[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 134 (Thursday, July 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36156-36157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17169]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NV-060-1990-01; N64-95-001P]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Ruby Hill Mining Plan of Operation
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for the Homestake Mining Company of California (HMC) Ruby Hill Project
Plan of Operation for mining in Eureka 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 (NEPA) of 1969 as amended, and to 43 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 3809, the Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain
District (BLM) will be directing the preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed development of an open pit mine
and associated facilities, in Eureka County, Nevada. The EIS will be
prepared by a third party consultant and funded by the proponent, HMC.
The BLM invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the analysis.
DATES: Scoping meetings will be held on August 7, 1995, from 6-8 p.m.
at the Opera House in Eureka, Nevada, 10201 Main St.; and on August 9,
1995, from 7-9 p.m. at the Airport Plaza Hotel, 1981 Terminal Way, in
Reno, 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. BLM representatives will present an overview of the NEPA
process, public involvement, and anticipated environmental impacts
resulting from the project. HMC representatives will be summarizing the
Plan of Operations. Additional briefing meetings will be held as
necessary. Written comments on the scope of the EIS will be accepted
through September 5, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent to: BLM, Battle Mountain
District Manager, 50 Bastian Rd., P.O. Box 1420, Battle Mountain, NV
89820 ATTN: John Noneman.
[[Page 36157]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Noneman or Lynn Pettit, Project
Managers, at (702) 635-4000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HMC has recently submitted a proposal to
develop a mining facility to be located just North of the historic Ruby
Hill Mine, South of Highway 50, approximately 1.5 miles Northwest of
the town of Eureka, Nevada. The project would consist of construction,
operation, reclamation, and closure of an open pit mine including waste
rock dump, heap leach facilities, mine office/warehouse, truck shop,
haul roads, ore stockpiles, access road, diversion ditches, power
transmission lines, water supply wells and pipelines, process solution
transmission pipelines and a landfill. The project area is located
within portions of Township 19 North, Range 53 East MDM, sections 2 to
11, inclusive, 14 to 18, inclusive, and 20-23 inclusive and portions of
Township 20 North, Range 53 East sections 28 and 31 to 35, inclusive.
Under the proposed action, an estimated total disturbance of 731 acres
would occur. The area described includes about 729 acres of public land
administered by the BLM, and 2 acres of private land owned by HMC.
Project access will be via an improved gravel road from Highway 50.
Current estimates call for mining 3,000-4,000 tons of ore and 30,000-
40,000 tons of waste rock per day with front end loaders and off-
highway haulage trucks.
Potentially significant and significant direct, indirect,
cumulative and residual impacts from the proposal will be analyzed in
the EIS. Significant issues to be addressed in the EIS include those
relating to air quality, cultural resources, and social and economic
values. Additional significant issues to be addressed may arise during
the scoping process. Federal, state, and local agencies and other
individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by
the BLM's decision on this plan of operation are invited to participate
in the scoping process.
Dated: July 7, 1995.
Michael C. Mitchel,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-17169 Filed 7-12-95; 8:45 am]
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