[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 111 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 32137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11208]



[[Page 32137]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-050-1330]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To 
Analyze the Proposed Rinker and Service Rock Products Competitive 
Mineral Material Sales (NVN-083153 and NVN-082069) for the Sale of 
Aggregates

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

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 3600, notice is hereby given that the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas Field Office will be preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rinker and Service Rock 
Projects, two proposed competitive mineral material sales which would 
result in two open pit limestone quarries that would merge in the 
future into one open pit, and associated facilities, located on public 
lands in Clark 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 Las Vegas Field Office by 4:30 p.m., no later than 
30 days after the date of publication of this notice 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 
Las Vegas, Nevada) will be held during this scoping period.

ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments should be sent to the BLM, Las 
Vegas Field Office, 1407 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 
89130, ATTN: Edward Seum. Written comments may also be faxed to Edward 
Seum at (702) 515-5010, 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 Edward Seum, Geologist at 
the BLM Las Vegas Field Office, or by telephone at (702) 515-5070.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rinker Materials West, LLC (Rinker) and 
Service Rock Products Corp. (Service Rock) have submitted requests for 
the competitive sale of mineral materials along with mining and 
reclamation plans (NVN-083153 and NVN-082069) to the BLM for the 
proposed mining projects. The proposed projects would involve public 
lands in Clark County, Nevada, and would be located approximately 15 
miles south of the City of Las Vegas in the following area: Township 23 
South, Range 61 East, Section 29, South 1/2, and Section 32, North 1/2, 
Mt. Diablo Meridian. The project would involve the construction and 
development of the following primary components: Open pit quarries for 
development of limestone aggregate; waste rock stockpiles; aggregate 
stockpiles for use in the production of concrete, asphalt and other 
products; ancillary facilities (scales, maintenance shop, 
administrative facilities, and fuel and lubricant storage facilities); 
primary crusher; conveyor system; offices and laydown yards; ready mix 
facilities; asphalt hot plant; water supply well(s) and associated 
rights-of-way for powerlines, access roads, haul, secondary, and access 
roads; and ancillary facilities including growth media stockpiles, 
diversion ditches, and stormwater runoff controls.
    The mining and processing facilities would operate for 
approximately 20 years. During the first year, aggregate production 
would be approximately 500,000 tons. This rate would gradually increase 
over a four year period to approximately 3,000,000 tons per year. Site 
closure and final reclamation would be undertaken at the end of mining.
    The Rinker and Service Rock mining and reclamation plans will be 
presented to the public during scoping meetings, and informational 
letters on the mining and reclamation plans will be mailed to 
interested parties. The mining and reclamation plans will be available 
for public review at the BLM's Las Vegas 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--in addition to the proposed action, the BLM will explore 
and objectively evaluate all reasonable alternatives, including the 
alternative of no action, pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality 
(CEQ) regulations 1502.14(a) and 1502.14(d).
    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 and alternatives will be 
analyzed in the EIS. Significant issues to be addressed in the EIS 
include air quality impacts, blasting activities, transportation, 
visual resources, and socioeconomics. Additional issues may be 
identified during the scoping process. Staff from the BLM will be 
present at the scoping meetings to explain the environmental review 
process, the mining regulations, and other requirements for processing 
the proposed mining and reclamation plans and the associated EIS. 
Representatives of Rinker and Service Rock will also be available to 
describe their proposals.
    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, e-mail address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware 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 your personal identifying information from public 
review, 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 Las Vegas 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.
    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 project 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.

Mark R. Chatterton,
Assistant Field Manager, Nonrenewable Resources, Las Vegas Field 
Office.
[FR Doc. E7-11208 Filed 6-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P