[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 71499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34248]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CA-067-1990; CA-40204]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) on the Proposed Expansion of an Existing Gold Mining/Processing 
Operation

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Newmont Gold Company (NGC), operator of the Mesquite gold mine 
located in Imperial County, California, has proposed to expand mining 
operations by a plan modification submitted to the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), El Centro field office, on November 30, 1998. 
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, the BLM will direct the preparation of an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) by a third party contractor on the impacts of an 
expansion of this gold mining/processing operation. Comments are being 
requested to help identify significant issues or concerns related to 
the proposed action, to determine the scope of the issues (including 
alternatives) that need to be analyzed, and to eliminate from detailed 
study those issues that are not significant. Supporting documentation 
should be included with comments recommending that the EIS address 
specific environmental issues. Public scoping meetings will be held 
(see below).

DATES: For scoping meetings and comments: Three public scoping meetings 
will be held during 1999 on the following dates and locations: January 
26, from 7-10 pm, at the Best Western Yuma Inn Suites, Palm Canyon 
Room, 1450 Castle Dome Ave., Yuma, Az. ph (520) 783-8341; January 27, 
from 7-10 pm, at the El Centro Community Center, 375 South First 
Street, El Centro, Ca. ph (760) 337-4555; and January 28, from 7-10 pm, 
at San Diego State University, Aztec Center-Backdoor Room, 5500 
Campanile Drive, San Diego, Ca. ph (619) 594-5278. Written comments 
must be postmarked no later than Monday, February 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Field Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th 
Street, El Centro, California 92243, ATTN: Geologist.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Marty, Bureau of Land 
Management, El Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, 
California 92243, (760) 337-4400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Mesquite Mine began operations under an 
approved plan of operations during 1985. Since this time, several 
expansions and plan modifications have occurred, which are summarized 
within the approved Mesquite Mine consolidated plan of operations dated 
October, 1995. According to the Code of Federal Regulations found at 
Title 43 CFR 3809.1-7, a significant modification of an approved plan 
must be reviewed and approved by the authorized officer (i.e., BLM) in 
the same manner as the initial plan. Pursuant to Title 43 CFR 3809.1-7, 
Newmont has submitted a plan of operations for their proposed mine 
expansion for approval by the Bureau of Land Management.
    This plan modification is now under review by the BLM and other 
Federal, State and local agencies. The public may review this document 
at the BLM, El Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, 
CA 92243, or at the Imperial County Planning Department, 939 Main 
Street, Suite B-1, El Centro, CA 92243.
    The expansion would allow the company to continue extracting and 
processing economical gold deposits, delineated by drilling programs' 
initiated during 1988 and continuing to date. Current ore reserves 
would be depleted by the end of year 2000, while expansion would 
increase the mine life a projected seven years into year 2006. The plan 
modification proposes to process approximately 60 million tons of ore 
and 180 million tons of waste rock by the expansion of two existing 
pits: the Big Chief and Rainbow open pits. The pit expansions would 
encompass approximately 300 acres of Federal, State and private 
(patented) land, of which 150 acres would be new land disturbance. The 
plan amendment also describes expansion of an existing heap leach 
facility on approximately 70 acres of private land to accommodate the 
new leach material; alternative methods for storage of waste rock, 
either in existing mined-out open pits, at new or expanded out-of-pit 
storage areas, or a combination of both; and construction of ancillary 
facilities including roads, fencing and drainage diversions.

    Dated: December 18, 1998.
Thomas Zale,
Acting Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-34248 Filed 12-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P