[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 113 (Monday, June 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34211-34212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14560]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Kennecott Utah Copper LLC Tailings Expansion Project, Near 
Magna, Salt Lake County, UT, Permit Application Number SPK-2009-1213

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District (Corps), 
will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed 
Kennecott Utah Copper Tailings Expansion Project, an expansion of an 
active commercial mining operation near Magna, Salt Lake County, UT. 
Kennecott Utah Copper LLC (KUC) has applied for a Department of the 
Army (DA) permit to fill approximately 721 acres of waters of the 
United States, including wetlands, to construct the project. The basic 
project purpose is surface mining. The overall project purpose is to 
increase tailings storage capacity for future mine life extensions.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to John Urbanic, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 533 West 2600 South, Suite 
150, Bountiful, UT 84010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and EIS can be answered by John Urbanic, (801) 295-8380, extension 11; 
e-mail: [email protected]. Please refer to identification 
number SPK-2009-01213.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: KUC has applied for a DA permit under 
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to expand their existing tailings 
impoundment and to construct an additional tailings storage facility 
(TSF) and related infrastructure on a 1992-acre parcel approximately 
ten miles west of Salt Lake City near the community of Magna, UT. The 
proposed action involves two phases that, according to the applicant, 
would provide the necessary tailings storage capacity to extend the 
life of the Bingham Canyon Mine (Mine) through 2039. In Phase 1 KUC 
would continue using the existing North TSF while increasing the height 
of the North TSF impoundment beyond the currently permitted design. KUC 
would also construct and begin using a new impoundment, the Northeast 
TSF, on adjacent KUC property to the east. In Phase 2 KUC would extend 
tailings deposition from the North TSF onto a portion of the existing 
South TSF. Ancillary work that would occur includes: the relocation of 
existing utilities (power, fiber optic, etc.), ditches, secondary or 
tertiary roads, and a 4-mile long segment of a railroad line; 
preparation of the foundation and placement of drainage blanket 
material under the embankment footprint for the Northeast TSF; 
construction of engineered structures (prior to placing tailings on the 
South TSF), dikes and ditches for the facilities; and modification of 
the tailings distribution and return water systems.
    Approximately 774 acres of waters of the United States (waters), 
including wetlands, have been identified on the proposed project site. 
The area of impacted wetlands includes 488 acres of vegetated saline 
playa and 76.9 acres of emergent wetlands. Impacted non-wetland waters 
include 139.8 acres of unvegetated (< 5% vegetative cover) saline playa 
and 16.1 acres of other jurisdictional waters and drainages. In total, 
the applicant has applied for a DA permit to fill 565 acres of wetlands 
and 156 acres of non-wetland waters. In addition, the Corps will be 
evaluating supplemental delineation information characterizing 
approximately 200 additional acres of potential waters that may be 
impacted by ancillary work.
    The EIS will include an evaluation of a reasonable range of 
alternatives. Currently, the following alternatives are expected to be 
analyzed in detail: (1) The no action alternative (no permit issued) 
and (2) the applicant's preferred project (proposed action). The no 
action alternative assumes limited development would occur on the site 
with all waters of the United States avoided. In addition to the 
proposed action, the Corps anticipates evaluating additional on-site 
and off-site alternatives for potential detailed analysis.
    The Corps' scoping process for the EIS includes a public 
involvement program with several opportunities to provide oral and 
written comments. In addition to public meetings and notifications in 
the Federal Register, the Corps will issue public notices when the 
draft and final EISs are available. Affected federal, state, and local 
agencies, Native American tribes, and other interested private 
organizations and parties are invited to participate.
    Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in the EIS include, 
but are not limited to impacts to waters, hydrology, water supply, 
water quality, cultural resources, biological resources, traffic and 
transportation, and air quality.
    The Corps is the lead federal agency for preparation of the EIS 
under the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 
The Corps may invite other Federal, State, local agencies, and tribes 
to be cooperating agencies.
    Other environmental review and consultation requirements for the 
proposed action include the need for the applicant to obtain water 
quality certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the 
Utah Division of Water Quality. The proposed project will not affect 
any federally listed threatened or endangered species; however, it may 
affect state-listed special status species. Once a habitat assessment 
of the areas has been completed, the Corps will consult with state and 
Federal wildlife agencies. In addition, the Corps will also be 
consulting with the State Historic Preservation Officer under Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act concerning properties 
listed, or potentially eligible for listing, on the National Register 
of Historic Places.
    Interested parties may register for the Corps' public notice e-mail 
notification lists at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/regulatory/pnlist.html.
    Public Scoping Meetings. The Corps will hold four public scoping 
meetings in several communities with proximity to the mining operation. 
The first meeting will be held on June 21, 2011, from 6-8:30 p.m. at 
the Webster Community Center, 8952 West 2700 South, Magna, Utah. The 
second meeting will be held on June 22, 2011, from 6-8:30 p.m. at 
Malouf Hall, Room 201, Westminster College, 1840 South 1300 East, Salt 
Lake City, Utah. The third meeting will be held on June 29, 2011, from 
6-8:30 p.m. Hampton Inn and Suites, 3923 West Center Park Drive, West 
Jordan, Utah. The fourth meeting will be held on June 30, 2011, from 6-
8:30 p.m. at Stansbury Park High School, 5300 North Aberdeen, Stansbury 
Park, Utah. Interested parties can provide oral and written comments at 
the meetings. Interested parties may also submit written comments on 
this notice. Scoping comments may be submitted at any time prior to 
publication of the Draft EIS.


[[Page 34212]]


     Dated: June 2, 2011.
Andrew B. Kiger,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2011-14560 Filed 6-10-11; 8:45 am]
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