[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5693-5694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01669]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD07000.51010000.ER0000.LVRWB09B1670 18X; CACA-44014, CACA-56477; 
MO#4500141327]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the United 
States Gypsum Company Mine Expansion/Modernization Project, Imperial 
County, CA

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, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Record 
of Decision (ROD) to approve a Mining Plan of Operations and authorize 
Rights-of-Way (ROW) for the United States Gypsum Company Mine 
Expansion/Modernization Project, and by this Notice is announcing its 
availability.

DATES: The Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management 
signed the ROD on January 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available for public inspection at the 
BLM El Centro Field Office at 1661 S 4th St, El Centro, CA 92243, and 
at the BLM California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de 
Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553. Interested persons may also review 
the ROD on the internet at: https://bit.ly/2QiGK0m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miriam Liberatore, BLM Project 
Manager, by telephone at 541-618-2412; by mail at Bureau of Land 
Management, Medford District Office, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 
97504; or by email at [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. 
Liberatore during normal business hours. The 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 Project is located in southwestern 
Imperial County, California, and involves both the Plaster City 
Wallboard Plant (processing plant) and Plaster City Quarry (quarry). 
The processing plant is located on Evan Hewes Highway approximately 18 
miles west of the city of El Centro. The quarry is located on Split 
Mountain Road, approximately 26 miles northwest of Plaster City. Both 
sites are located within the BLM's California Desert Conservation Area.
    The BLM and Imperial County published a joint Draft Environmental 
Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) in 2006, and a 
Final EIR/EIS in 2008. The BLM did not issue a ROD and the United 
States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which will determine whether to 
issue a permit for the project under Section 404 of the Clean Water 
Act, was not a party to the Final EIR/EIS. This Supplemental EIS 
revises and supplements the 2008 Final EIR/EIS, updating conditions and 
effects that have changed since 2008, and includes the USACE and the 
United States Environmental Protection Agency, which has an advisory 
role regarding the Section 404 permit, as Cooperating Agencies.
    Certain aspects of the Project originally analyzed in the 2006 
Draft EIR/EIS and 2008 Final EIR/EIS have already been implemented 
under the conditions and approvals provided by Imperial County and were 
not subject to the jurisdiction of the BLM or the USACE.
    The BLM published a Notice of Intent to prepare the Supplemental 
EIS on November 27, 2017 (82 FR 56046), initiating a 30-day public 
scoping period. The BLM held a public scoping meeting on December 13, 
2017, in El Centro, California. Twelve individuals attended that 
meeting. Thirteen comments were received during the scoping period.
    The BLM published a Notice of Availability of the Draft 
Supplemental EIS on July 19, 2019 (84 FR 34924), announcing a 45-day 
public comment period. The BLM held a public comment meeting on August 
5, 2019. Seven individuals attended that meeting. The BLM received 13 
comment letters during the comment period. Following the public comment 
period, comments were used to inform the Final Supplemental EIS. The 
BLM responded to substantive comments and made appropriate revisions to 
the document or explained why a comment did not warrant a change. These 
comments did not result in changes in the design, location, or timing 
of the Project in a way that would cause significant effects to the 
human environment outside of the range of effects analyzed in the EIS/
EIR. Similarly, none of the letters identified new significant 
circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns that 
bear on the Project and its effects. A response to substantive comments 
is included in the Final Supplemental EIS, released on December 6, 
2019.

[[Page 5694]]

    The Supplemental EIS considered the Proposed Action, a No-Action 
Alternative, and six action alternatives. Alternative 1, Proposed 
Action, would expand the quarry as described in the Mining Plan of 
Operations, replace the existing waterline, and install a new waterline 
between the quarry and the new well. Alternative 2, No Action 
Alternative, would continue operations as they currently are permitted 
without expanding the quarry or replacing the existing waterline. 
Alternative 3, Partial Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Water Supply, 
would provide for a new waterline between the processing plant and the 
IID Westside Main Canal to partially replace processing water from a 
groundwater source with a surface water source. Alternative 4, Full IID 
Water Supply, would fully replace the processing water with surface 
water. Alternatives 5 through 8 are variations on the mining plan 
proposed in the Mining Plan of Operations. The BLM identified 
Alternative 3, Partial IID Water Supply, as the Agency-Preferred 
Alternative in the Final Supplemental EIS.
    With this ROD, the BLM adopts the Agency Preferred Alternative. The 
Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management approval 
of this decision is not subject to administrative appeal under 
Departmental regulations at 43 CFR part 4 pursuant to 43 CFR 
4.410(a)(3). Any challenge to this decision must be brought in Federal 
District Court and is subject to 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(a)(1).

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6; 40 CFR 1506.10; 43 CFR 1610.2, 42 
U.S.C. 4370m-6(a)(1)

Joe Stout,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-01669 Filed 1-30-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P