[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51091-51092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25372]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[AZ-040-7122-00-5513; AZA 28793; AZA 29640]


Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Dos Pobres/San Juan Project Case Number AZA 28793 and AZA 
29640, Safford Field Office, Graham County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Safford Field Office, United States Department of the 
Interior, Bureau of Land Management has prepared a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Dos Pobres/San Juan Project, 
as described in the mining plan of operations (MPO) submitted by Phelps 
Dodge Safford, Inc. The DEIS analyzes the anticipated impacts to the 
human environment resulting from the development of the Dos Pobres and 
San Juan copper ore deposits, located in Graham County near Safford, 
Arizona, by Phelps Dodge Safford, Inc. The proposed mining operation 
utilizes conventional open pits mining methods combined with solvent 
extraction electrowinning (SXEW) refining technology and is expected to 
produce 2.9 billion pounds of copper over the projected 16 year life of 
the mine. The proposed mining operation utilizes private lands owned by 
Phelps Dodge, Inc., and BLM-administered public lands. Surface 
disturbing impact are anticipated on 3,332 acres of land of which 1,935 
acres are public lands administered by the BLM.

    As an alternative to the mining plan of operations, Phelps Dodge 
has proposed a land exchange which involves trading 17,000 acres of 
BLM-administered public lands for 3,858 acres of private lands owned by 
Phelps Dodge, Inc. The BLM-administered public lands, Phelps Dodge, 
Inc., proposes to acquire, are located in the Safford Mining District 
in the vicinity of the Dos Pobres, San Juan and Lone Star ore deposits. 
They are expected to be utilized for mining-related purposes. The 
eleven private properties offered for exchange to the BLM by Phelps 
Dodge, Inc., are all located within the state of Arizona. All eleven-
offered parcels are either in holdings within or adjacent to large 
blocks of federal lands. If the land exchange alternative were to be 
approved, the 325 acre Tavasci Marsh property would be administered by 
the National Park Service since it is within the boundaries of the 
Tuzigoot National Monument while the other ten-offered properties would 
be managed by the BLM. The offered lands either contain high value 
riparian and aquatic resources which provide habitat for fish and 
wildlife including threatened and endangered species, or will 
contribute to resolving public land management problems such as access 
to public lands in the Dos Cabezas Wilderness Area, Cienega Creek 
Resource Conservation Area and the Gila Box Riparian National 
Conservation Area.
    This DEIS was prepared to comply with the Council on Environmental 
Quality's regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) for implementing the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, The Federal Land Exchange 
Facilitation Act of 1988, BLM regulations governing land exchanges (43 
CFR Parts 2090 and 2200), The General Mining Law and the BLM 
regulations governing mining operations on public lands (43 CFR Part 
3809).

DATES: Written comments relating to the DEIS will be accepted until 
November 25, 1998. Written or oral comments may also be presented at 
the three public open houses to be held:

October 27, 1998, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. BLM Safford Field Office, 711 
14th Avenue, Safford, Arizona 85546
October 28, 1998, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. BLM Tucson Field Office, 12661 
East Broadway, Tucson, Arizona 85748
October 29, 1998, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm., BLM Phoenix Field Office, 2015 
West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85027

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
analyzes the impacts associated with four alternatives: (1) the 
Proposed Action (Phelps Dodge's Mining Plan of Operations); (2) a 
partial backfill alternative to the proposed mining plan of operations; 
(3) the land exchange alternative (BLM's preferred alternative) and; 
(4) the No Action Alternative.
    Phelps Dodge, Inc., holds 844 of the 844 mining claims that are 
currently on file for the 17,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands 
they have selected for acquisition in the land exchange alternative. 
2,299 acres of the Phelps Dodge private lands to be acquired by BLM 
would be withdrawn from mineral entry by virtue of their location 
within BLM or National Park Service areas previously withdrawn from the 
operation of the mining laws.

[[Page 51092]]

1,599 acres of the offered lands to be acquired by BLM would remain 
open to mineral entry. The potential for the existence of locatable 
minerals on these lands is considered to be low and no future mining 
activities are anticipated to occur on these lands.

FOR FUTURE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Terry, Project Manager, at the 
Bureau of Land Management, Stafford Field Office, 711 14th Avenue, 
Safford, Arizona 85546. Phone (520) 348-4400. Internet address is 
[email protected]

    Dated: September 11, 1998.
Frank L. Rowley,
Acting Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-25372 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-M