Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Lisbon Valley Mining Company, LLC Copper Mine Plan of Operations Modification, San Juan County, Utah, 46155-46157 [2024-11646]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 2024 / Notices
its implementing regulations (40 CFR
1500–1508 and 43 CFR 46).
project/2027164/510 and at the BLM
Moab Field Office.
Stephen P. Henry,
Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office, Ventura, California.
Jill
Stephenson, Planning and
Environmental Specialist, telephone:
435–249–2100; address: 82 East
Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532; email:
BLM_UT_MB_LVMC_EIS@blm.gov.
Contact Ms. Stephenson 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 Ms. Stephenson. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[FR Doc. 2024–11655 Filed 5–24–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_FRN_MO4500177410]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Lisbon Valley Mining
Company, LLC Copper Mine Plan of
Operations Modification, San Juan
County, Utah
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),
Canyon Country District, Moab Field
Office, Moab, Utah, intends to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to consider the effects of the
Lisbon Valley Mining Company, LLC
(LVMC) proposed plan of operations
modification. This notice announces the
beginning of the scoping process to
solicit public comments and identify
issues.
SUMMARY:
This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. The BLM
requests the public submit comments
concerning the scope of the analysis,
potential alternatives, and identification
of relevant information and studies by
June 27, 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 plan of operations
modification EIS by any of the following
methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2027164/510
• Mail: Bureau of Land Management,
Moab Field Office, Lisbon Valley Mine
Plan Modification EIS, 82 East
Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at https://
eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/
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DATES:
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18:43 May 24, 2024
Jkt 262001
The
Lisbon Valley Copper Mine is in the
Lisbon Valley in San Juan County in
southeast Utah. The mine, situated on
Federal, State, and private lands, has
been in operation under the ownership
of multiple companies since 1998.
LVMC has operated the mine under
Plan of Operations Serial No. UTU
072499 (mine plan) since it obtained
ownership in 2009. The mine plan
boundary encompasses 4,480 acres, of
which current operations cover 1,146
acres (BLM: 521 acres; State: 333 acres;
and private: 292 acres) of disturbance.
LVMC also conducts exploration
activities within a 5,430-acre authorized
boundary adjacent to the mine plan
boundary under Exploration Plan of
Operations Serial No. UTU 077879
(exploration plan). Federal, State, and
private lands occur within the
exploration plan boundary (BLM: 3,199
acres; State:1,056 acres; and private:
1,175 acres).
LVMC currently mines copper ore at
the mine from mineralized zones in
porous sandstones approximately 50 to
200 feet below the surface using
conventional open pit mining methods.
Waste rock material is hauled to existing
waste rock storage areas or is used to
backfill existing pits. The copper ore is
hauled to a heap leach facility where it
is crushed and stacked onto a heap
leach pad. A low pH solution is sprayed
onto the crushed ore and copper is
leached out of the rock into solution.
The resultant copper-laden solution is
sent to adjacent process facilities where
it undergoes solvent extraction and
electrowinning processing. The final
product is copper cathode of a 99.9%
purity. Currently, LVMC is mining
copper ore from two open pits. LVMC
expects to operate the current mine
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00101
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
46155
until both pits are exhausted in
approximately 2028.
On April 11, 2023, the BLM Moab
Field Office received a proposal from
LVMC to modify its current mine plan.
Consistent with the surface management
regulations at 43 CFR 3809.411(a), the
BLM reviewed the filed plan of
operations modification and accepted it
as complete on May 5, 2023.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed
Action
The BLM’s purpose and need are to
respond to LVMC’s mine plan
modification proposal to expand mining
operations and associated infrastructure
and to prevent unnecessary and undue
degradation of the public lands
consistent with the BLM’s
responsibilities under FLPMA, surface
management regulations (43 CFR
subpart 3809), and use and occupancy
regulations (43 CFR subpart 3715).
Preliminary Proposed Action and
Alternatives
The proposed action is to modify the
mine plan to expand open pit mining
and beneficiation operations and to
initiate the extraction of copper through
a method of in-situ recovery (ISR)
mining. The proposed expansion
activities would include improvement
of existing mining facilities in the mine
plan boundary and construction of new
facilities and associated access, power,
and water facilities in the exploration
plan boundary. Under the proposed
action there would be approximately
2,391 acres of new surface disturbance
(BLM: 1,388 acres; State: 412 acres; and
private: 591 acres). Reclamation would
be ongoing through the different phases
of mining. The life of the mine is
anticipated to be 20 years with final
reclamation and post-closure
monitoring occurring until
approximately 2066.
The mine plan modification would
include the following components: open
pit, backfill area, ISR wellfield (injection
wells, pump-back wells, and monitor
wells), waste rock storage, storm water
diversion channels, sediment basins,
berms, heap leach pad, process ponds,
solution pipelines, access roads, and
ancillary facilities (power supply;
reagent, fuel, ready line; crushing area
and related stockpiles; area for
temporary storage of petroleumcontaminated soils; groundwater
monitoring wells; water supply pipeline
and facilities; and construction laydown
yards).
The proposed disturbance also
includes improvements to the existing
mining and processing facilities and
their associated roads in the mine plan
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
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46156
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 2024 / Notices
boundary to accommodate the increase
in copper production and personnel on
site. Ongoing mining activity would
continue in the existing mine plan
boundary as LVMC constructs the
proposed new facilities, which are
expected to be completed within three
years.
The installation of ISR wellfields
would occur in conjunction with open
pit mining operations. ISR activities
would include the construction of
access roads and approximately 1,700
well pads for injection, production, and/
or monitoring that would each be 50 feet
by 50 feet in size and spaced
approximately 125–200 feet apart.
LVMC would install the first injection
and production wells in an existing pit
area for a pilot test for the ISR. The pilot
test at the existing pit area would last
approximately one year. At the end of
the pilot test, the data derived would be
used to fine-tune the installation of the
ISR wellfield, which would be adjacent
to the new open pit. ISR mining would
occur for the life of the mine until final
reclamation.
In accordance with 40 CFR
1502.14(e), the BLM will develop
alternatives to the proposed action in
response to resource concerns and
public scoping input. Resource concerns
likely to influence alternatives
development include water and waste
management (e.g., waste rock and
tailings). One preliminary alternative
identified at this stage is the proposed
action without ISR mining. The BLM
welcomes comments on all preliminary
alternatives as well as suggestions for
additional alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Surface and subsurface disturbances
associated with open-pit and ISR
mining techniques may result in
impacts to cultural, biological, visual,
and water resources (surface and
groundwater, including drinking water).
Mining activities would also result in
emissions of air pollutants and
greenhouse gases.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and
authorizations are anticipated to be
required to proceed with the proposed
action:
• BLM authorization of the
modification to the Plan of Operations
Serial No. UTU 072499. (The total
acreage of the exploration plan
boundary would be reduced
commensurate with the total
exploration plan area that would get
subsumed in the mine plan area.)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:43 May 24, 2024
Jkt 262001
• U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency authorization of an Aquifer
Exemption (Class III Wells) Permit.
• State of Utah, Department of
Environmental Quality authorization of
Class III and Class V Underground
Injection Control Permits, Utah
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Industrial Stormwater Permit
(UTR00737), Ground Water Discharge
Permit (UGW370005), Approval Order
for Emissions Source (DAQE–
AN114620014).
• State of Utah, Department of
Natural Resources authorization of a
Large Mining Permit (M/037/0088),
Reclamation Contract (M/037/0088),
Exploration Permit (E/037/0115), and
Water Rights 05–2593; 05–762.
• San Juan County, Utah
authorization of a Conditional Use
Permit and a Building Permit.
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 the winter of 2025, and the
final EIS is anticipated to be released in
the spring of 2026 with a record of
decision also in the spring of 2026.
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping period. The BLM will be
holding one in-person public scoping
meeting in Moab, Utah, and one virtual
public scoping meeting. The specific
dates and locations of these scoping
meetings and any additional scoping
meetings will be announced in advance
through the BLM Moab Field Office
website (https://www.blm.gov/office/
moab-field-office), BLM social media,
and on the BLM e-Planning page (see
ADDRESSES).
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The lead agency is the BLM. During
the scoping process the BLM will invite
other Federal, State, and local agencies
with special expertise and/or
jurisdiction by law to participate as
cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the EIS. Tribal nations will also be
invited to participate as cooperating
agencies.
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the BLM
is the BLM Utah State Director. The
scope of the State Director’s decision is
limited to the modification to the Plan
of Operations Serial No. UTU 072499.
PO 00000
Frm 00102
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The BLM will decide whether to
authorize modifications to LVMC’s mine
plan of operations and, if so, under what
terms and conditions.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and
consider mitigation to address the
reasonably foreseeable impacts to
resources from the proposed action and
all analyzed alternatives and, in
accordance with 40 CFR 1502.14(e),
include appropriate mitigation measures
not already included in the proposed
action or alternatives. Mitigation may
include avoidance, minimization,
rectification, reduction or elimination
over time, and compensation; and it
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 (54 U.S.C. 306108) as
provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3),
including public involvement
requirements of Section 106. The
information about historic and cultural
resources and threatened and
endangered species within the area
potentially affected by the proposed
project will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to
such resources.
The BLM will consult with Tribal
nations on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175, BLM Manual Section
1780, and other Department of the
Interior 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 Tribal nations and
other stakeholders that may be
interested in or affected by the proposed
project 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
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
28MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 2024 / Notices
cannot guarantee we will be able to do
so.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9)
Gregory Sheehan,
BLM Utah State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024–11646 Filed 5–24–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–25–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_HQ_FRN_MO4500177674]
Land Acquisition Nomination and
Ranking Process for Funds Made
Available Through the Federal Land
Transaction Facilitation Act
Reauthorization of 2018
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of nomination and
ranking process.
AGENCY:
The Federal Land Transaction
Facilitation Act and the Federal Land
Transaction Facilitation Act
Reauthorization of 2018 (FLTFA)
require the Secretary of the Interior and
the Secretary of Agriculture to provide
public notice of new procedures to
identify, by State, inholdings of land or
interests therein for which the
landowner has indicated a desire to sell
to the United States and to prioritize the
acquisition of inholdings in accordance
with the FLTFA. The FLTFA land
acquisition program is managed through
an Interagency Implementation
Agreement among the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Forest
Service (USFS), and National Park
Service (NPS) (collectively referred to as
the Agencies).
DATES: The processes identified in this
notice will take effect immediately upon
publication of this notice. They will
remain in effect until changed by the
Agencies and announced through a
notice published in the Federal
Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Erica Pionke, BLM Headquarters Office,
(202) 570–2624 or by email at epionke@
blm.gov. 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. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
FLTFA was reauthorized on March 23,
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:43 May 24, 2024
Jkt 262001
2018, under title III of Public Law 115–
141 (43 U.S.C. 2301 through 2306). The
FLTFA allows the Agencies to use
proceeds from the sale or exchange of
public land to purchase lands or
interests therein in Alaska and the 11
contiguous Western States of Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming. The FLTFA
requires public notification of the
procedures used to identify, by State,
inholdings of land or interests therein
for which the landowner has indicated
a desire to sell to the United States and
to prioritize the acquisition of
inholdings. The FLTFA does not require
the Agencies to acquire any land or
interest in land that has been nominated
by a willing landowner.
Definitions in the FLTFA Which Are
Used in This Notice
(a) Exceptional resource means a
resource of scientific, natural, historic,
cultural, recreational access and use, or
other recreational value that has been
documented by a Federal, State, or local
governmental authority, and for which
there is a compelling need for
conservation and protection under the
jurisdiction of a Federal agency in order
to maintain the resource for the benefit
of the public.
(b) Federally designated area means
land in Alaska and the 11 contiguous
Western States of Arizona, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New
Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and
Wyoming that is within the boundary
of:
(1) A national monument, area of
critical environmental concern, national
conservation area, national riparian
conservation area, national scenic area,
research natural area, national
outstanding natural area, priority
species and habitats designated in a
land use plan in accordance with
subpart E (entitled ‘‘Fish and Wildlife’’)
of part I of appendix C of BLM Land Use
Planning Handbook H–1601–1 (Rel 1–
1693), a special recreation management
area, or a national natural landmark
managed by the BLM;
(2) A unit of the National Park
System;
(3) A unit of the National Wildlife
Refuge System;
(4) A National Forest or National
Grassland in the National Forest
System; or
(5) An area within which the
Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary
of Agriculture is otherwise authorized
by law to acquire lands or interests
therein that is designated as:
(i) Wilderness under the Wilderness
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.);
PO 00000
Frm 00103
Fmt 4703
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46157
(ii) A wilderness study area;
(iii) A component of the Wild and
Scenic Rivers System under the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271
et seq.); or
(iv) A component of the National
Trails System under the National Trails
System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.).
(c) Inaccessible lands that are open to
public hunting, fishing, recreational
shooting, or other recreational purposes
means public lands (as defined in
section 103 of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1702)) in Alaska and the 11 contiguous
Western States consisting of at least 640
contiguous acres on which the public is
allowed under Federal or State law to
hunt, fish, target shoot or use the land
for other recreational purposes, but:
(1) To which there is no public access
or egress; or
(2) To which public access or egress
to the land is significantly restricted, as
determined by the Secretary of the
Interior.
(d) Inholding means any right, title, or
interest, held by a non-Federal entity, in
or to a tract of land that lies within the
boundary of a federally designated area.
(e) Public land means public lands as
defined in section 103 of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
Nomination of Land or Interest on Land
for Acquisition by the Agencies
Effective upon publication of this
notice, at any time, a landowner or their
authorized representative may nominate
their land for acquisition by the
Agencies if their land meets the
following criteria:
(a) The landowner must be a citizen
of the United States or an entity that is
lawfully authorized to conduct business
in the relevant State and who
voluntarily indicated a desire to sell
land or interest in land to the United
States;
(b) The nominated parcel must be
located in Alaska or any of the 11
contiguous Western States of Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming; and
(c) The nominated parcel must either:
(1) Meet the criteria to be identified as
an inholding, which is located within a
federally designated area;
(2) Be located adjacent to a federally
designated area and contain exceptional
resources; or
(3) Be adjacent to inaccessible lands
open to public hunting, fishing,
recreational shooting, or other
recreational purposes.
Nominations may be presented to a
local BLM Field Office; FWS Refuge
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
28MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46155-46157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11646]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_FRN_MO4500177410]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Lisbon Valley Mining Company, LLC Copper Mine Plan of
Operations Modification, San Juan County, Utah
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),
Canyon Country District, Moab Field Office, Moab, Utah, intends to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects
of the Lisbon Valley Mining Company, LLC (LVMC) proposed plan of
operations modification. This notice 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 the public submit comments concerning the scope of the
analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant
information and studies by June 27, 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 plan of operations
modification EIS by any of the following methods:
Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027164/510
Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office, Lisbon
Valley Mine Plan Modification EIS, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027164/510 and at the
BLM Moab Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Stephenson, Planning and
Environmental Specialist, telephone: 435-249-2100; address: 82 East
Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532; email: [email protected]. Contact Ms.
Stephenson 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 Ms. Stephenson.
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 Lisbon Valley Copper Mine is in the
Lisbon Valley in San Juan County in southeast Utah. The mine, situated
on Federal, State, and private lands, has been in operation under the
ownership of multiple companies since 1998. LVMC has operated the mine
under Plan of Operations Serial No. UTU 072499 (mine plan) since it
obtained ownership in 2009. The mine plan boundary encompasses 4,480
acres, of which current operations cover 1,146 acres (BLM: 521 acres;
State: 333 acres; and private: 292 acres) of disturbance. LVMC also
conducts exploration activities within a 5,430-acre authorized boundary
adjacent to the mine plan boundary under Exploration Plan of Operations
Serial No. UTU 077879 (exploration plan). Federal, State, and private
lands occur within the exploration plan boundary (BLM: 3,199 acres;
State:1,056 acres; and private: 1,175 acres).
LVMC currently mines copper ore at the mine from mineralized zones
in porous sandstones approximately 50 to 200 feet below the surface
using conventional open pit mining methods. Waste rock material is
hauled to existing waste rock storage areas or is used to backfill
existing pits. The copper ore is hauled to a heap leach facility where
it is crushed and stacked onto a heap leach pad. A low pH solution is
sprayed onto the crushed ore and copper is leached out of the rock into
solution. The resultant copper-laden solution is sent to adjacent
process facilities where it undergoes solvent extraction and
electrowinning processing. The final product is copper cathode of a
99.9% purity. Currently, LVMC is mining copper ore from two open pits.
LVMC expects to operate the current mine until both pits are exhausted
in approximately 2028.
On April 11, 2023, the BLM Moab Field Office received a proposal
from LVMC to modify its current mine plan. Consistent with the surface
management regulations at 43 CFR 3809.411(a), the BLM reviewed the
filed plan of operations modification and accepted it as complete on
May 5, 2023.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The BLM's purpose and need are to respond to LVMC's mine plan
modification proposal to expand mining operations and associated
infrastructure and to prevent unnecessary and undue degradation of the
public lands consistent with the BLM's responsibilities under FLPMA,
surface management regulations (43 CFR subpart 3809), and use and
occupancy regulations (43 CFR subpart 3715).
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proposed action is to modify the mine plan to expand open pit
mining and beneficiation operations and to initiate the extraction of
copper through a method of in-situ recovery (ISR) mining. The proposed
expansion activities would include improvement of existing mining
facilities in the mine plan boundary and construction of new facilities
and associated access, power, and water facilities in the exploration
plan boundary. Under the proposed action there would be approximately
2,391 acres of new surface disturbance (BLM: 1,388 acres; State: 412
acres; and private: 591 acres). Reclamation would be ongoing through
the different phases of mining. The life of the mine is anticipated to
be 20 years with final reclamation and post-closure monitoring
occurring until approximately 2066.
The mine plan modification would include the following components:
open pit, backfill area, ISR wellfield (injection wells, pump-back
wells, and monitor wells), waste rock storage, storm water diversion
channels, sediment basins, berms, heap leach pad, process ponds,
solution pipelines, access roads, and ancillary facilities (power
supply; reagent, fuel, ready line; crushing area and related
stockpiles; area for temporary storage of petroleum-contaminated soils;
groundwater monitoring wells; water supply pipeline and facilities; and
construction laydown yards).
The proposed disturbance also includes improvements to the existing
mining and processing facilities and their associated roads in the mine
plan
[[Page 46156]]
boundary to accommodate the increase in copper production and personnel
on site. Ongoing mining activity would continue in the existing mine
plan boundary as LVMC constructs the proposed new facilities, which are
expected to be completed within three years.
The installation of ISR wellfields would occur in conjunction with
open pit mining operations. ISR activities would include the
construction of access roads and approximately 1,700 well pads for
injection, production, and/or monitoring that would each be 50 feet by
50 feet in size and spaced approximately 125-200 feet apart. LVMC would
install the first injection and production wells in an existing pit
area for a pilot test for the ISR. The pilot test at the existing pit
area would last approximately one year. At the end of the pilot test,
the data derived would be used to fine-tune the installation of the ISR
wellfield, which would be adjacent to the new open pit. ISR mining
would occur for the life of the mine until final reclamation.
In accordance with 40 CFR 1502.14(e), the BLM will develop
alternatives to the proposed action in response to resource concerns
and public scoping input. Resource concerns likely to influence
alternatives development include water and waste management (e.g.,
waste rock and tailings). One preliminary alternative identified at
this stage is the proposed action without ISR mining. The BLM welcomes
comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for
additional alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Surface and subsurface disturbances associated with open-pit and
ISR mining techniques may result in impacts to cultural, biological,
visual, and water resources (surface and groundwater, including
drinking water). Mining activities would also result in emissions of
air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and authorizations are anticipated to be
required to proceed with the proposed action:
BLM authorization of the modification to the Plan of
Operations Serial No. UTU 072499. (The total acreage of the exploration
plan boundary would be reduced commensurate with the total exploration
plan area that would get subsumed in the mine plan area.)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency authorization of an
Aquifer Exemption (Class III Wells) Permit.
State of Utah, Department of Environmental Quality
authorization of Class III and Class V Underground Injection Control
Permits, Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Industrial
Stormwater Permit (UTR00737), Ground Water Discharge Permit
(UGW370005), Approval Order for Emissions Source (DAQE-AN114620014).
State of Utah, Department of Natural Resources
authorization of a Large Mining Permit (M/037/0088), Reclamation
Contract (M/037/0088), Exploration Permit (E/037/0115), and Water
Rights 05-2593; 05-762.
San Juan County, Utah authorization of a Conditional Use
Permit and a Building Permit.
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 the winter of 2025, and the final EIS is
anticipated to be released in the spring of 2026 with a record of
decision also in the spring of 2026.
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period. The BLM will be
holding one in-person public scoping meeting in Moab, Utah, and one
virtual public scoping meeting. The specific dates and locations of
these scoping meetings and any additional scoping meetings will be
announced in advance through the BLM Moab Field Office website (https://www.blm.gov/office/moab-field-office), BLM social media, and on the
BLM e-Planning page (see ADDRESSES).
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The lead agency is the BLM. During the scoping process the BLM will
invite other Federal, State, and local agencies with special expertise
and/or jurisdiction by law to participate as cooperating agencies in
the preparation of the EIS. Tribal nations will also be invited to
participate as cooperating agencies.
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the BLM is the BLM Utah State
Director. The scope of the State Director's decision is limited to the
modification to the Plan of Operations Serial No. UTU 072499.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The BLM will decide whether to authorize modifications to LVMC's
mine plan of operations and, if so, under what terms and conditions.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed
action and all analyzed alternatives and, in accordance with 40 CFR
1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already
included in the proposed action or alternatives. Mitigation may include
avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over
time, and compensation; and it 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 (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3), including public involvement requirements of Section 106.
The information about historic and cultural resources and threatened
and endangered species within the area potentially affected by the
proposed project will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Tribal nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual
Section 1780, and other Department of the Interior 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 Tribal nations and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the proposed
project 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
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cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9)
Gregory Sheehan,
BLM Utah State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-11646 Filed 5-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-25-P
