Notice of Availability for the Olinghouse Mine Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Comment Period and Public Open-Houses

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-030-1992-02]

Notice of Availability for the Olinghouse Mine Project Draft

Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Comment Period and Public

Open-Houses

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

COOPERATING AGENCIES: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washoe County, Pyramid Lake

Paiute Tribe, Lyon County-Town of Fernley.

ACTION: Notice of availability for the Olinghouse Mine Project Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Washoe County, Nevada; and Notice

of Comment Period and Public Open-Houses.

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

Policy Act, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and 43 CFR part 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

Olinghouse Mine 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 November 14, 1997. Oral and/or

written comments may also be presented at two public open-houses, to be

held:

October 20, 1997, 5:00-8:00 p.m., Washoe Co. Commissioners Chambers--

Reno, NV

October 21, 1997 5:00-8:00 p.m., Fernley Town Complex--Fernley, NV

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

Bureau of Land Management, Carson City Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill

Road, Carson City, NV 89701, Attn.: Terri Knutson, Olinghouse Mine 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, Olinghouse Mine EIS

Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 5665 Morgan Mill Road,

Carson City, NV 89701, (702) 885-6156.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Alta Gold Company has submitted a Plan of

Operations for the development of the Olinghouse Mine located

approximately 6 miles west of Wadsworth, NV and 33 miles east of Reno,

NV. The proposed operation includes: development and condemnation

drilling necessary for development of future operations; development of

two open-pits and a waste rock disposal area; construction of a heap

leach pad and plant for ore processing; construction of a haul road and

other mine facilities. The proposal would disturb a total of 503 acres

of public and private land.

This Draft EIS analyzes the environmental impacts associated with

the proposed development of the Olinghouse Mine, an alternate access

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 June 13, 1996, and an

open scoping period was held until August 23, 1996. Two public scoping

open-houses to solicit comments and ideas were held on July 3, 1996 in

Reno, NV and August 8, 1996 in Fernley, NV. 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: August 29, 1997.

John O. Singlaub,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97-23751 Filed 9-8-97; 8:45 am]

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