[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 160 (Friday, August 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-20406]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 19, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Army Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Proposed North Expansion of Kennecott Copper's Tailings
Impoundment in Salt Lake County, UT
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: Kennecott Copper proposes to expand their current tailings
impoundment by an additional 3,500 acres. The present tailings
impoundment is reaching its storage capacity. Kennecott projects the
need to store an additional 1.9 billion tons of tailings in order for
operation and production to continue throughout the life of the mine.
In addition, Kennecott has identified the need for a seismic upgrade of
the existing impoundment. The intended location of the expanded
facility and its design is projected to meet this need. Construction of
the north expansion will require a Department of the Army permit
pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Corps of Engineers,
as the lead Federal agency for this project, has determined that an
Environmental Impact Statement will be required prior to making a
permit decision.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Schwinn, Project Manager,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Utah Field Office,
1403 South 600 West, Suite A, Bountiful, Utah 84010, Telephone (801)
295-8380.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Kennecott Copper owns and operates the
Bingham Canyon Mine 30 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah within
the Oquirrh Mountains. Copper ore is mined from an open pit mine and
processed at the concentrator, smelter and refinery facilities. Annual
production of copper from the facility is over 250,000 tons annually,
Tailings, the end-product of the process, are disposed in a slurry to
an existing impoundment.
The existing impoundment's footprint covers approximately 5,700
acres and contains 1.7 billion tons of tailings. The current
impoundment is 190 feet high. It has the capacity for an additional 0.3
to 0.4 billion tons of tailings which will raise its height to 250
feet. Its capacity is projected to be reached by 1998. However, the
expected life of the mine is estimated at an additional 30 years with a
total production of 1.9 billion more tons of tailings.
Construction of the North Expansion will occur in two phases. The
Phase 1 design will provide for 1.1 billion tons of tailings storage.
(An additional 0.3 to 0.4 billion tons of tailings will be deposited
into the existing impoundment during the remaining years of service.)
Related project elements for Phase 1 include construction of the North
Expansion berm, expanded dewatering of select reaches of the existing
impoundment, and modification of the process water system, all designed
to enhance the seismic stability of the existing impoundment. Phase 1
is expected to run from year 1999 to 2018.
Phase 2 construction of the North Expansion will allow storage of
an additional 0.4 to 0.5 billion tons of tailings, resulting in a final
impoundment height of 250 feet by the year 2027.
Construction of the North Expansion will require a new pipeline
bridge and modification of the tailings distribution system. It will
also involve relocating utility lines, powerlines, the C-7 ditch, the
Union Pacific Railroad main lines, the construction of a new bridge for
Highway 202 over the relocated railroad lines and the modification of
Interstate 80 on and off ramps.
In addition to the proposed North Expansion, other alternatives
have tentatively been identified. These include both onsite and offsite
alternatives. The onsite alternatives range from the proposed North
Expansion to the continued raising and impounding of tailings within
the existing impoundment. Offsite alternatives would involve separate
sites capable of meeting the tailings storage capacity needs. Five have
been identified: Barneys Canyon, Coon Canyon, Dry Fork/Carr Fork,
Tooele/Carr Fork and Stockton. All sites are located in the Oquirrh
Mountains and within Kennecott Copper's mine properties. Alternatives
and their practicability will be analyzed by the Corps of Engineers
pursuant to the 404(b)(1) Guidelines contained in 40 CFR Part 230.
Public Scoping Meeting
A public scoping meeting will be held to help identify significant
issues and alternatives for inclusion in the DEIS. Potentially
significant issues to be analyzed in the DEIS include wetland impacts,
impacts to surface and ground water, both in terms of quantity and
quality; public safety, air quality, fish and wildlife impacts,
transportation and traffic. A public scoping meeting will be held at
the following time and location: 6 p.m., Wednesday, September 19, 1994:
Main Auditorium, Utah Department of Natural Resources, 1636 West North
Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Federal, state and local agencies as well as other interested
parties are encouraged to attend the scoping meeting. In addition,
written comments addressing relevant issues to be considered in the
DEIS as per this NOI may be sent to Mr. Schwinn at the above address.
Comments in response to this NOI will be received until the date of the
scoping meeting.
Dated: August 12, 1994.
Michael P. Stuhr,
Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Deputy District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 94-20406 Filed 8-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-EH-M
