[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7804]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 8, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[CA-060-04-5440-10-B026; 2-00160]
Availability
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a joint draft Environmental Impact
Statement and Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) has been prepared
by the Bureau of Land Management and the County of Imperial for the
proposed Mesquite Regional Class III Landfill. The proposed federal
action analyzes the environmental effects of a land exchange for
approximately 1,750 acres, rights of way for a railroad spur and a gas
pipeline plus an amendment to the California Desert Plan.
DATES: For Public Hearings and Comments: A 90-day public review period
has been established for this document. Comments concerning the
adequacy or accuracy of this document will be considered in preparation
of the Final EIS/EIR. Written comments on this document will be
accepted through July 6, 1994. Two public hearings will be held during
the public comment period to receive verbal testimony on the following
dates: 7 p.m. PDT, Wednesday, May 25, 1994, at the El Centro Community
Center, 375 South First Street, El Centro, California 92243, (619-337-
4555); 7 p.m. PDT, Thursday, May 26, 1994, at the Desert Expo Center,
Fine Arts Building, 46-350 Arabia Street, Indio, California 92201 (619-
863-8247).
ADDRESSES: Written comments must be filed no later than July 6, 1994,
reference BLM CA-29617, and should be addressed to Bureau of Land
Management, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Zale, Multi-Resource Staff Chief, Bureau of Land Management, El
Centro Resource Area, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, California
92243.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Gold Fields Mining Co. (Gold Fields),
Western Waste Industries, and S.P. Environmental Systems have formed a
(Partnership) that would own and develop the landfill located
contiguous to the site of the currently operating Mesquite Gold Mine
and Ore Processing Facility (Mesquite Mine) in eastern Imperial County.
The project would include the unloading and loading of Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW) residue containers, placement of MSW into the landfill,
rail and equipment maintenance, landfill gas recovery and destruction
by flaring or utilization of energy recovery techniques, leachate
collection and processing and waste water treatment. Temporary storage
of recyclable materials from originating transportation operations (in
accordance with AB939) will also be provided.
The proposed project would involve 4,250 acres, of which 2,290
acres would be utilized for the landfill footprint and ancillary
facilities. The proposed landfill is designed to accommodate up to 600
million tons of MSW residue and would have an operational life of 100
years. MSW would be collected from population centers in Southern
California, including Imperial County, by local collection vehicles and
taken to existing or future transfer stations/material recovery
facilities (MRFs) where it would be sorted and processed to remove
recyclables, hazardous materials, and other unacceptable wastes in
accordance with AB939. From these locations, MSW residue would be
transferred to railroad loading intermodals where it would be loaded
for rail haulage to the Mesquite Regional Landfill project site. Truck
transfer of Imperial County MSW residue could also occur (based on
future decisions made by local officials) after processing at local
transfer stations/MRFs. The estimated rate of growth of daily MSW
volumes would be 4,000 tons per day (tpd) for Year 1 of operations,
increasing up to 20,000 tpd after Year 7. The estimated daily number of
trains that would be required would be one train during Year 1 (4,000
tpd), increasing to 5 trains after Year 7 (20,000 tpd). The proposed
maximum daily volume of MSW residue would be 20,000 tons per day
averaged over a two week, 12 day period. The actual rate of growth and
operational life of the landfill will depend upon market conditions for
MSW disposal in communities that choose to use the regional landfill.
In addition to the No Action Alternative, four alternatives to the
proposed action are considered in the EIS/EIR and include: Smaller
Landfill Footprint (Alternative I); Reduced Daily Volumes (Alternative
II); Alternative Mesquite Regional Landfill Site (Alternative III); and
Larger Project (increased daily MSW residue volumes and larger landfill
footprint) (Alternative IV). The EIS/EIR analyzes the effects of the
proposed action and alternatives on such environmental issues including
but not limited to: air quality, social and economic impacts, ground
and surface water quality, endangered and other special status plants
and animals, cultural or historical and visual resources.
Dated: April 1, 1994.
G. Ben Koski,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 94-7804 Filed 4-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M