[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 41 (Friday, March 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9579-9580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3643]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-060-1990]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To 
Analyze the Proposed Mount Hope Project Plan of Operations (NVN-082096) 
for the Mount Hope Molybdenum Mine

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) subparts 1500-
1508, and 43 CFR subpart 3809, notice is hereby given that the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM), Battle Mountain Field Office will be 
preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Mount Hope 
Project, a proposed open pit molybdenum mine, mill, and associated 
facilities, located on public and private lands in Eureka County, 
Nevada.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping period. Written 
comments on the scope of the EIS should be post-marked or hand 
delivered to the BLM Battle Mountain Field Office by 4:30 p.m., no 
later than 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal 
Register to ensure full consideration. The public will be notified of 
scoping meetings through the local news media at least 15 days prior to 
the first meeting. It is anticipated at least two scoping meetings (in 
Eureka and Battle Mountain, Nevada) will be held during this scoping 
period.

ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments should be sent to the BLM, Battle 
Mountain Field Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada 89820, 
ATTN: Angelica Ordaz. Written comments may also be faxed to Angelica 
Ordaz at (775) 635-4034, or submitted in writing to the BLM at one of 
the scoping meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Angelica Ordaz, Planning 
and Environmental Coordinator at the BLM Battle Mountain Field Office, 
or by telephone at (775) 635-4000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Idaho General Mines, Inc. (IGMI) has 
submitted a Plan of Operations (NVN-082096) to the BLM for the proposed 
mining project. Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations 1502.14(a) and 1502.14(d), in addition to the proposed 
action, the BLM will explore and objectively evaluate all reasonable 
alternatives, including the alternative of no action. The reasonable 
range of alternatives will include an analysis of the feasibility to 
back fill or partially back fill the mined out pits.
    The Mount Hope Project Plan of Operations (Plan) will be presented 
to the public during scoping meetings, and informational letters on the 
Plan will be mailed to interested parties. The Plan will be available 
for public review at BLM's Battle Mountain Field Office. The BLM 
invites public comment on the scope of the analysis, including issues 
to consider and alternatives to the proposed action. The purpose of the 
public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will 
influence the scope of the environmental analysis and EIS alternatives. 
BLM personnel will be present at the scoping meetings to explain the 
environmental review process, the mining regulations, and other 
requirements for processing the proposed Plan and the associated EIS. 
Representatives of IGMI will also be available to describe their 
proposal.
    You may submit comments on issues in writing to the BLM at the 
public scoping meetings, or you may submit them to the BLM using one of 
the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. Before including 
your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire 
comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to 
withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. To be most helpful, 
formal scoping comments should be submitted within 30 days after the 
date of publication of this notice, although comments will be accepted 
throughout the development of the EIS. Comments received and a list of 
attendees for each scoping meeting will be made available for public 
inspection and open for 30 days following each meeting for any 
participant(s) who wish to clarify their views. Comments and documents 
pertinent to this proposal, including names and street addresses of 
respondents, may be examined at the Battle Mountain Field Office during 
regular business hours (7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 
except holidays). Comments may be published as part of the EIS.
    The proposed project would be located in north-central Nevada 
approximately 23 miles northwest of the town of Eureka in Townships 20, 
21, 22, and 23 North, Ranges 51 and 52 East. The project would involve 
both public and private lands in Eureka County, Nevada. The project 
would involve the construction and development of the following primary 
components: An open pit for development of the Mount Hope ore body with 
an in-pit groundwater dewatering system; waste rock stockpiles; high 
grade and low grade ore stockpiles; ancillary facilities (maintenance 
shop, administrative facilities, and fuel and lubricant storage 
facilities); primary crusher; conveyor system; crushed ore stock pile 
area and ore reclaim system; a mill and flotation circuit including 
reagent storage, offices and a laboratory, warehouse, and laydown 
yards; north and south tailings storage facilities; a molybdenite 
concentrate roaster; water supply well(s) and associated rights-of-way 
for access roads, power lines, and pipelines; relocation of existing 
Falcon to Gonder 230-kV transmission line segments in the project area; 
installation of a 120-kV transmission line and substation; construction 
of a landfill, haul, secondary, access, and exploration roads; and 
ancillary facilities including growth media stockpiles, diversion 
ditches, and stormwater runoff controls.
    The mine and milling facility would operate for approximately 53 
years. During the first 12 years, the milling rate would be 44,100 tons 
per day and would increase to 55,100 tons per day for years 12 through 
53. The roaster would convert molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to 
technical grade molybdenum oxide (MoO3). Up to 100 tons of 
molybdenite concentrate per day would be processed through the roaster. 
Concurrent reclamation would be conducted during the 53-year operating 
period as mining in an area is completed. Site closure and final 
reclamation would be undertaken at the end of mining and milling.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the EIS, in 
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Potential significant direct, indirect, residual, and 
cumulative impacts from the proposed action will be analyzed in the 
EIS.

[[Page 9580]]

Significant issues to be addressed in the EIS include in-pit dewatering 
activities, Native American religious concerns, visual resources, and 
socioeconomics. Additional issues may be identified during the scoping 
process. Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as individuals or 
organizations that may be interested in or affected by the BLM's 
decision on this Plan of Operations are invited to participate in the 
scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the 
BLM to participate as a cooperating agency. The Nevada Department of 
Wildlife and Eureka County will participate as cooperating agencies for 
this project.

    Dated: January 3, 2007.
Gene Seidlitz,
Associate Field Manager, Battle Mountain Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E7-3643 Filed 3-1-07; 8:45 am]
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