Notice of Intent To Prepare the Louse Canyon Geographic Management Area Rangeland Health Management Actions Environmental Impact Statement To Analyze Rangeland Health Management Actions in the Louse Canyon Geographic Management Area of the Malheur Field Office, Vale District, Oregon, 48373-48374 [2019-19870]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2019 / Notices Preferred Alternative, as well as amendments to the Yuma and Lake Havasu Field Office RMPs for visual resource management classes for some alternative route segments. DCR Transmission has filed an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to site the transmission infrastructure in California. The CPUC approval or denial of the CPCN application is a discretionary decision. Under California law, the CPUC would be required to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before issuing the CPCN. The CPUC is currently a cooperating agency in the BLM’s NEPA analysis. Pursuant to the Public Resources Code 21083.5 and the CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3) Section 15221, the CPUC may rely upon this EIS in lieu of all or any part of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Furthermore, this Notice of Availability serves as the notice that the CPUC will consider the EIS in its decision-making process relevant to issuance of the CPCN (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15225). All protests must be in writing and submitted as set forth in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections above. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your protest, please 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 comment 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, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5. Raymond Suazo, Arizona State Director. [FR Doc. 2019–19871 Filed 9–12–19; 8:45 am] khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 4310–32–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:09 Sep 12, 2019 Jkt 247001 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLORV00400.L16100000.MQ0000.19X.HAG 19–0114] Notice of Intent To Prepare the Louse Canyon Geographic Management Area Rangeland Health Management Actions Environmental Impact Statement To Analyze Rangeland Health Management Actions in the Louse Canyon Geographic Management Area of the Malheur Field Office, Vale District, Oregon 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) Malheur Field Office, Vale District, Vale, Oregon, intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and, by this notice, is announcing the beginning of the public scoping period for the analysis of rangeland health management actions in the Louse Canyon Geographic Management Area (LCGMA). SUMMARY: The BLM requests that comments be submitted by October 15, 2019. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meeting(s) will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media and the BLM website, www.blm.gov. DATES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • Website: https://go.usa.gov/xQeac. • Email: BLM_OR_VL_Louse_ Canyon_GMA@blm.gov. • Fax: 541–473–6213. • Mail: LCGMA, c/o Vale District BLM 100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918. Attention: Todd Allai or Dustin Fowler. Documents associated with this proposal are available at the Malheur Field Office, BLM Vale District Office, 100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918, or at https://go.usa.gov/xQeac. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project leads Todd Allai, 541–473–6355, or Dustin Fowler, 541–473–6250, via phone or via email at: BLM_OR_VL_ Louse_Canyon_GMA@blm.gov. Please contact Mr. Allai or Mr. Fowler to have your name added to the project 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 ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 48373 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 BLM Vale District is initiating an EIS in order to analyze alternative livestock management and restoration actions that would allow the district to make progress toward meeting Oregon/ Washington (OR/WA) Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management (Standards and Guidelines) in the LCGMA. The alternatives will consider grazing practices, permit renewals, and the implementation of rangeland restoration and rangeland improvement projects. Proposed rangeland management actions include: Alternative grazing systems and schedules, upland sagebrush habitat restoration, and riparian habitat restoration. The LCGMA is comprised of five grazing allotments (536,434 acres) in Malheur County, Oregon, and two grazing allotments (11,262 acres) in Humboldt County, Nevada. The Greater Sage-grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment and Record of Decision for Oregon identified the entire planning area as habitat for Greater Sage-grouse. Seventy-four percent of the planning area is identified as priority habitat, and the remaining twenty-six percent of the planning area is classified as general habitat. Approximately twenty percent of the LCGMA was impacted by the 2012 Long Draw fire. An OR/WA Standards and Guidelines evaluation of the area was completed in 2018 and can be found at https:// go.usa.gov/xQeac. The evaluation determined that certain OR/WA Standards and Guidelines are not being met within the LCGMA. Preliminary determinations of causal factors in not meeting standards identify wildfire and invasive annual grass species as likely significant causal factors for not meeting or making progress toward uplandrelated standards. Existing permitted livestock grazing is identified as a likely significant causal factor for not meeting or making progress toward meeting riparian and aquatic habitat-related standards. The BLM is proposing to analyze actions that support proper livestock grazing management practices and improve the ecological condition of the LCGMA to address making progress toward attainment of OR/WA Standards and Guidelines. Through the public scoping process, the BLM is seeking input on issues, E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM 13SEN1 khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES 48374 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2019 / Notices actions, and alternatives that should be addressed by the EIS. Potential issues include the effects of proposed management actions on: Livestock grazing, the spread of invasive species, the threat of wildfire, sagebrush ecosystems health, and Greater Sagegrouse habitat. Potential management actions include: Alternative grazing systems and schedules, upland sagebrush habitat restoration actions (invasive annual grass treatments, soil stabilization, native vegetation species diversification, shrub establishment, sagebrush thinning, and targeted grazing), riparian/meadow habitat restoration actions (erosion and waterrelated flow control structures and watering trough relocation), and livestock administration actions (fence construction, water developments, livestock trailing, and modifications to livestock range improvements). The Malheur Field Office will consult with the McDermitt Shoshone-Paiute Tribe, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, and the BurnsPaiute Tribe throughout the EIS process. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be interested or affected by the proposal, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a cooperating agency. The BLM will coordinate with Federal, State, and local officials and the affected grazing permittees throughout the EIS process. Comments can be submitted to the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Comments received will help the BLM determine the scope and breadth of the EIS. To be most helpful, please submit comments by the close of the 30-day scoping period or within 15 days after the last public meeting—whichever is later. 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. The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the EIS. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be involved in the planning process: Range management, wildlife biology, archaeology, hydrology and riparian resources, botany, soil VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:49 Sep 12, 2019 Jkt 247001 science, economics, and outdoor recreation. Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2. Theresa M. Hanley, Acting State Director, Oregon/Washington. [FR Doc. 2019–19870 Filed 9–12–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–33–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNVW00000.L5110000.GN0000. LVEMF1504350.15X MO#4500088392] Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Marigold Mining Company—Marigold Mine—Mackay Optimization Project, Humboldt County, Nevada Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: In accordance 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 has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Marigold Mine—Mackay Optimization Project (Project) and by this notice is announcing its availability. SUMMARY: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a minimum of 30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: Copies of the Marigold Mine—Mackay Optimization Project Plan of Operations and Final EIS are available for public inspection at the Winnemucca District BLM Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnnemucca, NV. Interested persons may also review the Final EIS on the internet at https://go.usa.gov/xmwds. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette Black, Project Lead, telephone 775–623–1500; address BLM Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office, 5100 E Winnemucca Boulevard., Winnemucca, NV 89445; email jblack@blm.gov. 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 DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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, Marigold Mining Company (MMC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SSR Mining Inc., has requested to optimize and modify its approved Plan of Operations by expanding its gold mining operations at the existing Marigold Mine, which is located in the southeastern portion of Humboldt County, Nevada approximately 35 miles southeast of Winnemucca. The mine is currently authorized to disturb up to 5,682.6 acres (3,211.4 acres of private land and 2,471.2 acres of public land), which was permitted under a series of Environmental Impacts Statements and Environmental Assessments from July 1988 through October 2013. The EIS analyzed the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed changes to MMC’s current operations presented under this Plan of Operations (Plan) modification. The EIS analyzed the Proposed Action and two alternatives: Alternative I:—Partial Discharge to Cottonwood Creek and Pipeline to RIBs Alternative; and the No Action Alternative. The Proposed Action, if selected by the BLM, would include 2,055.9 acres of new disturbance (800.9 acres of public land and 1,255 acres of private land), increasing the surface disturbance by a total of 7,738.5 acres (3,271.7 acres of public land and 4,466.4 acres on private land). All proposed disturbance would occur within the existing approved Plan boundary and includes combining multiple existing pits into three large pits. Waste rock storage areas, heap leach pads, and other supporting facilities would be expanded to support the pit expansion. The pits are proposed to extend below the historic water table, necessitating dewatering of the groundwater and rapid infiltration basins (RIBs) for recharging the excess water downgradient of the pits. If approved, the proposed modification would extend the mine life by up to 10 years. Under Alternative I, all components of the Proposed Action would be the same except for the proposed dewatering operation which would increase the total disturbance by approximately 4 acres. A portion of the dewatered groundwater (approximately 191 gpm) would be treated at a water treatment plant, transported via an above ground pipeline system to be discharged to the ephemeral Cottonwood Creek drainage, creating a E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM 13SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48373-48374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19870]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLORV00400.L16100000.MQ0000.19X.HAG 19-0114]


Notice of Intent To Prepare the Louse Canyon Geographic 
Management Area Rangeland Health Management Actions Environmental 
Impact Statement To Analyze Rangeland Health Management Actions in the 
Louse Canyon Geographic Management Area of the Malheur Field Office, 
Vale District, Oregon

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) Malheur Field 
Office, Vale District, Vale, Oregon, intends to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) and, by this notice, is announcing 
the beginning of the public scoping period for the analysis of 
rangeland health management actions in the Louse Canyon Geographic 
Management Area (LCGMA).

DATES: The BLM requests that comments be submitted by October 15, 2019. 
The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meeting(s) will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through local media and the BLM website, 
www.blm.gov.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://go.usa.gov/xQeac.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 541-473-6213.
     Mail: LCGMA, c/o Vale District BLM 100 Oregon Street, 
Vale, OR 97918. Attention: Todd Allai or Dustin Fowler.
    Documents associated with this proposal are available at the 
Malheur Field Office, BLM Vale District Office, 100 Oregon Street, 
Vale, OR 97918, or at https://go.usa.gov/xQeac.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project leads Todd Allai, 541-473-
6355, or Dustin Fowler, 541-473-6250, via phone or via email at: 
[email protected]. Please contact Mr. Allai or Mr. 
Fowler to have your name added to the project 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 BLM Vale District is initiating an EIS 
in order to analyze alternative livestock management and restoration 
actions that would allow the district to make progress toward meeting 
Oregon/Washington (OR/WA) Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines 
for Livestock Grazing Management (Standards and Guidelines) in the 
LCGMA. The alternatives will consider grazing practices, permit 
renewals, and the implementation of rangeland restoration and rangeland 
improvement projects. Proposed rangeland management actions include: 
Alternative grazing systems and schedules, upland sagebrush habitat 
restoration, and riparian habitat restoration.
    The LCGMA is comprised of five grazing allotments (536,434 acres) 
in Malheur County, Oregon, and two grazing allotments (11,262 acres) in 
Humboldt County, Nevada. The Greater Sage-grouse Approved Resource 
Management Plan Amendment and Record of Decision for Oregon identified 
the entire planning area as habitat for Greater Sage-grouse. Seventy-
four percent of the planning area is identified as priority habitat, 
and the remaining twenty-six percent of the planning area is classified 
as general habitat. Approximately twenty percent of the LCGMA was 
impacted by the 2012 Long Draw fire.
    An OR/WA Standards and Guidelines evaluation of the area was 
completed in 2018 and can be found at https://go.usa.gov/xQeac. The 
evaluation determined that certain OR/WA Standards and Guidelines are 
not being met within the LCGMA. Preliminary determinations of causal 
factors in not meeting standards identify wildfire and invasive annual 
grass species as likely significant causal factors for not meeting or 
making progress toward upland-related standards. Existing permitted 
livestock grazing is identified as a likely significant causal factor 
for not meeting or making progress toward meeting riparian and aquatic 
habitat-related standards. The BLM is proposing to analyze actions that 
support proper livestock grazing management practices and improve the 
ecological condition of the LCGMA to address making progress toward 
attainment of OR/WA Standards and Guidelines.
    Through the public scoping process, the BLM is seeking input on 
issues,

[[Page 48374]]

actions, and alternatives that should be addressed by the EIS. 
Potential issues include the effects of proposed management actions on: 
Livestock grazing, the spread of invasive species, the threat of 
wildfire, sagebrush ecosystems health, and Greater Sage-grouse habitat. 
Potential management actions include: Alternative grazing systems and 
schedules, upland sagebrush habitat restoration actions (invasive 
annual grass treatments, soil stabilization, native vegetation species 
diversification, shrub establishment, sagebrush thinning, and targeted 
grazing), riparian/meadow habitat restoration actions (erosion and 
water-related flow control structures and watering trough relocation), 
and livestock administration actions (fence construction, water 
developments, livestock trailing, and modifications to livestock range 
improvements).
    The Malheur Field Office will consult with the McDermitt Shoshone-
Paiute Tribe, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian 
Reservation, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, and the Burns-Paiute Tribe throughout the EIS process. 
Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that 
may be interested or affected by the proposal, are invited to 
participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be 
requested by the BLM to participate as a cooperating agency. The BLM 
will coordinate with Federal, State, and local officials and the 
affected grazing permittees throughout the EIS process.
    Comments can be submitted to the BLM using one of the methods 
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Comments received will 
help the BLM determine the scope and breadth of the EIS. To be most 
helpful, please submit comments by the close of the 30-day scoping 
period or within 15 days after the last public meeting--whichever is 
later. 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.
    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the EIS. 
Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be 
involved in the planning process: Range management, wildlife biology, 
archaeology, hydrology and riparian resources, botany, soil science, 
economics, and outdoor recreation.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Theresa M. Hanley,
Acting State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. 2019-19870 Filed 9-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-33-P

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