Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Ruby Hill Mining Plan of Operation

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.

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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]

BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P