[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22512-22513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10146]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[19X.LLIDI00000.L71220000.EO0000.LVTFDX402300.241A.4500132833]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Caldwell Canyon Mine Project, Caribou 
County, Idaho

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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed 
Caldwell Canyon 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 after the date that the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Caldwell Canyon Mine Final EIS are available 
for public inspection at the BLM Pocatello Field Office at the 
following address: 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID 83204. Interested 
persons may also review the Final EIS online at the BLM Land Use 
Planning and NEPA Register website: https://bit.ly/2SaxWcO.

[[Page 22513]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Volk, Planning and NEPA 
Specialist, BLM Pocatello Field Office by mail or in person at 4350 
Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID 83204; by phone at 208-236-7503; by email 
at [email protected]; and by fax at 208-478-6376. 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 Mr. Volk. 
The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message 
or question for Mr. Volk. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: P4 Production, LLC (P4 Production), a 
subsidiary of Bayer AG, developed and submitted a Mine and Reclamation 
Plan (M&RP) application (the proposed action in the Final EIS) for the 
Caldwell Canyon Mine. The proposed action reflects P4 Production's 
desire to exercise its exclusive mineral development rights granted by 
the United States Federal phosphate leases IDI-000002, IDI-014080, and 
IDI-013738; and by the State of Idaho mineral lease E07959. P4 
Production proposes to construct and operate a new 1,559-acre surface 
mine with associated haul roads, a rail shipping point, and other 
ancillary facilities. The mine would place waste rock into the nearby 
inactive Dry Valley Mine pit on Federal phosphate lease IDI-014184. 
Modifications to enlarge the phosphate lease boundaries are necessary 
to recover all ore that exists adjacent to the leased deposit. The M&RP 
requests authorization for a related haul road across BLM-managed land 
as described in the Final EIS. The mine would operate for approximately 
40 years. The Final EIS fully evaluates alternatives to the proposed 
action, including a No Action alternative, and addresses issues 
identified during initial scoping for the EIS, from public comments on 
the Draft EIS, and from the BLM's analysis. In accordance with 40 CFR 
1502.14(e), the BLM has identified Alternative 1 in the Final EIS as 
the preferred alternative.
    The BLM will make decisions to either approve, approve with 
modification, or deny the M&RP application. In addition, the BLM will 
decide whether to modify (enlarge) the lease boundaries and grant 
authorization for a haul road across Federal land. The Notice of 
Availability of the Draft EIS published on November 30, 2018, 
initiating a 45-day public comment period. The public comments resulted 
in additional information regarding water quality and quantity, 
wildlife, habitat conversion, noise, safety, socioeconomics, tribal 
interests, cultural resources, vegetation, visual quality, mine 
reclamation, financial assurance, mitigation measures, and 
environmental monitoring of mine operations being included in the Final 
EIS.
    The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho Department of 
Lands, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Idaho Governor's 
Office of Energy and Mineral Resources are cooperating agencies.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

John F. Ruhs,
Idaho State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-10146 Filed 5-16-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P