[Federal Register: August 22, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 164)]
[Notices]
[Page 49699-49700]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22au08-96]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NV-010-1990-GN; 08-08807; TAS: 14X1109]
Notice of Availability of Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Betze Pit Expansion Project, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Elko District Office has prepared a Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) to expand the Betze Pit at an
open pit gold mine in Nevada; and by this Notice is announcing the
opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Betze Pit Expansion Project DSEIS within 45
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes
the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will
announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media
news releases and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
--E-mail: eiscommentselko@nv.blm.gov.
--Fax: (775) 753-0255.
--Mail: Attention Kirk Laird, Project Manager, BLM Elko District
Office, 3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801.
Copies of the Betze Pit Expansion Project DSEIS are available in
the BLM Elko District Office, at the above address and on the internet
site at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have
your name added to the mailing list, contact Kirk Laird, Project
Manager, BLM Elko District Office, 3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV
89801 (775) 753-0200, or e-mail to: Kirk_Laird@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Betze Pit Expansion Project DSEIS is an
amendment to the Betze Project Plan of Operations for an ongoing open
pit mine on the Carlin Trend in Eureka and Elko counties, Nevada. The
Preferred Alternative of the DSEIS includes the Proposed Action of
expanding the existing open pit and constructing a new waste rock and
tailings facility. Current mining operations at the Betze Project are
expected to end in 2011, with processing operations ending in 2020. The
Proposed Action in the Preferred Alternative of the Betze Pit Expansion
Project DSEIS would extend mining for 4 years and processing for 5
years. BLM's preferred alternative would also maximize mule deer
corridor access in the vicinity of the Clydesdale Waste Rock Facility.
Other alternatives include the No-Action Alternative continuing mining
as currently approved without approving the expansion and a third
Alternative denying the construction of the new Clydesdale Waste Rock
Facility in favor of continued expansion of the existing Bazza Waste
Rock Facility. A cumulative impacts study and supplemental EIS
completed in 2000 and 2002 addressed groundwater pumping/dewatering
issues for the Betze Pit, and pumping will continue whether or not
expansion is approved. Major issues are impacts of current and proposed
operations on mule deer migration routes, potential changes to the
post-mining pit lake chemistry, air quality including increased
greenhouse gas and mercury emissions/deposition, and sustaining
benefits of mining on the local economy.
Please note that public comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of respondents
will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address
during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through
Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
[[Page 49700]]
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.
Tom Warren,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. E8-19396 Filed 8-21-08; 8:45 am]
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