[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 173 (Friday, September 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46965-46967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19389]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

Fish and Wildlife Service

[51100000.GN0000.LVEMF1503760.LLNVW03000.15x MO# 4500136770]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Hycroft Mine Phase II Expansion Project, 
Humboldt and Pershing Counties, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Black Rock 
Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS) have prepared a joint Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and by this notice are announcing the beginning of the 
availability of the Final EIS. The BLM is the lead agency in 
development of the Final EIS and has evaluated Hycroft Resource and 
Development, Inc.'s (HRDI's) request for the proposed expansion of 
their operations at the existing Hycroft Mine. The USFWS is a 
coordinating agency with the BLM on the development of this EIS and has 
evaluated the applicant's Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP), which 
describes HRDI's request to remove inactive (i.e., outside the nesting 
season) eagle nests and for a 30-year incidental take permit for golden 
eagles under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (Eagle Act).

DATES: This notice initiates the availability of the Final EIS. No ROD 
will issue for 30 days past the publication of this NOA.

ADDRESSES: To access the Final EIS and if more information is required 
please reach out the appropriate contact below


[[Page 46966]]


Project Mining Expansion:
     Website: https://go.usa.gov/xyu54
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: (775) 623-1503
     Mail: 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, NV 89445
Eagle Take Permit:
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: (916) 414-6486
     Mail: 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the proposed mine 
expansion, contact Taylor Grysen--BLM Project Manager, telephone: (775) 
623-1500, address: 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, NV 
89445. For questions about the eagle take permit contact: Heather 
Beeler--USFWS Project Manager, telephone: (916) 414-6651, address: 2800 
Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. 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: HRDI has proposed an expansion to their 
operations at the existing Hycroft Mine, which is located approximately 
55 miles west of Winnemucca, Nevada, in Humboldt and Pershing Counties. 
The Hycroft Mine Phase II Expansion proposed action proposes to 
increase the authorized Plan of Operations boundary to 27,835 acres, of 
which 26,082 acres would be on BLM-administered public lands. Under the 
project as proposed by HRDI, the surface disturbance would increase by 
8,737 acres, from 6,144 acres to 14,881 acres, which includes 13,141 
acres located on land administered by the BLM Black Rock Field Office. 
Surface disturbance on private land would decrease by 44 acres, from 
1,784 acres to 1,740 acres. The proposed project would include the 
following activities: Expanding the authorized Plan of Operations 
boundary to the east; extending mining and ore processing activities to 
2039; increasing the rate of process water pumping and extending until 
2041; constructing and operating the Northeast Tailings Storage 
Facility (TSF) and associated pipeline corridor and haul road; 
constructing and operating the North Heap Leach Facility (HLF) East 
expansion and associated solution ponds; expanding the existing 
Brimstone Pit below the pre-mining groundwater table; conducting active 
dewatering of the Brimstone Pit through the installation and operation 
of dewatering wells; conducting passive dewatering within the expanded 
pit footprint; expanding the South Waste Rock Facility (WRF); modifying 
the approved land use in the South Processing Complex to allow for the 
option of constructing the Southwest WRF in place of the complex, if 
desired; modifying waste backfill plans with respect to the proposed 
mining plan; expanding haul and secondary roads around the pits, WRFs, 
HLFs, and TSF; modifying the milling operation to process ore in an 
ambient oxidation and leaching process; constructing and operating an 
oxygen plant; constructing stormwater diversions, installing culverts, 
and other stormwater controls; constructing growth media stockpiles; 
incorporating four HRDI rights-of-way (ROWs) (microwave repeater site 
and road [NVN046292], Floka access road [NVN054893], buried pipeline, 
wells, power distribution and access roads [NVN046564], and road and 
water pipeline [NVN039119]) that exist wholly within the authorized 
Plan boundary into the amendment to the Plan and relinquish the ROWs 
with the BLM; continuing use of the well field ROW; relocating 
rangeland improvement facilities within the footprint of the Northeast 
TSF; rerouting Rosebud Road around the Northeast TSF; reallocating 10 
acres of exploration disturbance on private land to public land; and 
implementing the authorized and proposed additional applicant-committed 
Environmental Protection Measures to new facilities and activities. 
Alternative A would result in approximately 4,800 acres less surface 
disturbance, and the plan boundary would be nearly 7,800 acres less 
than the proposed action. Under Alternative A, all components of the 
proposed action would be the same except the Northeast TSF and all 
associated infrastructure would not be constructed, rather, the 
Southwest TSF would be constructed instead with all associated 
infrastructure. Alternative A would include an expansion to the 
authorized Plan of Operations boundary to accommodate the Southwest TSF 
(Alternative A Expansion). The Alternative A Expansion of the Plan of 
Operations boundary would encompass approximately 5,310 acres of public 
lands administered by the BLM. Alternative A would expand the 
authorized Project boundary, which encompasses 14,753 acres, by 5,310 
acres of public lands administered by the BLM, for a combined total of 
20,063 acres. Under Alternative A, HRDI would construct and operate an 
approximately 2,426-acre facility (dam and tails surface) known as the 
Southwest TSF to accommodate tailings generated by mining sulfide ore 
below the groundwater table and processed in the authorized mill 
facility located on private land.
    The Winnemucca District, Black Rock Field Office has selected 
Alternative A, as outlined in Chapter 2 of the Draft EIS, including the 
applicant's committed EPMs specified in the Draft EIS Section 5.3 and 
all of the mitigation specified in the Draft EIS Section 5.2 for 
Alternative A. This aligns with the USFWS Eagle Take Permit Alternative 
A (USFWS Alternative A Eagle Permit Decision) as the Preferred Action 
based on the outcome of the Final EIS. HRDI's Eagle Conservation Plan 
contains commitments to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse effects 
on golden eagles resulting from the implementation of the Project. 
There are no new anticipated significant impacts on the cumulative 
effects of the area since a mine already exists in the area; impacting 
the air quality, visual resources, and the cultural viewshed of the 
area.
    Ten alternatives addressing pit lake concerns, mine feature 
concerns, and eagle permit concerns were considered but eliminated from 
analysis for the inability meet the project's purpose and need, 
technical feasibility, the inability to reduce environmental impacts 
and for not being in compliance with regulatory and legal guidance.
    In addition, HRDI has submitted an application to the USFWS 
requesting authorization to remove inactive golden eagle nests and for 
incidental take under the Eagle Act for operational activities 
associated with both the BLM's currently authorized mining activities 
and proposed expansion Project. The Project would also affect golden 
eagle nests and territories. HRDI's ECP is the foundation of the permit 
application and contains commitments to avoid, minimize, and mitigate 
adverse effects on golden eagles resulting from the implementation of 
the Project.
    Through scoping the BLM has identified, and through the EIS the 
agencies have analyzed impacts to the following resources areas: Air 
and atmospheric resources; cultural resources (including National 
Historic Trails); noxious weeds, invasive species, and nonnative 
species; migratory birds; Native American religious concerns; wastes 
and materials (hazardous and solid); water quality (surface and 
ground); geology, minerals, and energy; golden eagles; lands and 
realty; paleontology; rangeland management; recreation; social values 
and economics; soils; special status species (plants and

[[Page 46967]]

wildlife); transportation and access; vegetation; visual resources; and 
wildlife. The EIS describes and analyzes the proposed Project's direct, 
indirect, and cumulative impacts on all affected resources.
    In addition to the Mine Expansion Proposed Action (BLM Decision) 
and the Eagle Take Permit Proposed Action (USFWS Eagle Permit 
Decision), the following alternatives are also analyzed in the EIS: The 
Mine Expansion Alternative A (BLM Alternative Decision), referred to as 
Alternative A; Eagle Take Permit Alternative A (USFWS Alternative A 
Eagle Permit Decision); the BLM No Action Alternative; and the USFWS No 
Action Alternative.
    On December 30, 2014, an initial Notice of Intent (NOI) was 
published in the Federal Register inviting scoping comments on the 
proposed action. A total of 14 scoping comment letters were received 
for the December 20, 2014, through January 29, 2015, public scoping 
period. On September 22, 2017, a second NOI was published in the 
Federal Register inviting scoping comments on the requested eagle take 
permit as related to the Eagle Take Permit Proposed Action (USFWS Eagle 
Permit Decision) and the ECP. A total of nine scoping comment letters 
were received during the September 22, 2017, through November 21, 2017, 
public scoping period. Concerns raised included impacts to air quality, 
cultural resources, environmental justice, lands, realty and 
transportation, Native American religious concerns, rangeland 
management, recreation, soils, visual resources, wastes and materials 
(hazardous and solid), water resources, vegetation, and wildlife. A 
total of nine public comment letters were received during the May 17, 
2019, through July 14, 2019, public comment period. Concerns raised 
included impacts to air quality, cultural resources, environmental 
justice, Native American religious concerns, rangeland management, 
recreation, soils, visual resources, wastes and materials (hazardous 
and solid), water resources, vegetation, and wildlife. Further 
clarification is provided in the Final EIS addressing these comments.
    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 continues to do so. The information 
about historic 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 Title 54 of the NHPA.
    The BLM and USFWS have consulted and continue to consult with 
numerous Native Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis in 
accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal 
concerns, including impacts to Indian trust assets and potential 
impacts to cultural resources have been analyzed in the EIS.
    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 and USFWS have evaluated, are notified of the 
availability of the Final EIS. No ROD will issue for 30 days past the 
publication of this NOA.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

Ester McCullough,
District Manager, Winnemucca District Office.
Jody Holzworth,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2019-19389 Filed 9-5-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P