[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