Notice of Availability for the Round Mountain Mill and Tailings Facility Final Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-060-1990-01]

Notice of Availability for the Round Mountain Mill and Tailings

Facility Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability for the Round Mountain Mill and Tailings

Facility final environmental impact statement (EIS), for the Smoky

Valley Common Operation, Nye County, Nevada.

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

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 and made available a Final

EIS on the proposed Round Mountain Mill and Tailings Facility.

DATES: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will publish a Notice

of Availability for this project in the Federal Register on February

16, 1996. That publication begins the official 30-day availability

period for a Final EIS as required by 40 CFR 1506.10.

ADDRESSES: Correspondence may be addressed to: Bureau of Land

Management, Battle Mountain District, Post Office Box 1420, Battle

Mountain, Nevada 89820, Attn.: Christopher J. Stubbs, Round Mountain

EIS Project Manager. A limited number of copies of the Final EIS may be

obtained at the same address or by calling Christopher J. Stubbs at

(702) 635-4000. In addition, the Final EIS and supporting documentation

are available for review at the following locations: BLM, Battle

Mountain District Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada; BLM, Nevada State

Office, Reno, Nevada; and the Getchell Library, University of Nevada,

Reno, Nevada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher J. Stubbs, Round Mountain

EIS Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Post Office Box 1420,

Battle Mountain, Nevada 89820, (702) 635-4000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Smoky Valley Common Operation has

submitted a Plan of Operations Amendment for the construction,

operation, and reclamation of a mill and tailings facility at the Round

Mountain Mine. The mine currently consists of 4,767 acres of surface

disturbance: 3,659 acres of land administered by the BLM, 515 acres of

land administered by the Toiyabe National Forest, and 593 acres

[[Page 5568]]

of patented land owned by the Smoky Valley Common Operation. The

proposed facilities would comprise an expansion of the existing

operation at the Round Mountain Mine to improve the recovery of gold

from ore that is being mined from the existing open pit. Ancillary

facilities would include a new primary crusher; a power line; fresh

water, reclaim water, and tailings pipelines; and a septic system. The

proposed facilities would be located on approximately 757 acres of

public land administered by the BLM, Battle Mountain District Office,

Tonopah Resource Area. Construction is scheduled to begin in 1996;

operation of the mill and tailings facility would begin in 1997 and

continue until 2008.

This full-text Final EIS analyzes the environmental impacts

associated with the proposed mill and tailings facility and ancillary

facilities, a range management alternative, an alternative tailings

impoundment site, and the no action alternative. In addition, the Final

EIS analyzes potential impacts associated with pit dewatering and pit

water quality, and the leach offload piles. Issues analyzed in the

Final EIS include geology and minerals, water resources, soils and

watershed, vegetation, wildlife and fisheries, range resources,

paleontological resources, cultural resources and Native American

traditional and religious values, air quality, access and land use,

recreation and wilderness, social and economic values, visual

resources, noise, and hazardous materials.

Public participation has occurred throughout the EIS process. A

Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal

Register in August 1993, and an open scoping period was held for 120

days. Two public scoping meetings to solicit comments and ideas were

held in November 1993, and a newsletter was issued to keep the public

informed of the progress of the EIS. A Notice of Availability for the

Draft EIS was published in the Federal Register in September 1995. The

Draft EIS was issued to the public and agencies in September 1995, and

comments on the document were accepted during a 60-day comment period.

Comments were also accepted during two public comment meetings on the

Draft EIS, held in October 1995.

The Final EIS contains in its entirety the analyses originally

published in the Draft EIS as well as responses to public comments

received during the public comment period. The comments received

include 15 letters and 2 public meeting transcripts, which are

reproduced in the Final EIS. These comments have been responded to by

clarifying or updating the analyses, making factual revisions, or

explaining why a comment does not warrant further response.

Comments on the Final EIS, if any, will be reviewed to determine if

they have merit (i.e., if they identify significant issues not

previously addressed or introduce new significant information). If so,

the official responsible for preparing the EIS will determine whether

additional analysis is warranted. If not, a Record of Decision will be

issued following the 30-day availability period for this Final EIS.

A copy of the Final EIS will be sent to all individuals, agencies,

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

regulation or policy.

Dated: February 5, 1996.

Thomas H. Jury,

Acting District Manager.

[FR Doc. 96-3091 Filed 2-12-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P