[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64893-64894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27028]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement, 
Rosemont Copper Project on the Coronado National Forest, Nogales Ranger 
District, Pima County, AZ

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA 43 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the President's Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations, the Coronado National Forest 
announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) for public review. The DEIS discloses the potential 
environmental impacts of the construction, operation and concurrent 
reclamation, and closure of an open-pit copper mine in Pima County, 
Arizona.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting dates.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting addresses 
and other options for submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coronado National Forest, 300 W. 
Congress St., Tucson, AZ 85701, or by telephone at (520) 388-8300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coronado National Forest announces

[[Page 64894]]

the availability of and public comment period for the Rosemont Copper 
Project DEIS, which documents and publicly discloses the environmental 
effects of proposed construction, operation and concurrent reclamation, 
and closure of an open-pit mine on National Forest System land. The 
proposed mining project would be located on 995 acres of private land 
and 3,670 acres of National Forest System land about 30 miles southeast 
of Tucson, Arizona, within Townships 18 and 19, Ranges 15 and 16, Gila 
and Salt River Meridian, Pima County, Arizona. Copper, molybdenum, 
silver, and some gold would be produced.
    The Forest Service plans a 90-day public comment period, which 
begins with the Environmental Protection Agency's publication of a 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. A number of public 
meetings are planned. Several options for submitting comments are 
available.
    Requirements for commenting, including appeal procedures, may be 
found at 36 Code of Federal Regulations Part 215. Comments received 
regarding this DEIS are considered part of the administrative record 
for the NEPA review. Within this context, a commenter's personally 
identifiable information, such as name and contact information, may be 
released to a third-party upon request under the Freedom of Information 
Act. Comments submitted anonymously, without a name and contact 
information, will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous 
comments will not provide the commenter with standing to appeal a 
subsequent decision under 36 Code of Federal Regulations Part 
215.6(a)(3).
    Comments on the DEIS should be as specific as possible. It is also 
helpful if comments refer to pages and/or chapters of the DEIS. 
Comments may address either the adequacy of specific analyses in the 
DEIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the 
document or both (refer to CEQ regulations at 40 CFR 1503.3). Concerns 
about predictive methodologies would be best addressed by alternative 
methodology and an explanation of why this methodology is preferable. 
General comments and subjective expressions of advocacy or opposition 
to the project or alternative are not as useful unless they are 
substantiated by a link to a relevant issue.
    Written and oral comments on the DEIS may be submitted during 
public meetings planned to be held by the Forest Service as noted 
below. For questions concerning special meeting needs or to request a 
sign language interpreter, please contact the Coronado National Forest 
at (520) 388-8300-voice or (520) 388-8403-TTY, dial 711 from a TTY 
relay for service, or e-mail [email protected] prior to 
the meeting.
    1. October 22, 2011, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Desert Diamond Conference 
Center, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, AZ 85629.
    2. November 5, 2011, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Elgin Elementary School, 23 
Elgin Road, Elgin, AZ 85611 (tentative).
    3. November 12, 2011, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Palo Verde High School, 
1302 S. Avenida Vega, Tucson, AZ 85710.
    4. November 19, 2011, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Empire High School, 10701 
E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, Tucson, AZ 85747.
    5. December 7, 2011, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Benson High School, 360 
S. Patagonia Street, Benson, AZ 85602.
    6. January 7, 2012, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Desert Diamond Conference 
Center, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, AZ 85629.
    The Rosemont Copper Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
will be available for review at http://www.RosemontEIS.us. Written 
comments on the DEIS are best submitted electronically by accessing 
http://www.RosemontEIS.us and following the link to ``Commenting on the 
DEIS''. Written comments may also be mailed to Rosemont Comments, P.O. 
Box 4207, Logan, UT 84323. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile 
to (435) 750-8799 and by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
[email protected]. The subject line of facsimiles and e-mail 
should include the words ``Rosemont Copper Project EIS.'' Brief oral 
comments can be made toll free by calling (888) 654-6646. Copies of the 
DEIS will also be available for public review at the following 
locations:

* Nogales Ranger District: 303 Old Tucson Road, Nogales, AZ and
* Coronado National Forest Supervisor's Office: 300 W. Congress St., 
6th Floor, Tucson, AZ.

    Authorization: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as amended 
(42 U.S.C. 4321-4346); Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 
CFR parts 1500-1508); U.S. Department of Agriculture NEPA Policies and 
Procedures (7 CFR part 1b); Forest Service NEPA Compliance Regulations 
(36 CFR 220); Forest Service Notice, Comment, and Appeal Procedures 
Regulations (36 CFR 215). Certified to be a true copy of the original.

    Dated: October 13, 2011.
Jim Upchurch,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2011-27028 Filed 10-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P