[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 120 (Tuesday, June 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34193-34194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16617]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[AZ-020-05-3809-00; AZA 29237]
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Yarnell Mining Project, Arizona
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environment
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix Field
Office, has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) that
describes the impacts of a proposed surface gold mine and ore
processing facility, known as the Yarnell Mining Project, that would be
located on public, private, and state lands near the town of Yarnell in
Yavapai County in central Arizona.
DATES: The DEIS is available for public review and comment for the next
60 days. Written comments on the DEIS must be postmarked on or before
August 25, 1998. Public hearings will be held on July 28, 29, and 30,
1998, at the times and locations listed under Supplementary
Information.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Project Manager for
the Yarnell Mining Project EIS, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix
Field Office, 2015 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Connie Stone, EIS Project Manager, (602) 580-5517.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS was prepared in response to a
proposed mining plan of operations submitted by the Yarnell Mining
Company, a subsidiary of Bema Gold (U.S.) Inc. The impact analysis in
the DEIS includes proposed mitigation measures and alternatives to the
proposed project. The Environmental Protection Agency,
[[Page 34194]]
Region IX, is serving as a cooperating agency.
Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed project facilities would include an open pit mine, two
waste rock dumps, ore crushing and cyanide heap leaching facilities,
laboratories, an office, and a water supply system of four wells or
well fields and two pipelines. Facilities would be constructed on 118
acres of BLM-administered land, 75 acres of private land, and 8 acres
of state land that would be part of the water supply system. The mine
would operate for 6 years, followed by a 7-year period of closure and
reclamation.
Alternatives Analyzed
The following three alternatives to the proposed action were
analyzed: (1) No Action alternative; (2) Alternative 2--Elimination of
the South Waste Rock Dump and Consolidation of Waste Rock Into the
North Waste Rock Dump; and (3) Alternative 3--Elimination of the North
Waste Rock Dump and Consolidation of Waste Rock Into the South Waste
Rock Dump.
Other Relevant Information
Copies of the DEIS have been mailed to all individuals and
organizations that requested them, and executive summaries have been
mailed to all on the project mailing list. A copy of the DEIS or
summary may be obtained upon request by contacting Connie Stone at the
BLM Phoenix Field Office. PublicUnited States reading copies are also
being kept at the BLM Phoenix Field Office, the BLM Arizona State
Office (222 N. Central Avenue in Phoenix), and the Public Libraries in
Yarnell, Wickenburg, and Prescott.
Public Hearings
Three public hearings will be held, the location and schedules for
which are as follows:
July 28, 1998, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., at the Wickenburg Community Center,
160 N. Valentine St., Wickenburg, Arizona.
July 29, 1998, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Yarnell Senior Center, 136
Broadway St., Yarnell, Arizona.
July 30, 1998, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., at the Prescott Resort Conference
Center, 1500 Highway 69, Prescott, Arizona.
Public Input Requested
Comments on the alternatives and the adequacy of the impact
analyses are most useful when they address one or more of the
following:
Errors in the analysis,
New information affecting the analysis,
Misinformation that could affect the outcome of the
analysis,
Requests for clarification,
A substantive new alternative that differs from any of
the existing alternatives.
Dated: June 17, 1998.
Michael A. Taylor,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-16617 Filed 6-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-M
