Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed POA11 Project-Modification to the Plan of Operations for the Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines, Pershing County, Nevada, 8106-8107 [2019-04058]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 44 / Wednesday, March 6, 2019 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVB0100.L19900000.EX0000.211B.19X
MO#4500130127]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Mount Hope Project,
Eureka County, Nevada
AGENCY:
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
Notice.
ACTION:
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)
Mount Lewis Field Office, Battle
Mountain, Nevada, has prepared a Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and by this notice is
announcing the beginning of the public
comment period to solicit public
comments on the Draft Supplemental
EIS. The Mount Hope Project (Project) is
owned by Eureka Moly, LLC (EML) and
is located in central Nevada,
approximately 23 miles northwest of
Eureka, Nevada.
The BLM has prepared this Draft
Supplemental EIS as a response to the
United States Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit’s remand decision for
further action on issues identified in its
December 28, 2016 decision.
DATES: To ensure comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft
Supplemental EIS within 45 days
following the date the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its Notice
of Availability in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Mount Hope Project by
any of the following methods:
• Email: blm_nv_bmdo_eurekamoly_
seis@blm.gov.
• Fax: 775–635–4034.
• Mail: 50 Bastian Road, Battle
Mountain, NV 89820.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be downloaded from https://
go.usa.gov/xUhRK or examined at the
Mount Lewis Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kevin Hurrell—Project Manager,
telephone 775–635–4000; address 50
Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada
89820. Contact Kevin Hurrell to have
your name added to our mailing list.
Persons who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–
877–8339 to contact the above
SUMMARY:
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18:35 Mar 05, 2019
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individual during normal business
hours. The FRS 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.
The BLM
has prepared this Draft Supplemental
EIS as a response to the United States
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s
remand decision for further action on
issues identified in its December 28,
2016 decision. The Draft Supplemental
EIS includes the following: (1) An
explanation of the usage of baseline
values of zero for several air pollutants;
(2) a quantitative cumulative air quality
impacts analysis; and (3) a clarification
of the status of certain springs and water
holes under Executive Order Public
Water Reserve No. 107.
The Bureau of Land Management
Mount Lewis Field Office authorized
the Mount Hope Project Record of
Decision, Plan of Operations Approval,
and Approval of Issuance of Right-ofWay Grants on November 16, 2012. The
Project consists of a proposed
molybdenum mine including a power
transmission line, a water well field,
and all associated facilities to be located
on public land administered by the BLM
Mount Lewis Field Office and on
private land controlled by EML. The
Project will utilize an open pit mining
method and will process the mined ore
using a flotation and roasting process.
When completed, a total of 8,618 acres
of disturbance would occur within the
23,065-acre Project area. Of the 8,618
acres, 8,359 is public land and 259 is
private land.
The BLM has consulted, and
continues to consult, with Native
American tribes on a government-togovernment basis in accordance with
Executive Order 13175 and other
policies. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with tribes and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the Project are invited to
participate in the comment process.
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7
Jon D. Sherve,
Field Manager, Mount Lewis Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019–04059 Filed 3–5–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVW00000.L51100000.
GN0000.LVEMF1805980.18X MO#
4500131512]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed POA11 Project—
Modification to the Plan of Operations
for the Coeur Rochester and Packard
Mines, Pershing County, Nevada
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
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, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Humboldt
River Field Office, Winnemucca,
Nevada intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
to analyze the potential impacts of
approving an expansion to the existing
Coeur Rochester and Packard silver
mining operation in Pershing County,
Nevada. This notice announces the
beginning of the scoping process to
solicit public comments and identify
issues to be considered in the EIS, and
serves to initiate public consultation, as
required under the National Historic
Preservation Act.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. Comments
on issues to be considered in the EIS
may be submitted in writing until April
5, 2019. The dates and locations of two
scoping meetings, one in Lovelock and
the other in Winnemucca, Nevada, will
be announced at least 15 days in
advance through local media,
newspapers and the BLM website at:
https://www.blm.gov/office/
winnemucca-district-office. In order to
be included in the Draft EIS, all
comments must be received prior to the
close of the 30-day scoping period or 15
days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later. We will provide
additional opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the
Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Coeur Rochester and
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\06MRN1.SGM
06MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 44 / Wednesday, March 6, 2019 / Notices
Packard Mines POA11 Project by any of
the following methods:
• Website: https://go.usa.gov/xPdjC.
• Email: wfoweb@blm.gov. Include
‘‘Coeur POA11 EIS Comments’’ in the
subject line.
• Fax: (775) 623–1503.
• Mail: BLM Winnemucca District,
Humboldt River Field Office, 5100 East
Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca,
NV 89445.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the Humboldt River
Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathleen Rehberg, telephone 775–623–
1500; address BLM Winnemucca
District, Humboldt River Field Office,
5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard,
Winnemucca, Nevada 89445; email
krehberg@blm.gov. Contact Ms. Rehberg
to have your name added to our mailing
list. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FRS 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: The
applicant, Coeur Rochester Inc. has
requested to modify its approved Plan of
Operations at the Rochester and Packard
mines to expand its mining operations.
The mine is located approximately 26
miles northeast of Lovelock, Nevada.
The mine is currently authorized to
disturb up to 2203.1 acres
(approximately 164.6 acres of private
land and 2038.5 acres of public land), as
permitted under a series of
Environmental Impacts Statements and
Environmental Assessments beginning
with the initial Plan of Operations in
1986 through the latest EIS in 2015.
Coeur Rochester Inc, is proposing to
expand and optimize their current
operations. Their proposed action
would expand mining in both of their
current pits (the Rochester and Packard
pits) and move, relocate, or expand:
Heap leach pads, waste rock dumps,
haul roads, access road, water pipeline,
and processing facilities. The proposal
would increase disturbance by 2,815.4
acres (435.2 acres on private land and
2380.2 acres on public land).
Mining of the Rochester Pit would
extend below groundwater and require
dewatering, resulting in a permanent pit
lake after closure. Additional potentially
acid generating material would be
excavated and would be processed as
ore or stored according to their Waste
Rock Storage Plan. The plan would also
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18:35 Mar 05, 2019
Jkt 247001
necessitate an upgrade in power
distribution lines and a substation. With
the proposed expansion, mine life
would be extended to 2033, and would
be followed by mine closure and
reclamation.
The purpose of the public scoping
process is to determine relevant issues
that will influence the scope of the
environmental analysis, including
alternatives, and guide the process for
developing the EIS. At present, the BLM
has identified the following preliminary
issues: (a) Dewatering during mining
and the formation of a pit lake after
completion of mining activities; (b)
Production of acid forming rock and to
waters of the state and public lands; (c)
Potential impacts to visual resources; (d)
Potential impacts to wildlife habitat;
and (e) Potential impacts to the
Rochester Historic Mining district.
The BLM will use the procedures for
public involvement under the NEPA
process to also satisfy the public
involvement requirements under the
National Historic Preservation Act (54
U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). The information about
historic and cultural resources within
the area potentially affected by the
proposed action will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to
such resources in the context of both
NEPA and the National Historic
Preservation Act.
The BLM will consult with Indian
tribes on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175, Secretarial Order 3317,
and other policies. Tribal concerns,
including but not limited to impacts on
Indian trust assets and potential impacts
to cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with tribes and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the proposed Coeur
Rochester and Packard Mines Plan of
Operations—POA11 Project are invited
to participate in the scoping process
and, if eligible, may request or be asked
by the BLM to participate in the
development of the environmental
analysis as a cooperating agency.
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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.
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
8107
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7
David Kampwerth,
Field Manager, Humboldt River Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019–04058 Filed 3–5–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[MTM 952800; 3720–58]
Legal Description of the Limestone
Hills Training Area Withdrawal,
Montana
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of legal description.
AGENCY:
This notice provides official
publication of the legal description for
the Limestone Hills Training Area
(LHTA) Withdrawal and notification of
the availability of the map dated May
11, 2017.
DATES: The lands in the legal
description contained in this notice
were withdrawn on December 26, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Insko, Realty Specialist,
telephone: 406–533–7600; email:
minsko@blm.gov. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS)
at 1–800–877–8339 to leave a message
or question for Mr. Insko. The FRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
2912(a)(1) of Public Law 113–66,
enacted December 26, 2013, and known
as the National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014
(FY2014 NDAA), withdrew lands in the
LHTA for military purposes based on a
map dated April 10, 2013. The FY2014
NDAA required the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) to publish the
official legal description of the lands in
the Federal Register as soon as
practicable after enactment of the
legislation. The BLM could not use the
April 10, 2013, map to create a legal
description without an on-the-ground
cadastral survey, and agreed to correct
the map. Section 2850 of Public Law
115–232, enacted August 13, 2018, and
known as the NDAA for FY 2019
(FY2019 NDAA), references an updated
map dated May 11, 2017, as a technical
correction and the basis for the legal
description.
The legal description of the
withdrawal for the LHTA is as follows:
SUMMARY:
Principal Meridian, Montana
T. 5 N., R. 1 E.,
E:\FR\FM\06MRN1.SGM
06MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8106-8107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04058]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVW00000.L51100000.GN0000.LVEMF1805980.18X MO#4500131512]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed POA11 Project--Modification to the Plan of Operations for
the Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines, Pershing County, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Humboldt River
Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential impacts of approving an
expansion to the existing Coeur Rochester and Packard silver mining
operation in Pershing County, Nevada. This notice announces the
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues to be considered in the EIS, and serves to initiate
public consultation, as required under the National Historic
Preservation Act.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS.
Comments on issues to be considered in the EIS may be submitted in
writing until April 5, 2019. The dates and locations of two scoping
meetings, one in Lovelock and the other in Winnemucca, Nevada, will be
announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers
and the BLM website at: https://www.blm.gov/office/winnemucca-district-office. In order to be included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be
received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever is later. We will provide
additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of
the Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Coeur Rochester and
[[Page 8107]]
Packard Mines POA11 Project by any of the following methods:
Website: https://go.usa.gov/xPdjC.
Email: wfoweb@blm.gov. Include ``Coeur POA11 EIS
Comments'' in the subject line.
Fax: (775) 623-1503.
Mail: BLM Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field
Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, NV 89445.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the
Humboldt River Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Rehberg, telephone 775-623-
1500; address BLM Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office,
5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada 89445; email
krehberg@blm.gov. Contact Ms. Rehberg to have your name added to our
mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to
contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS 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: The applicant, Coeur Rochester Inc. has
requested to modify its approved Plan of Operations at the Rochester
and Packard mines to expand its mining operations. The mine is located
approximately 26 miles northeast of Lovelock, Nevada. The mine is
currently authorized to disturb up to 2203.1 acres (approximately 164.6
acres of private land and 2038.5 acres of public land), as permitted
under a series of Environmental Impacts Statements and Environmental
Assessments beginning with the initial Plan of Operations in 1986
through the latest EIS in 2015. Coeur Rochester Inc, is proposing to
expand and optimize their current operations. Their proposed action
would expand mining in both of their current pits (the Rochester and
Packard pits) and move, relocate, or expand: Heap leach pads, waste
rock dumps, haul roads, access road, water pipeline, and processing
facilities. The proposal would increase disturbance by 2,815.4 acres
(435.2 acres on private land and 2380.2 acres on public land).
Mining of the Rochester Pit would extend below groundwater and
require dewatering, resulting in a permanent pit lake after closure.
Additional potentially acid generating material would be excavated and
would be processed as ore or stored according to their Waste Rock
Storage Plan. The plan would also necessitate an upgrade in power
distribution lines and a substation. With the proposed expansion, mine
life would be extended to 2033, and would be followed by mine closure
and reclamation.
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis,
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS.
At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues:
(a) Dewatering during mining and the formation of a pit lake after
completion of mining activities; (b) Production of acid forming rock
and to waters of the state and public lands; (c) Potential impacts to
visual resources; (d) Potential impacts to wildlife habitat; and (e)
Potential impacts to the Rochester Historic Mining district.
The BLM will use the procedures for public involvement under the
NEPA process to also satisfy the public involvement requirements under
the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided
in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). The information about historic and cultural
resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed action
will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such
resources in the context of both NEPA and the National Historic
Preservation Act.
The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, Secretarial
Order 3317, and other policies. Tribal concerns, including but not
limited to impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, State,
and local agencies, along with tribes and other stakeholders that may
be interested in or affected by the proposed Coeur Rochester and
Packard Mines Plan of Operations--POA11 Project are invited to
participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be
asked by the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental
analysis as a cooperating agency.
Before including your address, phone number, email 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 1501.7
David Kampwerth,
Field Manager, Humboldt River Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-04058 Filed 3-5-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
