Elko District, Nevada

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-010-1990-09]

Elko District, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement

on a mining Plan of Operations for Newmont Gold Company 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 of 1969 and 43 CFR Part 3809, the Bureau of Land Management

will be directing the preparation of an EIS to be prepared by a third-

party contractor on the impacts of a proposed Plan of Operations for

gold mining by Newmont Gold Company, in Eureka County, Nevada. The

Bureau invites comments on the scope of the analysis.

EFFECTIVE DATES: A scoping meeting will be held July 9, 1997 at the

Bureau of Land Management, Elko District Office, 3900 E. Idaho, Elko

NV, to identify issues and concerns to be addressed in the EIS. The

meeting is scheduled from 6:30 pm--8:30 pm. Representatives of Newmont

Gold Company will be available to answer questions about the

[[Page 33103]]

Plan of Operations. Additional scoping meetings may be held as

appropriate. Written comments on the Plan of Operations and the scope

of the EIS will be accepted until July 18, 1997.

A draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) is expected to be

completed by the spring of 1998 and made available for public review

and comment. At that time a notice of availability of the DEIS will be

published in the Federal Register. The comment period on the DEIS will

be 60 days from the date the notice of availability is published.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scoping comments may be sent to:

District Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 3900 E. Idaho St., Elko,

NV 89801. ATTN: South Operations Area Project Amendment EIS

Coordinator. For additional information, write to the above address or

call Roger Congdon at (702) 753-0200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Newmont Gold Company of Carlin, Nevada has

submitted a Plan of Operations to expand and continue their Gold Quarry

open pit mine, located approximately six miles northwest of the town of

Carlin. The mine and associated facilities are located in portions of

Sections 22, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, and 36 of Township 34 North, Range

51 East, Sections 29, 31, and 32 of Township 34 North, Range 52 East,

Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of Township 33 North, Range 51

East, and Sections 6 and 7 of Township 33 North, Range 52 East, MDM.

Newmont developed the Gold Quarry open pit mine in 1980, when it was

known as the Maggie Creek pit. It is currently permitted through the

year 2001. The proposal is to continue operations at the Gold Quarry

mine; expand existing waste rock dumps, and continue dewatering

operations through the year 2013. Existing and approved operations have

been analyzed through the year 2001 for impacts to 2,047 acres of

public land and 5,913 acres of private land. Part of the proposed

operation would be confined to previously disturbed areas. Additional

surface disturbance is anticipated on approximately 855 acres of public

land and 465 acres of private land. The issues expected to be analyzed

in the EIS include potential impacts to ground water availability and

quality, wildlife, pit water quality, and cultural resources.

Cumulative impacts will also be addressed. In addition, the following

resources will be analyzed: recreation and wilderness, geology,

paleontology, air quality, soils, vegetation, range management, lands

and realty, visual resources, land use planning, social and economic

values, and hazardous materials. The analysis will be conducted by an

interdisciplinary team.

A range of alternatives (including but not limited to alternative

reclamation measures and the no-action alternative) will be developed

to address the issues. Mitigating measures will be considered to

minimize environmental impacts and to assure that the proposed action

does not result in undue or unnecessary degradation of public lands.

Federal, state and local agencies and other individuals or

organizations who may be interested in or affected by the Bureau's

decision on the Plan of Operations are invited to participate in the

scoping process with respect to this environmental impact statement.

These entities and individuals are also invited to submit comments on

the DEIS.

It is important that those interested in the Plan of Operations

participate in the scoping and commenting process. Comments should be

as specific as possible.

The tentative project schedule is as follows:

Begin Public Comment Period--June 1997.

Issuance of Draft Environmental Impact Statement--Spring of 1998.

File Final Environmental Impact Statement--Autumn of 1998.

Record of Decision--Autumn of 1998.

Begin Permitted Operation--Winter of 1998/1999.

The Bureau of Land Management's scoping process for the EIS will

include: (1) Identification of issues to be addressed; (2)

Identification of viable alternatives; (3) Notification of interested

groups, individuals and agencies so that additional information

concerning these issues, or other additional issues, can be obtained.

Dated: June 11, 1997.

Helen Hankins,

Elko District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97-15919 Filed 6-17-97; 8:45 am]

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