[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46753-46754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19940]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVE02000-L5110.0000-GN.0000-LV.EM.F1503680-15X MO# 4500119719]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Rossi Mine Expansion Project, Elko County, Nevada

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 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rossi Mine Expansion 
Project. This notice announces the availability of the Draft EIS and 
the opening of the comment period.

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

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Rossi Mine Expansion 
Project by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected];
     Fax: 775-753-0347; or
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Rossi Mine Expansion 
Project, Attention: Janice Stadelman, Project Manager, 3900 Idaho 
Street, Elko, Nevada 89801.
    Copies of the Draft EIS for the Rossi Mine Expansion Project are 
available at the BLM Elko District Office, located at the address 
above; at the BLM's NEPA eplanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xnRCr; 
or through eplanning on the BLM's website at http://www.blm.gov/nv.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janice Stadelman, Project Manager, at 
telephone, 775-753-0346; address, 3900 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801; or 
email, [email protected].
    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, seven 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 Draft EIS addresses the direct, 
indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of the proposed action 
and alternatives. Halliburton Energy Services proposes a modification 
to their plan of operations for the Rossi Mine Project. The existing 
infrastructure would continue to be used, but would be expanded to 
support the continuation of the open pit mining

[[Page 46754]]

operation and surface exploration activities for barite. The proposed 
action would increase the disturbance to a total of approximately 2,063 
acres of public and private land, including 896 acres of previously 
approved or existing disturbance and 1,167 acres of new land 
disturbance. Of the 2,063 acres of surface disturbance, approximately 
209 acres consists of private land and the remaining 1,854 acres are 
public land administered by the BLM. The proposed expansion would 
employ an estimated 433 people.
    The proposed action includes the expansion of the existing plan of 
operations boundary, expansion of the existing open pits, development 
of new open pits, expansion of the existing waste rock disposal 
facilities, construction of new waste rock disposal facilities, 
expansion or modification of ancillary facilities, expansion and 
development of new roads, re-alignment of segments of the Boulder 
Valley Road and Antelope-Boulder Connector Road, installation of new 
power distribution lines, the continuation of surface exploration, and 
reclamation activities. The proposed expansion is projected to add 
eight years to the mine's life. The Project is located on the northern 
end of the Carlin Trend in Elko County, approximately 25 miles north of 
the community of Dunphy and 28 aerial miles northwest of the town of 
Carlin, Nevada.
    The Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on September 9, 2015 (80 FR 54319). Scoping meetings, news 
release and mailings were used to solicit comments and identify key 
issues to be analyzed. Tribal governments with interest in this project 
were also contacted to discern their issues and concerns, and to 
conduct government-to-government consultation. During the scoping 
period, the BLM received 12 comment submittals (e.g., letters, emails, 
comment forms), resulting in a total of 131 comments and questions. Key 
issues identified by individuals, groups, and government entities 
include potential impacts to sage-grouse and wildlife, cultural 
resources and traditional cultural properties, access, noise, surface 
and ground water, air quality, and support for the project. The BLM is 
the lead Federal agency for this EIS. Cooperating agencies include the 
Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Nevada Department of Conservation 
and Natural Resources Sagebrush Ecosystem Technical Team, the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Elko County Board of 
Commissioners, and the United States Environmental Protection 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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

Jill C. Silvey,
District Manager, Elko District Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-19940 Filed 9-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P