[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 134 (Friday, July 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41949-41950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16631]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWYR05000 L51100000.GN0000.LVEMK13CY200]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Lower Gas Hills Conventional Uranium Project, Fremont County, WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
as amended (FLPMA), and in response to a proposal filed by Strathmore 
Resources (US), LTD (Strathmore), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 
Lander Field Office, Wyoming, intends to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS). By this notice, the BLM is announcing the 
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments regarding 
issues and resource information for the proposed Lower Gas Hills 
Conventional Uranium Project (Project) in Fremont County, Wyoming. The 
Project is a proposed uranium exploration and development project 
employing open pit mining methods and using heap leach methods for 
uranium recovery.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. The BLM can 
best consider public input if comments and resource information are 
submitted within 60 days of publication of this notice. To provide the 
public with an opportunity to review the proposal and project 
information, the BLM will host public meetings in Lander and Riverton, 
Wyoming; and will announce the dates, times, and locations for these 
meetings at least 15 days prior to each event. Announcements will be 
made by news release to the news media and individual mailings, and 
posted on the project Web site listed below. Project information and 
documents including the submitted Plan of Operations will be available 
on the Project Web site address given below.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Lander Field Office, Attn: Kristin Yannone, 1335 
Main Street, Lander, WY 82520.
     Project Web site: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/lfo/LowerGasHillsConvMine.html.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Lander 
Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristin Yannone, Project Manager, at:
     Telephone: 307-332-8400;
     Address: 1335 Main Street, Lander, Wyoming 82520;
     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: The Lander Field Office intends to prepare 
an EIS to inform decision-making regarding the proposed Lower Gas Hills 
Conventional Uranium Project and to begin the public scoping period. 
The BLM seeks public input on the preliminary issues identified below 
regarding this Project, as well as other Project issues of public 
concern. The Project area is located in central Wyoming; 45 miles east 
of Riverton, 35 miles southwest of Casper, and 70 miles northeast of 
Lander, Wyoming, in the Gas Hills Mining District of Fremont County, 
Wyoming. The Project area encompasses approximately 12,400 acres of 
land, 11,040 acres of which is public land administered by the BLM 
Lander Field Office. Uranium mining activities have been active in the 
Gas Hills area since the early 1950s; as a result the proposed project 
area contains land surface disturbance and variably effective mine land 
reclamation efforts. In November 2012, Strathmore submitted a 
Preliminary Plan of Operations in accordance with the BLM's surface 
management regulations at 43 CFR part 3809 to develop a conventional 
uranium mining and heap leach recovery operation. The purpose of the 
proposed Project is to explore for and identify mining reserves and 
extract and process uranium ore from 4 separate mine units over an 
anticipated project life of 12 or more years. Strathmore proposes to 
construct four different mine units in a phased manner utilizing open 
pit mining methods.
    Several mine units will require dewatering of existing open pits 
prior to and during mining of new open pits. Waste rock and ore 
material will be stored at the surface during mining, and mine 
facilities will be constructed at each mine unit. Haul roads will be 
constructed or re-occupied for ore material to be transported to the 
central processing facility. Uranium recovery will be performed on-site 
using heap leach methods and a processing facility to produce 
yellowcake (uranium oxide-U3O8). Strathmore 
proposes to construct a centrally located uranium recovery facility 
consisting of a heap leach pad, solution exchange building, and drying 
facility with ancillary collection and drainage ponds.
    Anticipated new surface disturbance associated with the Lower Gas 
Hills Conventional Uranium Project proposal will include approximately 
2,000 total acres; including surface disturbance for the construction 
of open pits, haul roads, spoils piles and associated facilities. 
Surface disturbance will be phased over several years, depending on the 
uranium production rate and the availability of mine construction 
equipment and personnel. Final surface reclamation is required by 
regulatory agencies and assured through procurement of a financial 
guarantee.
    The BLM's analysis of any potential impacts from granting surface 
use authorization for the milling facility and water disposal 
operations are in addition to the environmental analysis conducted by 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as part of its permitting process.
    Final reclamation will commence at the end of surface mining, 
including placing all mine overburden and spoil back in the mine pits, 
removing all ponds and buried piping, and re-grading and re-vegetating 
the disturbed surface with approved native plant species. After 
vegetation has been reestablished, the mine surface will be returned to 
its pre-mining use of livestock grazing and wildlife habitat or any 
other use consistent with the applicable land use plan.
    Depending on the residual radiological hazards found to be present 
within the mill site or processing part of the Project area, ownership 
of the reclaimed surface may be required to be transferred to the 
Department of Energy for long-term custodian care until contamination 
is deemed to no longer be a threat to public health and safety. 
Strathmore estimates that the Project will employ a mix of full-time 
personnel and temporary contractors throughout the life of the mine. It 
is likely that the majority of employees will live in

[[Page 41950]]

Riverton and Lander and, to a lesser extent, Casper, Wyoming. The 
Project is expected to provide an economic benefit through a variety of 
taxes paid to Federal, State, and local governments including employee 
income taxes, severance taxes, property taxes, and sales taxes.
    The Project is in conformance with the 1987 Lander Resource 
Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/Final 
EIS) and with all of the alternatives in the Final EIS (2013) revising 
the Lander RMP. During the preparation of the Project EIS, interim 
exploration and development will be subject to development guidelines 
and decisions made in applicable NEPA documents, including the Lander 
RMP and subsequent revisions. The Project EIS will analyze the 
environmental consequences of approving the Project as proposed, while 
considering other alternatives including a No Action Alternative.
    The purpose of public scoping is to determine relevant issues that 
will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and range of 
reasonable alternatives in the Project EIS. At present, the BLM has 
identified the following preliminary issues: Potential effects to air 
and water quality; potential effects on existing land uses and previous 
mine reclamation activities; potential effects of uranium mining and 
production on surface resources including vegetation, soil, wildlife 
habitat and livestock grazing; concerns about risks from radioactive or 
other hazardous elements; and concerns about post-mining management of 
the project area.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA scoping process to 
help fulfill the public involvement process under Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided in 36 
CFR 800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal consultations will be conducted 
in accordance with policy, and tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal, 
State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders who may be 
interested in or affected by the BLM's decision on this project, are 
invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may 
request or be requested by the BLM to participate 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 may 
request in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, it cannot be guaranteed that personal 
information will be withheld.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

    Dated: May 20, 2013.
Donald A. Simpson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-16631 Filed 7-11-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P