the tailings
storage facility; placing development rock in four engineered
facilities, backfilling Yellow Pine pit; and concurrent reconstruction
of stream channels, riparian areas, wetlands, and upland habitat,
including restoring the EFSFSR to its approximate original gradient
across the backfilled Yellow Pine pit.
Initial Closure and Reclamation (2 to 3 years): Removing
structures and facilities; decommissioning temporary roads;
recontouring and drainage; additional wetland mitigations;
reconstructing the Stibnite Road and various stream channels in the
project area; and growth media placement and revegetation.
Post-Closure and Monitoring (5 to 7 years): Establishing a
wetland on top of the tailings storage facility; reclaiming rock
storage facilities; monitoring reclamation and remediation projects.
The Plan includes operational standards and practices to minimize,
mitigate or eliminate the potential for negative impacts and
environmental monitoring to document compliance and to facilitate
adaptive management through the redevelopment, mining, reclamation, and
post-closure periods.
An initial review of the consistency of the Plan with both the
Payette and Boise Forest Plans indicates that approval of the Plan as
submitted would result in conditions that are inconsistent with the
forest plans. Amendments to the forest plans may be required to address
inconsistencies with Forest Plan standards including standards for
recreation, roadless areas, vegetation, visual quality, and wildlife.
Possible Alternatives
The EIS will disclose the effects of the no-action alternative,
which, while not within the Responsible Official's discretion, would
provide a baseline against which action alternatives can be compared,
and the proposed action, approval of Midas Gold's Plan. Additional
alternatives and Project design features may be evaluated in the EIS.
Alternatives and design features determined reasonable and necessary to
meet Forest Service regulations for locatable minerals set forth at 36
CFR 228 Subpart A may require changes and/or additions to the Plan.
Further information regarding the nature of the decision(s) to be made
is presented in the following section.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service will be the lead agency preparing the EIS.
Currently, five Cooperating agencies have been identified, they are:
--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
--U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
--Idaho Department of Lands
--Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
--Governor's Office of Energy and Mineral Resources
Other agencies or governmental entities may join as cooperators during
the process.
Responsible Official
The Forest Supervisor of the PNF has been delegated authority for
decisions related to the Plan on the BNF and will be the Responsible
Official who prepares the record of decision (ROD) necessary to approve
the portions of the Plan on NFS lands. USACE and EPA will prepare final
decisions for their respective permitting action(s).
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will consider the beneficial and adverse
impacts of each alternative. With respect to the portions of the Plan
on NFS lands, the Forest Service Responsible Official has discretion to
determine whether changes in, or additions to, the Plan will be
required prior to approval. However, the Responsible Official cannot
categorically prohibit operations that are reasonably incident to
mining of locatable minerals on NFS lands in the area of the proposed
Plan.
Using the analysis in the EIS and supporting documentation, the
Forest Service Responsible Official will make the following decisions
regarding the Plan:
1. Decide whether to approve the Plan as submitted by Midas Gold,
or to require changes or additions to the Plan to meet the requirements
for environmental protection and reclamation set forth at 36 CFR 228
Subpart A before approving a final Plan. The Forest Service decision
may be to approve a plan of operations composed of elements from one or
more of the alternatives considered. The alternative that is selected
for approval in the final Plan must minimize adverse impacts on NFS
surface resources to the extent feasible.
2. Decide whether to approve amendments to the forest plans, if
[[Page 25761]]
required in order to approve the final Plan.
3. Decide whether and/or how to mitigate the effects of the
proposed mining operation to existing public motorized access.
Final EIS and Record of Decision
The Forest Service would release a draft ROD in conjunction with
the final EIS. The draft ROD would address approval of the Plan, and
any related project-specific Forest Plan or Travel Plan amendments that
may be required. The draft decision would be subject to 36 CFR 218,
``Project-Level Pre-decisional Administrative Review Process.''
Depending on the nature of the forest plan amendments required, the
draft decisions may also be subject to 36 CFR 219 Subpart B, ``Pre-
decisional Administrative Review Process.''
Following resolution of objections to the draft ROD, a final ROD
would be issued. As the operator, Midas Gold would have an opportunity
to appeal the decision as set forth at 36 CFR 214, ``Postdecisional
Administrative Review Process for Occupancy and Use of National Forest
System Lands and Resources.''
Prior to approval of the Plan, Midas Gold may be required to modify
the September 2016 Plan to comply with the description of the selected
alternative in the final ROD. In addition, the PNF Forest Supervisor
would require Midas Gold to submit a reclamation bond or provide proof
of other acceptable financial assurance to ensure that NFS lands and
resources involved with the mining operation are reclaimed in
accordance with the approved Plan and Forest Service requirements for
environmental protection (36 CFR 228.8 and 228.13). After the Forest
Service has determined that the Plan conforms to the ROD as well as
other regulatory requirements, including acceptance of financial
assurance for reclamation, it would approve the Plan. Implementation of
mining operations that affect NFS lands and resources may not commence
until the reclamation bond or other financial assurance is in place and
a plan of operations is approved.
Preliminary Issues
Issues to be analyzed in the EIS will be developed during this
scoping process. Preliminary issues expected to be analyzed include
potential impacts to: Access and transportation; aesthetics and visual
resources; botanical resources, including wetlands and threatened,
endangered, proposed, and sensitive species; climate and air quality;
cultural and heritage resources; environmental justice; federal land
management and environmental protection; fire and fuels management;
fisheries and wildlife, including threatened, endangered, proposed, and
sensitive species; geochemistry; geology; hazardous materials; land
use; long-term, post-closure site management; noise; public health and
safety; recreation; roadless and wilderness resources; socioeconomics;
soils and reclamation cover materials; timber resources; water
resources (groundwater and surface water); and water rights.
Permits or Licenses Required
Aspects of the Plan will also require other permitting, including
by the Idaho Departments of Lands, Environmental Quality, and Water
Resources.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping (public involvement)
process, which guides the development of the EIS. Public comments may
be submitted to the PNF in a variety of ways, including: via email, via
the project Web site, by mail, and via FAX. In addition, the PNF will
conduct scoping meetings, during which members of the public can learn
about the Forest Service proposed action and the NEPA process and
submit written comments. Comments sought by the PNF include comments
specific to the proposed action, information that could be pertinent to
analysis of environmental effects, identification of significant
issues, and identification of potential alternatives.
Written comments may be sent to: Payette National Forest, ATTN:
Forest Supervisor Keith Lannom--Stibnite Gold EIS, 500 N. Mission St.,
McCall, ID 83638. Comments may also be sent via email with a Subject
Line reading ``Stibnite Gold EIS Scoping Comment'' to comments-intermtn-payette@fs.fed.us, submitted via Web site at https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/payette/StibniteGold, or sent via FAX to 1-208-
634-0744.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to preparation of the EIS.
Therefore, to be most useful, comments should be provided prior to the
close of the scoping comment period and should clearly articulate the
reviewer's concerns and contentions.
Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered;
however, without an associated name and address, receiving further
correspondences concerning the proposed action will not be possible and
those individuals will not have standing for objection.
Dated: May 12, 2017.
Robert M. Harper,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017-11483 Filed 6-2-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P