Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Hycroft Mine Phase II Expansion Project, Humboldt and Pershing, Counties, Nevada, 22514-22515 [2019-10290]
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22514
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 96 / Friday, May 17, 2019 / Notices
Alternative B is the agency preferred
alternative. Alternative B focuses on
active forest management and allows for
the broadest range of management tools
to provide forest products and meet
forest management objectives.
Alternative B provides for moving forest
vegetative communities to the natural
range of variability to provide for
priority wildlife habitat and sustainable
forest products at a greater rate with
increased forest treatments. Alternative
B allows more lands to be available for
livestock grazing as a management tool.
Alternative B allocates the most acres of
special recreation management areas.
Alternative C would have less active
forest management and emphasizes
priority areas for wildlife habitat and
vegetation, while allowing for modest
development of forest resources.
Alternative C aims to move forested
ecosystems towards the natural range of
variability with an emphasis on natural
processes and less active management
(lower amounts of forest treatments).
Alternative C focuses on wildlifedependent recreation with four
Backcountry Conservation Areas aimed
at hunting, fishing, and big game habitat
objectives. Alternative C identifies a
wider corridor for the Lewis and Clark
National Historic Trail.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7–2(b), this
notice announces a concurrent public
comment period for potential ACECs.
The proposed ACECs include:
• Bear Creek Flats: (565 acres)
Alternative A;
• Limestone Cliffs: (20 acres)
Alternatives A and C; and
• Phil Wright Rock: (640 acres)
Alternatives B and C.
The ACECs are proposed to protect
biological, botanical, geologic,
recreational and scenic values. If
formally designated, the following
management prescriptions could apply
to potential ACECs, depending on
proposed management prescriptions for
each proposed ACEC: Avoid or exclude
ROWs; close to non-energy solid
leasable mineral leasing; close to
mineral materials disposal; recommend
withdrawal of locatable mineral
development; close to saleable mineral
development; manage for higher visual
resource values; close or limit motorized
and/or off-highway vehicle travel to
designated routes; close to commercial
timber harvest.
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 May 16, 2019
Jkt 247001
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 43 CFR
1610.2.
Donato J. Judice,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019–10147 Filed 5–16–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Fish and Wildlife Service
[DOI–BLM–NV–W030–2015–0007–EIS MO
#4500132167]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Hycroft Mine Phase II
Expansion Project, Humboldt and
Pershing, Counties, Nevada
Bureau of Land Management,
Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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) Black Rock
Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) have prepared a joint Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and by this notice are announcing the
beginning of the public comment period
to solicit public comments on the Draft
EIS. The BLM is the lead agency in
development of the Draft EIS and will
be evaluating Hycroft Resource and
Development, Inc.’s (HRDI’s) request for
the proposed expansion of their gold
and silver mining operations at the
existing Hycroft Mine. The USFWS is a
coordinating agency with the BLM on
the development of this Draft EIS and
will evaluate the applicant’s Eagle
Conservation Plan (ECP), which
describes their request to remove
inactive (i.e., outside the nesting season)
eagle nests and a 30-year incidental take
permit for golden eagles under the Bald
and Golden Eagle Protection Act (Eagle
Act).
DATES: This notice initiates the public
comment period for the Draft EIS.
Comments may be submitted in writing
until July 1, 2019. The date(s) and
location(s) of any comment meetings
will be announced at least 15 days in
advance through local media,
newspapers and the BLM website at:
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
https://go.usa.gov/xEmuU. In order to
be included in the Draft EIS, all
comments must be received prior to the
close of the 45-day public comment
period. We will provide additional
opportunities for public participation
upon publication of the Final EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Hycroft Mine Phase II
Expansion Project by any of the
following methods:
Project Mining Expansion:
• Website: https://go.usa.gov/xEmuU
• Email: wfoweb@blm.gov
• Fax: (775) 623–1503
• Mail: 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd.,
Winnemucca, NV 89445
Eagle Take Permit:
• Email: fw8_eaglepermits@fws.gov
• Fax: (916) 414–6486
• Mail: 2800 Cottage Way, W–2605,
Sacramento, CA 95825
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
questions about the proposed mine
expansion contact Taylor Grysen BLM
Project Manager, telephone: (775) 623–
1500, address: 5100 E. Winnemucca
Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada 89445.
For questions about the eagle take
permit contact: Heather Beeler—USFWS
Project Manager, telephone: (916) 414–
6651, address: 2800 Cottage Way, W–
2605, Sacramento, California 95825.
Contact Taylor Grysen 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: HRDI has
proposed an expansion to their gold and
silver mining operations at the existing
Hycroft Mine, which is located
approximately 55 miles west of
Winnemucca, Nevada, in Humboldt and
Pershing Counties. The Hycroft Mine
Phase II Expansion Project (Project)
proposes to increase the authorized Plan
of Operations (Plan) boundary to 27,835
acres, of which 26,082 acres would be
on BLM-administered public lands.
Under the proposed Project, the surface
disturbance would increase by 8,737
acres, from 6,144 acres to 14,881 acres,
which includes 13,141 acres located on
land administered by the BLM Black
Rock Field Office. Surface disturbance
on private land would decrease by 44
acres, from 1,784 acres to 1,740 acres.
The proposed Project would include the
following activities: Expanding the
authorized Plan boundary to the east;
E:\FR\FM\17MYN1.SGM
17MYN1
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 96 / Friday, May 17, 2019 / Notices
extending mining and ore processing
activities to 2041; increasing the rate of
process water pumping and extending
until 2041; constructing and operating
the Northeast Tailings Storage Facility
(TSF) and associated pipeline corridor
and haul road; constructing and
operating the North Heap Leach Facility
(HLF) East expansion and associated
solution ponds; expanding the existing
Brimstone Pit below the pre-mining
groundwater table; conducting active
dewatering of the Brimstone Pit through
the installation and operation of
dewatering wells; conducting passive
dewatering within the expanded pit
footprint; expanding the South Waste
Rock Facility (WRF); modifying the
approved land use in the South
Processing Complex to allow for the
option of constructing the Southwest
WRF in place of the complex, if desired;
modifying waste backfill plans with
respect to the proposed mining plan;
expanding haul and secondary roads
around the pits, WRFs, HLFs, and TSF;
modifying the milling operation to
process ore in an ambient oxidation and
leaching process; constructing and
operating an oxygen plant; constructing
stormwater diversions, installing
culverts, and other stormwater controls;
constructing growth media stockpiles;
incorporating four HRDI rights-of-way
(ROWs) (microwave repeater site and
road [NVN046292], Floka access road
[NVN054893], buried pipeline, wells,
power distribution and access roads
[NVN046564], and road and water
pipeline [NVN039119]) that exist
wholly within the authorized Plan
boundary into the amendment to the
Plan and relinquish the ROWs with the
BLM; continuing use of the well field
ROW; relocating rangeland
improvement facilities within the
footprint of the Northeast TSF; rerouting
Rosebud Road around the Northeast
TSF; reallocating 10 acres of exploration
disturbance on private land to public
land; and implementing the authorized
and proposed additional applicantcommitted Environmental Protection
Measures to new facilities and activities.
In addition, the Project would affect
golden eagle nests and territories;
therefore, HRDI has requested
authorization from the USFWS to
remove inactive eagle nests and a 30year incidental take permit for golden
eagles under the Eagle Act. HRDI’s ECP
is the foundation of the permit
application and contains commitments
to avoid, minimize, and mitigate
adverse effects on golden eagles
resulting from the implementation of
the Project.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:05 May 16, 2019
Jkt 247001
The purpose of this comment period
is for the public to comment on the
Draft EIS. The Draft EIS, through
scoping, has identified and analyzed
impacts to the following resources areas:
Air and atmospheric resources; cultural
resources (including National Historic
Trails); noxious weeds, invasive species,
and nonnative species; migratory birds;
Native American religious concerns;
wastes and materials (hazardous and
solid); water quality (surface and
ground); geology, minerals, and energy;
golden eagles; lands and realty;
paleontology; rangeland management;
recreation; social values and economics;
soils; special status species (plants and
wildlife); transportation and access;
vegetation; visual resources; and
wildlife.
The Draft EIS describes and analyzes
the proposed Project’s direct, indirect,
and cumulative impacts on all affected
resources. In addition to the Mine
Expansion Proposed Action (BLM
Decision) and the Eagle Take Permit
Proposed Action (USFWS Eagle Permit
Decision), the following alternatives are
also analyzed in the document: The
Mine Expansion Alternative A (BLM
Alternative Decision), referred to as
Alternative A; Eagle Take Permit
Alternative A (USFWS Alternative A
Eagle Permit Decision); the BLM No
Action Alternative; and the USFWS No
Action Alternative.
The BLM and USFWS have consulted
and continue to consult with Indian
tribes on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal
concerns, including impacts to Indian
trust assets and potential impacts to
cultural resources have been analyzed
in the Draft EIS. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with tribes and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the proposed Project that the
BLM and USFWS is evaluating, 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.
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
22515
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Mark Hall,
Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management,
Black Rock Field Office.
Jody Holzworth,
Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Pacific Southwest Region,
Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2019–10290 Filed 5–16–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[L13200000 DS0000 LXSSK1700000 19X
LLWYP07000]
Notice of Availability for the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement and Potential Amendment
for the Approved Resource
Management Plan for the Buffalo Field
Office, Wyoming
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) Wyoming Buffalo
Field Office is preparing a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the 2015 Buffalo
Field Office Approved Resource
Management Plan (RMP). This effort is
in response to a United States District
Court of Montana opinion and order
(Western Organization of Resource
Councils, et al. v. BLM). By this notice,
the BLM is announcing the opening of
the public comment period on the Draft
Supplemental EIS.
DATES: To ensure that we can
adequately consider all comments, the
BLM must receive written comments by
August 15, 2019. During the public
comment period, the BLM will hold a
public meeting to discuss the project
with interested parties. The BLM will
announce this meeting through local
news media, newsletters, our ePlanning
website (https://go.usa.gov/xP6S3), and
the BLM website (https://www.blm.gov/
wyoming) at least 15 days prior to the
meeting.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Draft Supplemental EIS by
any of the following methods:
• Website: https://go.usa.gov/xP6S3.
• Email: blm_wy_bfo_coal_seis@
blm.gov.
• Mail: Buffalo RMP SEIS, Attn:
Thomas Bills, Project Manager, BLM
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\17MYN1.SGM
17MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22514-22515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10290]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Fish and Wildlife Service
[DOI-BLM-NV-W030-2015-0007-EIS MO #4500132167]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Hycroft Mine Phase II Expansion Project,
Humboldt and Pershing, Counties, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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) Black Rock
Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) have prepared a joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and by this notice are announcing the beginning of the public
comment period to solicit public comments on the Draft EIS. The BLM is
the lead agency in development of the Draft EIS and will be evaluating
Hycroft Resource and Development, Inc.'s (HRDI's) request for the
proposed expansion of their gold and silver mining operations at the
existing Hycroft Mine. The USFWS is a coordinating agency with the BLM
on the development of this Draft EIS and will evaluate the applicant's
Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP), which describes their request to remove
inactive (i.e., outside the nesting season) eagle nests and a 30-year
incidental take permit for golden eagles under the Bald and Golden
Eagle Protection Act (Eagle Act).
DATES: This notice initiates the public comment period for the Draft
EIS. Comments may be submitted in writing until July 1, 2019. The
date(s) and location(s) of any comment meetings will be announced at
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM
website at: https://go.usa.gov/xEmuU. In order to be included in the
Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the close of the 45-
day public comment period. We will provide additional opportunities for
public participation upon publication of the Final EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Hycroft Mine Phase II
Expansion Project by any of the following methods:
Project Mining Expansion:
Website: https://go.usa.gov/xEmuU
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (775) 623-1503
Mail: 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV 89445
Eagle Take Permit:
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (916) 414-6486
Mail: 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the proposed mine
expansion contact Taylor Grysen BLM Project Manager, telephone: (775)
623-1500, address: 5100 E. Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada
89445. For questions about the eagle take permit contact: Heather
Beeler--USFWS Project Manager, telephone: (916) 414-6651, address: 2800
Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825. Contact Taylor
Grysen 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: HRDI has proposed an expansion to their gold
and silver mining operations at the existing Hycroft Mine, which is
located approximately 55 miles west of Winnemucca, Nevada, in Humboldt
and Pershing Counties. The Hycroft Mine Phase II Expansion Project
(Project) proposes to increase the authorized Plan of Operations (Plan)
boundary to 27,835 acres, of which 26,082 acres would be on BLM-
administered public lands. Under the proposed Project, the surface
disturbance would increase by 8,737 acres, from 6,144 acres to 14,881
acres, which includes 13,141 acres located on land administered by the
BLM Black Rock Field Office. Surface disturbance on private land would
decrease by 44 acres, from 1,784 acres to 1,740 acres. The proposed
Project would include the following activities: Expanding the
authorized Plan boundary to the east;
[[Page 22515]]
extending mining and ore processing activities to 2041; increasing the
rate of process water pumping and extending until 2041; constructing
and operating the Northeast Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) and
associated pipeline corridor and haul road; constructing and operating
the North Heap Leach Facility (HLF) East expansion and associated
solution ponds; expanding the existing Brimstone Pit below the pre-
mining groundwater table; conducting active dewatering of the Brimstone
Pit through the installation and operation of dewatering wells;
conducting passive dewatering within the expanded pit footprint;
expanding the South Waste Rock Facility (WRF); modifying the approved
land use in the South Processing Complex to allow for the option of
constructing the Southwest WRF in place of the complex, if desired;
modifying waste backfill plans with respect to the proposed mining
plan; expanding haul and secondary roads around the pits, WRFs, HLFs,
and TSF; modifying the milling operation to process ore in an ambient
oxidation and leaching process; constructing and operating an oxygen
plant; constructing stormwater diversions, installing culverts, and
other stormwater controls; constructing growth media stockpiles;
incorporating four HRDI rights-of-way (ROWs) (microwave repeater site
and road [NVN046292], Floka access road [NVN054893], buried pipeline,
wells, power distribution and access roads [NVN046564], and road and
water pipeline [NVN039119]) that exist wholly within the authorized
Plan boundary into the amendment to the Plan and relinquish the ROWs
with the BLM; continuing use of the well field ROW; relocating
rangeland improvement facilities within the footprint of the Northeast
TSF; rerouting Rosebud Road around the Northeast TSF; reallocating 10
acres of exploration disturbance on private land to public land; and
implementing the authorized and proposed additional applicant-committed
Environmental Protection Measures to new facilities and activities. In
addition, the Project would affect golden eagle nests and territories;
therefore, HRDI has requested authorization from the USFWS to remove
inactive eagle nests and a 30-year incidental take permit for golden
eagles under the Eagle Act. HRDI's ECP is the foundation of the permit
application and contains commitments to avoid, minimize, and mitigate
adverse effects on golden eagles resulting from the implementation of
the Project.
The purpose of this comment period is for the public to comment on
the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS, through scoping, has identified and
analyzed impacts to the following resources areas: Air and atmospheric
resources; cultural resources (including National Historic Trails);
noxious weeds, invasive species, and nonnative species; migratory
birds; Native American religious concerns; wastes and materials
(hazardous and solid); water quality (surface and ground); geology,
minerals, and energy; golden eagles; lands and realty; paleontology;
rangeland management; recreation; social values and economics; soils;
special status species (plants and wildlife); transportation and
access; vegetation; visual resources; and wildlife.
The Draft EIS describes and analyzes the proposed Project's direct,
indirect, and cumulative impacts on all affected resources. In addition
to the Mine Expansion Proposed Action (BLM Decision) and the Eagle Take
Permit Proposed Action (USFWS Eagle Permit Decision), the following
alternatives are also analyzed in the document: The Mine Expansion
Alternative A (BLM Alternative Decision), referred to as Alternative A;
Eagle Take Permit Alternative A (USFWS Alternative A Eagle Permit
Decision); the BLM No Action Alternative; and the USFWS No Action
Alternative.
The BLM and USFWS have consulted and continue to consult with
Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis in accordance with
Executive Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal concerns, including
impacts to Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural
resources have been analyzed in the Draft EIS. Federal, State, and
local agencies, along with tribes and other stakeholders that may be
interested in or affected by the proposed Project that the BLM and
USFWS is evaluating, 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.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Mark Hall,
Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Black Rock Field Office.
Jody Holzworth,
Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest
Region, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2019-10290 Filed 5-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P