[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21403-21404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9075]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNV010000.L19900000.EX0000 241A; 11-08807; MO 4500017134; 
TAS: 14X1109]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Genesis Project, Eureka County, NV

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, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Elko District 
Office has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
the Newmont Mining Corporation's proposed Genesis Project and by this 
notice is announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days following the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Printed copies of the Genesis Project Final EIS are 
available for public inspection at the BLM Elko District Office, 3900 
E. Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada during regular business hours of 7:30 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The Final 
EIS is also available on-line at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kirk Laird, Project Manager, (775) 
753-0200, address: 3900 E. Idaho, Elko, NV 89801, or 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: Newmont Mining Corporation's Genesis-
Bluestar mining operations area is located in northeastern Nevada on 
the Carlin Trend, a 50-mile-long by 10-mile-wide geologic area that has 
produced more than 60 million ounces of gold from numerous mines over 
the last 30 years. The proposed action is to expand the Genesis Pit, 
develop the new Bluestar Ridge Pit, backfill the Beast and Bluestar 
pits and partially backfill the Genesis

[[Page 21404]]

Pit to prevent development of a pit lake in the Genesis pit, expand the 
Section 36 and Section 5 waste rock disposal facilities, construct the 
necessary haul roads and access roads, and process 60 million tons of 
gold-bearing ore. The proposed project would disturb an additional 43 
acres (25 acres of public land and 18 acres of private land) and 
provide for continued mining activities on approximately 1,092 acres of 
previously disturbed lands. The Draft EIS analyzed impacts of the 
proposed action and no action alternatives, and identified measures to 
mitigate adverse impacts. Major issues addressed in the Draft EIS 
include: (1) The cumulative impacts of mining and related actions on 
affected resources, for example water quality and quantity, in the 
Carlin Trend; (2) the release of mercury associated with processing the 
60 million tons of ore; (3) the impacts of 12 additional years of 
mining as it relates to continued employment and economic activity for 
the local area; and (4) the impact of a pit lake forming under the no 
action alternative, but not in the action alternative. The NEPA 
analysis considered wilderness characteristics and complies with 
Secretarial Order 3310.
    The proposed action includes an adaptive management plan which was 
analyzed in the Draft EIS and included as an appendix to the Draft EIS. 
The Draft EIS was released for public review on April 23, 2010, for a 
45-day comment period. A public comment meeting was held in Elko, 
Nevada on May 19, 2010.
    The Final EIS has been prepared in an abbreviated format, and 
includes comments on the Draft EIS and the BLM's responses along with 
minor modifications and corrections to the Draft EIS.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Kenneth E. Miller,
District Manager, Elko.
[FR Doc. 2011-9075 Filed 4-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P