[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62473-62474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29662]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-066-96-1300-00; CACA-20139 and CACA-22901]
Proposed Sand and Gravel Mining Operation in Soledad Canyon, Los
Angeles County, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, Palm
Springs-South Coast Resource Area, Desert District, California.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement--
Second Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969 and 40 CFR 1508.22, notice is hereby given that the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Transit Mixed Concrete (TMC) Surface Mining
Project (Project) proposed for construction and operation in Soledad
Canyon, Los Angeles County, California. TMC acquired the rights to
develop the Project through a competitive bid process. The BLM granted
the mineral material contract to TMC in March 1990. The BLM complied
with NEPA for the sale of sand and gravel for the Project site by
preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) and issuing a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) in 1989.
The Project plans to mine a total of 83 million tons of materials
and sell approximately 56 million tons of sand and gravel, also known
as Portland cement concrete sand and gravel (PCC aggregates), over a
20-year period to fulfill contracts entered into with the BLM.
The Project includes plans to operate a concrete batch plant to
produce and deliver ready-mixed concrete to the local market. All
proposed mining and operations will be located north of Soledad Canyon
Road and the Santa Clara River. The 500-acre site represents one of the
westernmost reserves for PCC aggregate production in the Saugus-Newhall
Production-Consumption Region that is located outside the floodplain of
the Santa Clara River or a tributary wash.
The general mining plan is to mine on the south side of the ridge
through a series of four excavation cuts. Each cut will progress from a
higher elevation and proceed downslope. Fill areas for excess natural
fines will be established on both the south and north sides of the
ridge. Reclamation will be concurrent with mining operations and
measures have been incorporated into Project design to minimize
erosion, provide watershed control, and protect water quality in the
Santa Clara River. A full range of alternatives to the proposed action
will be considered in the EIS.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Project site is on ``split-estate''
lands where the surface is privately owned and the minerals are
federally owned and administered by the BLM. The project is subject to
approval of a Surface Mining Permit and environmental analysis in
accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The
County of Los Angeles is the Lead Agency for preparation of an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which will be prepared separate from
the EIS.
Comments from members of the public are being requested to help
identify significant issues or concerns related to the proposed action
to determine the scope of the issues and alternatives that need to be
analyzed, and to identify and eliminate from detailed study the issues
that are not significant. All comments recommending that the EIS
address specific environmental issues should contain supporting
documentation and rationale.
A Notice of Intent announcing BLM's intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed project, was previously
published in the Federal Register October 16, 1995. The public comment
period closed November 15, 1995. Per public request,
[[Page 62474]]
the comment period for the Notice of Intent has been extended another
30-days. Comments submitted during the previous public comment period
will be considered.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted no later than January 5, 1996
to the following address: Ms. Julia Dougan, Area Manager, Bureau of
Land Management, Palm Springs--South Coast Resource Area Office, P.O.
Box 2000, North Palm Springs, California, 92258-2000.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Patty Cook, BLM, Palm Springs--
South Coast Resource Area, P.O. Box 2000, North Palm Springs, CA 92258-
2000, telephone 619-251-4853.
Dated: November 29, 1995.
Julia Dougan,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-29662 Filed 12-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
