[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 9, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 24647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11391]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NV-060-1990-01; N64-92-001P]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Mule Canyon Project Mining Plan of Operations

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation Mule Canyon Project 
Plan of Operations for mining in Lander County, Nevada and notice of 
scoping period and public meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as amended, and to 43 CFR Part 3809, the 
Surface Management Regulations, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 
will be directing the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement 
for the proposed development of a new mill facility, tailings 
impoundment, heap leach facility, five open pits, and ancillary 
facilities in Lander County, Nevada. The environmental impact statement 
will be prepared by third party contractor and funded by the proponent, 
Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation. The BLM invites comments and 
suggestions on the scope of the analysis.

DATES: Scoping meetings will be held on May 24, 1995, from 7-9 p.m. at 
the Battle Mountain District BLM Office conference room, 50 Bastian 
Road, in Battle Mountain, Nevada; and on May 25, 1995, from 7-9 p.m. at 
the Senior Citizens Center, Crescent Valley, Nevada. The purpose of 
these meetings is to identify issues to be addressed in the EIS, and to 
encourage public participation in the NEPA process. Representatives of 
the BLM and Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation will be summarizing the 
Plan of Operations and the anticipated environmental impacts resulting 
from the project and will be accepting comments from the audience. 
Additional briefing meetings will be held as appropriate. Written 
comments on the Plan of Operations and the scope of the EIS will be 
accepted until close of business, June 26, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent to: USDI-BLM, District Manager, 
P.O. Box 1420, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada, 89820, Attn.: 
Dave Davis, Mule Canyon Project Manager.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Davis, Mule Canyon Project 
Manager, (702) 635-4000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation has 
recently submitted a proposal to develop a mining facility on the north 
end of the Shoshone Mountain Range, in Lander County, Nevada, 
approximately 14 miles east-southeast of Battle Mountain. The proposed 
mining development will involve the development of five open pits, a 
heap leach pad, a tailings storage facility, four holding ponds, 
several solution ponds, milling, processing, and other ancillary 
facilities. There are currently two disposal plans for over/interburden 
storage. The no backfill plan entails the construction of 12 overburden 
facilities (total disturbance 504 acres). The backfill disposal plan 
entails construction of fourteen facilities, including the backfilling 
of the Main Pit area (total disturbance 521 acres). Total maximum 
disturbance under either scenario is expected to be near 2,870 acres. A 
fence surrounding the project will enclose approximately 6,606 acres.
    The BLM has determined through internal scoping that the following 
issues may be potentially significant and as such will be the focus of 
the EIS: Minor dewatering associated with mining, water quality and pit 
water quality after closure, socio-economic impacts to the region, air 
quality, impacts to range and wildlife resources, cultural and Native 
American Religious Concerns, reclamation, and cumulative impacts. 
Additional significant issues to be addressed may arise during the 
scoping process. Federal, State, and local government agencies and 
other individuals who may be interested or affected by the BLM's 
decision on this plan of operations are invited to participate in the 
scoping process.

    Dated: May 1, 1995.
Michael C. Mitchel,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-11391 Filed 5-8-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-M