[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 26, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18143]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: July 26, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NV-020-4191-03]
Intent to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for a mining Plan of Operations (POO) for the Twin Creeks Mine
project, Humboldt County, Nevada; and notice of scoping period and
public meetings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, and to 43 CFR 3809, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) will be directing the preparation of an EIS for the proposed
expansion of a gold mine in Humboldt County, Nevada. This EIS will be
prepared by contract and funded by the proponent, Santa Fe Pacific Gold
Corporation. Public meetings will be held to identify issues to be
addressed in the EIS, and to encourage public participation in the
review process. Representatives of the BLM and Santa Fe Pacific Gold
Corporation will be summarizing the POO and accepting comments from the
audience. The BLM invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the
analysis.
DATES: Scoping meetings will be held August 9, 1994 at the Humboldt
County Library in Winnemucca, Nevada; and on August 10, 1994 at the
Airport Plaza Hotel on 1981 Terminal Way, Reno, Nevada. Both meetings
will be held from 7-9 p.m. each night. Written comments on the Plan of
Operations and the scope of the EIS will be accepted until September 9,
1994. The Draft EIS is expected to be completed by spring of 1995, at
which time the document will be made available for public review and
comment.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent to: District Manager, 705 E.
4th Street, Winnemucca, NV 89445; ATTN: Gerald Moritz, Project
Coordinator.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gerald Moritz, 705 E. 4th Street, Winnemucca, NV 89445, (702) 623-1500.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation of
Albuquerque, New Mexico has submitted to the Winnemucca District Office
of the BLM, a POO for expansion of their existing gold mine, the Twin
Creeks Mine (TCM). The POO describes proposed expansion and
consolidation of TCM mining operations in Humboldt County,
approximately 35 miles northeast of Winnemucca, Nevada. This mining
operation had previously been divided into Goldfields Operating
Company's Chimney Creek Mine and Santa Fe's Rabbit Creek Mine. A total
of approximately 931 million tons of oxide overburden and interburden;
534 million tons of sulfide overburden and interburden; 737 million
tons alluvium overburden; 60 million tons of subgrade ore; 33 million
tons of sulfide mill grade ore; 9 million tons oxide mill grade ore;
and 60 million tons leach grade material may be excavated during the 20
year mine life. These amounts may vary depending on the price of gold
during mining operations. The proposed expansion would result in an
additional disturbance on approximately 1,500 acres. Existing surface
disturbance for all mine facilities would be about 4,144 acres.
Existing key production facilities include mine pits, barren rock
piles, ore crushing, grinding, heap leach pads, solution ponds, gold
extraction and refining equipment, and tailings disposal facilities.
Nonprocessing ancillary facilities to support the mining activities
include administration, laboratory, warehouse, maintenance shop
buildings, fuel, oil, reagent and water storage facilities and other
small structures required for operations.
The EIS will address the issues of geology, minerals, soils, water
resources, vegetation, wildlife, grazing management, wild horses, air
quality, aesthetic resources, cultural resources, paleontological
resources, land use, access, recreation, social and economic values
related to expansion.
Federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the BLM's
decision on the POO are invited to participate in the scoping process.
The Authorized Officer will respond to public input and comment as part
of the final EIS. The decision regarding the proposal will be recorded
as a Record of Decision, which is subject to appeal under 43 CFR part
4.
Dated: July 18, 1994.
Robert J. Neary,
Acting District Manager, Winnemucca.
[FR Doc. 94-18143 Filed 7-25-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-M