Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC's Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Mine Project, Esmeralda County, Nevada, 77174-77175 [2024-21580]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2024 / Notices
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
period. Of the submissions, 420 were
identical copy letters, 89 were form
letters with additional text, 73 were
unique letters, and one was a duplicate
submission. Principle comment issues
included:
• Wildlife impact concerns, including
birds, bats, big game, amphibians,
pollinators and insects, general wildlife,
special-status species, and GRSG;
• Lands with Wilderness
Characteristics impact concerns;
• Visual resource impact concerns;
and
• Cultural resource impact concerns.
Public and stakeholder comments also
provided specific edits and corrections
to EIS sections and general support or
opposition to the proposed Project.
Final EIS Revisions
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
the addition of clarifications and
analysis, but comments did not identify
significant new circumstances or
information relevant to environmental
concerns that have bearing upon the
proposed action.
In response to public comments on
the Draft EIS, revisions were made to
the Final EIS. The agency made
micrositing changes within the 0.5-mile
wide siting corridor at Marjum Pass in
Millard County, Utah, which is
analyzed as part of the Agency Preferred
Alternative within the Final EIS. The
LWC, Transportation, Visual Resources,
and Wilderness Study Areas sections of
the Final EIS include updated analysis
for the Agency Preferred Alternative
micrositing at Marjum Pass. Impacts
from the Agency Preferred Alternative
would be the same as described under
the Proposed Action for the following:
air quality; climate change/greenhouse
gases; cultural and heritage resources;
fire and fuels management; geology,
minerals, and renewable energy
production; inventoried roadless areas;
land use; livestock grazing; noxious and
invasive weeds; paleontology;
recreation; socioeconomics and
environmental justice; soils; vegetation;
water resources; wildlife; and
woodlands.
In addition to micrositing in Marjum
Pass, the agency widened the 0.5-milewide siting corridor in two specific
areas (Utah-Nevada border west of
Garrison, Utah; and Steptoe Valley,
Nevada) where public comments noted
administrative constraints that would
preclude or interfere with existing
infrastructure, private lands, and
specially managed areas. Widening the
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16:44 Sep 19, 2024
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siting corridor in these locations allows
for the flexibility of the centerline to
shift. The 0.5-mile-wide siting corridor
was also reduced after publication of the
Draft EIS in multiple locations across
Nevada to remove locations outside
designated utility corridors. These are
locations where siting of the
transmission line would not be in
conformance with the Nevada and
Northeastern California Greater SageGrouse Approved Resource
Management Plan Amendment (NevadaCalifornia ARMPA) (BLM 2015b), as
described below. The 0.5-mile-wide
siting corridor and centerline were also
shifted in the southwest corner of
Millard County, Utah, to avoid the LWC
Inventory Unit Jackson Wash (UT–
C010–121).
In early 2024, the United States
Geological Survey issued a draft annual
update report related to GRSG that
disclosed an adaptive management
trigger identified in the NevadaCalifornia ARMPA that was tripped for
the third year in a row for a lek cluster
within the area near the western
terminus of the Project at Robinson
Summit Substation (Prochazka et al.
2024). The individual annual triggers
are defined as soft triggers in the
Nevada-California ARMPA, and the
plan provided that tripping three soft
triggers in consecutive years (2021,
2022, and 2023) equates to a hard
trigger. In response to tripping a hard
trigger, the ARMPA identifies any land
outside designated utility corridors and
within GRSG habitat management areas
as exclusion areas for new high-voltage
transmission. There is an approximately
1-mile-long segment of the proposed
Project and action alternatives that
would be located outside the designated
utility corridor across GRSG habitat
management areas and whose
authorization would not conform to the
approved Nevada-California ARMPA
based on this new information. Through
a separate process, the BLM is currently
reconsidering its 2015 GRSG planning
decisions, including its management of
the lands being considered for this
proposed Project segment. The BLM
published a NOA for the draft GRSG
RMP amendments on March 15, 2024.
The BLM will ensure that its decision
responding to the application for the
Project will conform to the land use
plans approved at the time of the record
of decision, consistent with 43 CFR
1610.5–3.
Additional updates were made to
address public concerns within the
following resource sections: renewable
energy resources, visual resources,
Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions
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and cumulative impacts, GRSG, and
LWC.
Agency Decisions
Based on the environmental analysis
in this Final EIS, the BLM Utah State
Director will decide whether to
authorize the ROW grant, authorize with
modifications, or deny the application
based on the proposed Project,
alternatives, or any combination thereof
on Public Lands. The Forest Service will
issue a separate ROD specific to its
decision whether to authorize a SUP on
National Forest System land.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Christina Judd,
Acting State Director, Utah.
[FR Doc. 2024–21279 Filed 9–19–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–25–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_4500181325]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC’s Rhyolite
Ridge Lithium-Boron Mine Project,
Esmeralda 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)
announces the availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron
Mine Project (Project) proposed by
Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC (Ioneer) in
Esmeralda County, Nevada.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a
decision on the proposal for a minimum
of 30 days after the date that the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes its Notice of Availability
(NOA) in the Federal Register. The EPA
usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
ADDRESSES: The Final EIS and
documents pertinent to this proposal are
available for review on the BLM’s
National NEPA Register (ePlanning) at
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/
project/2012309/510.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott Distel, Project Manager, telephone:
(775) 635–4093; email: sdistel@blm.gov;
address: 50 Bastian Road, Battle
Mountain, NV 89820. Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind,
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
20SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2024 / Notices
hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TYY, TDD, or
TeleBraille) to access
telecommunication relay services for
contacting Mr. Distel. 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:
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Purpose and Need
The BLM’s purpose for the action is
to respond to Ioneer’s proposal as
described in its proposed Plan of
Operations, and to analyze the potential
environmental effects associated with
the Proposed Action and alternatives to
the Proposed Action. NEPA mandates
that the BLM evaluate the potential
effects of the Proposed Action and
develop alternatives. The BLM’s need
for the action is established by the
BLM’s responsibilities under section
302 of FLPMA and the BLM Surface
Management Regulations at 43 CFR part
3800 subpart 3809 to respond to a
proposed Plan of Operations.
Alternatives A, B, and C
Under Alternative A, the Proposed
Action, Ioneer is proposing to construct,
operate, close, and reclaim a new
lithium-boron mine project in
Esmeralda County, Nevada. The
proposed Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron
Mine Project Plan of Operations
boundary would encompass 7,166 acres,
which consists of a 6,369-acre
Operational Project Area and a 797-acre
Access Road and Infrastructure
Corridor. The total surface disturbance
associated with Alternative A, including
existing and reclassified disturbance
and exploration, would be 2,306 acres of
BLM-administered public lands and
private land.
The Project would employ a
workforce of approximately 400 to 500
employees during initial construction
and approximately 350 employees
during operations. The Project would
operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per
year. The total life of the Project would
be 23 years, including four years of
construction (years 1 through 4), 17
years of quarrying (years 1 through 17),
13 years of ore processing (years 4
through 17), and 6 additional years of
reclamation (Years 18 through 23).
Reclamation of disturbed areas would
be completed in accordance with BLM
and Nevada Division of Environmental
Protection regulations. Concurrent
reclamation would take place where
practicable and safe.
The proposed activities for the Project
would include:
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16:44 Sep 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
• A mine, including an open pit berm
and water storage tanks;
• A processing facility, including a
contact water pond and diversion
channels;
• Three overburden storage facilities
(North, West, and Quarry Infill),
including contact water ponds and
diversion channels;
• One spent ore storage facility,
including an underdrain pond and
diversion channels;
• Project Area exploration, including
access routes and drill sites with sumps;
• Haul roads, service roads, and
public road realignment;
• Buckwheat exclusion area and
critical habitat fencing; and
• Ancillary facilities including an
explosives storage area, communication
towers, All-Terrain Vehicle trails, a
batch plant, a proposed water supply
testing facilities including pipelines, a
sewage system including septic leach
fields, a dewatering pipeline, growth
media stockpiles, stormwater controls
and diversions, monitoring wells,
laydown yards, and fencing.
Under Alternative B, the North and
South OSF Alternative, which is the
BLM’s preferred alternative, all mine
components and operations would be
the same as Alternative A, but the
facility layout would be modified to
reduce surface disturbance within the
Tiehm’s buckwheat (Eriogonum tiemii)
designated critical habitat. Surface
disturbance under Alternative B would
be less than Alternative A and total
approximately 2,271 acres.
Under Alternative C, the No Action
Alternative, the development of the
Project would not be authorized and
Ioneer would not construct, operate, and
close a new lithium-boron mine project.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM Battle Mountain District
Office is the lead agency for the EIS. The
Nevada Department of Wildlife, the
Nevada Division of Forestry, the U.S.
Department of Energy, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service—Ecological Services,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—
Migratory Birds Program, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and
the Esmeralda County Board of County
Commissioners have participated in this
environmental analysis as cooperating
agencies. Several Native American
Tribes have also participated in the
environmental analysis.
Schedule for the Decision-Making
Process
Consistent with the NEPA and the
BLM’s land use planning regulations,
the BLM is providing a 30-day public
review period for the Final EIS and will
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77175
not issue a decision on the proposal for
a minimum of 30 days after the date that
EPA publishes its NOA in the Federal
Register.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Jon D. Sherve,
District Manager, Battle Mountain District.
[FR Doc. 2024–21580 Filed 9–19–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–21–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO4500180510]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Environmental Impact
Statement for the Copper Rays Solar
Project in Nye County, Nevada
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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) has
prepared a Draft Resource Management
Plan (RMP) Amendment and Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Copper Rays Solar Project and by
this notice is providing information
announcing the opening of the comment
period on the Draft RMP Amendment/
EIS.
DATES: This notice announces the
opening of a 90-day comment period for
the Draft RMP Amendment/EIS
beginning with the date following the
Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) publication of its Notice of
Availability (NOA) in the Federal
Register. The EPA usually publishes its
NOAs on Fridays.
To afford the BLM the opportunity to
consider comments on the Draft RMP
Amendment/EIS, please ensure your
comments are received prior to the close
of the 90-day comment period or 15
days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later.
The BLM will be holding one inperson public meeting and one virtual
public meeting during the public
comment period.
• In-Person Meeting
—Date and Time: October 22, 2024, 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
(PDT)
—Location: Pahrump Nugget Hotel
and Casino, 681 NV Highway 160,
Pahrump, Nevada 89048
• Virtual Meeting
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77174-77175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21580]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_4500181325]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC's Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron
Mine Project, Esmeralda 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)
announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Mine Project (Project)
proposed by Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC (Ioneer) in Esmeralda County,
Nevada.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a decision on the proposal for a minimum
of 30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal
Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
ADDRESSES: The Final EIS and documents pertinent to this proposal are
available for review on the BLM's National NEPA Register (ePlanning) at
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2012309/510.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Distel, Project Manager,
telephone: (775) 635-4093; email: [email protected]; address: 50 Bastian
Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820. Individuals in the United States who
are deaf, deafblind,
[[Page 77175]]
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TYY, TDD, or
TeleBraille) to access telecommunication relay services for contacting
Mr. Distel. 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:
Purpose and Need
The BLM's purpose for the action is to respond to Ioneer's proposal
as described in its proposed Plan of Operations, and to analyze the
potential environmental effects associated with the Proposed Action and
alternatives to the Proposed Action. NEPA mandates that the BLM
evaluate the potential effects of the Proposed Action and develop
alternatives. The BLM's need for the action is established by the BLM's
responsibilities under section 302 of FLPMA and the BLM Surface
Management Regulations at 43 CFR part 3800 subpart 3809 to respond to a
proposed Plan of Operations.
Alternatives A, B, and C
Under Alternative A, the Proposed Action, Ioneer is proposing to
construct, operate, close, and reclaim a new lithium-boron mine project
in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The proposed Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron
Mine Project Plan of Operations boundary would encompass 7,166 acres,
which consists of a 6,369-acre Operational Project Area and a 797-acre
Access Road and Infrastructure Corridor. The total surface disturbance
associated with Alternative A, including existing and reclassified
disturbance and exploration, would be 2,306 acres of BLM-administered
public lands and private land.
The Project would employ a workforce of approximately 400 to 500
employees during initial construction and approximately 350 employees
during operations. The Project would operate 24 hours per day, 365 days
per year. The total life of the Project would be 23 years, including
four years of construction (years 1 through 4), 17 years of quarrying
(years 1 through 17), 13 years of ore processing (years 4 through 17),
and 6 additional years of reclamation (Years 18 through 23).
Reclamation of disturbed areas would be completed in accordance with
BLM and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection regulations.
Concurrent reclamation would take place where practicable and safe.
The proposed activities for the Project would include:
A mine, including an open pit berm and water storage
tanks;
A processing facility, including a contact water pond and
diversion channels;
Three overburden storage facilities (North, West, and
Quarry Infill), including contact water ponds and diversion channels;
One spent ore storage facility, including an underdrain
pond and diversion channels;
Project Area exploration, including access routes and
drill sites with sumps;
Haul roads, service roads, and public road realignment;
Buckwheat exclusion area and critical habitat fencing; and
Ancillary facilities including an explosives storage area,
communication towers, All-Terrain Vehicle trails, a batch plant, a
proposed water supply testing facilities including pipelines, a sewage
system including septic leach fields, a dewatering pipeline, growth
media stockpiles, stormwater controls and diversions, monitoring wells,
laydown yards, and fencing.
Under Alternative B, the North and South OSF Alternative, which is
the BLM's preferred alternative, all mine components and operations
would be the same as Alternative A, but the facility layout would be
modified to reduce surface disturbance within the Tiehm's buckwheat
(Eriogonum tiemii) designated critical habitat. Surface disturbance
under Alternative B would be less than Alternative A and total
approximately 2,271 acres.
Under Alternative C, the No Action Alternative, the development of
the Project would not be authorized and Ioneer would not construct,
operate, and close a new lithium-boron mine project.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM Battle Mountain District Office is the lead agency for the
EIS. The Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Nevada Division of
Forestry, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service--Ecological Services, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--
Migratory Birds Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and
the Esmeralda County Board of County Commissioners have participated in
this environmental analysis as cooperating agencies. Several Native
American Tribes have also participated in the environmental analysis.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
Consistent with the NEPA and the BLM's land use planning
regulations, the BLM is providing a 30-day public review period for the
Final EIS and will not issue a decision on the proposal for a minimum
of 30 days after the date that EPA publishes its NOA in the Federal
Register.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Jon D. Sherve,
District Manager, Battle Mountain District.
[FR Doc. 2024-21580 Filed 9-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-21-P
