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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104203-104204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30346]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[PO4820000251]

Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for P4 Production LLC's Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine and 
Reclamation Plan Project, Caribou County, Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance 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) 
announces the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for P4 Production LLC's (P4) Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine and 
Reclamation Plan Project (Project) in Caribou County, Idaho.

DATES: To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the 
Draft EIS, please ensure that the BLM receives your comments within 45 
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) of the draft EIS in the 
Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays.

ADDRESSES: The draft EIS and associated documents are available for 
review on the BLM project website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510.
    Written comments related to the Project may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:
     BLM's National NEPA Register (ePlanning) at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine EIS, C/O Stantec 
Consulting Services Inc., 2890 East Cottonwood Parkway, Suite 300, Salt 
Lake City, UT 84121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Myers, project lead, at 
telephone (208) 559-3662; address 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID 
83204; or email [email protected]. Individuals in the United States who 
are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may 
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services for contacting Mr. Myers. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need

    The purpose of the EIS is to evaluate and respond to the Revised 
Mine and Reclamation Plan (RMRP) submitted for the recovery of 
phosphate ore contained within Federal phosphate leases IDI-02, IDI-
014080, and IDI-013738, and to modify leases, in accordance with the 
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended.
    The need for the Project is to develop the phosphate ore resource 
in accordance with established requirements (including, but not limited 
to, applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, lease terms, and 
land use plans) using an economically viable method, and to allow P4 
the ability to exercise its right under the Mineral Leasing Act to 
develop the leases.

Proposed Action

    P4's application proposes mining of existing Federal phosphate 
leases IDI-02, IDI-014080, and IDI-013738, and State of Idaho Mineral 
Lease E07959, by constructing two open pits, partially backfilling the 
inactive Dry Valley Mine South Extension Panel D pit with initial 
overburden materials, constructing haul and access roads, installing 
various utility lines, and constructing water management features, 
monitoring wells, shop and office facilities, while implementing 
environmental protection measures and reclamation.
    Portions of the two open pits, the North and South Pits, would 
extend beyond the existing Federal and State lease boundaries. To 
accommodate those portions of the pits that extend outside the current 
Federal and State leases, P4 proposes expanding their leases in 
accordance with 43 CFR Subpart 3510. Operations would be conducted over 
an estimated 40-year period and would occur on public lands 
administered by the BLM, on National Forest System lands, on lands 
administered by the Idaho Department of Lands, and on private lands.
    Total disturbance for the Project would be approximately 1,832 
acres, with approximately 418 acres of

[[Page 104204]]

disturbance having already occurred under previous approvals. The RMRP 
includes designs to reduce environmental impacts and to reclaim 
proposed disturbance. To ensure water quality requirements are met, 
reclamation includes a combination of earthen and synthetic reclamation 
cover systems.

Additional Alternatives

    In addition to the Proposed Action, three action alternatives and 
the No Action Alternative are fully analyzed in the Draft EIS. Under 
Alternative 1, disturbance to public lands would be minimized by 
aligning the Dry Valley Area Haul Road/Access Road/Utility Corridor to 
avoid public lands and by not approving a Phosphate Use Permit 
associated with the Caldwell Canyon Service Road. Alternative 2 
considers and analyzes impacts associated with not issuing the Federal 
lease modifications proposed by P4. Alternative 3 excludes any new 
disturbance and mining-related activities within designated Greater 
Sage-Grouse habitat to minimize impacts. The draft EIS identifies the 
Proposed Action as the Agency Preferred Alternative.

Public Involvement Process

    The BLM will hold one virtual public meeting. The specific date of 
this meeting will be announced in advance through BLM's National NEPA 
Register (ePlanning) website https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510. Information on how to register for the online 
meeting will be posted on the above website.
    The BLM will continue to consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a 
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 
and other policies. Agencies will give due consideration to Tribal 
concerns, including impacts on Indian Trust Assets and treaty rights, 
and potential impacts to cultural resources.
    The purpose of public review of the Draft EIS is to provide an 
opportunity for meaningful collaborative public engagement and for the 
public to provide substantive comments, such as identification of 
factual errors, data gaps, relevant methods, or scientific studies. The 
BLM will respond to substantive comments by making appropriate 
revisions to the EIS or explaining why a comment did not warrant a 
change.
    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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)

Peter Ditton,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-30346 Filed 12-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-21-P
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