[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 115 (Friday, June 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27798-27799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12628]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVE02000-L5110.0000-GN.0000-LV.EM.F1503680-15X; MO# 4500133725]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Rossi Mine Expansion Project, Elko County, NV

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 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rossi Mine Expansion 
Project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

DATES: The Final EIS will be available for a 30-day review period 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes 
its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will not 
issue a final decision on the proposal for a minimum of 30 days from 
the date that the EPA publishes its notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS for the Rossi Mine Expansion Project 
are available for public review and can be

[[Page 27799]]

obtained at the BLM Elko District Office, located at 3900 East Idaho 
Street, Elko Nevada 89801, and 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 East Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada 
89801; 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 Ms. 
Stadelman during normal business hours. FRS is available 24 hours a 
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will receive a 
reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final EIS is an abbreviated document 
that presents updates to the Draft EIS resulting from public and 
cooperating agency comments received during the 45-day public comment 
period. Public comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, 
but did not significantly change the analysis. None of the public 
comments received resulted in major changes or revisions to the Draft 
EIS. Therefore, this abbreviated Final EIS must be read in conjunction 
with the Draft EIS (September 2018), which is also located on BLM's 
eplanning site at https://go.usa.gov/xnRCr.
    The EIS analyzed the proposed modification submitted by Halliburton 
Energy Services to their plan of operations for the Rossi Mine Project. 
The proposal includes the continuation of the existing mine 
infrastructure, but would expand the existing facilities and operation 
to support the continuation of the open pit mining operation and 
surface exploration activities for barite. The proposed action would 
increase the disturbance to approximately a total acreage of 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 consist of private land and the remaining 1,854 acres are 
public land administered by the BLM. The proposed expansion would 
provide up to an estimated 433 jobs, some of which could be filled by 
returning and new employees.
    The proposed action includes the expansion of the existing plan of 
operations boundary, the expansion of the existing open pits, the 
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 8 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 Availability of the Draft EIS for the Rossi Mine 
Expansion Project published on September 14, 2018 (83 FR 46753), with a 
45-day comment period. The BLM issued a news release and held two 
public meetings during the comment period. A total of nine people 
signed the attendance sheets available at the meetings. Those attending 
the public meetings consisted of representatives from the BLM, 
Halliburton, and the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and four members 
from the general public. The BLM received a total of eight comment 
submittals (e.g. letter, comment form, email) during the comment 
period. Key issues identified by individuals, groups, and government 
entities include potential impacts and mitigation for sage-grouse and 
mule deer habitat; impacts, mitigation and monitoring related to 
groundwater; direct, cumulative and socioeconomic impacts to livestock 
grazing management; maintenance of the access road; minimizing night 
lighting impacts; complying with State regulations and permitting with 
the State agencies regarding air and water; and support for the 
project.
    The BLM is the lead Federal agency for this EIS. Cooperating 
agencies included the Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Nevada 
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Sagebrush Ecosystem 
Technical Team, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Elko County 
Board of Commissioners, and the EPA. The agency-preferred alternative 
is the Reconfiguration Alternative, which consists of the Proposed 
Action and the reconfiguration of the waste rock disposal facilities.
    Following a 30-day Final EIS availability and review period, a 
Record of Decision (ROD) will be issued. The decision reached in the 
ROD is subject to appeal to the Interior Board of Land Appeals. The 30-
day appeal period begins with the issuance of the ROD.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)

Jill C. Silvey,
District Manager, Elko District Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-12628 Filed 6-13-19; 8:45 am]
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