[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 14484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3578]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-010-1990-EX; 08-08807; TAS: 14X1109]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Newmont Mining Corporation's Amendment to the Genesis-Bluestar Plan of 
Operations, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(c) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and 43 CFR 3809, the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), Elko District Office will prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the environmental effects of a 
proposed amendment to Newmont Mining Corporation's Plan of Operations 
for Genesis-Bluestar, an open pit gold mine. The area of operations is 
located 20 miles north of Carlin, Nevada in Eureka County. The 
amendment proposes continued mining in an area that has been mined more 
or less continuously since the early 1990s.

DATES: This notice initiates the 30-day public scoping period. Within 
30 days of the publication of this notice in the Federal Register, a 
public scoping meeting will be held at the BLM Elko District Office, 
3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada, to familiarize interested publics 
with the project and to identify issues and concerns to be addressed in 
the EIS. The scoping meeting will be announced through the local news 
media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site at http://www.nv.blm.gov at 
least 15 days prior to the event. Any additional public meetings, if 
necessary, will be announced similarly. Comments on issues can also be 
submitted in writing to the address listed below and for 30 days after 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In addition to the 
ongoing public participation process, formal opportunities for public 
participation will be provided upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

--Fax: (775) 753-0255
--Mail: Attention Genesis-Bluestar Project EIS Manager, BLM Elko 
District Office, 3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
--E-mail: [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kirk Laird, (775) 753-0272.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed amendment would expand 
Newmont's existing mining operations by an additional 43 acres of new 
disturbance (24 acres of public land and 19 acres of private land) in 
an area heavily disturbed by mining. The project proposes to expand the 
Genesis and West Genesis open pits, develop the new Bluestar Ridge Pit; 
backfill the Beast, Bluestar, Genesis, and West Genesis open pits; 
expand the Section 36 and Section 5 Waste Rock Disposal Facilities; 
construct the necessary haul roads and access roads; process 60 million 
tons of gold-bearing ore; and continue employment and economic activity 
for the local area for 12 additional years.
    Focal points for the EIS include: 1. analyze the cumulative impacts 
of mining and related actions along the Carlin Trend, including 
incorporation of the re-analysis of cumulative impacts for the Leeville 
Project and South Operations Area Project; 2. analyze any release of 
mercury that may be associated with processing the 60 million tons of 
ore; and 3. analyze the socio-economic impacts of twelve additional 
years of mining.
    The BLM is asking the public for information on any issues, 
including cumulative impacts, relevant to this amendment. Comments, 
including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available 
for public review at the above address during regular business hours 
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may 
be published as part of the EIS. 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. We will not consider anonymous comments. All 
submissions from organizations or 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 2809)

    Dated: February 19, 2008.
Kenneth E. Miller,
Elko District Manager.
 [FR Doc. E8-3578 Filed 3-17-08; 8:45 am]
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