[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18243-18244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7718]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVW0300. L5110000. GN0000. LVEMF1000880 241A; 11-08807; 
MO4500019124; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Hycroft Mine Expansion Project, Humboldt and Pershing 
Counties, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca 
District, Black Rock Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada intends to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is 
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until June 30, 2011. The 
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM 
Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo.html. In order to be 
included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the 
close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Hycroft Mine 
Expansion Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo.html;
     E-mail: [email protected];
     Fax: (775) 623-1503; or
     Mail: BLM Winnemucca District, Black Rock Field Office, 
5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, Nevada 89445.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Black 
Rock Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Kathleen Rehberg, project 
lead, telephone: (775) 623-1500; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Hycroft Resources and Development, Inc. 
(Hycroft) proposes to expand its existing open pit operation and 
associated disturbance of 1,371 acres by including an additional 2,041 
acres in its operation. This would lead to operations on 3,412 acres of 
public land managed by the BLM Winnemucca District. The proposal would 
also add 1,812 acres of new disturbance on private land controlled by 
Hycroft. The proposed operations would extend the mine life by 12 
years. The BLM regulates this operation through 43 CFR part 3809.
    Current mining was analyzed in four previous environmental 
assessments: NV-020-4-25-EA, Lewis Mine Project, Decision Record (DR)/
Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) dated 4/4/1984; NV-020-07-31-
EA, Crofoot Project, DR/FONSI dated 8/3/1987; NV020-05-19-EA Brimstone 
Pit Expansion Project, DR/FONSI dated 5/5/1995; NV-020-06-30-EA, 
Hycroft Crofoot/Lewis Mine, DR/FONSI dated 10/2/1996.
    A range of alternatives will be developed, including the no-action 
alternative, to address the issues identified during scoping. 
Mitigation measures will be considered to minimize environmental 
impacts and to assure the proposed action does not result in 
unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. 
At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues:
    (a) Waste rock dumps, heap leach pads, or pit walls may potentially 
produce acid rock drainage or heavy metals. These features need to be 
analyzed to ensure that the proposed action does not degrade the waters 
of the State or cause undue or unnecessary degradation of public lands; 
(b) Potential effects to the viewshed posed by the close proximity of 
the project to the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon-Emigrant Trails 
National Conservation Area (NCA) and the Black Rock Desert Wilderness 
Area. While the project is outside of the NCA and the wilderness area, 
it is within the viewshed of both areas; (c) An updated inventory of 
lands with wilderness characteristics will be utilized in order to 
comply with Secretarial Order 3310 and should lands with wilderness 
characteristics be identified they will be considered in the NEPA 
process; (d) Wildlife issues include potential impacts to sage-grouse 
winter habitat, potential bighorn sheep habitat, and

[[Page 18244]]

possible habitat for Townsend's big-eared bats; and (e) A BLM sensitive 
plant species, the Crosby buckwheat, and a Nevada at-risk plant, the 
sand cholla, have been observed in the project area.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to 
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal consultations will be conducted in 
accordance with policy, and tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other 
stakeholders that may be interested 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.
    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.

 Gene Seidlitz,
Manager, Winnemucca District.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. and 43 CFR 3809.
[FR Doc. 2011-7718 Filed 3-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P