19786 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 68 / Friday, April 8, 2011 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[OR–65891, LLORB00000–L51010000– 

GN0000–LVRWH09H0560; HAG–11–0038] 

Notice of Availability of the Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Celatom Mine Expansion Project in 

Harney and Malheur Counties, OR 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM) has prepared 

a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) for the proposed Celatom Mine 

Expansion Project and by this notice is 

announcing the opening of the comment 

period. 

DATES: To ensure comments will be 

considered, the BLM must receive 

written comments on the Draft EIS 

within 45 days following the date the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its Notice of Availability in 

the Federal Register. The BLM will 

announce future meetings or hearings 

and any other public involvement 

activities at least 15 days in advance 

through public notices, media releases, 

and/or mailings. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

related to the Celatom Mine Expansion 

Project by any of the following methods: 

• E-mail: OREPCME@blm.gov; 

• Mail: Celatom Mine Expansion 

Project Lead, BLM Burns District Office, 

28910 Highway 20 West, Hines, Oregon 

97738; 

• Fax: (541) 573–4411, Attention 

Celatom Mine Expansion Project Lead; 

or 

• Written comments may also be 

hand-delivered to the BLM Burns 

District Office at the address shown 

above. 

Copies of the Draft EIS are available 

at the Burns District Office at the 

address listed above and electronically 

at the following Web site: http://

www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/plans/

index.php. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information contact William 

Dragt, Celatom Mine Expansion Project 

Lead, telephone (541) 573–448–4400; 

address 28910 Highway 20 West, Hines, 

Oregon 97738; or e-mail 

OREPCME@blm.gov. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

to contact the above individual during 

normal business hours. The FIRS 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: EP 

Minerals (EPM), formally known as 

EaglePicher Minerals, operates a 

diatomaceous earth mine complex 

(Celatom Mine Complex), 

approximately 50 miles east of Burns 

and 60 miles west of Vale, Oregon. The 

Celatom Mine Complex currently 

consists of three open-pit mines: Kelley 

Field (on BLM-administered land), 

Section 36 (on State land), and Beede 

Desert (on private land) in Harney and 

Malheur Counties, Oregon. 

Existing EPM mining operations on 

BLM-administered land in the Project 

Area were described in a Mine Plan of 

Operations (MPO) submitted by EPM to 

the BLM in 1984. 

The total MPO area was 1,634 acres. 

The BLM approved the MPO after 

completion of an Environmental 

Assessment in 1985 (BLM 1985). 

Existing EPM stockpile operations on 35 

acres of BLM-administered land at the 

Vines Hill Stockpile Area (VHSA) 

approximately 14 miles west of Vale, 

Oregon, were described in an MPO 

submitted by EPM and approved by the 

Vale District BLM in 1986 (BLM 1986). 

Existing EPM mining operations on 

private and State land in the Project 

Area and EPM mill operations on 

private land approximately 7 miles west 

of Vale operate under county and State 

permits. During preparation of this EIS, 

EPM is authorized to continue 

operations within the Project Area on 

BLM-administered land as approved by 

BLM in 1985, at the VHSA as approved 

by BLM in 1986, and on private and 

State lands permitted by county and 

State agencies. 

In 2008, EPM submitted an MPO to 

the BLM for 12,640 acres. The MPO area 

includes expanded mining operations 

on 1,131 acres of BLM administered 

lands which would be disturbed for 

decades plus exploration and sampling 

on 250 acres which would be disturbed 

for several years and then reclaimed. 

The remaining 11,259 acres in the MPO 

area lies between the mines. This area 

will be largely undisturbed by mining 

activities except for 5 acres for a new 

connector road and 250 acres to be used 

for exploration and sampling. Except for 

safety considerations, this area also 

remains open to BLM’s multiple uses. 

Due to the size of the proposed 

operations, the BLM determined 

preparation of an EIS is necessary to 

comply with the requirements of the 

NEPA. The Draft EIS analyzes proposed 

activities on BLM-administered land 

and cumulative effects from proposed 

activities on State-administered and 

private land, all within the project 

boundary. This Draft EIS would analyze 

EPM’s proposed MPO as well as 

changes or conditions necessary to meet 

the performance standards of 43 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR) 3809.420 to 

prevent unnecessary or undue 

degradation. The proposed operations 

associated with the project include: 

(1) Expanding operations: At the Kelly 

Field area, expand mining operations to 

72.5 acres of BLM-administered land; in 

Section 36, expand mining operations 

on State-administered land; at Beede 

Desert, construct two new roads to 

connect Hidden Valley and Section 36 

and establish access from Hidden Valley 

north to Eagle; and, at Puma claims, 

expand operations on private land to 5 

acres. 

(2) Developing new mining operations 

on BLM-administered land on 225 acres 

at Hidden Valley, 462.5 acres in North 

Kelly Field, 50 acres in Section 25, and 

286 acres in Eagle. 

(3) Exploratory drilling on 200 acres 

of BLM-administered land, as well as 

development drilling, sampling, 

trenching, and bulk sampling on 50 

acres of BLM-administered land within 

the project boundary. Exploration and 

subsequent trenching and bulk sampling 

would be conducted to delineate 

boundaries of known ore reserves and to 

explore for new deposits. These 

activities could occur on BLMadministered lands anywhere within the 

Project Area. Activities under the 

Proposed Action, including final 

reclamation, would be conducted over 

the course of approximately 50 years. 

EPM proposes no changes to the 

permitted operations at VHSA. 

The proposed types of expansion of 

mining operations and development of 

new mining operations in the Project 

Area include open pit mines, roads 

within the mine operations areas, and 

other operations such as stock piling 

and ancillary features such as service 

areas. 

A Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS 

for the Celatom Mine Expansion Project 

was published in the Federal Register 

on September 15, 2008 (73 FR 53268). 

Public participation was solicited 

through the media, mailings, and the 

BLM Web site. Public meetings were 

held in Burns and Vale, Oregon, in 

October 2008. Major issues brought 

forward during the public scoping 

process and addressed in the Draft EIS 

include: Air Quality; Forestry and 

Woodlands; Geology and Minerals; 

Grazing Management; Land Use and 

Realty; Migratory Birds; Noise; 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 68 / Friday, April 8, 2011 / Notices 19787 

Recreation; Social and Economic 

Values; Soils; Special Status Species; 

Transportation and Roads; Vegetation; 

Visual Resources; Water Quality; 

Wetlands and Riparian Zones; 

Wilderness Characteristics; and Wildlife 

and Fisheries. 

Please note that public comments and 

information submitted including names, 

street addresses and e-mail addresses of 

respondents will be available for public 

review and disclosure at the above BLM 

address during regular business hours 

(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday 

through Friday, except holidays. 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment, including your 

personal identifying information, may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10. 

Kenny McDaniel, 

District Manager, Burns. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8333 Filed 4–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–33–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLNV952000 L14200000.BJ0000 241A; 11– 

08807; MO#4500020668; TAS: 14X1109] 

Filing of Plats of Survey; Nevada 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is 

to inform the public and interested State 

and local government officials of the 

filing of Plats of Survey in Nevada. 

DATES: Effective Dates: Filing is effective 

at 10 a.m. on the dates indicated below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David D. Morlan, Chief, Branch of 

Geographic Sciences, Bureau of Land 

Management, Nevada State Office, 1340 

Financial Blvd., P.O. Box 12000, Reno, 

Nevada 89520, 775–861–6541. Persons 

who use a telecommunications device 

for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 

800–877–8339 to contact the above 

individual during normal business 

hours. The FIRS 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: 

1. The Plat of Survey of the following 

described lands was officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

on April 8, 2010: 

The plat, representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the west 

boundary and the subdivision of section 

31, and a metes-and-bounds survey in 

section 31, Township 17 North, Range 

64 East, Mount Diablo Meridian, 

Nevada, under Group No. 886, was 

accepted April 6, 2010. This survey was 

executed to meet certain administrative 

needs of the Bureau of Land 

Management. 

2. The Plats of Survey of the following 

described lands were officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

on April 15, 2010: 

The plat, in two (2) sheets, 

representing the dependent resurvey of 

the Fourth Standard Parallel North 

through a portion of Range 63 East, a 

portion of the west boundary and a 

portion of the subdivisional lines, the 

subdivision of sections 6 and 7, and 

metes-and-bounds surveys of portions of 

the easterly and westerly right-of-way 

lines of the Nevada Northern Railway, 

Township 20 North, Range 64 East, 

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, under 

Group No. 857, was accepted on April 

13, 2010. 

The plat, in five (5) sheets, 

representing the dependent resurvey of 

portions of the east and north 

boundaries and a portion of the 

subdivisional lines, the subdivision of 

sections 12, 25 and 36, and metes-andbounds surveys of portions of the 

easterly and westerly right-of-way lines 

of the Nevada Northern Railway, 

Township 21 North, Range 63 East, 

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, under 

Group No. 857, was accepted on April 

13, 2010. These surveys were executed 

to meet certain administrative needs of 

the Bureau of Land Management. 

3. The Plat of Survey of the following 

described lands was officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

on April 29, 2010: 

The plat, in five (5) sheets, 

representing the dependent resurvey of 

a portion of the north boundary and a 

portion of the subdivisional lines, the 

subdivision of section 11, and metesand-bounds surveys of portions of the 

easterly and westerly right-of-way lines 

of the Nevada Northern Railway, 

Township 22 North, Range 63 East, 

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, under 

Group No. 867, was accepted on April 

27, 2010. This survey was executed to 

meet certain administrative needs of the 

Bureau of Land Management. 

4. The Plat of Survey of the following 

described lands was officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada, 

on September 1, 2010: 

The plat, in two (2) sheets, 

representing the dependent resurvey of 

portions of the south and west 

boundaries, a portion of the 

subdivisional lines and a portion of the 

subdivision-of-section lines of sections 

30 and 33, and the further subdivision 

of sections 30 and 33, Township 15 

North, Range 20 East, Mount Diablo 

Meridian, Nevada, under Group No. 

874, was accepted August 31, 2010. This 

survey was executed to meet certain 

administrative needs of the U.S. Forest 

Service. 

5. The Plat of Survey of the following 

described lands was officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

on September 30, 2010: 

The plat, in five (5) sheets, 

representing the dependent resurvey of 

a portion of the north boundary and a 

portion of the subdivisional lines, 

metes-and-bounds surveys of the 

easterly and westerly right-of-way lines 

of the Nevada Northern Railway and 

metes-and-bounds survey of portions of 

the Cherry Creek Station Grounds, 

Township 23 North, Range 63 East, 

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, under 

Group No. 869, was accepted September 

29, 2010. This survey was executed to 

meet certain administrative needs of the 

Bureau of Land Management. 

6. The Plat of Survey of the following 

described lands was officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

on January 7, 2011: 

The plat, representing the dependent 

resurvey of the Second Standard 

Parallel South, through portions of 

Ranges 61 and 62 East; and a dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the east 

boundary of Township 9 South, Range 

61 East; and the dependent resurvey of 

a portion of the subdivisional lines, and 

the subdivision of sections 4, 5 and 6, 

Township 9 South, Range 62 East, 

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, under 

Group No. 877, was accepted on January 

6, 2011. This survey was executed to 

meet certain administrative needs of the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

7. The Plats of Survey of the following 

described lands were officially filed at 

the Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

on February 4, 2011: 

The plat, in four (4) sheets, 

representing the dependent resurvey of 

a portion of the east boundary and a 

portion of the subdivisional lines, and 

metes-and-bounds surveys of the 

easterly and westerly right-of-way lines 

of the Nevada Northern Railway, 

Township 24 North, Range 63 East, 

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, under 

Group No. 880, was accepted on January 

21, 2011. 


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