[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 30256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15081]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-065-06-1990-01]


Environmental Impact Statement for the California Desert 
Conservation Area, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to close the public scoping period regarding 
the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for an open pit, 
heap leach gold mine on portions of public lands in the California 
Desert Conservation Area, Kern County, CA. Comments will be accepted 
until June 30, 1996.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be closing 
the scoping comment.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent to: BLM Ridgecrest Resource 
Area Manager, 300 S. Richmond, Ridgecrest, CA 93555, ATTN: Ahmed 
Mohsen, EIS Coordinator.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Golden Queen is proposing to construct and 
operate the Soledad Mountain Project, an open pit precious metals (gold 
and silver) mining and cyanide leaching processing operation at the 
Soledad Mountain project area located approximately five miles 
southwest of the town of Mojave in Kern County, California.
    The proposed action includes: construction of facilities; mining 
and processing of precious metals ores at the rate of three to four 
million tons per year for a period of ten to sixteen years; stockpiling 
of overburden materials; sales of overburden materials as aggregate and 
construction materials; and reclamation of the project site.
    The project area is approximately 1,228 acres, of which 959 acres 
are private land and 269 acres are unpatented mining claims on public 
lands administered by BLM. The proposed surface disturbance is 
approximately 782 acres on private lands and 153 acres on public lands. 
The proposed mining operation includes twelve interconnected open pit 
mining areas within the ultimate pit boundary of the proposed open pit.
    A March 28, 1996 Notice invited comments and suggestions on the 
scope of the analysis and notified the public of upcoming meetings.
    Two public meetings were held on:

Date: April 16, 1996, Tuesday

Time: 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Place: Rosamond High School, 2925 Rosamond Blvd., Rosamond, CA 93560, 
Glennan Gymnasium

Date: April 17, 1996, Wednesday

Time: 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Place: Mojave High School, 15732 ``O'' St., Mojave, CA 93501, Mustang 
Gymnasium.

    Comments were received from the attendees during the public 
meetings and by mail. Comments will be accepted until June 30, 1996.
    BLM has set up a WEB PAGE for sharing information on the process 
and the project. It can be accessed by reaching <a href="http://www.ca.blm.gov/
GoldenQueen">http://www.ca.blm.gov/
GoldenQueen</a>
    For further information contact: Ahmed Mohsen, BLM EIS Coordinator 
at (619) 384-5421.

    Dated: May 24, 1996.
Lee Delaney,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-15081 Filed 6-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M