Proposed Sand and Gravel Mining Operation in Soledad Canyon, Los Angeles County, CA

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-066-96-1300-00; CACA-20139 and CACA-22901]

Proposed Sand and Gravel Mining Operation in Soledad Canyon, Los

Angeles County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, Palm

Springs-South Coast Resource Area, Desert District, California.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement--

Second Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969 and 40 CFR 1508.22, notice is hereby given that the

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for the Transit Mixed Concrete (TMC) Surface Mining

Project (Project) proposed for construction and operation in Soledad

Canyon, Los Angeles County, California. TMC acquired the rights to

develop the Project through a competitive bid process. The BLM granted

the mineral material contract to TMC in March 1990. The BLM complied

with NEPA for the sale of sand and gravel for the Project site by

preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) and issuing a Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) in 1989.

The Project plans to mine a total of 83 million tons of materials

and sell approximately 56 million tons of sand and gravel, also known

as Portland cement concrete sand and gravel (PCC aggregates), over a

20-year period to fulfill contracts entered into with the BLM.

The Project includes plans to operate a concrete batch plant to

produce and deliver ready-mixed concrete to the local market. All

proposed mining and operations will be located north of Soledad Canyon

Road and the Santa Clara River. The 500-acre site represents one of the

westernmost reserves for PCC aggregate production in the Saugus-Newhall

Production-Consumption Region that is located outside the floodplain of

the Santa Clara River or a tributary wash.

The general mining plan is to mine on the south side of the ridge

through a series of four excavation cuts. Each cut will progress from a

higher elevation and proceed downslope. Fill areas for excess natural

fines will be established on both the south and north sides of the

ridge. Reclamation will be concurrent with mining operations and

measures have been incorporated into Project design to minimize

erosion, provide watershed control, and protect water quality in the

Santa Clara River. A full range of alternatives to the proposed action

will be considered in the EIS.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Project site is on ``split-estate''

lands where the surface is privately owned and the minerals are

federally owned and administered by the BLM. The project is subject to

approval of a Surface Mining Permit and environmental analysis in

accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The

County of Los Angeles is the Lead Agency for preparation of an

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which will be prepared separate from

the EIS.

Comments from members of the public are being requested to help

identify significant issues or concerns related to the proposed action

to determine the scope of the issues and alternatives that need to be

analyzed, and to identify and eliminate from detailed study the issues

that are not significant. All comments recommending that the EIS

address specific environmental issues should contain supporting

documentation and rationale.

A Notice of Intent announcing BLM's intent to prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed project, was previously

published in the Federal Register October 16, 1995. The public comment

period closed November 15, 1995. Per public request,

[[Page 62474]]

the comment period for the Notice of Intent has been extended another

30-days. Comments submitted during the previous public comment period

will be considered.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted no later than January 5, 1996

to the following address: Ms. Julia Dougan, Area Manager, Bureau of

Land Management, Palm Springs--South Coast Resource Area Office, P.O.

Box 2000, North Palm Springs, California, 92258-2000.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Patty Cook, BLM, Palm Springs--

South Coast Resource Area, P.O. Box 2000, North Palm Springs, CA 92258-

2000, telephone 619-251-4853.

Dated: November 29, 1995.

Julia Dougan,

Area Manager.

[FR Doc. 95-29662 Filed 12-5-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-40-P