[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 179 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53268-53269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21491]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR-025-1990-EX-241A; HAG8-0195]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Celatom Mine Expansion Plan of Operations From EP Minerals, LLC

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Burns District, Three Rivers 
Resource Area.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 and surface management regulations at 43 CFR part 3809 and 43 CFR 
part 3715 for operations authorized by the mining laws on public lands, 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze potential environmental 
effects resulting from proposed expansion of an existing diatomite 
mine.

DATES: Scoping comments will be accepted for 45 days following 
publication of this notice. The scoping comments will be used as BLM 
prepares the Draft EIS. Public notice will be provided when the Draft 
EIS becomes available in 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Celatom Mine Expansion EIS 
Lead, Bureau of Land Management, Burns District Office, 28910, Highway 
20 West, Hines, Oregon 97738; (541) 573-4400; Fax (541) 573-4411; or e-
mail ([email protected]). Documents pertinent to this project may be 
examined at the Burns District Office west of Hines, Oregon, during 
regular business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Celatom Mine is currently on Federal, 
State, and private land covering approximately 450 acres. On Federal 
land it is operating under a Mine Plan of Operations received by Burns 
District BLM in 1984 that was approved by BLM after completion of an 
Environmental Assessment in 1985. Proposed expansion of the Celatom 
Mine and changes in mining methods require additional environmental 
analysis. The existing disturbance, coupled with proposed mine 
expansion and areas proposed for exploratory drilling, encompasses 
8,115 acres of public land managed by BLM, 1,280 acres of state

[[Page 53269]]

land, 1,640 acres of private land, and 1,600 acres of private surface 
estate with Federal mineral estate patented under the Stock Raising 
Homestead Act. The mine area is located almost entirely in Three Rivers 
Resource Area of Burns District BLM with 35 acres in Vale District BLM.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the EIS in 
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified through the scoping process. Disciplines involved in the 
planning process will include (but not be limited to) those with 
expertise in air quality, American Indian traditional practices, 
biological soil crusts, cultural heritage, fire management, fisheries, 
grazing management, migratory birds, minerals, noxious weeds, 
recreation, soils, transportation/roads, vegetation, visual resources, 
water quality, riparian zones, wildlife, and wilderness 
characteristics.

Public Participation

    Cooperating agencies having specific expertise or interests in the 
project are invited to participate. The public and interest groups will 
have every opportunity to participate during formal comment periods. In 
addition, public meetings will be held during the public comment period 
for the Draft EIS. Public meetings will be held in Burns, Oregon, and 
Vale, Oregon, plus other communities if the interest warrants. Early 
participation is encouraged and will help determine the future 
management of the Celatom Mine. Meetings and comment deadlines will be 
announced through the local news media and the Burns BLM Web site 
(http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns). Written comments will be 
accepted throughout the planning process at the address 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.

Background Information

    The Celatom Mine currently consists of three open pit mines located 
within four miles of each other in Harney and Malheur Counties, Oregon. 
One mine is on land managed by BLM's Burns District; another mine is on 
land managed by the State of Oregon, and the third mine is on private 
land. EP Minerals excavates diatomaceous earth during the summer, 
stockpiles ore and waste rock in the vicinity of each mine, and hauls 
the ore approximately 60 miles year-round to their mill located on 
private land west of Vale, Oregon. Some ore is stockpiled at a site on 
land administered by BLM in the vicinity of the mill. Mill waste is 
backhauled to the mine site and used in backfilling the open pits as 
part of reclamation.

Brendan J. Cain,
Acting Burns District Manager.
[FR Doc. E8-21491 Filed 9-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P