[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 132 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41111-41112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17168]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Atlanta Gold Project, Idaho City Ranger District, Boise National 
Forest, Elmore County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a third-party environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Idaho City Ranger District of the Boise National Forest 
will direct preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), 
prepared by a third-party contractor, to document the analysis and 
disclose the potential environmental and human effects of proposed 
activities to develop and operate a gold-silver open-pit mine and 
cyanide heap leach facility. Proposed mining activities would be 
implemented on approximately 350 acres of patented and unpatented 
lands. The project area is located near Atlanta, Idaho, about 60 miles 
northeast of Boise, Idaho, in the Joe Daley-James subwatershed which is 
tributary to the Middle Fork Boise River.

DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is anticipated to be 
available for public review and comment in June 2004. The final 
environmental impact statement is anticipated to be available in 
October 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Richard Markley, District 
Ranger, Idaho City Ranger District, 3833 Highway 21, P.O. Box 129, 
Idaho City, ID 83631. For further information, contact Terry Hardy, 
Project Leader, Project Leader, by telephone at 208-373-4235 or send e-
mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed Action: Atlanta Gold, a wholly 
owned subsidiary of Twin Mining Corporation, has proposed to develop 
and operate a gold-silver open-pit mine and cyanide heap leach 
facility. As delineated by Atlanta Gold's Plan of Operation, the 
proposed activities encompass approximately 240 acres of unpatented 
land on the Idaho City Ranger District, Boise National Forest in 
Sections 10 and 11, T. 5 N., R. 11 E., Boise Meridian.
    Conventional open-pit mining methods would occur sequentially at 
two locations and would involve drilling and blasting, ore haulage, 
waste haulage, ore crushing and placement on leach pads. The mining 
rate would average approximately 7,000 tons per day, and while climate 
may dictate temporary shutdown of mining, waste haulage is expected to 
occur yearlong. Heap leach and processing facilities would be designed 
and operated according to rules established by the State of Idaho. The 
facilities would be constructed to naturally flow process solution to 
the leach pad and include sumps to transport solution to the processing 
facility and to circulate solution back to the heap leach facility. 
Related mining activities would include an electrical power plant with 
diesel generators, an administration office/assay laboratory, mine 
maintenance and supply facilities, developing a water supply, 
transportation planning, waste disposal transfer site, and personnel 
work camp. To the extent possible, reclamation would occur 
simultaneously with mining. A monitoring plan would be implemented upon 
completion of final closure and reclamation activities to ensure site 
stability and success of revegetation efforts.
    Mine operations are planned to occur 12 months during the year and 
7 days per week, pending favorable winter season weather. The Atlanta 
Gold Project would employ a maximum of 100 to 130 people to operate the 
mine/processing facilities at any given time. Mine operations may be 
conducted using 2-shifts per day, however economic factors may dictate 
3-shifts per day. The projects is predicted to have a 7 to 10 year 
mining life.
    Possible Alternatives: The environmental impact statement will 
consider the potential effects of: the Proposed Action (as defined by 
the proponent's Plan of Operation); the No Action Alternative; and 
other alternatives which may be developed after completion of project 
scoping.
    Lead and Cooperating Agencies: As the agency responsible for 
management of the unpatented lands, the Forest service will lead the 
preparation of the EIS. The Atlanta Gold Project will be evaluated 
under the Idaho Joint Review Process (IJRP). Implementing the IJFP will 
ensure other state and federal regulatory agencies, such as Idaho 
Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
are involved as cooperating and/or participating agencies. The level of 
involvement by other state or federal entities as cooperating/
participating agencies will be identified as a result of the scoping 
process.
    Responsible Official: Richard E. Markley, District Ranger, Idaho 
City Ranger District, Boise National Forest is the responsible 
official, 3833 Highway 21, P.O. Box 129, Idaho City, ID 83631.
    Nature of Decision To Be Made: Upon completion of the environmental 
impact statement, the Idaho City District Ranger will decide the 
following: (1) Approve the project's plan of operations as proposed, or 
(2) approve the plan of operations that has been modified as necessary 
to eliminate or minimize adverse effects, or meet the purpose of the 
regulations (modifications might incorporate additional mitigations 
and/or monitoring deemed necessary to comply with required permitting).
    Scoping Process: The scoping process will consist of a news release 
announcing the start of the environmental impact statement process, an 
open invitation to participate in scoping meetings to be scheduled, and 
a scoping document which will further clarify the proposed action, 
additional alternatives, and identified issues. The scoping document 
will be distributed to selected parties and also be available upon 
request. The agency also hereby gives notice of the environmental 
analysis and decision-making process that will occur on the proposal so 
interested and affected Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies,

[[Page 41112]]

as well as individuals and organizations are aware of how they may 
participate and contribute to the final decision. The information 
received will be used in preparing a final EIS.
    Permits or Licenses Required: In order to implement the project, 
the proponent, Twin Mining Corporation, must obtain approval or conduct 
consultation with several other federal, state, and local regulatory 
agencies. These agencies include: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, Idaho 
Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho Department of Water 
Resources, Idaho State Historic Preservation Officer and Elmore County, 
Idaho.
    Comments Requested: This notice of intent initiates the scoping 
process, which guides the development of the environmental impact 
statement. The Forest Services invites written comments and suggestions 
on the scope of the analysis. Initial comments should be postmarked 
within 30 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes this announcement in the Federal Register.
    Early Notice on Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be 
prepared. The comment period on the draft environmental impact 
statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give reviewers notice of court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978)). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may 
be waived or dismissed by the courts (City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980)). Because of these court rulings, 
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 45 days comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in the final environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the 
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft 
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the statement. 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 received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

    Dated: July 1, 2003.
Jeff Schramm,
Acting District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 03-17168 Filed 7-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M