Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 14 /Thursday, January 22, 1998 / Notices 3345

additional comments or concerns to be

addressed in preparation of the

Supplemental EIS.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This notice re-initiates

public scoping for the supplemental

Betze EIS. A scoping meeting will be

held on February 5, 1998, at the Bureau

of Land Management, Elko Field Office,

3900 E. Idaho, Elko, Nevada. The public

is invited to attend the meeting

scheduled from 4:30 pm until 6:30 pm

to review the project and identify issues

and concerns which need to be

addressed in the Supplemental EIS.

Representatives from the Bureau of

Land Management and Barrick will be

available during the meeting to answer

questions. Written comments on the

scope of the EIS will also be accepted

until February 16, 1998. A draft

supplemental environmental impact

statement (DSEIS) is expected to be

completed by the summer of 1998 and

made available for public review and

comment. At that time a Notice of

Availability of the DSEIS will be

published in the Federal Register. The

comment period on the DSEIS will be

60 days from the date the Notice of

Availability is published.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Scoping comments may be sent to:

District Manager, Bureau of Land

Management, 3900 E. Idaho St., Elko,

NV 89801. ATTN: Supplemental Betze

EIS Coordinator. For additional

information, write to the above address

or call Nick Rieger at (702) 753–0200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

response to a Plan of Operations

submitted in April 1989, the Bureau of

Land Management, Elko Field Office

prepared an environmental impact

statement (EIS) with respect to Barrick’s

Betze Project. The Final EIS and Record

of Decision for the Betze Project were

issued on June 10, 1991. The Final EIS

included a description of the

environmental impacts projected to

result from groundwater pumping

conducted by Barrick to lower the local

groundwater elevations below the

proposed Betze mining operations.

Since the Betze EIS was issued,

Barrick’s implementation of the

pumping operations and its monitoring

of groundwater elevations have

provided new information regarding the

pumping requirements and potential

environmental impacts of pumping

operations. This new information

indicates that the highly transmissive

area from which the groundwater is to

be pumped is more extensive than

projected at the time the Betze EIS was

prepared. As a result, Barrick has been

pumping groundwater at higher rates

than projected in the Betze EIS, and a

greater volume of water has been

produced. In addition to delivering

water to a local rancher for irrigation

uses as described in the Betze EIS,

Barrick has implemented reinjection

and infiltration programs to return more

water to the groundwater system, and

has obtained approval to discharge

water to the Humboldt River from the

state of Nevada. Barrick and ELLCO are

now proposing to install approximately

4,000 linear feet of buried 48-inch steel

pipeline next to an existing pipeline

they are using to discharge water to

improve operational flexibility of the

existing Boulder Valley water

management system. The second

pipeline would allow Barrick to by-pass

a water treatment plant when the water

is discharged for irrigation and

infiltration.

In the Notice of Intent published on

August 31, 1994, the Bureau proposed

preparation of a supplement to the Betze

EIS that would describe the new

information gathered since the Betze EIS

was prepared and would describe any

changes in the projected environmental

impacts as a result of the new

information. In addition, the Bureau

stated that the supplemental EIS would

assess the cumulative impacts of

groundwater pumping to lower

elevations and for longer periods of time

than is associated with mining of other

deposits situated on lands within the

area in which groundwater levels are

being lowered. By this notice, the

Bureau is proposing to expand the

original scope to evaluate the

environmental impacts of installing the

proposed pipeline and to determine

whether there may be any adverse

environmental impacts that were not

specifically identified in the Betze EIS

that may be mitigated under the terms

of the Betze Record of Decision.

In response to the initial Notice of

Intent and a Dear Interested Party letter

dated September 2, 1994, the Bureau

received eleven written and nine oral

comments. Based on these comments

and the BLM’s internal review, five

issues of concern were identified and

are currently the focus of the

supplemental EIS:

Potential impacts to surface and

ground water resources, including the

Humboldt River;

Potential impacts to livestock

operations;

Potential impacts to threatened and

endangered species;

Potential impacts to riparian and

wetland vegetation; and

Potential impacts to wildlife and

fisheries resources.

Through this supplemental Notice,

the Bureau is soliciting any additional

comments on the scope of the

supplemental EIS to assist the Bureau in

identifying and considering additional

issues and concerns to be analyzed in

the supplemental EIS. Comments

submitted in response to this

supplemental Notice of Intent should be

directed to the attention of Nick Rieger,

Project Manager at the Bureau of Land

Management, Elko Field Office, 3900

East Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada 89801.

Comments must be received by the close

of business on February 16, 1998.

Dated: January 7, 1998.

Helen Hankins,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 98–1517 Filed 1–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY–930–1060–04]

Notice of Public Hearing and Intent to

Remove Wild Horses

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

SUMMARY: A public meeting is

scheduled for February 25, 1998 at the

White Mountain Library, Rock Springs,

Wyoming. A formal hearing will be

conducted to receive statements from

the public concerning the use of

helicopters and motor vehicles in wild

horse management operations within

Wyoming for calendar year 1998. Prior

to the hearing, planned removal

operations for the year will be

discussed. Periodic removals are

necessary in order to maintain the

populations within the AML

(Appropriate Management Levels)

established through the planning

process as a result of monitoring and

analysis of that data in accordance with

the National Environmental Policy Act

and BLM Policies. This document

serves as a Notice of Intent to remove

excess wild horses from the following

Herd Management Areas (HMA):

Great Divide Resource Area

Cyclone Rim HMA—remove 260

horses from an estimated 330. AML is

70 and this action would reduce the

population to AML. Begin

approximately March 1, end April 10.

Decision Record EA# WY–037–EA4–

121/122 dated July 11, 1994.

Stewart Creek HMA—remove 100

horses from an estimated 250. AML is

150 and this action would reduce the

population to AML. Begin

approximately August 1. Decision
3346 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 14 /Thursday, January 22, 1998 / Notices

Record EA WY–037-EA4–121/122 dated

July 11, 1994.

I–80 North (Outside HMA)—remove

100 of 100 horses. This action would

reduce the herd to 0. Begin March 1,

finish April 10. Decision Record EA#

WY–037–EA1–039 dated February 21,

1992.

I–80 South (Outside HMA)—remove

275 of 275 horses. This action would

reduce the herd to 0. Begin

approximately August 15, finish

September 15. Decision Record EA#

WY–037–EA1–039 dated February 21,

1992.

Lander Resource Area

Dishpan Butte HMA—remove 40

horses from an estimated 90. AML is 75

with a range of 50–100 and this action

would reduce the population to the low

end of the range. Fall gather date to be

selected. Decision Record EA WY–036–

EA3–013 dated February 25, 1993.

Conant Creek HMA—remove 40

horses from an estimated 100. AML is

80 with a range of 60–100 and this

action would reduce the population to

the low end of the range. Fall Gather

date to be selected. Decision Record EA#

WY–036–EA3–013 dated February 25,

1993.

Crooks Mountain HMA—remove 300

of 400 horses reducing the population to

approximately 100. AML range is 75

with a range of 65–100 and herd will be

reduced to within this range. Fertility

control research may be initiated using

immunocontraception on selected

mares. Should this be instituted, an

environmental assessment (EA) covering

this action will be prepared. Begin

approximately July 6, finish August 30.

Decision Record EA#’s WY–037–EA4–

121 and 122 dated July 11, 1994.

Rock Springs District

Divide Basin HMA—remove 200 of an

estimated 640. AML is 500 with a range

of 415–600. This action would reduce

the population to the lower end of the

range. Begin approximately July 6,

finish August 15. Decision Record EA#

WY–048–EA3–87 dated May 19, 1993.

Salt Wells Creek HMA—remove 415

from an estimated population of 780.

AML is 365 and this action would

reduce the herd to AML. Fall gather date

to be selected. Decision Record EA#

WY–048–EA3–87 dated May 19,1993.

Little Colorado HMA—remove 79 of

an estimated population of 156. AML is

100 and this action would reduce the

herd to 77 horses or 23 below AML. Fall

gather date to be selected. Decision

Record EA# WY–048–EA3–87 dated

May 19, 1993.

Areas Outside HMAs—remove 190 of

190 horses. This action would reduce

the horses outside HMA’s to 0. Begin

approximately July 6, finish August 15.

Decision Record EA# WY–048–EA3–87

dated May 19, 1993.

Weather conditions and other

logistical considerations may dictate

changes in removal/completion dates.

The dates indicated are approximate,

and removal may take place in any of

the HMAs listed above during anytime

of the year with the exception that

gathers will not take place between

April 16 and July 7, since this is the

estimated peak of foaling in Wyoming.

Numbers presented are approximate

and will be finalized by aircraft census

to be conducted during January/

February 1998. All actions are in

conformance with Bureau of Land

Management Policy, documents listed

above, and current monitoring data.

Horse populations will not be reduced

below the lower limit of the AML range.

These actions represent no new

decisions.

If you have comments on the plans,

please contact the Wyoming State

Director at P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne,

WY 82003–1828.

DATES: February 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: White Mountain Library,

2935 Sweetwater Dr., Rock Springs, WY,

82901–4331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Al

Pierson, State Director, 5353

Yellowstone, P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne,

WY 82003–1828.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Agenda:

—Introduction and Opening Remarks

—Review of the Wild Horse

Management Plan

—Video presentation of roundup

activity

—Public comment period on removal

plans

—Formal Hearing on the Use of

helicopters in the plan

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and

is open to the public. Interested persons

may make oral statements on the subject

of helicopter use during the formal

hearing. All statements will be recorded.

Dated: January 15, 1998.

Alan R. Pierson,

State Director.

[FR Doc. 98–1460 Filed 1–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ES–960–1420–00] ES–48890, Group 26,

Illinois

Notice of Filing of Plat of Survey;

Illinois

The plat, in four sheets, of the

dependent resurvey of a portion of U.S.

Survey No. 580, a portion of the west

boundary, a portion of the subdivisional

lines, and the survey of the Locks and

Dam No. 27 Acquisition Boundary,

Township 4 North, Range 9 West, and

the survey of the Locks and Dam No. 27

Acquisition Boundary, Township 4

North, Range 10 West, both of the Third

Principal Meridian, Illinois, will be

officially filed in Eastern States,

Springfield, Virginia at 7:30 a.m., on

February 23, 1998.

The survey was requested by the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

All inquiries or protests concerning

the technical aspects of the survey must

be sent to the Chief Cadastral Surveyor,

Eastern States, Bureau of Land

Management, 7450 Boston Boulevard,

Springfield, Virginia 22153, prior to

7:30 a.m., February 23, 1998.

Copies of the plat will be made

available upon request and prepayment

of the reproduction fee of $2.75 per

copy.

Dated: January 12, 1998.

Stephen G. Kopach,

Chief Cadastral Surveyor.

[FR Doc. 98–1415 Filed 1–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–GJ–P

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[AAG/A Order No. 148–98]

Privacy Act of 1974; Modified System

of Records

Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5

U.S.C. 552a), notice is given that the

Department of Justice, Justice

Management Division, proposes to

modify a system of records entitled

‘‘Department of Justice Payroll System,

JMD–003.’’

The Department is modifying the

system of records to show that, pursuant

to an interagency agreement, the

Department provides the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, National

Finance Center (NFC), relevant and

necessary data to perform pay-related

functions on the Department’s behalf. In

addition, the system description, in

particular the routine use disclosure

section, has been extensively edited.

Four new routine uses have been

italicized for public convenience.