16422 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 59 / Friday, March 27, 2015 / Notices 

D Alternative L5—Reduced Area Land 

Exchange, Easement. The BLM would 

amend the RMP and TCMC would 

acquire approximately 5,100 acres of 

BLM-administered land, with a 

conservation easement placed on 

approximately 1,500 acres. The US 

would accordingly acquire 

approximately 10 percent less private 

land by fair market value compared to 

Alternative L2. 

These alternatives are the same 

alternatives as those analyzed in the 

Draft EIS/draft RMP. BLM held public 

meetings during the public comment 

period for the Draft EIS/draft RMP 

amendment in Challis, Idaho on May 

13, 2014 and in Boise, Idaho on May 14, 

2014. A total of 684 public responses 

containing 2,693 comments were 

received during the 90-day public 

comment period. Approximately 75 

percent of the responses contained 

similar form statements. The majority of 

the comments focused on the economic 

effects of the project. In addition, there 

were approximately 500 mostly general 

comments regarding the long-term water 

quality at the mine site, methods of 

reclaiming the mine, financial 

guarantees for reclaiming the mine, 

stability of the tailings storage facility, 

range of alternatives, cumulative effects 

analysis, effects to an outfitter using the 

selected land under a BLM special 

recreation permit, and how the Broken 

Wing Ranch would be administered by 

the BLM. The comments were 

considered and addressed in Chapter 7 

(Public Involvement) of the Final EIS. 

The BLM revised its analysis in 

response to the comments to include 

additional supporting text and to make 

minor corrections. There were no 

substantive changes to the analysis in 

response to the comments. 

The BLM and Forest Service have 

selected Alternative M2 as the preferred 

MMPO alternative. The BLM’s preferred 

land disposal alternative is Alternative 

L2. Pursuant to the Notice of Intent (75 

FR 45652), the Notice of Exchange 

proposal in local newspapers, the 

Notices of Availability for the Draft EIS/ 

draft RMP amendment published in the 

Federal Register on March 21, 2014 (79 

FR 15741, 79 FR 15771, and March 28, 

2014, 79 FR 17538, and this Notice, the 

BLM is complying with the 

requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2 to notify 

the public of potential amendments to 

land use plans, based on the analysis in 

an EIS. 

The responsible officials for the 

proposed actions are the Field Manager, 

Challis Field Office, BLM (MMPO); 

District Manager, Idaho Falls District, 

BLM (land disposal); State Director, 

Idaho State Office, BLM (RMP 

amendment). 

Instructions for filing a protest with 

the Director of the BLM regarding the 

proposed RMP amendment are at 43 

CFR 1610.5–2 and also in the ‘‘Dear 

Reader’’ letter for the Final EIS/

proposed RMP amendment. All protests 

must be in writing and mailed to the 

appropriate address, as set forth in the 

‘‘ADDRESSES’’ section above. Protests 

sent by email will not be accepted as 

valid protests unless the protesting 

party also provides the original letter by 

either regular mail or overnight delivery 

postmarked by the close of the protest 

period. Under these conditions, the 

BLM will consider the email as an 

advance copy and it will receive full 

consideration. If you wish to provide 

the BLM with such advance 

notification, please direct emails to 

protest@blm.gov. 

Before including your phone number, 

email address, or other personal 

identifying information in your protest, 

you should be aware that your entire 

protest—including your personal 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can ask us in your protest to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR 

1506; 43 CFR 46; 43 CFR 1610.2. 

Todd Kuck, 

Challis Field Manager. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07005 Filed 3–26–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[13X LLIDI02000.L71220000.EO0000.

LVTFD1300100 241A 4500074169] 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Notice of Availability of the Final 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Proposed Smoky Canyon Mine, 

Panels F and G Lease and Mine Plan 

Modification Project, Caribou County, 

ID 

AGENCIES: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior; United States Forest Service, 

Agriculture. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) and the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service (USFS), Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest (CTNF), have prepared 

a Final Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) for the proposed Smoky Canyon 

Mine, Panels F and G Lease and Mine 

Plan Modification Project, and by this 

Notice announce the availability of the 

document. A Draft USFS Record of 

Decision (ROD) is also being made 

available along with the Final EIS. 

DATES: The BLM will issue its ROD no 

sooner than 30 days after the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its Notice of Availability 

(NOA) of the Final EIS in the Federal 

Register. A legal notice published in the 

newspaper of record of the Final USFS 

ROD will be released no sooner than 

five business days following the end of 

the 45-day objection period after the 

Draft USFS ROD has been announced 

and made available. 

ADDRESSES: CD–ROM and print copies 

of the Smoky Canyon Mine, Panels F & 

G Lease and Mine Plan Modification 

Project Final EIS and the Draft USFS 

ROD are available in the BLM Pocatello 

Field Office at the following address: 

4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID 83204. In 

addition, electronic copies of the Final 

EIS and the Draft USFS ROD are 

available at either of the Web addresses 

listed below: 

• http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/prog/

nepa_register/smoky-canyon_panelg.html 

• http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/ctnf/

landmanagement/projects 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Diane Wheeler, BLM Pocatello Field 

Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID 

83204, phone 208–557–5839, fax 208– 

478–6376. 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: The J.R. 

Simplot Company (Simplot) submitted 

lease and mine plan modifications for 

agency review for the existing Panel F 

(lease IDI–27512) and Panel G (lease 

IDI–01441) leases at the Smoky Canyon 

Phosphate Mine within the CTNF in 

Caribou County, Idaho. The Smoky 

Canyon Mine, operated by Simplot, is 

located approximately 10 miles west of 

Afton, Wyoming, and approximately 8 

miles west of the Idaho/Wyoming 

border. The existing Smoky Canyon 

mining and milling operations were 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 59 / Friday, March 27, 2015 / Notices 16423 

authorized in 1982 by a mine plan 

approval issued by the BLM and special 

use authorizations issued by the USFS 

for off-lease activities, supported by the 

Smoky Canyon Mine Final EIS and 

ROD. Mining operations began in Panel 

A in 1984 and have continued since 

then with the mining of Panels A 

through E. In 2007, the BLM and USFS 

published a Final EIS. RODs approving 

a mining and reclamation plan for 

Panels F and G and associated off-lease 

disturbance were issued in 2008 (Final 

EIS and RODs available at: 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ctnf/land

management/resourcemanagement/

?cid=FSM8_047870). 

The Final EIS for the Panels F and G 

Lease and Mine Plan Modification 

Project tiers to the 2007 Final EIS. 

Applicable information from the 2007 

Final EIS is incorporated by reference 

throughout the Final EIS. Panel F is 

contiguous with the south end of the 

existing mine Panel E, and Panel G is 

located approximately one mile 

southwest of Panel F. Mining activities 

associated with Panel F were initiated 

in 2008 and are ongoing. Mining 

activities associated with Panel G have 

been initiated through the early stages of 

haul road construction. 

The proposed lease and mine plan 

modifications at Panels F and G of the 

Smoky Canyon Mine area would occur 

on Federal phosphate leases 

administered by the BLM, situated on 

National Forest System (NFS) lands, and 

on un-leased parcels of NFS lands. The 

NFS lands involved lie within the 

Montpelier and Soda Springs Ranger 

Districts of the CTNF. The existing 

leases grant the lessee, Simplot, 

exclusive rights to mine and otherwise 

dispose of the federally-owned 

phosphate deposit at the site. 

As directed by the Mineral Leasing 

Act of 1920, the BLM will evaluate the 

information in the Final EIS and 

respond to the lease and mine plan 

modifications and issue decisions 

related to the development of the 

phosphate leases. The BLM will review 

the impacts of alternatives to the 

Proposed Action, including the No 

Action Alternative, and decide whether 

to approve the proposed lease and mine 

plan modifications. The USFS will 

make recommendations to the BLM 

concerning surface management and 

mitigation on leased lands within the 

CTNF, and decisions on special use 

authorizations for off-lease activities. 

The BLM, as the Federal lease 

administrator, is the lead agency for the 

Final EIS. The USFS is the co-lead 

agency and the Idaho Department of 

Environmental Quality is a cooperating 

agency. The Final EIS was prepared to 

provide decision-makers and the public 

with an evaluation of the environmental 

impacts, including those that may have 

significant impacts resulting from the 

Proposed Action and from all 

reasonable action alternatives analyzed, 

as well as the No Action alternative. 

The Proposed Action, submitted in 

February 2013, consists of the agencies’ 

approval of a proposal for lease and 

mine plan modifications for Panels F 

and G at the Smoky Canyon Mine. The 

proposed modifications to Panel F are 

related to the construction and use of an 

ore conveyance system between Panel F 

and the existing mill. The proposed 

conveyance system would generally 

follow the existing haul road and would 

deviate only where engineering 

constraints dictate (i.e., too tight a 

corner on the road to construct the 

conveyor due to vertical and/or 

horizontal design limitations), such as at 

the north end of Panel F where Simplot 

is requesting a special use authorization 

to construct a portion of the ore 

conveyor off lease. Construction of the 

conveyor would eliminate the need to 

haul ore to the mill via haul trucks from 

Panels F and G, although the haul road 

would remain open so that equipment 

could be transported to the shop for 

maintenance. The proposed 4.5-mile 

conveyor system would include a 

crusher and stockpile location on lease 

in Panel F. 

There are three components to the 

proposed modification of Panel G: (1) 

Modification (enlargement) of lease IDI– 

01441 by 280 acres to accommodate the 

expansion of the previously approved 

east overburden disposal area (ODA); (2) 

increase the on-lease disturbance area of 

the previously approved south ODA by 

20 acres for the temporary storage of 

chert to be used for reclamation; and (3) 

utilization of a geosynthetic clay 

laminate liner (GCLL) instead of the 

currently approved geologic store and 

release cover over the in-pit backfill and 

the east external ODA. The current lease 

area for Panel G is not large enough to 

allow for maximum ore recovery and 

the necessary overburden disposal. 

Backfilling into the pit is limited due to 

existing topographic constraints, 

rehandling issues, and safety concerns 

when backfilling and mining 

concurrently within Panel G’s pit 

configuration. The lease modification is 

necessary to accommodate all of the 

overburden generated from mining 

Panel G, as analyzed in the 2007 Final 

EIS. At the time the RODs for the 2007 

Final EIS were issued, neither the BLM 

nor the USFS had the regulatory 

authority to approve Simplot’s original 

plan for overburden storage. In 2009, the 

rules were modified giving the BLM 

authority to approve a lease 

modification for the purpose of 

overburden storage. 

Regional mitigation strategies for 

cumulative effects from phosphate 

mining to wildlife habitat are currently 

being developed in the Pocatello Field 

Office. However, regional mitigation 

will not be applied in this case because 

the proposed action would not result in 

impacts drastically different than those 

from the existing mine plan already 

approved in 2008 (evaluated as the No 

Action Alternative in the Final EIS). 

In an effort to further reduce or 

eliminate water quality impacts due to 

increasing the size of the currently 

approved mine, Simplot is proposing to 

cover all overburden that has potential 

to mobilize selenium and other 

contaminants in Panel G with a GCLL. 

Simplot believes that using a GCLL will 

result in increased long-term 

environmental protection and may lend 

itself to a more expeditious review of 

the proposed modifications. Stormwater 

control features are included in the 

proposal to address surface water runoff from the GCLL. It is estimated that 

up to 11 acres of new disturbance would 

be necessary for these stormwater 

features. Portions of these features 

would be situated on lease, within the 

proposed lease modification area, or off 

lease. Off-lease disturbance would 

require USFS special use authorization. 

Compared to the 1,340 acres analyzed 

in the 2007 Final EIS, the Proposed 

Action would add approximately 170 

acres of new disturbance. This includes 

8 acres for the ore conveyor system 

(mostly at the north end of Panel F); 20 

acres for the Panel G south ODA 

expansion of temporary chert storage; 11 

acres for stormwater control features to 

address run-off from the GCLL at Panel 

G; and 131 acres for the Panel G east 

seleniferous ODA expansion. 

Two additional Action Alternatives 

were developed to address concerns 

raised during public scoping for the 

Draft EIS about the long term durability 

and use of a synthetic liner such as a 

GCLL at Panel G and/or reducing the 

amount of new disturbance within the 

Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA). 

Alternatives 1 and 2 would include all 

components of the Proposed Action, but 

would limit use of the GCLL by utilizing 

the previously approved geologic store 

and release cover on portions of the 

disturbed areas. In addition, Alternative 

2 would reduce the east ODA expansion 

within the Sage Creek IRA by 

approximately 45 acres and reduce the 

proposed lease modification area by 

approximately 40 acres. Alternative 2 is 

the Agency Preferred Alternative. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

16424 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 59 / Friday, March 27, 2015 / Notices 

Under the No Action Alternative in 

the Final EIS, the proposed lease and 

mine plan modifications and special use 

authorizations would not be approved, 

and mining would continue under the 

current mine plan as approved by the 

2008 RODs. Under the No Action 

Alternative, Simplot estimates that 

approximately 50 percent of the 

phosphate ore in Panel G, previously 

considered economically recoverable, 

would not be mined but the overall 

disturbance would remain unchanged 

from the 2008 mine plan approval. In 

addition, the proposed conveyor system 

would not be approved, thus no new 

disturbance associated with the 

conveyor would occur. The previously 

approved geologic store and release 

cover would be used to limit or prevent 

the release of contaminants to the 

environment. 

A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare 

this EIS was published in the Federal 

Register on June 24, 2013. Publication 

of the NOI in the Federal Register 

initiated a 30-day public scoping period 

for the Proposed Action that provided 

for acceptance of written comments. 

The scoping process identified concerns 

that primarily involved impacts to water 

resources and watersheds, and selenium 

contamination, but also included 

potential effects and/or cumulative 

effects of the proposed project on IRAs, 

wetlands, climate change, 

socioeconomics, visual resources, and 

mitigation and monitoring for mine 

operations. 

The NOA for the Draft EIS was 

published in the Federal Register on 

May 30, 2014. A 45-day comment 

period on the Draft EIS commenced 

with publication of the Environmental 

Protection Agency’s NOA of the Draft 

EIS, and ended on July 15, 2014. 

Agencies, organizations, and interested 

parties provided comments on the Draft 

EIS via mail, email, and public 

meetings. A total of seven comment 

letters were received. In developing 

responses to these comments, the 

agencies have added mitigation features 

to the Proposed Action and Alternatives 

1 and 2 in the Final EIS, for example: 

• An Adaptive Management Plan was 

added as an appendix, which addresses 

potential surface water and groundwater 

quality issues through an adaptive 

approach. 

• A fourth wildlife crossing was 

incorporated into the design of the ore 

conveyor system at the Sage Creek 

drainage. 

• Access to a series of proposed 

stormwater ponds at Panel G was 

revised to be south from the mine rather 

than north from the Wells Canyon Road, 

eliminating a segment of access road 

that would have impacted a small 

wetland area. 

• Because the segment of access road 

to the proposed series of stormwater 

ponds was eliminated, disturbance and 

associated impacts to waters of the U.S., 

including wetlands, were eliminated. 

Therefore, a revised U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers permit would not be required. 

• Additional water quality data were 

added to the Final EIS. 

• Specific information regarding the 

timing and construction of the GCLL 

was added to the Final EIS. 

The portion of the proposed project 

related to USFS special use 

authorizations for off-lease activities is 

subject to the objection process 

pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and 

B. Instructions for filing objections will 

be provided in the legal notice 

published in the newspaper of record 

for the Draft USFS ROD. Objections will 

be accepted only from those who have 

previously submitted specific written 

comments regarding the proposed 

project either during scoping or other 

designated opportunities for public 

comment in accordance with 36 CFR 

218.5(a). Issues raised in objections 

must be based on previously submitted, 

timely, and specific written comments 

regarding the proposed project unless 

based on new information arising after 

designated opportunities. The portion of 

any subsequent decision issued by BLM 

regarding the proposed mine plan and 

lease modifications would be appealable 

under procedures found in 43 CFR 4. 

Please note that public comments and 

information submitted including names, 

street addresses, and email addresses of 

respondents will be available for public 

review and disclosure at the BLM 

Pocatello Field Office during regular 

business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), 

Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. 

Authorities: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR 

parts 1500–1508; 43 CFR part 46; 43 U.S.C. 

1701; 43 CFR part 3590; 16 U.S.C. 551; 36 

CFR part 218; and 36 CFR part 251.50. 

Joe Kraayenbrink, 

District Manager, Idaho Falls District, Bureau 

of Land Management. 

Garth Smelser, 

Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee National 

Forest. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07012 Filed 3–26–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLCON05000 L16100000.DT0000] 

Notice of Availability of the Proposed 

Resource Management Plan 

Amendment and Final Environmental 

Impact Statement for Oil and Gas 

Development in the White River Field 

Office, Colorado 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

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) has 

prepared a Proposed Resource 

Management Plan (RMP) Amendment 

and a Final Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) for the White River 

Field Office (WRFO) and by this notice 

is announcing its availability. 

DATES: The BLM planning regulations 

state that any person who meets the 

conditions as described in the 

regulations may protest the BLM’s 

Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS. 

A person who meets the conditions and 

files a protest must file the protest 

within 30 days of the date that the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its Notice of Availability for 

this project in the Federal Register. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the WRFO Oil and 

Gas Development Proposed RMP 

Amendment/Final EIS have been sent to 

affected Federal, State and local 

government agencies, and interested 

parties. The Proposed RMP 

Amendment/Final EIS is also available 

on the Internet at: http://www.blm.gov/ 

co/st/en/fo/wrfo.html, and at locations 

listed under the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section. 

All protests must be in writing and 

mailed to one of the following 

addresses: 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES