[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 3049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1627]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NV-060-7122-00-8661; N64-93-001P]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Cortez Pipeline Gold Deposit Plan of Operation

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Cortez Pipeline Gold Deposit Plan of Operation for 
mining in Lander County, Nevada.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as amended, and to 43 Code of Federal 
Regulations Part 3809, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Battle 
Mountain District has made available the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (Final EIS) for the proposed development of an open pit mine 
and associated facilities, in Lander County, Nevada.

DATES: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will publish its 
Federal Register Notice of Availability on February 2, 1996. That 
publication begins the official 30 day period required by the Council 
on Environmental Quality for Final EISs.

ADDRESSES: Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain District Manager, 
50 Bastian Rd., P.O. Box 1420, Battle Mountain, NV 89820 ATTN: Dave 
Davis. Copies of the Final EIS may be made in writing to the preceding 
address or by calling Dave Davis at (702) 635-4000.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cortez Gold Mines filed a Plan of Operations 
in October, 1992 for the development of the Pipeline Gold deposit open 
pit mine. The Pipeline proposal calls for the development of an 1827 
acre open pit gold mine operation located in the southern end of 
Crescent Valley, Lander County, Nevada. In addition to the 235 acre 
open pit, there will be a dewatering program required to keep the pit 
dry during mining operations. This dewatering program will pump an 
estimated 30,000 gallons per minute (gpm). Approximately 28,000 gpm of 
the total 30,000 gpm will be returned to the Crescent Valley aquifer 
through a series of infiltration ponds. Associated facilities include a 
new 5,000 ton per day mill, constructing a new combined heap leach/
tailings facility, waste dumps and associated support facilities, 
offices, etc.
    The Draft and Final EISs evaluate the impacts of the Pipeline 
proposal on a number of resources. The focus of both documents include 
the impacts to ground and surface water resources, pit lake chemistry, 
social and economic impacts to the region, air quality, cultural 
resources and Native American religious concerns.
    The Final EIS incorporates changes to the findings in the Draft EIS 
that resulted from the public comment process on the Draft EIS. These 
changes include an expanded regional ground water modelling study. The 
regional study supports and expands upon the subregional ground water 
modelling effort prepared for the Draft EIS. Water quality modelling 
was expanded for the Final EIS. These expanded water quality modelling 
results indicate some metal species and other constituents may exceed 
current Nevada Drinking water standards in the long term (250 years 
after cessation of mining operations). Precise estimates for such long 
term predictions are impossible to predict with current technology. In 
order to better understand the potential future impacts, the BLM also 
had an ecological risk assessment for the pit lake prepared. This risk 
assessment identifies some potential to affect avian wildlife in the 
long term. Mitigation is proposed for those potential avian impacts. 
Cortez has committed to an irrevocable, long term monetary contingency 
fund. This funding will be used by the BLM for monitoring all aspects 
of the project after cessation of mining operations; although the 
primary focus of the funding will be used to monitor the pit lake water 
quality. The contingency fund will also be used to mitigate any future 
long term impacts resulting from pit lake water quality.

    Dated: January 22, 1996.
Gerald M. Smith,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-1627 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-M