96-5898. Availability of the Record of Decision for the Mesquite Regional Landfill

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10784-10785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5898]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[CA-060-06-5440-00-B026]


Availability of the Record of Decision for the Mesquite Regional 
Landfill

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Record of 
Decision (ROD) for the Mesquite Regional Landfill in accordance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the regulations at 
40 CFR Part 1500. This document is now available to the public.
    The ROD adopts the Proposed Action as described in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) 
jointly prepared by the BLM and the County of Imperial. The ROD 
approves a land exchange (CACA-34105) and issuance of a right-of-way 
grant (CACA-29617) to Gold Fields Mining Corporation who, through its 
wholly owned subsidiary Arid Operations, Inc., will operate the 
landfill in Imperial County, California.
    The landfill will encompass approximately 4250 acres, including 
approximately 1750 acres of public lands currently administered by BLM. 
The BLM- administered lands in the project area will be exchanged for 
approximately 2640 acres of private land located elsewhere in Imperial 
and Riverside Counties. The exchange of approximately 5 acres of public 
land currently situated within the Singer Geoglyphs Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern will not be completed until such time as the 
California State Director issues a separate ROD approving an amendment 
to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan to exclude this land 
from the ACEC and redesignate it as Multiple- Use Class M. The exchange 
of the five acre parcel is not essential to the construction or 
operation of the Mesquite Regional Landfill.

[[Page 10785]]

    The right-of-way grant is for the construction, operation and 
maintenance of a five mile long railroad spur between the landfill and 
the existing Southern Pacific rail line near Glamis, California. The 
term of the grant is 40 years with an option for renewal.

DATES: A 45 day protest period on the land exchange and a 30 day appeal 
period on the right-of-way both begin March 15, 1996. Protests on the 
land exchange must be received by May 1, 1996, and appeals to the 
right-of-way must be received by April 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Protests and appeals should be sent to: Bureau of Land 
Management, El Centro Resource Area, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, 
CA 92243.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain a copy of the ROD, 
contact Thomas Zale, Multi-Resources Staff Chief, El Centro Resource 
Area at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental analysis of the proposed 
action and alternatives is described in the April 1994 Draft EIS/EIR 
and the June 1995 Final EIS/EIR for the Mesquite Regional Landfill, 
including the Responses to Comments Volume and Technical Appendices A 
through I. The BLM's decisions to approve the land exchange and issue 
the right-of-way grant are based on the management considerations 
identified in the ROD. The right-of-way grant is issued subject to the 
condition that the holder comply with all mitigation and monitoring 
requirements identified in the ROD, including those derived from the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Biological Opinion for the project and 
the California State Historic Preservation Officer's concurrence 
determination for the project.

    Dated: March 6, 1996.
Terry A. Reed,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-5898 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am]
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