[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 149 (Friday, August 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43267-43268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16548]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVL0000-L51100000-GN0000-LVEMF2105850-21X MO #4500151979]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment, White 
Pine County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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) Ely 
District (EYDO), Nevada, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment 
project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
its notice of availability of the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations 
Amendment Final EIS DOI-BLM-NV-L060-2020-0008-EIS in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment and the 
Final EIS are available for public inspection on the internet at 
https://go.usa.gov/xvYad.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the proposed 
project contact Ms. Tiera Arbogast, Planning & Environmental 
Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management Ely District Office, telephone 
775-289-1872, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cbbfaab9a9a4acaab8bf8ba9a7a6e5aca4bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cdb9acbfafa2aaacbeb98dafa1a0e3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>, or address: 702 North 
Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 89301. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 
1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms. Arbogast during normal business hours. 
The FRS 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. Normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
EYDO, Ely, Nevada, has published a Final EIS for the Robinson Mine Plan 
of Operations Amendment project. The Robinson Mine is an 8,887-acre 
copper mining operation adjacent to Ruth, Nevada, seven miles west of 
Ely, Nevada, via U.S. Route 50.
    KGHM Robinson Nevada Mining Company (KGHM Robinson) is proposing 
additional development at the Robinson Mine to extend mine life 
approximately four additional years beyond its currently anticipated 
permanent closure in 2024. To accomplish this, the company is proposing 
renewed mining in the eastern portions of its privately-owned Liberty 
Pit and an authorization by the BLM to access and develop two specific 
areas of nearby BLM-managed public land on which to dispose newly 
generated waste rock.
    Under the BLM Preferred Alternative, KGHM Robinson would be 
permitted to develop approximately 260 acres of BLM-managed lands 
immediately south of the Robinson Mine to serve as the King Waste Rock 
Dump. This alternative would also include renewed dewatering and 
expanded mining operations in the eastern portions of KGHM Robinson's 
privately owned Liberty Pit area as well as approval to develop 
approximately 545 acres of BLM-managed land and 94 acres of private 
land adjacent to the Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). These 
areas would be used for obtaining borrow material for the previously 
approved increase in height of the TSF main impoundment and perimeter 
dams, as well as for growth media (i.e., topsoil) storage for final 
reclamation. Approval of this alternative would result in an additional 
793 acres of new disturbance on BLM-managed lands as well as 
disturbance on approximately 170 acres of KGHM Robinson-owned private 
lands, for a total of 963 acres of new surface disturbance. Active life 
of the Robinson Mine would be extended to 2028. The resource impacts 
for Alternative B were considered the most environmentally preferred 
when compared to impacts associated with cultural resources, 
geochemistry and groundwater, waste rock dump construction, and Greater 
sage-grouse habitat under other alternatives.
    Under the No Action Alternative (Alternative A) the BLM would not 
approve the 2019 Robinson Mine Plan of Operations Amendment as written. 
Although KGHM Robinson could continue mining on its own private lands, 
no additional expansion onto BLM-managed public lands would be 
permitted. Without additional areas on which to dispose waste rock 
generated by continued mining, or the ability to obtain substantial 
additional volumes of soil to use in increasing the height of the 
primary impoundment and perimeter

[[Page 43268]]

dams at the Giroux Wash Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), KGHM Robinson 
estimates that active operations at the Robinson Mine would cease in 
2024.
    The Reduced King Waste Rock Dump (WRD) and North Tripp WRD 
(Alternative C) would keep all project elements described in the 2019 
Plan Amendment, including both the North Tripp and King WRDs; however, 
the allowable footprint of the King WRD would be reduced from the 260 
acres under the BLM Preferred Alternative to 234 acres under this 
alternative. Specifically, Alternative C would eliminate all proposed 
King WRD development east of County Road 44A. The North Tripp WRD would 
be expanded onto approximately 102 acres of BLM-managed public lands 
and 67 private acres. As with the BLM Preferred Alternative, this 
alternative would include dewatering and renewed mining in the eastern 
portions of the Liberty Pit and development of approximately 545 acres 
of BLM-managed public land and 94 private acres adjacent to the Giroux 
Wash TSF. This alternative would result in approximately 869 acres of 
new disturbance on BLM-managed public lands and 237 acres of KGHM-owned 
private lands, for a total of approximately 1,106 acres of new surface 
disturbance. As with the BLM Preferred Alternative, mine life would be 
extended to 2028.
    The Ruth East Backfill and Reduced King WRD Alternative 
(Alternative D) is similar to Alternative B, the BLM Preferred 
Alternative. Alternative D would include renewed dewatering and 
expanded mining operations in the eastern portions of the Liberty Pit 
as well as approval for KGHM Robinson to develop a total of 
approximately 639 acres of mixed public and private land adjacent to 
the Giroux Wash TSF. Alternative D, like Alternative C, would include 
the reduced 234-acre King WRD. Alternative D would not, however, 
include development of the North Tripp WRD. Rather, additional waste 
rock generated during continued mining would be disposed within 
approximately 160 acres of KGHM-owned lands within the Ruth East Pit. 
Approval of Alternative D would therefore result in approximately 767 
acres of new surface disturbance on BLM-managed lands and 330 acres of 
KGHM-owned private lands, for a total of approximately 1,097 acres. As 
with the BLM Preferred Alternative and Alternative C, mine life would 
be extended to 2028.
    The Notice of Intent for this project also included the BLM's 
proposal to amend the Ely District Resource Management Plan for Visual 
Resource Management classes. During scoping, however, the BLM 
determined that a Resource Management Plan amendment is not required, 
and therefore it is no longer being analyzed as part of this Final EIS. 
On September 14, 2020, the Council on Environmental Quality's revision 
to the NEPA Regulations went into effect. The final rule does not apply 
to the NEPA analysis for the Robinson Mine Plan of Operations 
Amendment, as it began prior to September 14, 2020.
    A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for the proposed project 
was published in the Federal Register on December 4, 2020 (85 FR 
78351). A virtual public meeting was held during the comment period. 
The BLM received 18 public comment documents during the 45-day comment 
period. The documents contained 56 unique and substantive comments 
which included concerns on mine closure and reclamation planning, 
greater sage grouse protection, general wildlife issues, mitigation 
measures, and geochemistry issues primarily related to pit lakes and 
assumed contaminant seepage. Comments on the Draft EIS received from 
the public and internal BLM review were considered and incorporated, as 
appropriate, into the Final EIS. Public comments resulted in 
corrections or the addition of clarifying text but did not change the 
proposed action.
    The BLM has consulted with the Nevada State Historic Preservation 
Office (SHPO) on the Project in accordance with the 2014 State Protocol 
Agreement between the BLM and Nevada SHPO for Implementing the National 
Historic Preservation Act. The BLM has determined that the Project 
would cause adverse effects to eight historic properties and five 
unevaluated archaeological resources. The BLM and Nevada SHPO executed 
a Programmatic Agreement in 2016 to resolve adverse effects to cultural 
resources in the Robinson Nevada Mining Company Area of Potential 
Effect. The 2016 programmatic agreement outlines the process by which 
these resources will be evaluated and mitigated. BLM has consulted with 
SHPO on the mitigation measures for these sites and concurred upon the 
treatment. The specific actions necessary to resolve adverse effects to 
historic properties will be carried out prior to Project 
implementation.
    The BLM has initiated ongoing consultation with Indian tribes on a 
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 
and other policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust 
assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration and have been analyzed in the Final EIS.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1502)

Robbie McAboy,
District Manager, Ely District Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-16548 Filed 8-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P


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