20422 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 79 / Friday, April 24, 1998 / Notices

evaluate whether any ACEC areas not

already under mining claims should be

withdrawn.

Public reading copies may be

reviewed at the following BLM locations:

Arizona State Office, 222 North Central

Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Tucson Field Office, 12661 East

Broadway, Tucson, Arizona 85748–

7208

Phoenix Field Office, 2015 West Deer

Valley Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85027.

Dated: April 17, 1998.

Lonna O’Neal,

Acting State Director.

[FR Doc. 98–10951 Filed 4–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–91–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Phosphate Mine Expansion Dry Valley,

Caribou County, ID

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

USDI and Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare

Environmental Impact Statement.

SUMMARY: The Department of Interior,

Bureau of Land Management (BLM),

Pocatello Resource Area and the

Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service (FS), Caribou National Forest,

will jointly prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposal to

expand FMC Corporation’s active Dry

Valley Phosphate Mine. The Dry Valley

Mine is located about 17 air miles

northeast of Soda Springs, Caribou

County, Idaho. The proposed mining

and reclamation activities for the

expansion of the Dry Valley Mine would

occur on existing Federal Phosphate

Leases I–014184, I–0678 and I–011866,

State of Idaho Leases 3823R and 7961,

and private mineral rights. Surface

ownership includes BLM, FS, State of

Idaho, and private lands. The U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers will be a cooperating

agency in the preparation of the EIS.

SCOPING PROCEDURE: The scoping

procedure to be used for this EIS has

and will involve the following: a broad

mailing asking for comments, issues and

concerns to interested and potentially

affected individuals, groups, Federal,

State and local governments; news

releases; and public scoping meetings.

An initial mailing was done in February

1998, comments received by mid-March

highlighted several issues associated

with this proposal. Another

comprehensive mailing to individuals,

groups and agencies known to be

interested will be conducted concurrent

with publication of this notice in the

Federal Register.

DATES: Written comments concerning

the scope of the analysis described in

this Notice should be received on or

before May 26, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to

Bureau of Land Management, Pocatello

Resource Area, 1111 N. 8th Ave.,

Pocatello, Idaho 83201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions concerning the proposed

action and EIS should be directed to Jeff

Cundick, Mining Engineer, Pocatello

Resource Area, 1111 N. 8th Ave.,

Pocatello, Idaho 83201, phone: (208)

236–6860, or Jeff Jones, Geologist,

Caribou National Forest, Soda Springs

Ranger District, 421 W. Second South,

Soda Springs, Idaho 83276, phone: (208)

547–4356.

The Bureau of Land Management

(BLM) has received a proposal from

FMC Corp. to expand its existing Dry

Valley Phosphate Mine to the south.

The 1920 Mineral Leasing Act, as

amended, gives the primary

responsibility for approval of mining

and reclamation plans for solid leasable

minerals, like phosphate, to the BLM

when the proposed action is located on

Federal leases, regardless of the surface

owner or manager. This proposal covers

a mixture of surface and mineral estate

ownership, including Federal (FS and

BLM), State and private.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When

lands administered by the FS are

involved, the FS will develop and

submit recommendations to the BLM for

those proposed on-lease activities, while

activities off-lease will require FS

Special Use Permit authorization. The

BLM and FS do not have approval or

recommendation authority where State

surface and mineral estate or private

surface and mineral estate exist, as is

the case for portions of this project.

FMC Corp. has been mining at their

Dry Valley Mine since 1992, and the

present proposal is for the expansion of

that mine on existing leases. Ancillary

facilities including shop, office, railroad

line with loading facility, stockpile area,

etc. are currently in place and

functioning for this mine. Those

existing facilities would continue to be

utilized for the proposed expansion.

The proposed expansion consists of the

mining of two pits, referred to as pits C

and D. Pit A has already been mined

and reclaimed; pit B has been partially

mined. Reclamation and mining are

concurrent in different parts of this pit

development. Mining in pit B is

projected to be complete by early 2000.

The purpose of the mine expansion is to

provide a continued supply of ore to

FMC’s Pocatello, Idaho processing

plant. Mining in Pits A and B was

approved in 1990.

FMC has completed extensive

exploration drilling on pits C and D;

sufficient to develop a proposed mine

and reclamation plan and two

alternatives. Under the proposed

alternative, about 600 acres of surface

disturbance would occur, just over 200

of which are Federally owned and

almost entirely FS administered lands.

As mining progresses, waste rock is

generally placed as backfill into minedout pits. However, external waste rock

dumps will be required because the

volume of waste rock swells as

consolidated materials are fractured

during the mining process. In the

current proposal, about 166 acres are

planned to be covered with waste rock

dumps, about 90 acres on the National

Forest and about 76 acres on FMC’s

private land. When mining is

completed, the last portion of the mine

pit is proposed to be left open. Fiftythree acres, all of which will be on NFS

lands, would not be reclaimed or filled

with overburden.

Preliminary and informal public

scoping for the FMC Corporation’s Dry

Valley Mine expansion project was first

conducted in 1998. During the

consideration of issues to be analyzed in

depth, and in the development of

alternatives, the Pocatello Resource

Area (BLM) and the Caribou NF

preliminarily identified these issues.

1. Water quality. Potential water

quality and quantity effects. Potential

effects on water rights and possible

mitigation measures.

2. Wetlands. Potential effects and

mitigation for wetlands affected by the

proposal or alternatives.

3. Range. Potential effects on

developments used to manage livestock

grazing currently occurring on the

Federal lands involved.

4. Wildlife. Potential effects on

wildlife and their habitats.

Four preliminary alternatives have

been identified. Additional alternatives

may be developed from the analysis and

further scoping. The preliminary

alternatives are:

• Alternative 1—The proposed

action.

• Alternative 3—Do not mine the

north portion of pit C to protect

wetlands.

• Alternative 2—Reduce the size of

the north end of pit C to reduce impacts

to wetlands.

• Alternative 4—No Action.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 79 / Friday, April 24, 1998 / Notices 20423

Alternatives 2 and 3 address wetlands

issues that occur primarily on lands in

private ownership. Environmental

effects to these lands will be addressed

in the section 404, Clean Water Act

permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers and as part of the

cumulative impact analysis in the EIS.

The EIS will describe the physical

attributes of the area to be affected by

this proposal, with special attention to

the environmental factors that could be

adversely affected.

The EIS will analyze the

environmental effects of each

alternative. The direct, indirect, and

cumulative effects of each alternative

will be analyzed and documented. In

addition, potential mitigation measures

for each alternative will be identified

and the effectiveness of these mitigation

measures will be disclosed.

The BLM and FS are seeking

information and written comments from

Federal, State and local agencies as well

as individuals and organizations who

may be interested in, or affected by, the

proposed action. To assist the BLM and

FS in identifying and considering issues

and concerns related to the proposed

action, comments for scoping, and later

for the draft EIS, should be as specific

as possible. Referring to specific pages

or chapters of the draft EIS or the merits

of the alternatives formulated and

discussed in the statement is most

helpful.

The estimated date for the completion

of the draft EIS is January 1999. The

comment period for the draft EIS will be

45 days from the date the

Environmental Protection Agency

publishes the Notice of Availability in

the Federal Register.

The final EIS is expected to be

released in July, 1999.

The BLM Pocatello Resource Area

Manager, who is the responsible official

for the EIS, will then make a decision

regarding this proposal for Federal lands

on-lease, considering: FS

recommendations; scoping comments;

responses; anticipated environmental

consequences discussed in the final EIS;

and applicable laws, regulations, and

policies. The Caribou National Forest

Supervisor, who is the responsible

official for Caribou National Forest

administered lands not on-lease, will

make a decision, based on the above,

concerning the issuance of a FS Special

Use Permit. An application for a section

404, Clean Water Act permit has been

filed with the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers; a decision will be rendered

by the corps to issue that permit and

how to mitigate the impacts to affected

wetlands.

The reasons for the decisions will be

documented in a Record of Decision(s).

Dated: April 17, 1998.

Terry L. Smith,

Acting Area Manager, Pocatello Resource

Area.

Dated: April 17, 1998.

Harold W. Klein,

Acting Forest Supervisor, Caribou National

Forest.

[FR Doc. 98–10894 Filed 4–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT–060–08–1020–00, 1613P]

Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Lewistown District Resource Advisory

Council will meet May 19 and 20, 1998,

at the Chinook Motor Inn, in Chinook,

Montana.

The May 19 portion of the meeting

will begin at 7:45 a.m. The topic of the

day will be the Upper Missouri National

Wild and Scenic River. There will be a

series of discussions involving members

of the public and BLM resource

specialists. These discussions will

include increased recreational use along

the Upper Missouri; impacts on

resources; user facilities; improved

facilities; and using the limits of

acceptable change method for resolving

resource issues. There will be a public

comment period at 11:30 a.m. This

session will adjourn at 3 p.m.

The May 20 session will begin at 7:45

a.m. The council will resume their

deliberations concerning off-road

vehicle use on public lands. The council

will also address implementation of the

rangeland standards and guidelines.

This session will adjourn at 3:30 p.m.

DATES: May 19 and 20, 1998.

LOCATION: Chinook Motor Inn, Chinook,

Montana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

District Manager, Lewistown District

Office, Bureau of Land Management,

P.O. Box 1160, Airport Road,

Lewistown, MT 59457.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

meeting is open to the public and there

will be a public comment period as

detailed above.

Dated: April 14, 1998.

Gary Slagel,

Acting District Manager.

[FR Doc. 98–10906 Filed 4–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[MT–960–1150–00]

District Advisory Council Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Dakotas District Office, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: A meeting of the Dakotas

District Resource Advisory Council will

be held June 23 and 24, 1998, at the

Golden Hills Resort and Conference

Center, Lead, South Dakota. The session

will convene at 8:00 a.m. on June 23rd

and resume at 8:00 a.m. on the 24th.

Agenda items include updates on the

South Dakota Land Exchange, Noxious

Weed Control Projects, review of the

Belle Eldridge mine cleanup, and a field

assessment of proposals by the city of

Sturgis for Fort Meade.

The meeting is open to the public and

a public comment period is set for 3:00

p.m. on June 23rd. The public may

make oral statements before the Council

or file written statements for the Council

to consider. Depending on the number

of persons wishing to make an oral

statement, a per-person time limit may

be established. Summary minutes of the

meeting will be available for public

inspection and copying.

The 12-member Council advises the

Secretary of the Interior, through the

BLM, on a variety of planning and

management issues associated with

public land management in the Dakotas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Douglas Burger, District Manager,

Dakotas District Office, 2933 3rd

Avenue West, Dickinson, ND 58601.

Telephone (701) 225–9148.

Dated: April 15, 1998.

Douglas J. Burger,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 98–10914 Filed 4–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA–320–1020–00]

Notice of Resource Advisory Council

Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Northeast California Resource Advisory

Council, Susanville, California, Interior.