[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 164 (Friday, August 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49699-49700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19396]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

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


Notice of Availability of Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Betze Pit Expansion Project, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM), Elko District Office has prepared a Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) to expand the Betze Pit at an 
open pit gold mine in Nevada; and by this Notice is announcing the 
opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Betze Pit Expansion Project DSEIS within 45 
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will 
announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement 
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media 
news releases and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

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

    Copies of the Betze Pit Expansion Project DSEIS are available in 
the BLM Elko District Office, at the above address and on the internet 
site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact Kirk Laird, Project 
Manager, BLM Elko District Office, 3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 
89801 (775) 753-0200, or e-mail to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Betze Pit Expansion Project DSEIS is an 
amendment to the Betze Project Plan of Operations for an ongoing open 
pit mine on the Carlin Trend in Eureka and Elko counties, Nevada. The 
Preferred Alternative of the DSEIS includes the Proposed Action of 
expanding the existing open pit and constructing a new waste rock and 
tailings facility. Current mining operations at the Betze Project are 
expected to end in 2011, with processing operations ending in 2020. The 
Proposed Action in the Preferred Alternative of the Betze Pit Expansion 
Project DSEIS would extend mining for 4 years and processing for 5 
years. BLM's preferred alternative would also maximize mule deer 
corridor access in the vicinity of the Clydesdale Waste Rock Facility. 
Other alternatives include the No-Action Alternative continuing mining 
as currently approved without approving the expansion and a third 
Alternative denying the construction of the new Clydesdale Waste Rock 
Facility in favor of continued expansion of the existing Bazza Waste 
Rock Facility. A cumulative impacts study and supplemental EIS 
completed in 2000 and 2002 addressed groundwater pumping/dewatering 
issues for the Betze Pit, and pumping will continue whether or not 
expansion is approved. Major issues are impacts of current and proposed 
operations on mule deer migration routes, potential changes to the 
post-mining pit lake chemistry, air quality including increased 
greenhouse gas and mercury emissions/deposition, and sustaining 
benefits of mining on the local economy.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of respondents 
will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address 
during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except holidays.
    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.


[[Page 49700]]


    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.

Tom Warren,
Acting District Manager.
 [FR Doc. E8-19396 Filed 8-21-08; 8:45 am]
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