[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 40 (Friday, February 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11463-11464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04257]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMP02000 L51100000.GE0000.LVEMG14CG200 14XL5017AR]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Ochoa Mine Project in Lea County, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ochoa 
Mine Project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days from the date that the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its own notice of availability in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Ochoa Mine Project Final EIS are available for 
public inspection at the Carlsbad Field Office, 620 E Greene Street, 
Carlsbad, NM 88220. Interested persons may also review the Final EIS on 
the Web site at: www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/ochoaMine/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Herrell or Shiva Achet, project 
co-leads, telephone 575-234-2229 (David) or 575-234-5924 (Shiva); 
address BLM Carlsbad Field Office, 620 East Greene Street, Carlsbad, NM 
88220; 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: Intercontinental Potash Corporation (ICP) is 
proposing to develop a new underground mine in southern Lea County, New 
Mexico, to extract polyhalite ore for the production of the sulfate of 
potash and sulfate of potash magnesia, potassium fertilizers for food 
production. The project area includes Federal, State, and private lands 
totaling 31,134 acres, of which 2,400 acres would be disturbed. The 
surface landownership consists of about 22 percent public lands managed 
by the BLM, 53 percent owned by the State of New Mexico, and 25 percent 
privately owned. About 55 percent of the minerals within the proposed 
mine area is owned by the Federal Government.
    ICP holds BLM prospecting permits and has applied for preference 
right leases. These prospecting permits are located about 40 miles 
southeast of Carlsbad and 20 miles west of Jal, in Lea County, New 
Mexico. ICP has proposed a Mine Plan of Operations that includes an 
underground mine accessed by a shaft and a ramp, and processing 
facilities, including the ore process plant, dry stack tailings pile, 
evaporation ponds, water wells, pipelines, power lines, and a railroad 
load out facility. The polyhalite will be continuously mined using the 
conventional room and pillar retreat method. In order to mine in 
proximity to active oil and gas wells, ICP has elected to follow the 
rules and regulations of a Category IV gassy mine. Processing would 
require pumping a maximum of 4,000 gallons per minute of groundwater 
from the Capitan Reef Aquifer.
    The BLM initiated the NEPA process for the project by publication 
of a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS on January 3, 2012 (77 FR 130). 
Public scoping meetings were conducted on January 23-24, 2012. Major 
issues identified for this project include oil and gas, water 
resources, land use, socioeconomic impacts, air quality, wildlife, 
livestock grazing, and health and safety. A scoping report was compiled 
and published on March 27, 2012.
    Alternatives developed in the Draft EIS include the proposed action 
(Alternative A), which would include approval of ICP's Mine Plan of 
Operations, granting new rights-of-way, and approval of preference 
right leases to allow the mining and processing of polyhalite ore for 
the production of the sulphate of potash and sulphate of potash 
magnesia. In addition, three action alternatives were analyzed in the 
Draft EIS. Alternative B is identical to Alternative A except that the 
visual impacts of the tailing stockpile would be reduced. Alternative C 
is identical to Alternative A except that standards and guidance would 
be established for managing concurrent development of fluid minerals. 
Alternative D is similar to Alternative A, except that the location of 
the evaporation ponds and tailings stockpile would be at a different 
location. A no action alternative was also analyzed, in which the 
proposed mine plan of operations, rights-of-way, and preference right 
leases would be denied.
    The Draft EIS was published on August 9, 2013, starting a 45-day 
public comment period. Three public scoping meetings were held in 
Carlsbad, New Mexico, on August 26, 2013, and in Hobbs and Jal, New 
Mexico, on August 27, 2013. Briefings were also held for the City of 
Eunice, New Mexico, and a cooperating agency. Twenty-nine written 
comment letters consisting of 490 comments were received and analyzed. 
Comments on the Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM 
review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Final 
EIS. The Final EIS Preferred Alternative consists of a mixture of what 
the BLM considers the best features of Alternatives A, B, and C, as 
well as some new aspects incorporated in response to public comments 
and BLM concerns. The Preferred Alternative is similar to the proposed 
action (Alternative A), as it incorporates the same proposed mine area, 
mining methods, facilities, and processing methods. Additionally, water 
demands, well field and water pipelines, and layout facilities remain 
the same as the proposed action. The Preferred Alternative differs from 
the proposed action as it requires additional monitoring of water 
resources, includes subsidence, dust, and reclamation requirements, a 
smaller tailings stockpile, a more formalized co-development 
coordination program with stakeholders, and a dispute resolution 
process.


[[Page 11464]]


    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

Aden L. Seidlitz,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-04257 Filed 2-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P