Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment, White Pine County, Nevada, 43267-43268 [2021-16548]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 149 / Friday, August 6, 2021 / Notices
if the applicants are eligible to receive
title to the Federally owned mineral
interests beneath their lands.
Regulations at 43 CFR part 2720
establish guidelines and procedures for
the processing of these applications.
OMB’s approval for the information
collections approved under OMB
control number 1004–0153 is scheduled
to expire on August 31, 2021. In
accordance with OMB’s regulations at 5
CFR 1320.12, Clearance of collections of
information in current rules, this
request is for OMB to renew this OMB
control number for an additional three
years.
Title of Collection: Conveyance of
Federally Owned Mineral Interests (43
CFR part 2720).
OMB Control Number: 1004–0153.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Owners
of surface estates (i.e., individuals,
businesses, or state, local, or tribal
governments) that want to obtain
underlying Federally owned mineral
estates.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Respondents: 5.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 5.
Estimated Completion Time per
Response: 1 hour.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 5.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour
Burden Cost: $250.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor and, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, a person is not
required to respond to a collection of
information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number.
The authority for this action is the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Darrin King,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
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[FR Doc. 2021–16785 Filed 8–5–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL0000–L51100000–GN0000–
LVEMF2105850–21X MO #4500151979]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations
Amendment, White Pine 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 (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely
District (EYDO), Nevada, has prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Robinson Mine Plan of
Operations Amendment 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 Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its notice
of availability of the Robinson Mine
Plan of Operations Amendment Final
EIS DOI–BLM–NV–L060–2020–0008–
EIS in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of Robinson Mine
Plan of Operations Amendment and the
Final EIS are available for public
inspection on the internet at https://
go.usa.gov/xvYad.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
questions about the proposed project
contact Ms. Tiera Arbogast, Planning &
Environmental Coordinator, Bureau of
Land Management Ely District Office,
telephone 775–289–1872, email:
tarbogast@blm.gov, or address: 702
North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada
89301. 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, Nevada, has published a
Final EIS for the Robinson Mine Plan of
Operations Amendment project. The
Robinson Mine is an 8,887-acre copper
DATES:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
43267
mining operation adjacent to Ruth,
Nevada, seven miles west of Ely,
Nevada, via U.S. Route 50.
KGHM Robinson Nevada Mining
Company (KGHM Robinson) is
proposing additional development at
the Robinson Mine to extend mine life
approximately four additional years
beyond its currently anticipated
permanent closure in 2024. To
accomplish this, the company is
proposing renewed mining in the
eastern portions of its privately-owned
Liberty Pit and an authorization by the
BLM to access and develop two specific
areas of nearby BLM-managed public
land on which to dispose newly
generated waste rock.
Under the BLM Preferred Alternative,
KGHM Robinson would be permitted to
develop approximately 260 acres of
BLM-managed lands immediately south
of the Robinson Mine to serve as the
King Waste Rock Dump. This alternative
would also include renewed dewatering
and expanded mining operations in the
eastern portions of KGHM Robinson’s
privately owned Liberty Pit area as well
as approval to develop approximately
545 acres of BLM-managed land and 94
acres of private land adjacent to the
Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility
(TSF). These areas would be used for
obtaining borrow material for the
previously approved increase in height
of the TSF main impoundment and
perimeter dams, as well as for growth
media (i.e., topsoil) storage for final
reclamation. Approval of this alternative
would result in an additional 793 acres
of new disturbance on BLM-managed
lands as well as disturbance on
approximately 170 acres of KGHM
Robinson-owned private lands, for a
total of 963 acres of new surface
disturbance. Active life of the Robinson
Mine would be extended to 2028. The
resource impacts for Alternative B were
considered the most environmentally
preferred when compared to impacts
associated with cultural resources,
geochemistry and groundwater, waste
rock dump construction, and Greater
sage-grouse habitat under other
alternatives.
Under the No Action Alternative
(Alternative A) the BLM would not
approve the 2019 Robinson Mine Plan
of Operations Amendment as written.
Although KGHM Robinson could
continue mining on its own private
lands, no additional expansion onto
BLM-managed public lands would be
permitted. Without additional areas on
which to dispose waste rock generated
by continued mining, or the ability to
obtain substantial additional volumes of
soil to use in increasing the height of the
primary impoundment and perimeter
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43268
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 149 / Friday, August 6, 2021 / Notices
dams at the Giroux Wash Tailings
Storage Facility (TSF), KGHM Robinson
estimates that active operations at the
Robinson Mine would cease in 2024.
The Reduced King Waste Rock Dump
(WRD) and North Tripp WRD
(Alternative C) would keep all project
elements described in the 2019 Plan
Amendment, including both the North
Tripp and King WRDs; however, the
allowable footprint of the King WRD
would be reduced from the 260 acres
under the BLM Preferred Alternative to
234 acres under this alternative.
Specifically, Alternative C would
eliminate all proposed King WRD
development east of County Road 44A.
The North Tripp WRD would be
expanded onto approximately 102 acres
of BLM-managed public lands and 67
private acres. As with the BLM
Preferred Alternative, this alternative
would include dewatering and renewed
mining in the eastern portions of the
Liberty Pit and development of
approximately 545 acres of BLMmanaged public land and 94 private
acres adjacent to the Giroux Wash TSF.
This alternative would result in
approximately 869 acres of new
disturbance on BLM-managed public
lands and 237 acres of KGHM-owned
private lands, for a total of
approximately 1,106 acres of new
surface disturbance. As with the BLM
Preferred Alternative, mine life would
be extended to 2028.
The Ruth East Backfill and Reduced
King WRD Alternative (Alternative D) is
similar to Alternative B, the BLM
Preferred Alternative. Alternative D
would include renewed dewatering and
expanded mining operations in the
eastern portions of the Liberty Pit as
well as approval for KGHM Robinson to
develop a total of approximately 639
acres of mixed public and private land
adjacent to the Giroux Wash TSF.
Alternative D, like Alternative C, would
include the reduced 234-acre King
WRD. Alternative D would not,
however, include development of the
North Tripp WRD. Rather, additional
waste rock generated during continued
mining would be disposed within
approximately 160 acres of KGHMowned lands within the Ruth East Pit.
Approval of Alternative D would
therefore result in approximately 767
acres of new surface disturbance on
BLM-managed lands and 330 acres of
KGHM-owned private lands, for a total
of approximately 1,097 acres. As with
the BLM Preferred Alternative and
Alternative C, mine life would be
extended to 2028.
The Notice of Intent for this project
also included the BLM’s proposal to
amend the Ely District Resource
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19:29 Aug 05, 2021
Jkt 253001
Management Plan for Visual Resource
Management classes. During scoping,
however, the BLM determined that a
Resource Management Plan amendment
is not required, and therefore it is no
longer being analyzed as part of this
Final EIS. On September 14, 2020, the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
revision to the NEPA Regulations went
into effect. The final rule does not apply
to the NEPA analysis for the Robinson
Mine Plan of Operations Amendment,
as it began prior to September 14, 2020.
A Notice of Availability of the Draft
EIS for the proposed project was
published in the Federal Register on
December 4, 2020 (85 FR 78351). A
virtual public meeting was held during
the comment period. The BLM received
18 public comment documents during
the 45-day comment period. The
documents contained 56 unique and
substantive comments which included
concerns on mine closure and
reclamation planning, greater sage
grouse protection, general wildlife
issues, mitigation measures, and
geochemistry issues primarily related to
pit lakes and assumed contaminant
seepage. Comments on the Draft EIS
received from the public and internal
BLM review were considered and
incorporated, as appropriate, into the
Final EIS. Public comments resulted in
corrections or the addition of clarifying
text but did not change the proposed
action.
The BLM has consulted with the
Nevada State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO) on the Project in
accordance with the 2014 State Protocol
Agreement between the BLM and
Nevada SHPO for Implementing the
National Historic Preservation Act. The
BLM has determined that the Project
would cause adverse effects to eight
historic properties and five unevaluated
archaeological resources. The BLM and
Nevada SHPO executed a Programmatic
Agreement in 2016 to resolve adverse
effects to cultural resources in the
Robinson Nevada Mining Company
Area of Potential Effect. The 2016
programmatic agreement outlines the
process by which these resources will
be evaluated and mitigated. BLM has
consulted with SHPO on the mitigation
measures for these sites and concurred
upon the treatment. The specific actions
necessary to resolve adverse effects to
historic properties will be carried out
prior to Project implementation.
The BLM has initiated ongoing
consultation 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
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
resources, will be given due
consideration and have been analyzed
in the Final EIS.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1502)
Robbie McAboy,
District Manager, Ely District Office.
[FR Doc. 2021–16548 Filed 8–5–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[212.LLIDT02000.L12200000.JX0000
.241A0.4500154358]
Notice of Availability of the Cedar
Fields Plan Amendment Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Monument Resource Management
Plan, Idaho
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 (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared the Draft Monument Resource
Management Plan (RMP) Amendment
and Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Cedar Fields
Project Area and by this notice is
announcing the opening of the public
comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS within 90 days
following the date the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its Notice
of Availability in the Federal Register.
The BLM will announce future meetings
or hearings at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media releases,
and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS by any of the following
methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/36660/510.
• Email: blm_id_
monumentcassiarmpamend@blm.gov.
• Fax: 208–677–6699.
• Mail: BLM Burley Field Office, 15
East 200 South, Burley, ID 83318.
Copies of the Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS are available in the Burley
Field Office at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa
Cresswell, Assistant Field Manager,
Shoshone Field Office, telephone 208–
732–7270; address BLM Burley Field
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 149 (Friday, August 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43267-43268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16548]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL0000-L51100000-GN0000-LVEMF2105850-21X MO #4500151979]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment, White
Pine County, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: 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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely
District (EYDO), Nevada, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment
project and by this notice is announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a
minimum of 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency publishes
its notice of availability of the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations
Amendment Final EIS DOI-BLM-NV-L060-2020-0008-EIS in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment and the
Final EIS are available for public inspection on the internet at
https://go.usa.gov/xvYad.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the proposed
project contact Ms. Tiera Arbogast, Planning & Environmental
Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management Ely District Office, telephone
775-289-1872, email: [email protected], or address: 702 North
Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 89301. 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, Nevada, has published a Final EIS for the Robinson Mine Plan
of Operations Amendment project. The Robinson Mine is an 8,887-acre
copper mining operation adjacent to Ruth, Nevada, seven miles west of
Ely, Nevada, via U.S. Route 50.
KGHM Robinson Nevada Mining Company (KGHM Robinson) is proposing
additional development at the Robinson Mine to extend mine life
approximately four additional years beyond its currently anticipated
permanent closure in 2024. To accomplish this, the company is proposing
renewed mining in the eastern portions of its privately-owned Liberty
Pit and an authorization by the BLM to access and develop two specific
areas of nearby BLM-managed public land on which to dispose newly
generated waste rock.
Under the BLM Preferred Alternative, KGHM Robinson would be
permitted to develop approximately 260 acres of BLM-managed lands
immediately south of the Robinson Mine to serve as the King Waste Rock
Dump. This alternative would also include renewed dewatering and
expanded mining operations in the eastern portions of KGHM Robinson's
privately owned Liberty Pit area as well as approval to develop
approximately 545 acres of BLM-managed land and 94 acres of private
land adjacent to the Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). These
areas would be used for obtaining borrow material for the previously
approved increase in height of the TSF main impoundment and perimeter
dams, as well as for growth media (i.e., topsoil) storage for final
reclamation. Approval of this alternative would result in an additional
793 acres of new disturbance on BLM-managed lands as well as
disturbance on approximately 170 acres of KGHM Robinson-owned private
lands, for a total of 963 acres of new surface disturbance. Active life
of the Robinson Mine would be extended to 2028. The resource impacts
for Alternative B were considered the most environmentally preferred
when compared to impacts associated with cultural resources,
geochemistry and groundwater, waste rock dump construction, and Greater
sage-grouse habitat under other alternatives.
Under the No Action Alternative (Alternative A) the BLM would not
approve the 2019 Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment as written.
Although KGHM Robinson could continue mining on its own private lands,
no additional expansion onto BLM-managed public lands would be
permitted. Without additional areas on which to dispose waste rock
generated by continued mining, or the ability to obtain substantial
additional volumes of soil to use in increasing the height of the
primary impoundment and perimeter
[[Page 43268]]
dams at the Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), KGHM Robinson
estimates that active operations at the Robinson Mine would cease in
2024.
The Reduced King Waste Rock Dump (WRD) and North Tripp WRD
(Alternative C) would keep all project elements described in the 2019
Plan Amendment, including both the North Tripp and King WRDs; however,
the allowable footprint of the King WRD would be reduced from the 260
acres under the BLM Preferred Alternative to 234 acres under this
alternative. Specifically, Alternative C would eliminate all proposed
King WRD development east of County Road 44A. The North Tripp WRD would
be expanded onto approximately 102 acres of BLM-managed public lands
and 67 private acres. As with the BLM Preferred Alternative, this
alternative would include dewatering and renewed mining in the eastern
portions of the Liberty Pit and development of approximately 545 acres
of BLM-managed public land and 94 private acres adjacent to the Giroux
Wash TSF. This alternative would result in approximately 869 acres of
new disturbance on BLM-managed public lands and 237 acres of KGHM-owned
private lands, for a total of approximately 1,106 acres of new surface
disturbance. As with the BLM Preferred Alternative, mine life would be
extended to 2028.
The Ruth East Backfill and Reduced King WRD Alternative
(Alternative D) is similar to Alternative B, the BLM Preferred
Alternative. Alternative D would include renewed dewatering and
expanded mining operations in the eastern portions of the Liberty Pit
as well as approval for KGHM Robinson to develop a total of
approximately 639 acres of mixed public and private land adjacent to
the Giroux Wash TSF. Alternative D, like Alternative C, would include
the reduced 234-acre King WRD. Alternative D would not, however,
include development of the North Tripp WRD. Rather, additional waste
rock generated during continued mining would be disposed within
approximately 160 acres of KGHM-owned lands within the Ruth East Pit.
Approval of Alternative D would therefore result in approximately 767
acres of new surface disturbance on BLM-managed lands and 330 acres of
KGHM-owned private lands, for a total of approximately 1,097 acres. As
with the BLM Preferred Alternative and Alternative C, mine life would
be extended to 2028.
The Notice of Intent for this project also included the BLM's
proposal to amend the Ely District Resource Management Plan for Visual
Resource Management classes. During scoping, however, the BLM
determined that a Resource Management Plan amendment is not required,
and therefore it is no longer being analyzed as part of this Final EIS.
On September 14, 2020, the Council on Environmental Quality's revision
to the NEPA Regulations went into effect. The final rule does not apply
to the NEPA analysis for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations
Amendment, as it began prior to September 14, 2020.
A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for the proposed project
was published in the Federal Register on December 4, 2020 (85 FR
78351). A virtual public meeting was held during the comment period.
The BLM received 18 public comment documents during the 45-day comment
period. The documents contained 56 unique and substantive comments
which included concerns on mine closure and reclamation planning,
greater sage grouse protection, general wildlife issues, mitigation
measures, and geochemistry issues primarily related to pit lakes and
assumed contaminant seepage. Comments on the Draft EIS received from
the public and internal BLM review were considered and incorporated, as
appropriate, into the Final EIS. Public comments resulted in
corrections or the addition of clarifying text but did not change the
proposed action.
The BLM has consulted with the Nevada State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO) on the Project in accordance with the 2014 State Protocol
Agreement between the BLM and Nevada SHPO for Implementing the National
Historic Preservation Act. The BLM has determined that the Project
would cause adverse effects to eight historic properties and five
unevaluated archaeological resources. The BLM and Nevada SHPO executed
a Programmatic Agreement in 2016 to resolve adverse effects to cultural
resources in the Robinson Nevada Mining Company Area of Potential
Effect. The 2016 programmatic agreement outlines the process by which
these resources will be evaluated and mitigated. BLM has consulted with
SHPO on the mitigation measures for these sites and concurred upon the
treatment. The specific actions necessary to resolve adverse effects to
historic properties will be carried out prior to Project
implementation.
The BLM has initiated ongoing consultation 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 and have been analyzed in the Final EIS.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1502)
Robbie McAboy,
District Manager, Ely District Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-16548 Filed 8-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
