[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 17631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9172]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-CACA 31137, DES 97-10]
Notice of Availability
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Needles Resource Area.
ACTION: Notice of availability for the Castle Mountain Mine Expansion
Project, Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report, and notice of comment period and public meetings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and in coordination with the County of
San Bernardino in its administration of the California Environmental
Quality Act, as amended, notice is given that the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared, with the assistance of a third-party
consultant, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Environmental
Impact Report (EIR), on the proposed Castle Mountain Mine Expansion
Project, and has made copies available for public and agency review.
This notice also announces public meetings for the purpose of receiving
comments on the draft document.
DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR must be received no later
than 4 p.m., May 28, 1997. Oral and/or written comments may also be
presented at two public meetings. The public meetings will be held at
the following times and locations: 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 29, 1997 at
the Holiday Inn, 1511 East Main Street, Barstow, California; 7 p.m.,
Wednesday, April 30, 1997 at the Searchlight Community Center, Parks
and Recreation Department, 200 Michael Wendall Way, Searchlight,
Nevada.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to: George R.
Meckfessel, U.S.D.I., Bureau of Land Management, Needles Resource Area,
101 West Spikes Road, Needles, California 92363.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: George R. Meckfessel, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator, telephone (619) 326-7000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Viceroy Gold Corporation has proposed to
mine additional ore adjacent to deposits currently being mined at the
Castle Mountain Mine, San Bernardino, California, an open-pit, heap-
leach gold mine. Under the present operating permits, mining,
processing and reclamation activities could continue through December
31, 2010. Under the proposed expansion, these activities would continue
through December 31, 2020. The Proposed Action consists of expanding
existing and planned open pit areas, expanding the existing heap leach
pad, creating a new overburden storage site and expanding growth media
storage areas on approximately 490 additional acres. The action would
also incorporate mine pit backfilling on 140 acres of open mine pits.
The proposed 10-year extension of the mining and processing phases of
the mine would ultimately affect up to 1,380 acres of public and
private lands, as compared to the 890 acres presently authorized.
The Draft EIS/EIR has examined potentially significant impacts to
geology, water resources, including groundwater quality and quantity,
vegetation, wildlife, air quality, visual resources, cultural
resources, land use, and hazards.
Public participation has occurred throughout the planning process.
A Notice of Intent was published in the Federal Register on July 18 and
August 29, 1995. Public scoping meetings were held in August 1995.
Molly S. Brady,
Acting Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 97-9172 Filed 4-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
