[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 77 (Monday, April 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23782-23783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09393]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVB00000 L71220000 GN0000 LVTFF1201640 241A; NVN-088878; NVN-091878; 
NVN-091879; 13-08807; MO 4500049370; TAS:14X8069]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Gibellini Mine Project, Eureka and White Pine Counties, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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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) Mount Lewis 
Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada, intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose impacts 
associated with the Gibellini Mine Project, a proposed open pit 
vanadium mine, processing, and associated facilities, located on public 
land in Eureka and White Pine counties, Nevada, and by this notice is 
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until May 22, 2013. The 
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM 
Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field.html. In order to be considered during the preparation of the 
Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the close of the 30 
day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever 
is later. The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the proposed Gibellini 
Mine Project by any of the following methods:

[[Page 23783]]

     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 775-635-4034.
     Mail: BLM, Mount Lewis Field Office, 50 Bastian Road, 
Battle Mountain, NV 89820.

Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Mount Lewis 
Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gloria Tibbetts, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, telephone: 775-635-4060; address: 50 Bastian 
Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820; 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: American Vanadium US, Inc. proposes to 
construct, operate, reclaim, and close an open pit, heap leach, 
vanadium mining operation known as the Gibellini Mine Project. The 
proposed project also includes a water, power and communications 
corridor extending 6.5 miles from the Fish Creek Ranch to the proposed 
project area.
    The proposed project would be located 27 miles south of Eureka, 
Nevada in Eureka and White Pine counties. The proposed project area 
contains approximately 7,697 acres of public land managed by the Mount 
Lewis Field Office; of that area, approximately 730 acres of 
disturbance is proposed.
    For this proposed project, vanadium would be used in an electrolyte 
solution in the development of new energy storage technology. A 
photovoltaic solar field would be built at the mine to demonstrate the 
new battery technology on-site.
    The Gibellini Mine Project is in conformance with the 1986 
Shoshone-Eureka Resource Area Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Record 
of Decision which states that all public land in the planning areas 
will be open for mining and prospecting unless withdrawn or restricted 
from mineral entry. One of the objectives of the RMP is to make 
available and encourage development of mineral resources to meet the 
national, regional, and local needs consistent with national 
objectives, for an adequate supply of minerals.
    Approximately 3.5 million tons of ore and waste rock would be mined 
annually and extracted using conventional open pit mining methods of 
drilling and blasting over the approximately seven-year production 
phase of the mine life. The proposed project includes mining 
approximately 15.6 million tons of ore material containing 120.5 
million pounds of vanadium over the mine life. Approximately 4.3 
million tons of waste rock and sub-grade ore material would be mined 
during the life of the project. The primary facilities associated with 
the proposed project would include the open pit, waste rock dump 
facility, mine office and facilities, photovoltaic solar field, 
crushing facilities and stockpile, heap leach pad, process facility, 
various process and make up water ponds, borrow areas, mine and access 
roads, exploration activities and a 6.5-mile water, power and 
communications corridor. American Vanadium US, Inc. would employ up to 
160 employees for the construction of the proposed project and 
approximately 120 employees during the production phase of the mine, 
including contractors.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the EIS in 
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified during the scoping period. Potential direct, indirect, 
residual, and cumulative impacts from the proposed action will be 
analyzed in the EIS.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including potential alternatives, and the extent to which those issues 
and impacts will be analyzed in the EIS. At present, the BLM has 
identified the following preliminary issues: (1) Closure of the 
sulfuric acid heap leach pad; (2) Impacts to vegetation and wildlife 
that could include loss of habitat for Greater sage-grouse and loss of 
acreage for livestock grazing; and (3) Cumulative socioeconomic 
concerns associated with the influx of workers expected to be employed 
by this mine and others in the nearby areas over the next several 
years.
    The BLM will follow the NEPA public participation requirements to 
satisfy the public involvement requirements under Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant 
to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Any information about historic and cultural 
resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed project 
will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such 
resources in the context of both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.
    The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes 
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the 
proposed Gibellini Mine Project are invited to participate in the 
scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the 
BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as 
a cooperating agency.
    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 1501.7.

Timothy J. Coward,
Acting Field Manager, Mount Lewis Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2013-09393 Filed 4-19-13; 8:45 am]
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