Notice of Termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Twin Metals Project in the Superior National Forest, Lake and St. Louis Counties, Minnesota, 106561 [2024-31215]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices campaigns and 901 were unique comment submissions. The BLM and FWS considered all comments received during the extended comment period in the preparation of the Final Supplemental EIS. The BLM and FWS responded to substantive comments and made appropriate revisions in the Final Supplemental EIS or explained why a comment did not warrant a change, as documented in Appendix F of the Final Supplemental EIS. The BLM’s 2024 ROD decision is to terminate the UDOT ROW grant issued on January 13, 2021, and to endorse the Red Hills Parkway Expressway alternative. The termination of the BLM ROW grant is effective immediately. The FWS’s ROD amends the 2021 ITP to authorize incidental take of the desert tortoise to Washington County caused by covered activities, without the Northern Corridor changed circumstance. The amended ITP reinstates take authorization of desert tortoise in the 3,341 acres of State and private land in Zone 6, previously required as mitigation under the Northern Corridor changed circumstance. (Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6; 40 CFR 1506.10 (2022)) Matthew A. Preston, Acting State Director. Anna Munoz, Deputy Regional Director. [FR Doc. 2024–30978 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4331–25–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [PO #4820000251] Notice of Termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Twin Metals Project in the Superior National Forest, Lake and St. Louis Counties, Minnesota Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of termination. AGENCY: By this notice, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Northeastern States District, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is announcing the termination of the Twin Metals Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). DATES: This termination takes effect immediately. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt Wadzinski, NSDO Planning and Environmental Coordinator, at 414– 297–4408 or by email to kwadzins@ VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:58 Dec 27, 2024 Jkt 265001 blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to contact during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. (Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9) Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations, the BLM published its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS for the Twin Metals Project in the Federal Register on June 30, 2020 (85 FR 39206). The EIS would have analyzed the potential impacts of issuing a proposed new preference right lease (MNES 57965) and approving a mine plan of operations for that lease and an existing lease (MNES 1352) held by Twin Metals Minnesota (Twin Metals) in the Superior National Forest in Lake and St. Louis counties, Minnesota. In October 2021, the USDA Forest Service submitted an application to withdraw the lands in question from disposition under the United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws. The BLM published a notice of its receipt of that application in the Federal Register (86 FR 58299), which segregated the lands from the operation of the mineral and geothermal leasing laws, and the BLM subsequently rejected the preference right lease application submitted by Twin Metals in accordance with 43 CFR 2310.2(d). In January 2022, the Department of the Interior cancelled two hardrock mineral leases held by Twin Metals, including lease MNES 1352, because the leases were improperly renewed. Because Twin Metals did not have an underlying land use authorization, the BLM subsequently rejected the mine plan of operations. On January 31, 2023, the Secretary of the Interior issued Public Land Order 7917 (88 FR 6308), which withdrew approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, from disposition under the United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws for a period of 20 years, subject to valid existing rights. As a result, new mineral leasing is prohibited for 20 years from the date of the withdrawal. Based on BLM environmental policy, the bureau must announce in the Federal Register when it does not complete previously initiated NEPA actions. Bureau of Land Management SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00156 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 106561 Mitchell Leverette, Eastern States State Director. [FR Doc. 2024–31215 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4331–18–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [PO #4820000251] Public Land Order No. PLO 7954; Withdrawal of National Forest System Lands for the Schwartz and Leff Administrative Site; California Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Public land order. AGENCY: This Public Land Order (PLO) withdraws 39.6 acres of National Forest System lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral or geothermal leasing laws or disposal under the Mineral Materials Act of 1947, for a period of 20 years, subject to valid existing rights, to protect the integrity of the historic and cultural resources located within the Schwartz and Leff Administrative Site along the North Fork of the Salmon River in Siskiyou County, California. DATES: This PLO takes effect on December 30, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Daniels, BLM California State Office, telephone: (916) 978–4674, email: hdaniels@blm.gov; or Zareen Ali, Forest Service Regional Office, telephone: (707) 562–8964 during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays. 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 United States Forest Service will manage the lands to protect the integrity of the historic and cultural resources located within the Schwarz and Leff Administrative Site along the North Fork of the Salmon River in the Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. SUMMARY: Order By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of the Interior by Section E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM 30DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 106561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31215]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[PO #4820000251]


Notice of Termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Twin Metals Project in the Superior National Forest, Lake and St. 
Louis Counties, Minnesota

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of termination.

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SUMMARY: By this notice, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 
Northeastern States District, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is 
announcing the termination of the Twin Metals Project Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS).

DATES: This termination takes effect immediately.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt Wadzinski, NSDO Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, at 414-297-4408 or by email to 
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will receive 
a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
NEPA regulations, the BLM published its Notice of Intent (NOI) to 
prepare an EIS for the Twin Metals Project in the Federal Register on 
June 30, 2020 (85 FR 39206). The EIS would have analyzed the potential 
impacts of issuing a proposed new preference right lease (MNES 57965) 
and approving a mine plan of operations for that lease and an existing 
lease (MNES 1352) held by Twin Metals Minnesota (Twin Metals) in the 
Superior National Forest in Lake and St. Louis counties, Minnesota.
    In October 2021, the USDA Forest Service submitted an application 
to withdraw the lands in question from disposition under the United 
States mineral and geothermal leasing laws. The BLM published a notice 
of its receipt of that application in the Federal Register (86 FR 
58299), which segregated the lands from the operation of the mineral 
and geothermal leasing laws, and the BLM subsequently rejected the 
preference right lease application submitted by Twin Metals in 
accordance with 43 CFR 2310.2(d).
    In January 2022, the Department of the Interior cancelled two 
hardrock mineral leases held by Twin Metals, including lease MNES 1352, 
because the leases were improperly renewed. Because Twin Metals did not 
have an underlying land use authorization, the BLM subsequently 
rejected the mine plan of operations. On January 31, 2023, the 
Secretary of the Interior issued Public Land Order 7917 (88 FR 6308), 
which withdrew approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System 
lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, from 
disposition under the United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws 
for a period of 20 years, subject to valid existing rights. As a 
result, new mineral leasing is prohibited for 20 years from the date of 
the withdrawal.
    Based on BLM environmental policy, the bureau must announce in the 
Federal Register when it does not complete previously initiated NEPA 
actions.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9)

Mitchell Leverette,
Eastern States State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-31215 Filed 12-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-18-P
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