[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48374-48375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19896]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVW00000.L5110000.GN0000.LVEMF1504350.15X MO#4500088392]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Marigold Mining Company--Marigold Mine--
Mackay Optimization Project, Humboldt 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, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Humboldt River 
Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada has prepared a Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Marigold Mine--Mackay Optimization 
Project (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 Marigold Mine--Mackay Optimization Project 
Plan of Operations and Final EIS are available for public inspection at 
the Winnemucca District BLM Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, 
Winnnemucca, NV. Interested persons may also review the Final EIS on 
the internet at http://go.usa.gov/xmwds.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette Black, Project Lead, 
telephone 775-623-1500; address BLM Winnemucca District, Humboldt River 
Field Office, 5100 E Winnemucca Boulevard., Winnemucca, NV 89445; 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, 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: The applicant, Marigold Mining Company 
(MMC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SSR Mining Inc., has requested to 
optimize and modify its approved Plan of Operations by expanding its 
gold mining operations at the existing Marigold Mine, which is located 
in the southeastern portion of Humboldt County, Nevada approximately 35 
miles southeast of Winnemucca. The mine is currently authorized to 
disturb up to 5,682.6 acres (3,211.4 acres of private land and 2,471.2 
acres of public land), which was permitted under a series of 
Environmental Impacts Statements and Environmental Assessments from 
July 1988 through October 2013.
    The EIS analyzed the potential environmental impacts associated 
with the proposed changes to MMC's current operations presented under 
this Plan of Operations (Plan) modification. The EIS analyzed the 
Proposed Action and two alternatives: Alternative I:--Partial Discharge 
to Cottonwood Creek and Pipeline to RIBs Alternative; and the No Action 
Alternative. The Proposed Action, if selected by the BLM, would include 
2,055.9 acres of new disturbance (800.9 acres of public land and 1,255 
acres of private land), increasing the surface disturbance by a total 
of 7,738.5 acres (3,271.7 acres of public land and 4,466.4 acres on 
private land).
    All proposed disturbance would occur within the existing approved 
Plan boundary and includes combining multiple existing pits into three 
large pits. Waste rock storage areas, heap leach pads, and other 
supporting facilities would be expanded to support the pit expansion. 
The pits are proposed to extend below the historic water table, 
necessitating dewatering of the groundwater and rapid infiltration 
basins (RIBs) for recharging the excess water downgradient of the pits. 
If approved, the proposed modification would extend the mine life by up 
to 10 years.
    Under Alternative I, all components of the Proposed Action would be 
the same except for the proposed dewatering operation which would 
increase the total disturbance by approximately 4 acres. A portion of 
the dewatered groundwater (approximately 191 gpm) would be treated at a 
water treatment plant, transported via an above ground pipeline system 
to be discharged to the ephemeral Cottonwood Creek drainage, creating a

[[Page 48375]]

water source for livestock and wildlife while recharging the aquifer. 
The remaining portion of dewatering water would be piped to the RIBs.
    Under the No Action Alternative, the plan modification would not be 
authorized and the activities described under the Proposed Action would 
not occur. MMC would continue mining activities as authorized in their 
current Plan, dated November 6, 2013, with closure in 2027, followed by 
approximately three years of reclamation.
    Amendments to two associated rights-of-ways (ROWs) needed to 
accommodate the proposed mine changes are also evaluated in the EIS. 
These ROWs include relocation of a portion of the county road called 
Buffalo Valley Road and of a portion of the existing 120-kV power line 
(ROW held by NV Energy).
    A Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft EIS for the proposed 
Mackay Project was published in the Federal Register on May 20, 2019 
(FR Doc No: 2019-10473). Two open house public meetings were held 
during the comment period. The BLM received 13 letters with 186 public 
scoping comments during the 45-day comment period. Five of the letters 
contained substantive comments which included concerns on potential 
impacts to existing fissures on Interstate 80, stability of the pit and 
waste rock storage facility adjacent to the county road, the California 
Trail, groundwater quality, pit lake quality, springs and associated 
wetlands, and eagles. These comments were considered and addressed in 
Appendix I (Draft Environmental Impact Statement Public Comments and 
Responses) of the Final EIS.
    Comments on the Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM 
review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Final 
EIS. Public comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, but 
did not significantly change the proposed action.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

David Kampwerth,
Field Manager, Humboldt River Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-19896 Filed 9-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P