Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Grassy Mountain Mine Project, Malheur County, Oregon, 19346-19348 [2024-05719]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
19346
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 53 / Monday, March 18, 2024 / Notices
and Tp. 52 S., R. 69 E.
U.S. Survey No. 14617, accepted February
20, 2024, situated in Tp. 52 S., R. 69 E.
U.S. Survey No. 14618, accepted February
20, 2024, situated in Tp. 52 S., R. 69 E.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
T. 30 S., R. 30 W., accepted February 20,
2024.
T. 14 S., R. 60 W., accepted March 8, 2024.
[FR Doc. 2024–05670 Filed 3–15–24; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
A person or party who wishes to
protest one or more plats of survey
identified above must file a written
notice of protest with the State Director
for the BLM in Alaska. The protest may
be filed by mailing to BLM State
Director, Alaska State Office, Bureau of
Land Management, 222 W 7th Avenue,
Anchorage, AK 99513 or by delivering
it in person to BLM Alaska Public
Information Center, Fitzgerald Federal
Building, 222 W 7th Avenue,
Anchorage, Alaska. The notice of protest
must identify the plat(s) of survey that
the person or party wishes to protest.
You must file the notice of protest
before the scheduled date of official
filing for the plat(s) of survey being
protested. The BLM will not consider
any notice of protest filed after the
scheduled date of official filing. A
notice of protest is considered filed on
the date it is received by the State
Director for the BLM in Alaska during
regular business hours; if received after
regular business hours, a notice of
protest will be considered filed the next
business day. A written statement of
reasons in support of a protest, if not
filed with the notice of protest, must be
filed with the State Director for the BLM
in Alaska within 30 calendar days after
the notice of protest is filed.
If a notice of protest against a plat of
survey is received prior to the
scheduled date of official filing, the
official filing of the plat of survey
identified in the notice of protest will be
stayed pending consideration of the
protest. A plat of survey will not be
officially filed until the dismissal or
resolution of all protests of the plat.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personally identifiable information in a
notice of protest or statement of reasons,
you should be aware that the documents
you submit, including your personally
identifiable information, may be made
publicly available in their entirety at
any time. While you can ask the BLM
to withhold your personally identifiable
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
17:07 Mar 15, 2024
Thomas B. O’Toole
Chief Cadastral Surveyor, Alaska.
BILLING CODE 4331–10–P
Seward Meridian, Alaska
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Authority: 43 U.S.C. Chap. 3.
Jkt 262001
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_OR_FRN_MO4500177683]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Grassy Mountain Mine
Project, Malheur County, Oregon
AGENCY:
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
Notice of intent.
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)
Vale District Office, Vale, Oregon,
intends to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to consider the
effects of Calico Resources USA’s
(proponent) proposal to construct,
operate, reclaim, and close an
underground mining and precious metal
milling operation known as the Grassy
Mountain Mine Project. By this notice,
the BLM announces the beginning of the
scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. The BLM
requests that the public submit
comments concerning the scope of the
analysis, potential alternatives, and
identification of relevant information
and studies by April 17, 2024. To afford
the BLM the opportunity to consider
comments in the Draft EIS, please
ensure your comments are received
prior to the close of the 30-day scoping
period or 15 days after the last public
meeting, whichever is later.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Grassy Mountain Mine
Project by any of the following methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510.
• Email: blm_or_vl_grassymtn@
blm.gov.
• Fax: 541–473–6213.
• Mail: Vale BLM District Office, 100
Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at https://
eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/
project/2030186/510 and at the Vale
BLM District Office, 100 Oregon Street,
Vale, OR 97918.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00053
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Daniel Pike, Geologist; 541–473–6369,
100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918;
jpike@blm.gov. Contact Daniel Pike to
have your name added to our mailing
list. Individuals in the United States
who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing,
or have a speech disability may dial 711
(TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for
contacting Daniel Pike. Individuals
outside the United States should use the
relay services offered within their
country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United
States.
The
proponent requests BLM approval to
construct, operate, reclaim, and close an
underground mining and precious metal
milling operation, including associated
structures and facilities, known as the
Grassy Mountain Mine Project.
In addition to approval of the mine
plan of operations, the proponent also
seeks BLM’s concurrence for occupancy
incident to the mining operations and a
right-of-way (ROW) grant, parallel to the
access road, for a transmission line to
provide electricity for facilities and
operations at the mine.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Federal Action
The BLM is responsible for
administering mineral rights access on
certain federal lands as authorized by
the General Mining Law of 1872. Under
the law, qualified prospectors are
entitled to reasonable access to mineral
deposits on public domain lands that
have not been withdrawn from mineral
entry. To use public lands managed by
the BLM for locatable mineral
exploration and development, persons
must comply with FLPMA and the
BLM’s implementing regulations
governing surface management,
occupancy, and, where appropriate,
ROW grants across public lands, at title
43 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), parts 3809, 3715, and 2800,
respectively, as well as other applicable
statutes and regulations. The purpose of
this Federal action is to analyze the
environmental effects associated with
approving, denying, or conditionally
approving the proposed action. The
need for Federal action is established by
the BLM’s responsibilities under
FLPMA and its implementing
regulations to respond to the
proponent’s request for approval of a
plan of operations for the proponent to
exercise its rights under the General
Mining Law of 1872, as well as the
proponent’s related proposal to occupy
BLM-administered lands more than the
14 calendar days within a 90-day period
E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM
18MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 53 / Monday, March 18, 2024 / Notices
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
at a single location (43 CFR subpart
3715) and its application for a
transmission line ROW across BLMadministered public lands.
Preliminary Proposed Action and
Alternatives
The proponent’s proposed action is to
construct, operate, reclaim, and close an
underground mining and precious metal
milling operation, including associated
structures and facilities. The project
would be located in Malheur County,
Oregon, approximately 22 miles southsouthwest of Vale, Oregon, in Sections
5, 6, 7, and 8, Township 22S, Range
44E, Willamette Base & Meridian. The
project would consist of a mine and
process plant area and a project access
area. Access to the mine would be along
an existing road, though road
improvements would need to be made
to accommodate large mining vehicles.
The proponent proposes to mine
approximately 2.07 million tons of millgrade ore and 0.27 million tons of waste
rock for a mine operation of
approximately 8 years. The project
would result in approximately 487.9
acres of proposed surface disturbance
on 18.9 acres of private land and 469
acres of public land. The project would
include the following major
components:
• One underground mine;
• One waste rock storage area;
• One carbon-in-leach processing
plant;
• Three borrow pit areas;
• One tailings storage facility;
• Run-of-mine ore stockpile;
• One reclaim pond;
• A water supply well field and
pipeline, associated water delivery
pipelines, and power;
• A power substation and distribution
system;
• Access and haul roads;
• Ancillary facilities that include the
following: haul, secondary, and
exploration roads; truck workshop;
warehouse; storm water diversions;
sediment control basins; reagent and
fuel storage; storage and laydown yards;
explosive magazines; freshwater storage;
monitoring wells; meteorological
station; administration/security
building; borrow areas; landfill; growth
media stockpiles; and solid and
hazardous waste management facilities
to manage wastes; and
• Reclamation and closure, including
the development of an evaporation cell
for potential long-term discharge from
the tailings storage facility.
The main access area is in portions of
Section 5, T22S, R44E; Sections 3, 10,
11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 32,
T21S, R44E; Sections 1, 12, 13, 14, 23,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:07 Mar 15, 2024
Jkt 262001
26, 27, and 34, T20S, R44E; Sections 6
and 7, T20S, R45E; and Sections 22, 23,
26, 35, and 36, T19S, R44E. The access
road and its analysis corridor cover 876
acres. In addition to approval of the
mine plan of operations, the proponent
also seeks BLM’s concurrence for
occupancy incident to the mining
operations and a ROW grant, parallel to
the access road, for a transmission line
to provide electricity for facilities and
operations at the mine.
At present, there are two alternatives
that will be considered. Under the No
Action alternative, the BLM would
disapprove the plan of operations, issue
a determination of non-concurrence for
occupancy, and deny the application for
a ROW grant for a transmission line.
The proponent, with permits from the
Oregon Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries, could conduct
mining operations on their privately
held parcels of land. The facilities that
they propose building on BLMadministered lands would not be
constructed, and current land use would
continue, including grazing and notice
level work by the proponent on BLMadministered land where it has valid
mining claims. This notice level work
would be limited to five acres of ground
disturbance, and the proponent would
be required to reclaim these acres once
the notice level activity is completed.
The action, as proposed by the
proponent, will be considered in the
EIS. If the proposed action would cause
unnecessary or undue degradation, the
BLM will consider an alternative with
mitigation measures necessary to
prevent unnecessary or undue
degradation. Other alternatives may be
identified after scoping has been
completed and the alternatives/issues
meeting with the interdisciplinary team
takes place. The proponent has prepared
an alternatives analysis for the state
agencies, which has been provided to
the BLM. The BLM welcomes comments
on these preliminary alternatives as well
as suggestions for additional
alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Anticipated impacts from the
proposed project include up to 487.9
acres of proposed surface disturbance
on 18.9 acres of private land and 469
acres of public land for development of
the major components described above.
Potential impacts may include
vegetation removal; recreation and
access changes; wildlife impacts
including habitat loss; impacts to
cultural resources and other impacts of
concern to Native Americans; and
socioeconomic impacts. Known
resources to be addressed in the analysis
PO 00000
Frm 00054
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
19347
include, but are not limited to, water
quality and quantity; Native American
religious concerns; environmental
justice; socioeconomics; mining and
minerals; recreation; grazing/
rangelands; cultural resources; wildlife;
soils; and invasive species. Impact
analysis will also consider the
cumulative impacts to natural and
cultural resources from reasonably
foreseeable future projects in the area.
Schedule for the Decision-Making
Process
The BLM will provide additional
opportunities for public participation
consistent with the NEPA process,
including a 45-day comment period on
the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is
anticipated to be available for public
review in February 2025, and the Final
EIS is anticipated to be released in
August 2025 with a Record of Decision
in November 2025.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
If approved, the BLM would authorize
the ground disturbance and occupancy
as proposed in the plan of operations, as
well as determine a financial guarantee
to account for reclamation
responsibilities. Other Federal, State,
and local authorizations will be
required for the project. These could
include authorizations under the Clean
Water Act, 14 CFR part 77, and other
State laws and regulations determined
to be applicable to the project.
Public Scoping Process
The BLM will hold two public
scoping meetings in the following
locations:
• Lions Club Hall, Jordan Valley, OR
• Senior Citizens Center, Vale, OR
The event to be held in Vale, OR, will
be livestreamed and participants can
attend virtually. The specific dates of
these scoping meetings will be
announced in advance through a news
release in local newspapers, the BLM
website (see ADDRESSES), and the
project’s ePlanning page (see
ADDRESSES).
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM is the lead agency for this
EIS. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency, Malheur County,
and the Oregon Department of Geology
and Mineral Industries have accepted
cooperating agency status.
Responsible Official
As authorized by the BLM Manual
1203—Delegation of Authority, the Vale
District Manager is delegated the
authority to make the final decision on
the EIS for a mining plan of operations,
E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM
18MRN1
19348
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 53 / Monday, March 18, 2024 / Notices
occupancy determination, and ROW
grant.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Authorized Officer will consider
alternatives analyzed through the NEPA
process, including an alternative to not
authorize the project and the
proponent’s proposed mine plan of
operations. The Authorized Officer will
select an alternative and consider
whether that action will be authorized,
what mitigation to avoid or reduce
resource effects will be necessary, and
whether an amendment to the existing
Southeastern Oregon Resource
Management Plan (2002, as amended)
will be necessary. If an amendment is
necessary, the BLM would propose a
plan amendment concurrently with the
final decision on the project.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and
consider mitigation to address
reasonably foreseeable effects to
resources from the Proposed Action and
all analyzed reasonable alternatives, and
in accordance with 40 CFR 1502.14(e),
including appropriate mitigation
measures not already included in the
proposed action. Mitigation may
include avoidance, minimization,
rectification, reduction or elimination
over time, and compensation, and may
be considered at multiple scales,
including the landscape scale.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate
the NEPA process to help support
compliance with applicable procedural
requirements under the Endangered
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act as provided in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3), including public
involvement requirements. The
information about historic and cultural
resources and threatened and
endangered species within the area
potentially affected by the proposed
action will assist the BLM in
identifying, evaluating, and where
appropriate, mitigating effects to such
resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian
Tribal Nations on a government-togovernment basis in accordance with
Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual
Section 1780, and other departmental
policies. Tribal concerns, including
effects on Indian trust assets and
potential effects to cultural resources,
will be given due consideration.
Federal, state, and local agencies, along
with Indian Tribal Nations 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:07 Mar 15, 2024
Jkt 262001
if eligible, may request or be requested
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 1501.9).
Shane DeForest,
Vale District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2024–05719 Filed 3–15–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500177404]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Jackalope Wind Energy
Project, Sweetwater County, Wyoming
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)
Rock Springs Field Office, Sweetwater
County, Wyoming intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
to consider the effects of the proposed
Jackalope Wind Energy Project and by
this notice 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. The BLM
requests that the public submit
comments concerning the scope of the
analysis, potential alternatives, and
identification of relevant information
and studies by 30 days after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments in
the Draft EIS, please ensure your
comments are received prior to the close
of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever
is later.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
You may submit comments
related to the Jackalope Wind Energy
Project by any of the following methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2026735/510.
• Mail: BLM Rock Springs Field
Office, Attn: Jackalope Wind Energy
Project Team, 280 Highway 191 North,
Rock Springs, WY 82901–3447.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at https://
eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/
project/2026735/510 and at the BLM
Rock Springs Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kimberlee Foster, the BLM Rock Springs
Field Office Manager, telephone (307)
352–0201; address 280 US–191 N, Rock
Springs, WY 82901; email kfoster@
blm.gov. Contact Ms. Foster to have
your name added to our mailing list.
Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or Tele Braille) to access
telecommunications relay services for
contacting Ms. Foster. Individuals
outside the United States should use the
relay services offered within their
country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United
States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Jackalope
Wind, LLC, a wholly owned indirect
subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources,
LLC, is proposing to develop the
Jackalope Wind Energy Project, a
commercial wind energy project in
Sweetwater County, Wyoming, on lands
managed by the BLM, the Wyoming
Office of State Lands and Investment,
and private landowners. The proposed
project includes approximately 213
wind turbine generators and associated
infrastructure to deliver approximately
600 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the
transmission grid. The point of
interconnection would be the Jim
Bridger Substation, which is located
adjacent to the Jim Bridger Power Plant
near Point of Rocks, Wyoming. The
project area encompasses approximately
293,100 acres of land, approximately
166,100 acres of which are public lands
managed by the BLM. The majority of
the project is located within the BLM
Rock Springs Field Office, and a portion
of the project is within the Rawlins
Field Office. The Rock Springs Field
Office will serve as the lead office and
will coordinate with the Rawlins Field
Office as appropriate during the NEPA
process.
Purpose and Need: The BLM’s
purpose is to respond to Jackalope
Wind, LLC application for a right-ofway (ROW) grant to construct, operate,
maintain, and decommission a wind
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM
18MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19346-19348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05719]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_OR_FRN_MO4500177683]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Grassy Mountain Mine Project, Malheur County, 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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vale
District Office, Vale, Oregon, intends to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Calico Resources
USA's (proponent) proposal to construct, operate, reclaim, and close an
underground mining and precious metal milling operation known as the
Grassy Mountain Mine Project. By this notice, the BLM announces the
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS.
The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant
information and studies by April 17, 2024. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments in the Draft EIS, please ensure your
comments are received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period
or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Grassy Mountain Mine
Project by any of the following methods:
Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510.
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 541-473-6213.
Mail: Vale BLM District Office, 100 Oregon Street, Vale,
OR 97918.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510 and at the
Vale BLM District Office, 100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Pike, Geologist; 541-473-6369,
100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918; [email protected]. Contact Daniel Pike
to have your name added to our mailing list. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Daniel Pike.
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proponent requests BLM approval to
construct, operate, reclaim, and close an underground mining and
precious metal milling operation, including associated structures and
facilities, known as the Grassy Mountain Mine Project.
In addition to approval of the mine plan of operations, the
proponent also seeks BLM's concurrence for occupancy incident to the
mining operations and a right-of-way (ROW) grant, parallel to the
access road, for a transmission line to provide electricity for
facilities and operations at the mine.
Purpose and Need for Federal Action
The BLM is responsible for administering mineral rights access on
certain federal lands as authorized by the General Mining Law of 1872.
Under the law, qualified prospectors are entitled to reasonable access
to mineral deposits on public domain lands that have not been withdrawn
from mineral entry. To use public lands managed by the BLM for
locatable mineral exploration and development, persons must comply with
FLPMA and the BLM's implementing regulations governing surface
management, occupancy, and, where appropriate, ROW grants across public
lands, at title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), parts
3809, 3715, and 2800, respectively, as well as other applicable
statutes and regulations. The purpose of this Federal action is to
analyze the environmental effects associated with approving, denying,
or conditionally approving the proposed action. The need for Federal
action is established by the BLM's responsibilities under FLPMA and its
implementing regulations to respond to the proponent's request for
approval of a plan of operations for the proponent to exercise its
rights under the General Mining Law of 1872, as well as the proponent's
related proposal to occupy BLM-administered lands more than the 14
calendar days within a 90-day period
[[Page 19347]]
at a single location (43 CFR subpart 3715) and its application for a
transmission line ROW across BLM-administered public lands.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proponent's proposed action is to construct, operate, reclaim,
and close an underground mining and precious metal milling operation,
including associated structures and facilities. The project would be
located in Malheur County, Oregon, approximately 22 miles south-
southwest of Vale, Oregon, in Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8, Township 22S,
Range 44E, Willamette Base & Meridian. The project would consist of a
mine and process plant area and a project access area. Access to the
mine would be along an existing road, though road improvements would
need to be made to accommodate large mining vehicles. The proponent
proposes to mine approximately 2.07 million tons of mill-grade ore and
0.27 million tons of waste rock for a mine operation of approximately 8
years. The project would result in approximately 487.9 acres of
proposed surface disturbance on 18.9 acres of private land and 469
acres of public land. The project would include the following major
components:
One underground mine;
One waste rock storage area;
One carbon-in-leach processing plant;
Three borrow pit areas;
One tailings storage facility;
Run-of-mine ore stockpile;
One reclaim pond;
A water supply well field and pipeline, associated water
delivery pipelines, and power;
A power substation and distribution system;
Access and haul roads;
Ancillary facilities that include the following: haul,
secondary, and exploration roads; truck workshop; warehouse; storm
water diversions; sediment control basins; reagent and fuel storage;
storage and laydown yards; explosive magazines; freshwater storage;
monitoring wells; meteorological station; administration/security
building; borrow areas; landfill; growth media stockpiles; and solid
and hazardous waste management facilities to manage wastes; and
Reclamation and closure, including the development of an
evaporation cell for potential long-term discharge from the tailings
storage facility.
The main access area is in portions of Section 5, T22S, R44E;
Sections 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 32, T21S, R44E;
Sections 1, 12, 13, 14, 23, 26, 27, and 34, T20S, R44E; Sections 6 and
7, T20S, R45E; and Sections 22, 23, 26, 35, and 36, T19S, R44E. The
access road and its analysis corridor cover 876 acres. In addition to
approval of the mine plan of operations, the proponent also seeks BLM's
concurrence for occupancy incident to the mining operations and a ROW
grant, parallel to the access road, for a transmission line to provide
electricity for facilities and operations at the mine.
At present, there are two alternatives that will be considered.
Under the No Action alternative, the BLM would disapprove the plan of
operations, issue a determination of non-concurrence for occupancy, and
deny the application for a ROW grant for a transmission line. The
proponent, with permits from the Oregon Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries, could conduct mining operations on their privately
held parcels of land. The facilities that they propose building on BLM-
administered lands would not be constructed, and current land use would
continue, including grazing and notice level work by the proponent on
BLM-administered land where it has valid mining claims. This notice
level work would be limited to five acres of ground disturbance, and
the proponent would be required to reclaim these acres once the notice
level activity is completed.
The action, as proposed by the proponent, will be considered in the
EIS. If the proposed action would cause unnecessary or undue
degradation, the BLM will consider an alternative with mitigation
measures necessary to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation. Other
alternatives may be identified after scoping has been completed and the
alternatives/issues meeting with the interdisciplinary team takes
place. The proponent has prepared an alternatives analysis for the
state agencies, which has been provided to the BLM. The BLM welcomes
comments on these preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for
additional alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Anticipated impacts from the proposed project include up to 487.9
acres of proposed surface disturbance on 18.9 acres of private land and
469 acres of public land for development of the major components
described above. Potential impacts may include vegetation removal;
recreation and access changes; wildlife impacts including habitat loss;
impacts to cultural resources and other impacts of concern to Native
Americans; and socioeconomic impacts. Known resources to be addressed
in the analysis include, but are not limited to, water quality and
quantity; Native American religious concerns; environmental justice;
socioeconomics; mining and minerals; recreation; grazing/rangelands;
cultural resources; wildlife; soils; and invasive species. Impact
analysis will also consider the cumulative impacts to natural and
cultural resources from reasonably foreseeable future projects in the
area.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public
participation consistent with the NEPA process, including a 45-day
comment period on the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be
available for public review in February 2025, and the Final EIS is
anticipated to be released in August 2025 with a Record of Decision in
November 2025.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
If approved, the BLM would authorize the ground disturbance and
occupancy as proposed in the plan of operations, as well as determine a
financial guarantee to account for reclamation responsibilities. Other
Federal, State, and local authorizations will be required for the
project. These could include authorizations under the Clean Water Act,
14 CFR part 77, and other State laws and regulations determined to be
applicable to the project.
Public Scoping Process
The BLM will hold two public scoping meetings in the following
locations:
Lions Club Hall, Jordan Valley, OR
Senior Citizens Center, Vale, OR
The event to be held in Vale, OR, will be livestreamed and
participants can attend virtually. The specific dates of these scoping
meetings will be announced in advance through a news release in local
newspapers, the BLM website (see ADDRESSES), and the project's
ePlanning page (see ADDRESSES).
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM is the lead agency for this EIS. The United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Malheur County, and the Oregon
Department of Geology and Mineral Industries have accepted cooperating
agency status.
Responsible Official
As authorized by the BLM Manual 1203--Delegation of Authority, the
Vale District Manager is delegated the authority to make the final
decision on the EIS for a mining plan of operations,
[[Page 19348]]
occupancy determination, and ROW grant.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Authorized Officer will consider alternatives analyzed through
the NEPA process, including an alternative to not authorize the project
and the proponent's proposed mine plan of operations. The Authorized
Officer will select an alternative and consider whether that action
will be authorized, what mitigation to avoid or reduce resource effects
will be necessary, and whether an amendment to the existing
Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan (2002, as amended) will be
necessary. If an amendment is necessary, the BLM would propose a plan
amendment concurrently with the final decision on the project.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address
reasonably foreseeable effects to resources from the Proposed Action
and all analyzed reasonable alternatives, and in accordance with 40 CFR
1502.14(e), including appropriate mitigation measures not already
included in the proposed action. Mitigation may include avoidance,
minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over time, and
compensation, and may be considered at multiple scales, including the
landscape scale.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA process to help
support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including
public involvement requirements. The information about historic and
cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the
area potentially affected by the proposed action will assist the BLM in
identifying, evaluating, and where appropriate, mitigating effects to
such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual
Section 1780, and other departmental policies. Tribal concerns,
including effects on Indian trust assets and potential effects to
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, state,
and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations 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.
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 1501.9).
Shane DeForest,
Vale District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2024-05719 Filed 3-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-24-P
