Mesquite Regional Class III Landfill; Notice of Availability

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-060-04-5440-10-B026]

Mesquite Regional Class III Landfill; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a joint Final Environmental Impact

Statement and Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) has been prepared

by

[[Page 36302]]

the Bureau of Land Management and the County of Imperial for the

proposed Mesquite Regional Class III Landfill. The proposed federal

action analyzes the environmental effects of a land exchange for

approximately 1,750 acres, rights of way for a railroad spur and a gas

pipeline plus an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area

Plan.

The Draft EIS/EIR was released on April 8, 1994, with a 90 day

public review period. Two public hearings were held during the public

comment period to receive verbal testimony regarding the Draft

document's adequacy or accuracy. The first hearing was held at 7 p.m.

PDT, Wednesday, May 25, 1994, at the El Centro Community Center, 375

South First Street, El Centro, California 92243. The second hearing was

held at 7 p.m. PDT, Thursday, May 26, 1994, at the Desert Expo Center,

Fine Arts Building, 46-350 Arabia Street, Indio, California 92201.

Written comments were accepted through July 6, 1994. Responses to all

public comments and statements given at the various public hearings are

included as part of the Final EIS/EIR. Public comments were considered

during preparation of the Final EIS/EIR.

DATES: For Public Comments: A 30-day public review period has been

established for this document. Written comments concerning the adequacy

or accuracy of the Final EIS/EIR must be filed no later than August 14,

1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments must be filed no later than August 14,

1995, and should be addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, 1661 South

4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Zale, Multi-Resources Staff

Chief, Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Resource Area, 1661 South

4th Street, El Centro, California, 92243.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Gold Fields Mining Co. (Gold Fields),

Western Waste Industries, and S.P. Environmental Systems have formed a

(Partnership) that would own and develop the proposed landfill located

contiguous to the site of the currently operating Mesquite Gold Mine

and Ore Processing Facility (Mesquite Mine) in eastern Imperial County.

The proposed project would include the unloading and loading of

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) residue containers, placement of MSW into

the landfill, rail and equipment maintenance, landfill gas recovery and

destruction by flaring or utilization of energy recovery techniques,

leachate collection and processing and waste water treatment. Temporary

storage of recyclable materials from originating transportation

operations (in accordance with AB939) would also be provided.

The proposed project would involve 4,250 acres, of which 2,290

acres would be utilized for the landfill footprint and ancillary

facilities. The proposed landfill is designed to accommodate up to 600

million tons of MSW residue and would have an operational life of 100

years. MSW would be collected from population centers in Southern

California, including Imperial County, by local collection vehicles and

taken to existing or future transfer stations/material recovery

facilities (MRFs) where it would be sorted and processed to remove

recyclables, hazardous materials, and other unacceptable wastes in

accordance with AB939. From these locations, MSW residue would be

transferred to railroad loading intermodals where it would be loaded

for rail haulage to the Mesquite Regional Landfill project site. Truck

transfer of Imperial County MSW residue could also occur (based on

future decisions made by local officials) after processing at local

transfer stations/MRFs. The estimated rate of growth of daily MSW

volumes would be 4,000 tons per day (tpd) for Year 1 of operations,

increasing up to 20,000 tpd after Year 7. The estimated daily number of

trains that would be required would be one train during Year 1 (4,000

tpd), increasing to 5 trains after Year 7 (20,000 tpd). The proposed

maximum daily volume of MSW residue would be 20,000 tons per day

averaged over a two week, 12 day period. The actual rate of growth and

operational life of the landfill will depend upon market conditions for

MSW disposal in communities that choose to use the regional landfill.

In addition to the No Action Alternative, four alternatives to the

proposed action are considered in the Final EIS/EIR and include:

Smaller Landfill Footprint (Alternative I); Decreased Disposal Rate

(Alternative II); Alternative Mesquite Regional Landfill Site

(Alternative III); and Larger Project (increased maximum disposal rate

and larger landfill footprint) (Alternative IV). The Final EIS/EIR

analyzes the effects of the proposed action and alternatives on such

environmental issues including but not limited to: air quality, social

and economic impacts, ground and surface water quality, endangered and

other special status plants and animals, cultural or historical and

visual resources.

Dated: June 23, 1995.

G. Ben Koski,

Area Manager.

[FR Doc. 95-16778 Filed 7-13-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-40-P