[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 60115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30143]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NV-060-1990-01; N64-93-001P (96-2A)]
Notice of intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the South Pipeline Mining Plan of Operations
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for the Cortez Gold Mines (Cortez) South Pipeline Project for mining in
Lander County, Nevada, and notice of scoping period and public
meetings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as amended, and to 43 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 3809, the Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain
Field Office (BLM) will be directing the preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed expansion and
development of an open pit gold mine and associated facilities, in
Lander County, Nevada. The EIS will be prepared by a third party
consultant and funded by the proponent, Cortez. The BLM invites
comments and suggestions on the scope of the analysis.
DATES: There will be two public scoping meetings hosted by the BLM in
order to solicit input from the public about the South Pipeline
Project. The first meeting will be held at the BLM Battle Mountain
Field Office, at 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada on Tuesday
evening, December 10, 1996 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. The second
meeting will be held at the Crescent Valley Senior Center, 6024 Ruby
Way, Crescent Valley, Nevada on Wednesday evening, December 11, 1996,
from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. The purpose of these meetings is to
identify issues to be addressed in the EIS, identify viable possible
alternatives, and to encourage public participation in the NEPA
process. BLM representatives will present an overview of the NEPA
process, public involvement, and anticipated environmental impacts
resulting from the project. Cortez representatives will be summarizing
the Plan of Operations. Additional briefing meetings will be held as
necessary. Written comments on the scope of the EIS will be accepted
through January 31, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent to: BLM, Battle Mountain
District Manager, 50 Bastian Rd., P.O. Box 1420, Battle Mountain,
Nevada 89820 ATTN: Dave Davis.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Davis, Project Manager, or Helen
Mary Johnson, Geologist, at (702) 635-4000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cortez has recently submitted a proposal to
expand their Pipeline mining facility located in southern Crescent
Valley, Lander County, Nevada. The project will consist of an expansion
of the current Pipeline Gold Mine Project. The South Pipeline Expansion
will consist of a new open pit and associated dewatering facilities,
new haul roads, expansion of the permitted Pipeline waste rock
facility, a new heap leach facility, and soil stockpiles. Existing
facilities will also be used. These facilities include the permitted
reinfiltration ponds and conveyance systems, either the Cortez or
Pipeline mills (or both), existing haul roads, the Pipeline tailings/
heap leach facility, the Cortez tailings facility, and ancillary
facilities such as offices, shops, power lines, water lines, etc. Total
disturbance for the South Pipeline Plan Amendment as currently proposed
is estimated to be 3,162 acres.
Potentially significant and significant direct, indirect,
cumulative and residual impacts from the proposal will be analyzed in
the EIS. Significant issues to be addressed in the EIS include those
relating to: surface and ground water issues, air quality, cultural
resources, and social and economic values. A significant issue that
will be one of the focuses of the EIS will be the formation of a pit
lake or pit lakes at the end of mining. Currently two large pit lakes
separated by a common highwall or one large pit lake encompassing both
the Pipeline and South Pipeline pits are possible post-mining
scenarios. Partial backfilling of the Pipeline open pit with material
from the South Pipeline Pit will also be evaluated. Additional
significant issues to be addressed may arise during the scoping
process. Federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the BLM's
decision on this plan of operation are invited to participate in the
scoping process.
Dated: November 19, 1996.
Wayne King,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-30143 Filed 11-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
