[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 29, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15539-15541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06190]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVB0l000.L71220000.EX0000.LVTFF1486020 MO# 4500101184]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Deep South Expansion Project, Lander and Eureka Counties, 
NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mount Lewis Field 
Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential impacts of approving 
the proposed Deep South Expansion Project in Lander and Eureka 
Counties, Nevada. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping 
process to solicit public comments and identify issues and 
alternatives; and serves to initiate public consultation, as required, 
under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until May 1, 2017. 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 or postmarked prior to the close of the 30-
day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever 
is later.
    Comments received after the close of the 30-day scoping period will 
be considered as long as they are received or postmarked prior to 15 
days after the last public meeting. The BLM will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft 
EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the proposed Deep South 
Expansion Project by any of the following methods:
     Email: BLM_NV [email protected]
     Fax: 775-635-4034
     Mail: 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrea Dolbear, Project Manager, 
telephone: 775-635-4000; and at the addresses or fax number above.. 
Contact Mrs. Dolbear if you wish to add your name to our mailing list. 
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FRS 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 Cortez, Inc. is proposing 
modifications to the existing Deep South Project Plan of Operations 
(Project) which is located in Eureka and Lander Counties, south of 
Crescent Valley, Nevada. The proposed modifications include the 
following activities:
     Deepen the existing Crossroads Pit (Pipeline Complex) by 
200 feet to 3,200 feet above mean sea level (amsl) and reconfigure the 
backfill. Three backfill scenarios are being evaluated at this time;
     Add Stage 11 to the existing Pipeline Pit;
     Expand the existing Gold Acres Pit Complex and expand the 
waste rock facility (WRF);
     Expand the existing Cortez Hills underground gold mine by 
increasing the depth of mining from the currently authorized floor of 
3,800 feet amsl to 2,500 feet amsl;
     Expand the Pediment portion of the Cortez Hills Pit and 
shift the Plan of Operations boundary to the east by about 800 feet;
     Partially backfill the existing Cortez Hills Pit;
     Construct an additional water treatment plant in the 
Cortez Hills Complex;
     Expand the existing Cortez Pit and WRF;
     The maximum dewatering rate will remain below the 
authorized rate of 36,100 gpm;
     Add Rapid Infiltration Basins (RIBs), laydown areas and 
surface pipelines on fee land outside of the Plan of Operations 
boundary in Crescent Valley;
     Construct additional RIBs and surface pipelines, laydown 
areas and a booster station in Grass Valley and Pine Valley;
     Construct, if necessary, a water reservoir and pipelines 
for dewatering water management at Rocky Pass, construct a water line 
from the reservoir to the Dean Ranch, and construct a bypass road for 
public access; and
     Various additions/revisions to Facilities and Ancillary 
Disturbance:
    [cir] Expand the plan boundary to capture proposed facilities;
    [cir] Increase off site ore haulage from 1.2 to 2.5 million tons/
year;
    [cir] Modify the surface mining rate to allow up to 600,000 tons 
per day;
    [cir] Expand the existing Pipeline oxide ore stockpile;
    [cir] Add ore stockpiles;
    [cir] Add ancillary disturbance around existing and proposed 
facilities;
    [cir] Power lines, pipelines, buildings, communication sites, haul 
and access roads; and
    [cir] Change the Grass Valley productions wells to injection wells 
and add monitor wells.
    The BLM Mt. Lewis Field Office administers 54,825 acres of public 
lands within the plan boundary, and Cortez controls 3,268 acres of 
private lands. The BLM previously authorized Cortez to disturb 16,700 
acres within the plan boundary. The Plan of Operations amendment (APO) 
would include increasing the existing approved plan boundary by 4,279 
acres; from 58,093 acres to 62,372 acres. The proposed modifications 
will result in approximately 3,798 acres of new disturbance inside of 
the new proposed plan boundary. Barrick Cortez, Inc. would continue to 
employ the existing workforce of employees for the construction, 
operation, reclamation, and closure of the proposed project amendment, 
which is anticipated to extend the mine life by approximately another 
12 years as a result of the proposed activities.
    The BLM is seeking input regarding issues that may be analyzed in 
the EIS. The public scoping meeting provides the public and other 
interested agencies and organizations an opportunity to learn about the 
Project and to help identify issues, provide input, and propose 
alternatives to be addressed in the EIS before the BLM begins drafting 
it. Early public involvement is crucial to identify various issues that 
may be addressed through the process. Some of the potential anticipated 
issues and concerns may include:

 Water resources
 Air quality
 Vegetation resources (including noxious weeds)
 Wildlife (including migratory birds and special status species 
such as Greater sage grouse)
 Grazing management
 Land use and access
 Aesthetics (noise and visual)
 Cultural resources
 Geological resources (including minerals and soils)
 Recreation
 Social and economic values
 hazardous materials
 Native American cultural concerns
 Closure methodology

    Public involvement is an important part of the NEPA process. The 
level of public involvement varies with the different types of NEPA 
compliance and decision-making. Public involvement begins early in the 
NEPA process, with scoping, and continues throughout the preparation of 
the analysis and the decision. The CEQ Regulations require that 
agencies ``make diligent efforts to involve the public in preparing and 
implementing their NEPA procedures'' (40 CFR 1506.6(a)). There are a 
wide variety of ways to engage the public in the NEPA process. The 
purpose of public scoping is to ensure that all interested and affected 
parties are aware of the proposed action.
    The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA scoping process to help 
fulfill the public involvement process under the NHPA as provided in 42 
CFR 800.2(d)(3). The 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 the NHPA.
    The BLM will consult with Native American 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 
project that the BLM is evaluating, 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 EIS as a cooperating 
agency. Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we use in preparing the EIS, will be available for public 
inspection during normal business hours at the Mount Lewis Field Office 
(see ADDRESSES section, above).
    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 that your personal identifying information be 
withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able 
to do so.


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    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7

Jon D. Sherve,
Field Manager, Mount Lewis Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2017-06190 Filed 3-28-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P