[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18186-18187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06791]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Locatable Minerals
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is initiating an
environmental impact statement to inform a decision to revise agency
regulations that minimize adverse environmental impacts on National
Forest System surface resources in connection with operations
authorized by the Mining Law of 1872, as amended (United States mining
laws). These rules and procedures govern prospecting, exploration,
development, mining, and processing operations conducted on National
Forest System lands authorized by the United States mining laws,
subsequent reclamation of the land, and any necessary long-term post-
closure resource management.
DATES: An advanced notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the
Federal Register, Vol. 83, No. 178, Thursday, September 13, 2018. The
Forest Service invited comments regarding challenges the public has
experienced with respect to aspects of the agency's current regulations
at 36
[[Page 18187]]
CFR 228, subpart A, and issues the public foresees with respect to
potential revision of these regulations. Comments were due October 15,
2018. The proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement are
expected in 2020. The next public comment period will be announced when
the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement are
available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Shoemaker, Minerals and Geology
Management, 907-586-7886, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Alaska
Standard Time, Monday through Friday. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The goals of the regulatory revision are to: (1) Increase Forest
Service efficiency in the review of certain proposed mineral operations
authorized by the United States mining laws, and, where applicable,
Forest Service approval of some of these proposals by clarifying the
regulations; (2) increase consistency with the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) surface management
regulations governing operations authorized by the United States mining
laws, which will eliminate significant differences between the two land
management agency's regulations, making it less confusing for those who
conduct these operations on both BLM and National Forest System lands;
and (3) increase the Forest Service's nationwide consistency in
regulating mineral operations authorized by the United States mining
laws by clarifying its regulations.
Regulatory revisions are needed to better meet the regulation's
purpose: ``to set forth the rules and procedures that govern
prospecting, exploration, development, mining, and processing
operations, and their reasonably incident uses (operations), on
National Forest System lands, under the United States mining laws, in
order to minimize, to the extent practicable, these operations' adverse
impacts to surface resources'' (36 CFR 228.1). In addition, these
revisions are needed to increase the efficiency of Forest Service
review of certain proposed operations authorized by the United States
mining laws and, where applicable, Forest Service approval of some of
these proposals. Increasing efficiency includes being consistent,
within the authorities of each agency, with the BLM surface management
regulations governing operations authorized by the United States mining
laws to assist those who conduct operations on lands managed by each
agency. Increasing efficiency also means to increase the Agency's
consistency in implementing the regulations across the agency.
Proposed Action
Revise agency regulations at 36 CFR 228, subpart A that minimize
adverse environmental impacts on National Forest System surface
resources in connection with operations authorized by the United States
mining laws. These rules and procedures govern prospecting,
exploration, development, mining, and processing operations conducted
on National Forest System lands authorized by U.S. mining laws,
subsequent reclamation of the land, and any necessary long-term post-
closure resource management.
Possible Alternatives
The existing regulations at 36 CFR 228, subpart A is the no-action
alternative.
Responsible Official
Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and
Environment.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether to revise 36 CFR 228, subpart A;
and if so, what provisions should be changed, deleted, and added.
Scoping Process
The scoping process was initiated and comments were solicited with
the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal
Register, Vol. 83, No. 178, Thursday, September 13, 2018.
Tina J. Terrell,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2020-06791 Filed 3-31-20; 8:45 am]
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