[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21401-21402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9074]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMP02000 L71220000.EX0000 LVTFGX9G4200]


Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for the HB In-Situ 
Solution Mine Project, Eddy County, NM

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, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HB In-
Situ Solution Mine Project, 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 HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project Draft EIS 
within 60 days following the date of publication of this 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 releases, and/or 
mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the HB In-Situ Solution 
Mine Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/HBIS/index.html
     E-mail: [email protected]
     Fax: 575-885-9264
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 620 E. Greene St., 
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
    Copies of the HB In-Situ Solution Mine Project proposal are 
available in the Carlsbad Field Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact David Alderman, Assistant 
Project Manager; telephone 575-234-6232; address 620 E. Greene St., 
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220; e-mail [email protected]. Persons who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Intrepid Potash, Inc. (Intrepid) is 
proposing to extract potash, a potassium compound commonly used for 
fertilizer, remaining in inactive underground mine workings using 
solution mining methods. Intrepid proposes to construct and operate a 
solution mining project in an existing deep mine located approximately 
20 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Eddy County, New Mexico, in the 
Secretary's Potash Area.
    The potash left in the pillars and walls of the inactive 
underground mine workings is not accessible through conventional 
methods. The proposed action is to inject saline water into the mine 
workings, dissolve potash, and extract the mineral solution. This 
mineral-rich solution would be pumped to the surface and transported 
through a series of surface pipelines to evaporation ponds. Once the 
solution evaporates in the ponds, the potassium-bearing salts would be 
harvested from the ponds and transported to a newly constructed mill 
for ore refinement.
    The project area is located in portions of Township 19 South, Range 
30 and 31 East, Township 20 South, Ranges 29, 30 and 31 East and 
Township 21 South, Ranges 29 and 30 East, New Mexico Principal 
Meridian. The project area, which encompasses the proposed facilities 
and inactive workings under consideration, includes a total of 38,453 
acres, of which 82 percent is on public lands managed by the U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Four thousand 
three hundred and thirty acres of open mine workings are targeted for 
flooding but the total surface footprint of the project would be 822 
acres.

[[Page 21402]]

    The BLM initiated the NEPA process for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine 
Project by preparing an environmental assessment (EA) in 2008. Two 
public scoping meetings were held on September 16, 2008, to receive 
public input and comments on the proposed project. During development 
of the EA and prior to publication, the BLM determined that the 
preparation of an EIS would be required for the proposed project. The 
Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the HB In-Situ Solution Mine 
Project was published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2010, and 
two public scoping meetings were conducted on January 26, 2010. A 
scoping report was compiled and published on April 1, 2010. Major 
issues identified for this project include water use, ground 
subsidence, and the concurrent development of oil and gas resources in 
the same area.
    Alternatives developed include the proposed action (Alternative A) 
which uses non-potable water supplied by seven wells in the Rustler 
formation. Alternative B includes six of the seven wells from the 
proposed action but also considers that a substantial portion of the 
water needed for the project would be supplied from fresh water wells 
in the Caprock formation (Ogallala Aquifer) 30 miles northeast of the 
project area. Alternative C buries the pipelines to reduce surface 
impacts. An alternate routing of pipelines to the Caprock is also being 
considered under Alternative B.
    Currently, a preferred alternative has not been selected. 
Alternative A uses a greater quantity of non-potable saline water; 
however, this has impacts to the environment from the drawdown of the 
aquifer. Alternative B uses a greater quantity of potable fresh water 
but impacts from drawdown of the aquifers would be reduced.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who 
submit comments 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.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Linda S.C. Rundell,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-9074 Filed 4-14-11; 8:45 am]
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