Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment, White Pine County, Nevada, 32046-32047 [2020-11374]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
32046
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 103 / Thursday, May 28, 2020 / Notices
incidental take of the covered species
from the implementation of the covered
activities described in the HCP. A
permit decision will be made no sooner
than 30 days after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register.
Authority
We issue this notice pursuant to
section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.) and its implementing
regulations (50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32),
and the National Environmental Policy
Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR
1506.6 and 43 CFR 46.305).
Jennifer Norris,
Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2020–11369 Filed 5–27–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLMTC02000.L51100000.GA0000.
LVEME14CE500]
Notice of Termination of Spring Creek
Coal Mine Environmental Impact
Statement, Big Horn County, MT
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of termination.
AGENCY:
The preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for Spring Creek Coal Mine is no longer
necessary and the process is hereby
terminated.
DATES: This termination takes effect
immediately.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irma
Nansel, Planning and Environmental
Coordinator, Miles City Field Office,
telephone: 406–233–3653, email:
inansel@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 Ms. Nansel during normal
business hours. The FRS is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA), as implemented by
the Council on Environmental Quality
regulations, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announced its
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS
in the Federal Register on December 14,
2016 (81 FR 90380).
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:32 May 27, 2020
Jkt 250001
The EIS was to evaluate the potential
impacts of four proposed actions related
to coal mining at the Spring Creek Mine
in Big Horn County, Montana: (1)
Federal Coal Lease by Application; (2)
Application To Modify Federal Coal
Lease; (3) Application To Amend Land
Use Permit; and (4) Application for a
Land Use Lease. The proposed actions
involved the potential sale of two tracts
of Federal coal through a Lease-ByApplication (LBA) and a lease
modification application. Both
applications covered proposed actions
for Federal coal within the Spring Creek
Mine. Related to these leasing requests,
the EIS would have also evaluated
proposed amendments to an existing
land use permit to maintain access to
mine monitoring and gauging stations
and an existing land use lease to
provide room for the placement of
overburden and infrastructure.
Since the publication of the NOI to
prepare an EIS, the BLM no longer
proposes to take action due to the
unknown timeframe to complete
required lease transfers to the new
company (the previous company filed
for bankruptcy after the NOI was
published). Lease transfers may be
prolonged due to ongoing bankruptcy
court proceedings and the primary need
to obtain required State permits to
continue current mine operations. In
addition, depending on the request by
the new company owner, the BLM
would need to determine the type of
NEPA document to be completed for the
proposed action while considering the
Miles City Field Office Supplemental
EIS Record of Decision, which was
signed on November 24, 2019. The lack
of lease and mine permit transfers in the
near future, in addition to an unknown
proposed action, has eliminated the
need for detailed analysis. Therefore,
the BLM hereby terminates preparation
of an EIS for the Spring Creek Coal
Mine.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
John Mehlhoff,
State Director, Montana/Dakotas BLM.
[FR Doc. 2020–11441 Filed 5–27–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL0000–L51100000–GN0000–
LVEMF1905850 19X MO #4500144424]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations
Amendment and Proposed Resource
Management Plan Amendment, White
Pine 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 (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely
District (EYDO), Nevada, intends to
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Robinson Mine
Plan of Operations Amendment and
proposed Amendment of the BLM Ely
District Resource Management Plan
(RMP). By this Notice, BLM is
announcing the beginning of the
scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues.
DATES: This Notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. Comments
on issues may be submitted in writing
until June 29, 2020. To maximize the
opportunity for public input on this
project while prioritizing the health and
safety of BLM employees and the
interested public, BLM will host online
virtual public scoping meetings to
provide information and gather input on
the project. The date(s) and information
on how to login and participate in these
virtual scoping meetings will be
announced at least 15 days in advance
through local media and on the BLM
website at https://go.usa.gov/xvYad. In
order to be considered in the scope of
analysis for 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 scoping 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 Robinson Mine Plan of
Operations Amendment and Proposed
Ely District RMP Amendment by any of
the following methods:
• Website: https://go.usa.gov/xvYad.
• Email: blm_nv_edyo_robinson_eis@
blm.gov.
• Mail: BLM Bristlecone Field Office,
ATTN: Robinson EIS Project, 702 North
Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 89301.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
28MYN1
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 103 / Thursday, May 28, 2020 / Notices
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the BFO.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tiera Arbogast, telephone 775–289–
1872, or email tarbogast@blm.gov.
Contact Ms. Arbogast to have your name
added to the 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 Ms. Arbogast 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. Normal
business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except for
Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
document provides notice that the BLM
EYDO, Ely, NV, intends to prepare an
EIS for the Robinson Mine Plan of
Operations Amendment, as well as a
Proposed Ely District RMP Amendment.
It also initiates the public scoping
process, and seeks public input on
preliminary issues regarding the
proposed project and RMP amendment.
The Robinson Mine is an 8,887.6-acre
copper mining operation adjacent to
Ruth, Nevada and seven miles west of
Ely, Nevada via U.S. Route 50. Project
area boundaries are within Township 16
North (T16N), Range 61 East (R61E),
Sections 1, 2, 11 through 14, 23–26, 35,
and 36; T16N, R62E, Sections 2 through
24, and 28 through 31; T16N, R63E,
Sections 7, 8, and 17 through 20; and
Township 17 North, Range 62 East,
Sections 20, 21, 28, 29, and 32 through
35, Mount Diablo Baseline and
Meridian. The BLM has received a
proposal from KGHM—Robinson
Nevada Mining Company to amend the
Robinson Project Plan of Operations to
extend the mine life to 2028 through
authorization of the following actions:
resume mining in the Liberty Pit,
construct the new King Waste Rock
Dump south of the Liberty and Ruth
Pits, and expand storage capacity at the
Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility.
The EIS will analyze an alternative to
resume waste rock placement on the
North Tripp Waste Rock Dump,
requiring North Tripp Waste Rock
Dump expansion. The proposed
activities would result in a total increase
of approximately 1,227 acres of surface
disturbance within the Project Area
Boundary for a new end of mine life
total surface disturbance of 10,115 acres.
The proposed increase would comprise
246 acres of new disturbance on private
land controlled by KGHM Robinson and
981 acres of new disturbance located on
public lands administered by the BLM.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:32 May 27, 2020
Jkt 250001
This EIS will also analyze a proposed
amendment to the Ely District RMP for
approximately 10,865 acres of BLM
lands within the Plan of Operations
boundary to be managed as Visual
Resource Management (VRM) Class IV
instead of the current VRM Class II and
VRM Class III. This would provide for
visual resource management that is
consistent with current and future
proposed mining operations.
The Robinson Mine currently operates
four open pits including the Aultman
Pit, Liberty Pit, Tripp/Veteran Pit and
Ruth West and Ruth East Pits. The
approximate total surface disturbance of
the open pits is 2,061 acres. Ruth Pit is
the only authorized pit that occurs on
BLM-administered lands, with a total
authorized surface disturbance of 36.6
acres on public land. Twelve Waste
Rock Dumps and two ore stockpiles are
authorized at Robinson Mine, with a
total combined surface disturbance of
approximately 3,055 acres, 721 acres on
public lands. Tailings produced during
milling operations are placed in the
authorized Giroux Wash Tailings
Storage Facility, approximately 1973
acres, 70.5 acres of which occur on
public lands. Other facilities that
support Robinson Mine operations
include mill and flotation circuits, gold
heap leach and process facilities,
evaporations cells and ponds, pumps
and pipelines, power substations and
distribution lines, a landfill, and a
number of other buildings and facilities,
yards, and equipment. Robinson Mine
has an ongoing exploration drilling
program to provide information for the
geologic model, better define the ore
body, and provide metallurgical
samples.
The purpose of the public scoping
process is to determine relevant issues
that will guide the planning process,
including the range of alternatives and
analysis included in the EIS.
You may submit comments in writing
to the BLM as shown in the ADDRESSES
section above. To be most helpful, your
comments should be submitted by the
close of the 30-day scoping period.
The BLM will use its fulfillment of
the NEPA public participation
requirements to assist the agency in
satisfying the public involvement
requirements under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (16
U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant to 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 Section 106 of the NHPA.
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
32047
The BLM will consult with Indian
tribes on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal
concerns, including 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 action that the
BLM is evaluating, are invited to
participate in the scoping process and,
if eligible, may request or be requested
by the BLM to participate in the
development of the environmental
analysis as a cooperating agency.
The public is encouraged to help
identify any issues, including impact
concerns or the range of alternatives that
should be analyzed, so that they that
may be addressed in the EIS. The BLM
will work collaboratively with all
interested parties to identify the issues.
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 and 43 CFR
1610.2)
Jared Bybee,
Associate District Manager, Ely District Office.
[FR Doc. 2020–11374 Filed 5–27–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLORL00000.L10200000.
XZ0000.LXSSH1050000.20X.HAG 20–0058]
Notice of Public Meetings for the
Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory
Council
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972, the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management’s (BLM) Southeast
Oregon Resource Advisory Council
(RAC) will meet as indicated below.
DATES: The Southeast Oregon RAC will
hold meetings on June 10–11, 2020, and
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
28MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 103 (Thursday, May 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32046-32047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11374]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL0000-L51100000-GN0000-LVEMF1905850 19X MO #4500144424]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment and Proposed Resource
Management Plan Amendment, White Pine 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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely
District (EYDO), Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment and
proposed Amendment of the BLM Ely District Resource Management Plan
(RMP). By this Notice, BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping
process to solicit public comments and identify issues.
DATES: This Notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS.
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until June 29, 2020. To
maximize the opportunity for public input on this project while
prioritizing the health and safety of BLM employees and the interested
public, BLM will host online virtual public scoping meetings to provide
information and gather input on the project. The date(s) and
information on how to login and participate in these virtual scoping
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local
media and on the BLM website at https://go.usa.gov/xvYad. In order to
be considered in the scope of analysis for 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 scoping 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 Robinson Mine Plan of
Operations Amendment and Proposed Ely District RMP Amendment by any of
the following methods:
Website: https://go.usa.gov/xvYad.
Email: [email protected].
Mail: BLM Bristlecone Field Office, ATTN: Robinson EIS
Project, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 89301.
[[Page 32047]]
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BFO.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiera Arbogast, telephone 775-289-
1872, or email [email protected]. Contact Ms. Arbogast to have your
name added to the 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 Ms. Arbogast 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. Normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM
EYDO, Ely, NV, intends to prepare an EIS for the Robinson Mine Plan of
Operations Amendment, as well as a Proposed Ely District RMP Amendment.
It also initiates the public scoping process, and seeks public input on
preliminary issues regarding the proposed project and RMP amendment.
The Robinson Mine is an 8,887.6-acre copper mining operation adjacent
to Ruth, Nevada and seven miles west of Ely, Nevada via U.S. Route 50.
Project area boundaries are within Township 16 North (T16N), Range 61
East (R61E), Sections 1, 2, 11 through 14, 23-26, 35, and 36; T16N,
R62E, Sections 2 through 24, and 28 through 31; T16N, R63E, Sections 7,
8, and 17 through 20; and Township 17 North, Range 62 East, Sections
20, 21, 28, 29, and 32 through 35, Mount Diablo Baseline and Meridian.
The BLM has received a proposal from KGHM--Robinson Nevada Mining
Company to amend the Robinson Project Plan of Operations to extend the
mine life to 2028 through authorization of the following actions:
resume mining in the Liberty Pit, construct the new King Waste Rock
Dump south of the Liberty and Ruth Pits, and expand storage capacity at
the Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility. The EIS will analyze an
alternative to resume waste rock placement on the North Tripp Waste
Rock Dump, requiring North Tripp Waste Rock Dump expansion. The
proposed activities would result in a total increase of approximately
1,227 acres of surface disturbance within the Project Area Boundary for
a new end of mine life total surface disturbance of 10,115 acres. The
proposed increase would comprise 246 acres of new disturbance on
private land controlled by KGHM Robinson and 981 acres of new
disturbance located on public lands administered by the BLM.
This EIS will also analyze a proposed amendment to the Ely District
RMP for approximately 10,865 acres of BLM lands within the Plan of
Operations boundary to be managed as Visual Resource Management (VRM)
Class IV instead of the current VRM Class II and VRM Class III. This
would provide for visual resource management that is consistent with
current and future proposed mining operations.
The Robinson Mine currently operates four open pits including the
Aultman Pit, Liberty Pit, Tripp/Veteran Pit and Ruth West and Ruth East
Pits. The approximate total surface disturbance of the open pits is
2,061 acres. Ruth Pit is the only authorized pit that occurs on BLM-
administered lands, with a total authorized surface disturbance of 36.6
acres on public land. Twelve Waste Rock Dumps and two ore stockpiles
are authorized at Robinson Mine, with a total combined surface
disturbance of approximately 3,055 acres, 721 acres on public lands.
Tailings produced during milling operations are placed in the
authorized Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility, approximately 1973
acres, 70.5 acres of which occur on public lands. Other facilities that
support Robinson Mine operations include mill and flotation circuits,
gold heap leach and process facilities, evaporations cells and ponds,
pumps and pipelines, power substations and distribution lines, a
landfill, and a number of other buildings and facilities, yards, and
equipment. Robinson Mine has an ongoing exploration drilling program to
provide information for the geologic model, better define the ore body,
and provide metallurgical samples.
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will guide the planning process, including the range of
alternatives and analysis included in the EIS.
You may submit comments in writing to the BLM as shown in the
ADDRESSES section above. To be most helpful, your comments should be
submitted by the close of the 30-day scoping period.
The BLM will use its fulfillment of the NEPA public participation
requirements to assist the agency in satisfying the public involvement
requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant to 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
Section 106 of the NHPA.
The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other
policies. Tribal concerns, including 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 action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate
in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis
as a cooperating agency.
The public is encouraged to help identify any issues, including
impact concerns or the range of alternatives that should be analyzed,
so that they that may be addressed in the EIS. The BLM will work
collaboratively with all interested parties to identify the issues.
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 and 43 CFR 1610.2)
Jared Bybee,
Associate District Manager, Ely District Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-11374 Filed 5-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
