[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41410-41411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20289]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NV-010-1990-09]


Notice of Intent; Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) on a mining Plan of Operations for the Newmont/Barrick HD Venture 
in Eureka 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 43 CFR part 3809, the Bureau of Land Management 
will be directing the preparation of an EIS to be prepared by a third-
party contractor on the impacts of a proposed Plan of Operations for 
gold mining by the Newmont/Barrick HD Venture, in Eureka County, 
Nevada. The Bureau invites comments on the scope of the analysis.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This notice initiates public scoping for the Leeville 
EIS. A scoping meeting will be held August 20, 1997, at the Bureau of 
Land Management, Elko Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho, Elko NV., to 
identify issues and concerns to be addressed in the EIS. The meeting is 
scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and will continue until 9:00 p.m., if 
necessary. Representatives of Newmont Gold Company (operating partner) 
will be available to answer questions about the Plan of Operations. 
Additional scoping meetings may be held as appropriate. Written 
comments on the Plan of Operations and the scope of the EIS will be 
accepted until September 2, 1997. A draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) is expected to be completed by the spring of 1998 and 
made available for public review and comment. At that time a notice of 
availability of the DEIS will be published in the Federal Register. The 
comment period on the DEIS will be 60 days from the date the notice of 
availability is published.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scoping comments may be sent to: 
District Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 3900 E. Idaho St., Elko, 
NV 89801. ATTN: Leeville Project EIS Coordinator. For additional 
information, write to the above address or call Deb McFarlane at (702) 
753-0200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Newmont/Barrick HD Venture of Carlin, 
Nevada has submitted a Plan of Operations to open the Leeville 
underground mine, located about 20 miles northwest of the town of 
Carlin. The mine and associated facilities would be located in portions 
of sections 2, 3, 10, and 11 of T. 35 N., R. 50 E. A water pipeline is 
proposed to be located in sections 5, 8, 10, 15, 16, 17, and 22 of T. 
35 N., R. 50 E.; sections 1, 2, 3, and 12, of T. 35 N., R. 49 E., and 
section 33 of T. 36 N., R. 49 E., MDM. The proposed Leeville mine would 
consist of an underground mine which would develop three deposits and 
would include surface support facilities, access and haul roads, waste 
rock facility, stockpiles, powerlines, dewatering wells, pipelines, and 
water treatment facilities. Proposed mining operations and dewatering 
would last for approximately 18 years, through the year 2017. 
Approximately 457 acres of public land and 39 acres of private land 
would be disturbed.
    The Leeville Project operations would require dewatering at pumping 
rates of up to 35,000 gallons per minute for the life of the project. 
Excess water would be discharged into the Humboldt River via a pipeline 
proposed to connect with an existing dewatering discharge pipeline. 
This project lies between Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc.'s Betze/Post 
Mine and Newmont Gold Company's South Operations Area and would be 
affected by both dewatering cones of depression.
    The issues expected to be analyzed in the EIS include potential 
impacts to ground water availability, wildlife, cultural resources, and 
hazardous materials. Cumulative impacts will also be addressed. In 
addition, the following resources will be analyzed: recreation and 
wilderness, geology, paleontology, air quality, soils, vegetation, 
range management, lands and realty, visual resources, land use 
planning, and social and economic values. The analysis will be 
conducted by an interdisciplinary team.
    A range of alternatives (including but not limited to alternative 
reclamation measures and the no-action alternative) will be developed 
to address the issues. Mitigating measures will be considered to 
minimize environmental impacts and to assure that the proposed action 
does not result in undue or unnecessary degradation of public lands. 
Federal,

[[Page 41411]]

state and local agencies and other individuals or organizations who may 
be interested in or affected by the Bureau's decision on the Leeville 
Project Plan of Operations are invited to participate in the scoping 
process with respect to this EIS. These entities and individuals are 
also invited to submit comments on the DEIS. It is important that those 
interested in the Leeville Project Plan of Operations participate in 
the scoping and commenting process. Comments should be as specific as 
possible. The tentative project schedule is as follows:
    Public Comment Period--August 1 through September 2, 1997.
    Issuance of Draft Environmental Impact Statement--Spring of 1998.
    File Final Environmental Impact Statement--Autumn of 1998.
    Record of Decision--Autumn of 1998.
    Begin Permitted Operation--Winter of 1998/1999.
    The Bureau of Land Management's scoping process for the EIS will 
include: (1) Identification of issues to be addressed; (2) 
Identification of viable alternatives; (3) Notification of interested 
groups, individuals and agencies so that additional information 
concerning these issues, or other additional issues, can be obtained.

    Dated: July 24, 1997.
David Stout,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 97-20289 Filed 7-31-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P