[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 198 (Thursday, October 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53234-53235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25442]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[AZ-040-7122-00-5514; AZA 28789]


Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for 
the Morenici Land Exchange, Greenlee County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of final environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The BLM has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS), analyzing the impacts to the human environment, of a proposed 
land exchange with the Phelps Dodge Mining Company, A Division of the 
Phelps Dodge Corporation, near Morenci, Arizona. The proposed exchange 
involves trading 3,758 acres of public land managed by the Bureau of 
Land Management for 960--1,200 acres of private land owned by the 
Phelps Dodge Mining Company. This FEIS (1) assesses the environmental 
impacts of the proposed land exchange as described in the Proposed 
Action, Equal Appraised Value Alternative and the No Action 
Alternative; (2) determines if there are direct, indirect and 
cumulative impacts; and (3) identifies necessary mitigative measures. 
This FEIS was prepared to comply with the Council on Environmental 
Quality's regulations (40 CFR Part 1500-1508) for implementing the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 43 U.S.C. at 1701, The 
Federal Land Exchange Facilitation Act of 1988, 43 U.S.C. at 1716 and 
1740, and BLM

[[Page 53235]]

regulations governing land exchanges (43 CFR Parts 2090 and 2200).

DATES: Written comments relating to the FEIS will be accepted until 
November 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Safford Field Office, Attention: Scott Evans, Project Manager, 711 14th 
Avenue, Safford, Arizona 85546.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The public lands proposed for exchange 
include 15 small parcels, under 1 acre, surrounded by private property 
and 12 larger parcels, 5 to 2,560 acres, adjacent to the existing 
Phelps Dodge Morenci mining operation. Phelps Dodge wishes to acquire 
these lands to continue and expand their exiting mining operation. More 
than 90 percent of the public lands proposed for exchange are 
encumbered by mining claims held by Phelps Dodge Corporation and 
others. The private lands offered for exchange include high resource 
value in holdings within the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation 
Area and the Cienega Creek Long-Term Management Area as well as two 
parcels adjacent to the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Evans, Project Manager, Mike 
McQueen, NEPA Compliance Officer, at BLM, Safford Field Office, 
telephone number (520) 428-4040 or Tina Lee, Project Manager, at SWCA, 
Inc., telephone number (520) 325-9194.

    Dated: September 24, 1996.
Frank L. Rowley,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-25442 Filed 10-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-M