[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 234 (Friday, December 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78351-78353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26671]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVL00000.L19900000.EX0000 21X MO #4500150160]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment, White 
Pine 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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely 
District (EYDO), Nevada, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment 
project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

DATES: In order to have comments considered for inclusion in the Final 
EIS, the BLM must receive comments on

[[Page 78352]]

the Draft EIS by January 19, 2021, or 45 days following the date that 
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register, whichever is greater. To maximize 
the opportunity for public input on this project while prioritizing the 
health and safety of BLM employees and the interested public, BLM will 
host online virtual public meetings to provide information and gather 
input on the project. The date(s) and information about how to login 
and participate in these virtual meetings will be announced at least 15 
days in advance through local media and on the BLM website at https://go.usa.gov/xvYad. To ensure that 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.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Robinson Mine Plan of 
Operations Amendment Draft EIS by any of the following methods:

<bullet> Website: https://go.usa.gov/xvYad
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b7d5dbdae8d9c1e8d2ced3d8e8c5d8d5ded9c4d8d9e8d2dec4f7d5dbda99d0d8c1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="70121c1d2f1e062f1509141f2f021f12191e031f1e2f15190330121c1d5e171f06">[email protected]</span></a>
<bullet> Mail: BLM Ely District Office, ATTN: Project Manager, Tiera 
Arbogast, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 89301

Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ely 
District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiera Arbogast, telephone 775-289-
1872, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#592d382b3b363e382a2d193b3534773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="10647162727f7771636450727c7d3e777f66">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Ms. Arbogast to have your 
name added to the mailing list. 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. Arbogast 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. Normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
EYDO, Ely, Nevada, has published a Draft EIS for the Robinson Mine Plan 
of Operations Amendment project. The Robinson Mine is an 8,887.6 acre 
copper mining operation adjacent to Ruth, Nevada, seven miles west of 
Ely, Nevada via U.S. Route 50.
    The KGHM Robinson Nevada Mining Company (KGHM Robinson) is 
proposing additional development at the Robinson Mine to extend mine 
life approximately 4 additional years beyond its currently anticipated 
permanent closure in 2024. To accomplish this, the company is proposing 
renewed mining in the eastern portions of its privately-owned Liberty 
Pit and a grant by the BLM to access and develop two specific areas of 
nearby BLM-managed public land on which to dispose newly generated 
waste rock.
    Under the Proposed Action Alternative (Alternative B) the company 
would develop approximately 260 acres immediately south of the Robinson 
Mine to serve as the ``King'' waste rock storage facility. An 
alternative scenario would allow the company to develop approximately 
102 acres of BLM lands and 67 acres of KGHM-owned land adjacent to its 
existing North Tripp waste rock facility. The company is also 
considering possible disposal of new waste rock within approximately 
160 acres in its privately-owned Ruth East Pit, where no future mining 
is planned. Lastly, KGHM Robinson is seeking access to 94 private acres 
and approximately 545 acres of BLM lands adjacent to its existing 
Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility in order to (a) obtain soil 
material to use in increasing the height of the Giroux Wash main 
impoundment and the surrounding perimeter dams, and (b) to serve as 
growth media (e.g., topsoil) storage areas to be used in future 
reclamation of areas of mining-related surface disturbance.
    Under the No Action Alternative (Alternative A) the BLM would not 
approve the 2019 Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment as written. 
Although KGHM Robinson could continue mining on their own private 
lands, no additional expansion onto BLM-managed public lands would be 
permitted. Without additional areas on which to dispose waste rock 
generated by continued mining, or the ability to obtain substantial 
additional volumes of soil to use in increasing the height of the 
primary impoundment and perimeter dams at the Giroux Wash Tailings 
Storage Facility (TSF), KGHM Robinson estimates that active operations 
at the Robinson Mine would cease in 2024.
    The Reduced King Waste Rock Dump (WRD) and North Tripp WRD 
(Alternative C) would keep all project elements described in the 2019 
Plan Amendment, including both the North Tripp and King WRDs; however, 
the allowable footprint of the King WRD would be reduced from the 260 
acres under Alternative B to 234 acres under this alternative. 
Specifically, Alternative C would eliminate all proposed King WRD 
development east of County Road 44A. The North Tripp WRD would be 
expanded onto approximately 102 acres of BLM-managed public lands and 
67 private acres. As with Alternative B, this alternative would include 
dewatering and renewed mining in the eastern portions of the Liberty 
Pit and development of approximately 545 acres of BLM-managed public 
land and 94 private acres adjacent to the Giroux Wash TSF. This 
alternative would result in approximately 869 acres of new disturbance 
on BLM-managed public lands and 237 acres of KGHM-owned private lands, 
for a total of approximately 1,106 acres of new surface disturbance. As 
with Alternative B, mine life would be extended to 2028,
    The Ruth East Backfill and Reduced King WRD Alternative 
(Alternative D) is similar to Alternative B, the Proposed Action. 
Alternative D would include renewed dewatering and expanded mining 
operations in the eastern portions of the Liberty Pit as well as 
approval for KGHM Robinson to develop a total of approximately 639 
acres of mixed public and private land adjacent to the Giroux Wash TSF. 
Alternative D, like Alternative C, would include the reduced 234-acre 
King WRD. Alternative D would, however, not include development of the 
North Tripp WRD. Rather, additional waste rock generated during 
continued mining would be disposed within approximately 160 acres of 
KGHM-owned lands within the Ruth East Pit. Approval of Alternative D 
would therefore result in approximately 767 acres of new surface 
disturbance on BLM-managed lands and 330 acres of KGHM-owned private 
lands, or a total of approximately 1,097 acres. As with Alternatives B 
and C, mine life would be extended to 2028.
    The Notice of Intent for this project included the BLM's proposal 
to also amend the Ely District Resource Management Plan for Visual 
Resource Management classes. During scoping, however, the BLM 
determined that a Resource Management Plan amendment is not required, 
and therefore it is no longer being analyzed as part of this Draft EIS. 
On September 14, 2020, The Council on Environmental Quality's revision 
to the NEPA Regulations went into effect. The final rule does not apply 
to the NEPA analysis for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations 
Amendment, as it began prior to September 14, 2020.
    The purpose of the public review and comment process is to seek 
input on the range of alternatives and analysis of impacts presented in 
the Draft EIS. You may submit comments in writing to the BLM as shown 
in the ADDRESSES section above. To be considered, your

[[Page 78353]]

comments must be submitted by the close of the 45-day comment period.
    The BLM has initiated ongoing consultation with Indian tribes on a 
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 
and other policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust 
assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. The public is encouraged to comment on the range of 
alternatives and analysis presented in the Draft EIS.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Jared Bybee,
Acting Field Manager, Bristlecone Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-26671 Filed 12-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P


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