Notice of Availability for the Denton-Rawhide Mine Expansion Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Comment Period and Public Open-House

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[NV-030-1992-02]

Notice of Availability for the Denton-Rawhide Mine Expansion

Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Comment

Period and Public Open-House

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

ACTION: Notice of availability for the Denton-Rawhide mine expansion

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Mineral County, Nevada; and

notice of comment period and public open-house.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2) (C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act, 40 CFR 1500-1508, and 43 CFR 3809, notice is given that the

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared, with the assistance of a

third-party consultant, a Draft EIS on the proposed Denton-Rawhide Mine

Expansion Project, and has made copies available for public and agency

review.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS must be submitted or

postmarked to the BLM no later than January 3, 1997. Oral and/or

written comments may also be presented at a public open-house, to be

held: November 20, 1996, 4:00-6:00 p.m., Carson City District BLM

Office.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft EIS should be addressed to:

Bureau of Land Management, Carson City District Office, 1535 Hot

Springs Road, Carson City, Nevada 89706, Attn.: Terri Knutson, Denton-

Rawhide EIS Project Manager. A limited number of copies of the Draft

EIS and supporting documentation may be obtained at the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terri Knutson, Denton-Rawhide EIS

Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 1535 Hot Springs Road,

Carson City, Nevada 89706, (702) 885-6156.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Kennecott Rawhide Mining Company of Fallon,

Nevada has submitted an amended Plan of Operations for the expansion of

the existing Denton-Rawhide Mine located approximately 55 miles

southeast of Fallon, Nevada. The proposed operation would include:

development and

[[Page 56567]]

condemnation drilling necessary for development of future operations;

expansion of the open-pit and waste rock disposal area; construction of

an additional leach pad and solution ponds to accommodate processing of

Run-of-Mine ore; and the relocation of the stormwater diversion channel

beyond the limits of the active mine workings. Existing permitted

surface disturbance within the project area is 1,005 acres. The

proposal would disturb an additional 364 acres for a total of 1,369

acres of public and private land within the project area.

This Draft EIS analyzes the environmental impacts associated with

the proposed expansion of the existing Denton-Rawhide Mine, a partial

pit backfill alternative, and the no action alternative. Issues

analyzed in the Draft EIS include geology and minerals, water

resources, soils, vegetation, wildlife and fisheries, range resources,

paleontological resources, cultural resources and Native American

concerns, air quality, access and land use, recreation and wilderness,

social and economic values, visual resources, noise, and hazardous

materials.

A copy of the Draft EIS has been sent to all individuals, agencies,

and groups who have expressed interest in the project or as mandated by

regulation or policy. A limited number of copies are available upon

request from the BLM at the address listed above.

Public participation has occurred during the EIS process. A Notice

of Intent was filed in the Federal Register on January 24, 1996, and an

open scoping period was held until March 1, 1996. One public scoping

open-house to solicit comments and ideas was held on February 15, 1996.

All comments presented to the BLM throughout the EIS process have been

considered.

To assist the BLM in identifying and considering issues and

concerns on the proposed action and alternatives, comments on the Draft

EIS should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments

refer to specific pages or chapters in the document. Comments may

address the adequacy of the Draft EIS and/or the merits of the

alternatives formulated and discussed in the document. Reviewers may

wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for

Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental

Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. After the

comment period ends on the Draft EIS, comments will be analyzed and

considered by the BLM in preparing the Final EIS.

Dated: October 18, 1996.

John O. Singlaub,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 96-28021 Filed 10-31-96; 8:45 am]

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