[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36122-36123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15828]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVB0l000.L51100000. GN0000.LVEMF1604910 MO# 4500135252]


Notice of Availability for the Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Deep South Expansion Project, Lander and Eureka Counties, 
Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mount 
Lewis Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada, has prepared a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing 
its availability. Barrick Cortez, Inc. (BCI) is proposing to expand its 
existing Cortez Hills Project mining operations, which are located 
southeast of Battle Mountain in Eureka and Lander Counties, Nevada.

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 Final EIS for the Deep South Expansion Project 
and other documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
Mount Lewis Field Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada 
89820. The document is also available for download at https://go.usa.gov/xmQR9.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Hurrell, Project Manager; 
telephone: 775-635-4000; address: 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, 
Nevada 89820; or email: [email protected]. Contact Kevin 
Hurrell to have your name added to BLM's 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: There are 54,825 acres of public lands 
within the Plan of Operations boundary that are administered by the BLM 
Mount Lewis Field Office, and 3,268 acres of private lands controlled 
by BCI. BCI was

[[Page 36123]]

previously authorized to disturb 16,700 acres within their Plan of 
Operations boundary.
    The proposed mine expansion, named the Deep South Expansion Project 
(Proposed Project) would require a modification to the Plan of 
Operations to increase the plan boundary by 4,279 acres: from 58,093 
acres to 62,372 acres. The proposed modification would result in 
approximately 3,846 acres of new disturbance inside the new proposed 
plan boundary, of which 2,779 acres are public lands.
    BCI currently employs about 1,250 people from the northern Nevada 
towns of Elko, Battle Mountain, Winnemucca, Eureka, Carlin, and 
surrounding areas. If the Deep South Expansion Project is approved, the 
company expects to extend the mine life and employment opportunities 
for its workforce by another 12 years.
    BCI's purpose for the Deep South Expansion Project is to continue 
to profitably recover gold and silver from reserves and resources on 
federal mining claims in the Project Area utilizing, to the extent 
practical, existing facilities at BCI's currently permitted operations 
within the Project Area.
    The Final EIS describes and analyzes the Proposed Project's direct, 
indirect, and cumulative impacts on all affected resources. In addition 
to the Proposed Project, the Final EIS analyzes one additional action 
alternative (the Gold Acres Pit Partial Backfill alternative) and the 
No Action Alternative.
    Under the Gold Acres Pit Partial Backfill Alternative, the proposed 
expansion of the existing Gold Acres Pit would be completed prior to 
development of the proposed satellite pits (Alta, Bellwether, and 
Pasture), with the waste rock from the satellite pits (30 million tons) 
placed as backfill in the Gold Acres Pit to an approximate elevation of 
5,440 feet above mean sea level (amsl) (Figures 2-18 and 2-19). This 
would result in a 72-acre reduction in the proposed new disturbance for 
the Gold Acres North Waste Rock Facility. The pit bottom elevations for 
the expanded Gold Acres Pit and proposed satellite pits would be the 
same as described for the Proposed Action. No dewatering would be 
required for the proposed expansion of open pit operations at the Gold 
Acres Complex as the proposed pit bottom elevations would be above the 
groundwater table. Therefore, proposed dewatering and water management 
operations would be the same as under the Proposed Action.
    Under the No Action Alternative, the proposed facilities and 
facility modifications as well as the proposed operations modifications 
that comprise the Deep South Expansion Project would not be developed 
or implemented. Under this alternative, the existing mining and 
processing operations in the Project Area and the current off site 
transport of refractory ore to the Goldstrike Mill for processing and 
backhaul of Arturo Mine oxide ore to the Pipeline Complex for 
processing would continue under the terms of current permits and 
approvals as authorized by the BLM and State of Nevada.
    On March 29, 2017, a Notice of Intent was published in the Federal 
Register (80 FR 58501) inviting scoping comments on the Proposed 
Action. The BLM held three public scoping meetings on April 18, 19, and 
20, 2017, in Battle Mountain, Crescent Valley, and Elko, Nevada 
respectively. The BLM received six scoping comment submittals during 
the scoping period. Concerns raised included impacts to water 
resources, air quality, wildlife, and recreation.
    The Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft EIS was published in 
the Federal Register on October 22, 2018 (83 FR 53292), commencing a 
45-day comment period that ended on December 5, 2018. The BLM held 
three public comment meetings on November 6, 7, and 8, 2018 in Battle 
Mountain, Crescent Valley, and Elko, Nevada respectively. A total of 29 
comment letters were received on the Draft EIS via mail and email. All 
agency and public comments on the Draft EIS were given careful 
consideration in preparation of the Final EIS. Each comment, as well as 
a corresponding response, is provided in Appendix F of the Final EIS.
    The BLM has utilized and coordinated the NEPA scoping and comment 
process to help fulfill the public involvement requirements under the 
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108) as 
provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), and the agency continues to do so. The 
information about historical and cultural resources within the area 
potentially affected by the Proposed Project has assisted the BLM in 
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources in the context of 
both NEPA and the NHPA.
    The BLM has consulted and continues to consult with Indian tribes 
on a government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 
13175 and other policies. Tribal concerns, including potential impacts 
to cultural resources, have been analyzed in the Final EIS.

Bradlee Matthews,
Acting Field Manager, Mount Lewis Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-15828 Filed 7-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P