[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 24497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11249]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-070-03-1990-EX]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental EIS for Golden 
Sunlight Mine, Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplement to the 1998 Golden 
Sunlight Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

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

SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality 
(DEQ) intend to prepare a Supplement to the 1998 Golden Sunlight EIS. 
This process will incorporate a revised reclamation plan based on a 
Montana state court decision requiring partial pit backfill.

DATES: The BLM and DEQ are seeking comments from individuals, 
organizations, tribal governments, and Federal, State, and local 
agencies that are interested or may be affected by the proposed action. 
The scoping comment period will start with the publication of this 
notice. Comments will be accepted for 30 days following publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Golden Sunlight Partial Pit 
Backfill Supplemental EIS, Butte Field Office, 106 North Parkmont, 
Butte, Montana 59701, or Montana DEQ, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 
59620-0901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Williams, (406) 533-7655, BLM 
Butte Field Office, or Greg Hallsten, (406) 444-3276, Montana 
Department of Environmental Quality.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Golden Sunlight Mines, Inc. (GSM) mines and 
processes gold-bearing ore using facilities located on public and 
private lands located near Whitehall, Montana. GSM has conducted mining 
and mineral processing activities since 1975. GSM was permitted through 
an Environmental Assessment (EA) to proceed with a mine expansion in 
1990. Legal action following approval of the mine expansion led to a 
1998 EIS and Record of Decision by BLM and the Montana DEQ. Following 
legal action, a series of Montana District Court rulings ultimately 
resulted in a ruling requiring GSM to submit a partial pit backfill 
plan meeting the requirements of Montana law and the judgment of the 
Court. GSM submitted a revised partial pit backfill plan to the DEQ and 
BLM on December 2, 2002. The plan submittal is a revised reclamation 
plan for the open pit. No modifications to the ongoing mining 
operations are proposed under this submittal; all mining activities are 
continuing under the approved operating plan. The Supplemental EIS 
(SEIS) is intended to evaluate the proposed partial pit backfill 
proposal.
    While public participation is welcome at any time, comments 
received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will be 
especially useful in the preparation of the SEIS. To assist the BLM in 
identifying and considering issues and concerns on the proposed action, 
comments on the proposed SEIS should be as specific as possible. 
Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, may be 
published as part of the SEIS. Individual respondents may request 
confidentiality; if you wish to withhold your name or street address 
from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information 
Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written 
comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. 
All submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

    Dated: February 28, 2003.
Richard M. Hotaling,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-11249 Filed 5-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P