[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 18 (Friday, January 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4360-4361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1458]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVW0300.L51100000. GN0000.LVEMF1000880 241A; 12-08807; MO 
4500030363; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Hycroft Mine Expansion, Humboldt and Pershing 
Counties, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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 has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hycroft Mine 
Expansion 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 Hycroft Mine Expansion Draft EIS within 45 days 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its 
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 Hycroft Mine 
Expansion Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
     Web site: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo/blm_information/nepa0.html.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: (775) 623-1503.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Winnemucca District 
Office, 5100 E. Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada 89445, Attn. 
Kathleen Rehberg.
    Copies of the Hycroft Mine Expansion Draft EIS are available in the 
Winnemucca District Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Rehberg, Project Lead, 
telephone (775) 623-1500; address 5100 E. Winnemucca Boulevard, 
Winnemucca, Nevada 89445; email: [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: Hycroft Resources Development Inc., (HRDI) 
proposes to expand mining activities at the existing Hycroft Mine on 
BLM-managed public land and on private land in Humboldt and Pershing 
counties, approximately 55 miles west of Winnemucca, Nevada, on the 
west flank of the Kamma Mountains. HRDI submitted an amended Plan of 
Operations to the BLM for approval, which proposes to expand the 
existing project boundary of 8,858 acres an additional 5,895 acres for 
a total project area of approximately 14,753 acres of public and 
private land. The Hycroft Mine currently employs approximately 205 
workers. The proposed expansion would increase the mine life by 
approximately 12 years and increase employment to approximately 537 
mine personnel.
    The Draft EIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed expansion, which includes 2,173 acres of 
new surface disturbance. An updated inventory of wilderness 
characteristics was used for the analysis of potential impacts 
associated with this project. The existing open pit operation and 
associated disturbance would be

[[Page 4361]]

increased from 1,371 acres of public land to 3,428 acres of public 
land. Disturbance on private land controlled by HRDI would be increased 
from 1,692 acres to 1,807 acres. The additional acreage in the project 
boundary would be used for exploration.
    The Draft EIS analyzes two alternatives; the Proposed Action and 
the No Action Alternative.
    The Proposed Action, if selected by the BLM, would include: 
Expansion of the plan boundary and use of the entire project area for 
exploration; incorporation of five rights-of-way; expand four existing 
open pits; the backfilling of all or portions of three open pits; build 
a dispatch center and expand maintenance facilities; expansion of haul 
and secondary roads, waste rock facilities, and heap leach facilities; 
expansion of existing and construction of two ready line and heavy 
equipment fueling areas; expansion of existing waste rock facilities; 
the operation a portable crusher with conveyors at the south heap leach 
facility; construct, operate, and then close the south heap leach 
facility, Merrill-Crowe process plant, and solution ponds; relocation 
of a segment of the Seven Troughs Road to bypass the south heap leach 
facility; expansion of the existing refinery and the Brimstone Merrill-
Crowe plant; construct storm water diversions, install culverts, and 
other storm water controls; close the existing Class III landfill and 
construct a new Class III landfill; the drilling of one potable-water 
well and one process-water well; the relocation of the existing 
Brimstone substation, upgrade the existing Crofoot substation, and 
extension of power lines to new process areas; construction of growth 
media stockpiles; and reclaimation of the project consistent with the 
proposed reclamation plan.
    Under the No-Action Alternative the BLM would not approve the 
proposed plan of operations and there would be no expansion. HRDI would 
continue mining activities under the previously approved plans of 
operation.
    Three other alternatives were considered, then eliminated: Daylight 
Hours Operation, Modified Exploration Activities, and Different Waste 
Rock Dump and Heap Leach Pad Configurations.
    A Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the Proposed Hycroft Mine 
Expansion was published in the Federal Register on April 1, 2011 (76 FR 
18243). Ten comments were received during a 90-day scoping period. The 
comments stated concerns about lighting impacts to night skies and the 
economic benefits including jobs. The proponent prepared a lighting 
plan designed to lessen the impacts of light outside the project area 
by using directional lighting, and lowering or moving light sources. 
Other issues raised during initial internal and external scoping were 
possible impacts from acid mine drainage and the proximity of the mine 
to the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon-Emigrant Trails National 
Conservation Area (NCA). A Waste Rock Characterization Report has been 
completed for the various types of rock to be mined, and the specific 
measures that would be taken to prevent acid rock drainage will be 
outlined in the Draft EIS. While outside of the NCA, the project is 
within visual range of the NCA. Mitigating the visual issue is the fact 
that the mine has been in existence since 1987 and the NCA was 
designated in 1990.
    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 (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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.

Gene Seidlitz,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2012-1458 Filed 1-26-12; 8:45 am]
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