[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47678-47679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23902]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
a Proposed Lease To Construct and Operate a Combined Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Facility on the
Nambe Indian Reservation, Santa Fe County, NM
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, in cooperation with the Pueblo of Nambe, the Nambe Pueblo
Development Corporation and their environmental consultants, intends to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed lease to
construct and operate a combined municipal solid waste (MSW) and
construction and demolition (C&D) waste facility in Santa Fe County,
New Mexico. A description of the proposed project, location, and
environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS are provided below
(Supplementary Information). In addition to this notice, a public
meeting will be held to describe the proposed action and to receive
public comments regarding the scope of the EIS. The public will be
invited to participate in the scoping process, review of the draft EIS
and public meeting.
This notice is published in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found in 40 CFR 1501.7. The
purpose of this notice is to solicit suggestions and information from
other agencies and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in
the EIS. Comments and participation in this scoping process are
encouraged.
DATES: Written comments must arrive by October 25, 1997. A public
scoping meeting will be held on September 25, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Address comments to Mr. Rob Baracker, Area Director,
Albuquerque Area Office, P.O. Box 26567, Albuquerque, NM 87125-6567.
The public scoping meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. on September 25,
1997, at the Nambe Pueblo Fuel Terminal east of Allsup's Convenience
Store, at the Cuyamungue Arroyo on U.S. Route 84/285.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Al Sedik, Area Environmental
Scientist, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Albuquerque, NM 87125-6567,
telephone number (505) 766-1039.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: High Mesa Environmental LLC (High) proposes
to lease 100 acres of the Nambe Indian Reservation for the purposes of
constructing and operating a combined MSW and C&D waste facility for a
variety of non-hazardous wastes. The project will meet all applicable
environmental standards and regulations.
The proposed project includes an initial C&D-only waste cell, with
an operations area, and a site well. Ultimately, the facility will
include five additional cells for combined MSW and C&D waste, two
collection ponds, monitoring wells and a leachate evaporation pond. The
combined waste cells will be lined. Approximately 200 to 400 tons per
day of waste material would be delivered to the facility by truck.
Offsite roadway improvements would be necessary.
The project area is in the central portion of the Espanola Basin,
part of the Alamosa-Santa Fe segment of Rio Grande rift, 17 miles
northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is an isolated site, located
three miles from the Pueblo proper with no infrastructure such as
water, power, or roads. The terrain in this area is steep and mostly
clay, with
[[Page 47679]]
very little to no vegetation. The area is considered badlands, with no
potential for recreational use now or in the future.
The EIS will assess alternatives to the proposed project, including
(1) a smaller project, (2) alternative waste stream management, and (3)
no action. The EIS will address numerous environmental issues,
including geology, topography, soils, water resources, air quality,
living resources, cultural resources, traffic, land use, visual
resources, socioeconomics, public health and safety, and noise. The
range of issues addressed may change, depending on comments received
during the scoping process.
Dated: September 2, 1997.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-23902 Filed 9-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P
