[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8059-8060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2539]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-060-5110-GN-CF20; NVN-067930: 8-08807; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Phoenix Copper Leach Project, Lander County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 40 CFR 1500-1508, and 43 CFR 3809, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Battle Mountain Field Office will 
prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the 
Phoenix Copper Leach Project located in Lander County, Nevada. The 
proposal includes expansion of the existing project boundary, 
construction and operation of a copper beneficiation facility, and 
development of new leaching facilities at the Phoenix Mine. This notice 
initiates the public scoping process and announces a public meeting.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the SEIS will be accepted until 
March 13, 2008. A scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 
27, 2008 at the Battle Mountain Field Office from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed to the BLM Battle Mountain 
Field Office, ATTN: Jon Sherve, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 
89820; faxed to ATTN: Jon Sherve at (775) 635-4034; or e-mailed to: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Christopher Worthington (775) 635-4144 or e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Newmont Mining Corporation (Newmont) has 
submitted an amended Plan of Operations (NVN-067930) to the BLM for the 
proposed mining project. A third-party contractor will prepare the SEIS 
under the direction of the BLM pursuant to Council on Environmental 
Quality 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 proposed project area is located approximately 12 miles 
southwest of Battle Mountain, Nevada.

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

    T. 30 and 31 N., R. 43 E.

    The Phoenix Mine is located in the Copper Canyon portion of the 
Battle Mountain Mining District in Lander County, Nevada. The current 
project area includes approximately 7,139 acres; 2,865 acres of public 
land and 4,275 acres privately owned by Newmont. Most of the facilities 
associated with this proposal will be located on lands previously 
approved for surface disturbance. This proposed plan would increase the 
project surface disturbance by approximately 910 acres (185 acres of 
public land and 725 acres of private land), and includes construction 
and operation of a new solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW) 
facility, development of two copper leach facilities, construction of 
four new process ponds, development of a new clay borrow area, 
designation of an optional use area that would be used either as a 
waste rock facility, a tailings facility, copper or gold leach 
facility, and/or growth media borrow area, and

[[Page 8060]]

construction of a new 120-kV power line. Construction and operation of 
the project is projected to begin in 2008. Active mining for the 
Phoenix Copper leach project will last about 15 years and will not 
increase the current life-of-mine for the Phoenix Mine.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the SEIS, 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 
SEIS. 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 are invited to participate in the scoping 
process. Federal, state, and local agencies may request or be requested 
by the BLM to participate as a cooperating agency.
    The plan will be presented to the public during a scoping meeting 
to be held Wednesday, February 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Battle 
Mountain Field Office. The plan will be available for public review at 
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 SEIS alternatives. BLM personnel will be 
present at the scoping meeting to explain the environmental review 
process, the mining regulations, and other requirements for processing 
the proposed plan amendment and the associated SEIS. Representatives of 
Newmont will be available to describe the proposal.
    You may submit comments on issues in writing to the BLM at the 
public scoping meeting or you may submit them to the BLM using one of 
the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. Comments received 
and a list of attendees at the scoping meeting will be available for 
public inspection.
    Comments and documents pertinent to this proposal, including names 
and addresses of respondents, may be viewed 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 SEIS. Before including 
your address, phone number, e-mail 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. 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.

(Authority: 43 CFR part 3809)

    Dated: January 29, 2008.
Gerald M. Smith,
Field Manager, Battle Mountain Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E8-2539 Filed 2-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P