[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 245 (Thursday, December 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66270-66271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-31172]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for 
Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation's Proposed North Expansion Tailings 
Modernization Project in Salt Lake County, UT.

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Sacramento District, Utah Field Office of the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (Corps) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) for the Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation (Kennecott) 
proposed North Expansion Tailings Modernization Project (Project) in 
Salt Lake County, Utah. The proposed Project provides tailings storage 
capacity required for the next 25 to 30 years of Kennecott's operation. 
The FEIS is available for public review at the Salt Lake City Library, 
Main Branch, 209 East 500 South and the Salt Lake County Library 
System, Magna Branch, 8339 West 3500 South. Copies for distribution are 
available from Mr. Michael A. Schwinn, Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Sacramento District, Utah Regulatory Office, 1403 South 
600 West, Suite A, Bountiful, Utah 84010.

DATES: A public hearing will be held at 6:00 pm on January 18, 1996 at 
the Olympus Hotel and Conference Center, Wasatch 2 Conference Room, 161 
West 600 South, Salt Lake City, Utah.
    The 30 day waiting period prior to the Record of Decision ends 
January 18, 1996.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the FEIS, contact Mr. Michael A Schwinn, 
Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 
Utah Regulatory Office, 1403 South 600 West, Suite A, Bountiful, Utah 
84010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for a copy of the FEIS 
or questions to Mr. Michael A. Schwinn, Project Manager, (801) 295-
8380.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Kennecott is proposing to expand its 
existing tailings impoundment by approximately 3500 acres. The proposed 
Project site is directly to the north and northwest of the existing 
tailings impoundment. Kennecott has identified two primary needs for 
the proposed Project. First, as the existing tailings impoundment is 
nearing its operational capacity, Kennecott requires approximately 1.9 
billion tons of storage capacity to support mining and concentrating 
operations for the next 25 to 30 years. Since only approximately 0.3 to 
0.4 billion tons of this material will be stored in the existing 
impoundment, additional capacity is required. The second need is for a 
seismic upgrade to the existing tailings impoundment. As more 
information has recently become available regarding the seismic nature 
of the Salt Lake Valley, Kennecott has identified a need to upgrade the 
existing facility. Accordingly, the proposed action includes various 
engineering measures to upgrade the existing facility in the event of a 
large earthquake.
    The proposed Project would provide approximately 3500 acres of 
additional tailings storage area. Approximately 1.6 billion tons of 
tailings would be stored 

[[Page 66271]]
in the proposed impoundment with an ultimate height of approximately 
250 feet. Site preparation activities would include relocation of the 
Union Pacific Railroad mainline tracks, relocation of the C-7 Ditch, 
relocation of utility lines, the construction of a new bridge on 
Highway 202 over the relocated railroad lines, and modification of the 
Interstate 80 on and off ramps at the intersection with Highway 202.
    Since the proposed action affects jurisdictional waters of the 
United States, Kennecott submitted a Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit 
Application to the Corps on June 10, 1994. The Corps determined that an 
EIS was required prior to making a permit decision.
    The Corps published a notice of intent to prepare a DEIS for the 
proposed action on August 19, 1994 in the Federal Register. A public 
scoping meeting was held on September 19, 1994 and the written comment 
period remained open until November 7, 1994. A Draft EIS was released 
on April 28, 1995 and the public comment period closed on June 27, 
1995.
    Twelve alternatives are identified and analyzed in accordance with 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Section 404(b)(1) guidelines 
for their technical, logistic, and economic practicability in the FEIS. 
The North Expansion West, the North Expansion East, and the No Action 
alternatives are carried forward for complete analysis in the FEIS.
    The FEIS has been prepared in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Corps implementing procedures in 
33 CFR 230, the Council for Environmental Quality regulations for 
implementing NEPA in 40 CFR 1500, and U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) 404(b)(1) guidelines in 40 CFR 230.
    The FEIS was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
for publication of its availability.

    Dated: December 12, 1995.
Jack V. Scherer,
LTC, EN, Deputy Commander.
[FR Doc. 95-31172 Filed 12-20-95; 8:45 am]
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