[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 150 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40429-40430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19626]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[AZ040-7122-00-5513; AZA 28793, AZA 29640]


Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
Analyzing the Impacts of a Proposed Public Land Exchange and an 
Associated Mining Plan of Operations for the Dos Pobres/San Juan Copper 
Ore Bodies near Safford, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
    Cooperating Agency: Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Safford District, in 
cooperation with the Army Corps of Engineers (COE) is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze impacts of a proposed 
land exchange and the Mining Plan of Operations (MPO) for the Dos 
Pobres/San Juan copper ore bodies.
    1. Identification of the geographic area involved: The proposed 
land exchange involve approximately 17,000 acres of public lands 
currently managed by the Safford District, Bureau of Land Management 
that are located near the city of Safford, Graham County, Arizona. The 
MPO addresses the development of the San Juan and Dos Pobres ore bodies 
and involves approximately 3,900 acres of public lands in the same 
area. The approximately 5,000 acres of private lands offered for 
exchange are located in southern Arizona.
    2. Analysis of alternatives: The Proposed Action is an exchange of 
Federal land for private land between the BLM and Phelps Dodge 
Corporation, Inc. The No Action alternative and alternatives that 
consider various combinations of selected and offered lands as well as 
various aspects of the MPO will be analyzed. COE will utilize the 
analysis presented in the EIS to decide whether or not to issue a Clean 
Water Act 404 permit to Phelps Dodge, Inc., for operation of the Dos 
Pobres/San Juan mining operation.
    3. General types of issues anticipated: The proposed land exchange 
and MPO involves issues related to the natural resource values and uses 
of the public lands in question. These issues are expected to involve 
impacts on waters of the United States, riparian habitats, threatened 
and endangered species, drainage and erosion impacts, surface and 
groundwater quality and quantity, water rights, Gila River impacts, air 
quality, cultural resources, transportation, access to recreation 
areas, socioeconomic resources, Indian trust lands and assets, mineral 
rights, and other issues that may be identified during public scoping.
    4. Disciplines to be represented and used to prepare the 
environmental impact statement: Hydrology, botany, wildlife, 
recreation, realty, range, economics, geology, and archaeology.

DATES: The kind and extent of public participation: Three public open 
house meetings have been scheduled to inform the public of this project 
and to obtain public input on the issues to be analyzed in the EIS. 
These meetings will be held in Safford, Tucson, and Phoenix at the 
following times and locations:

September 5, 1996, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., BLM District Office, 711 
14th Avenue, Safford, Arizona 85546
September 10, 1996, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tucson Main Public Library, 
101 North Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85701
September 11, 1996, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., BLM State Office, 3707 
North 7th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85014.

    Public input may be submitted during the public meetings or in 
writing to the address in the address section. Public comments will be 
accepted until October 12, 1996.
    Complete records of all phases of the NEPA process will be 
maintained for public review at the Safford District Office, 711 14th 
Avenue, Safford, Arizona 85546.


[[Page 40430]]


ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the environmental impact 
statement should be submitted to Margaret Jensen, Gila Resource Area 
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Safford District Office, 711 14th 
Avenue, Safford, Arizona 85546.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Phelps Dodge, Inc., is planning to develop 
the Dos Pobres and San Juan copper ore bodies that are primarily 
located on private lands owned by Phelps Dodge, Inc. Phelps Dodge seeks 
to either acquire additional public lands in the vicinity of these ore 
bodies through the exchange process or utilize them for mining purposes 
under the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended. To this purpose, 
Phelps Dodge has proposed an exchange of land and submitted a MPO for 
the use of these lands to the BLM.
    The 17,000 acres of public lands identified for exchange are 
adjacent to and surround approximately 20,000 acres of Phelps Dodge's 
private land. These lands have been selected by Phelps Dodge, Inc., to 
consolidate its land position, provide buffer areas for environmental 
compliance purposes, and accommodate development of future mining 
operations at Dos Pobres/San Juan and Lone Star ore bodies.
    In exchange, Phelps Dodge, Inc., is offering approximately 5,000 
acres of private lands that it owns for public acquisition. These lands 
possess resource qualities considered to be of significant value to the 
public, and have been identified for acquisition by the BLM.
    The Dos Pobres/San Juan project would involve open pit mining of 
leachable copper ore and the construction and operation of a solvent 
extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) process facility designed to produce 
about 200 million pounds of high-quality cathode copper per year when 
fully operational.
    The proposed mining would involve conventional drill, blast, load 
and haul techniques. During project construction, employment is 
expected to average nearly 600 workers with peak employment reaching 
about 1,000 full-time jobs. Direct employment by Phelps Dodge during 
the life of the project is estimated at 300 to 400 full-time employees.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Terry, Project Leader, or Mike 
McQueen, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, 711 14th Avenue, 
Safford, Arizona 85546; telephone (520) 428-4040.

    Dated: July 16, 1996.
Frank L. Rowley,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-19626 Filed 8-1-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-M