[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 13 (Friday, January 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4165-4166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00952]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVE0000 L51100000.GN0000 LVEMF1200580; 12-08807; MO 
4500036816; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Arturo Mine Project, Elko 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 (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Arturo 
Mine Project and by this notice is announcing the opening of the public 
comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Arturo Mine Project Draft EIS within 45 days 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes their 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce 
future meetings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 
days in advance through public notices, news media releases, and/or 
mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Arturo Mine Project 
by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 775-753-0255; or
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Arturo Mine Project, 
Attention: John Daniel, Project Manager, 3900 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 
89801.

Copies of the Arturo Mine Project Draft EIS are available in the BLM 
Elko District Office at the above address; and on line at http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office/blm_information/nepa/nepa_archives/NEPA_Front.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Daniel, Project Manager, 
telephone: 775-753-0277; address: 3900 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801; 
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: Barrick-Dee Mining Venture Inc., proposes to 
develop the Arturo Mine Project by expansion of the existing open-pit 
Dee Gold Mine which is currently in closure and reclamation. The Dee 
Gold Mine is 45 miles northwest of Elko in Elko County, Nevada. The 
proposed project would create approximately 2,774 acres of surface 
disturbance on public lands administered by the BLM. While dewatering 
is not proposed for this project, pit lakes would form as a result of 
cessation of dewatering at Goldstrike Mine, located approximately 8 
miles to the southeast. An updated inventory of lands with wilderness 
characteristics was used for this project to inform the analysis of the 
EIS.
    The project proposal would include the expansion of the existing 
open pit from one to three lobes, construction of two new waste-rock 
disposal storage facilities, a new heap leach facility, new support 
facilities to include an office, substation and associated power 
transmission lines, water wells, water distribution and sewer systems, 
landfill, mined material stockpile, communications site, stormwater 
control features, haul roads and an access road, and continued surface 
exploration.
    Mill-grade ore would be transported to the Barrick Gold Mining, 
Inc.'s Goldstrike Mine using the Bootstrap Mine Haul Road and would be 
processed at the existing mill facilities located approximately 8 miles 
to the southeast of the proposed project. Low-grade ore would be 
processed on-site at the proposed heap leach pad and associated 
processing facilities. Mine operations and processing would continue 
for approximately 10 years, followed by an estimated 3 years of site 
closure and reclamation. Reclamation would occur concurrently with 
mining to the extent possible.
    Cooperating agencies in the development of the EIS include the 
Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), and the Elko County Board of Commissioners. The Nevada 
Department of Widlife is concerned about loss of mule-deer and Greater 
Sage-Grouse habitat associated with mine disturbance. The EPA has 
previously raised concerns about potentially acid-generating material 
which may impact water resources, and the Elko County Board of 
Commissioners have raised concerns about economic impacts to local 
communities, including impacts to livestock grazing.
    The notice of intent for the proposed project was published in the 
Federal Register on June 21, 2010. Dear Interested Party letters were 
mailed to 244 interested parties including tribes, Federal, State and 
local agencies.
    The BLM received a total of 15 written comment submissions 
containing 140 individual items during the public scoping period. Most 
of the comments the BLM received were from Federal and State agencies.
    Key issues identified by individuals, groups, and governmental 
entities during the scoping process include: Wildlife concerns 
(potential impacts to sage-grouse habitat and mule deer migration); 
cultural resources; livestock movement; access; discharges to surface 
water; air quality (including mercury); and impacts to stream 
drainages, seeps and springs resulting from groundwater drawdown. 
Additionally, the BLM received some comments in general support of the 
project.
    Comments received during the scoping period were addressed and 
evaluated, and appropriate issues are incorporated into the draft EIS 
as project alternatives. These alternatives include partial pit 
backfilling, a single waste-rock storage facility, the no-action 
alternative, and the proposed project. The preferred alternative for 
the Arturo draft EIS is the proposed project.
    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, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your

[[Page 4166]]

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, 40 CFR 1506.10.

Kenneth Miller,
Manager, Elko District Office.
[FR Doc. 2013-00952 Filed 1-17-13; 8:45 am]
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