Notice2022-13776
Superior National Forest; Minnesota; Rainy River Withdrawal Environmental Assessment
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 28, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, has prepared an environmental assessment to support its application for a 20-year withdrawal of the Rainy River watershed from disposition of Federally owned minerals under United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws. The intent of the requested withdrawal is to protect and preserve natural and cultural resources in the Rainy River watershed, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Mining Protection Area (MPA), and the 1854 Ceded Territory, from the known and potential adverse environmental impacts arising from exploration and development of Federally owned minerals. This notice is to inform the public that the Superior National Forest is initiating a 30-day period in which individuals or entities may submit comments relevant to the environmental assessment.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 123 (Tuesday, June 28, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38372-38373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13776]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Superior National Forest; Minnesota; Rainy River Withdrawal
Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of opportunity to comment on environmental assessment
for the Rainy River Withdrawal Application.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, has
prepared an environmental assessment to support its application for a
20-year withdrawal of the Rainy River watershed from disposition of
Federally owned minerals under United States mineral and geothermal
leasing laws. The intent of the requested withdrawal is to protect and
preserve natural and cultural resources in the Rainy River watershed,
including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Mining
Protection Area (MPA), and the 1854 Ceded Territory, from the known and
potential adverse environmental impacts arising from exploration and
development of Federally owned minerals. This notice is to inform the
public that the Superior National Forest is initiating a 30-day period
in which individuals or entities may submit comments relevant to the
environmental assessment.
DATES: Comments concerning the environmental assessment must be
received by July 28, 2022.
ADDRESSES: The environmental assessment and supporting documents are
available on the project web page at <a href="http://go.usa.gov/xtaCw">http://go.usa.gov/xtaCw</a>.
Electronic comments are preferred through the project website at
<a href="https://go.usa.gov/xuH43">https://go.usa.gov/xuH43</a>. Comments may also be sent electronically to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d9bab6b4b4bcb7adaaf4bcb8aaadbcabb7f4aaaca9bcabb0b6ab99acaabdb8f7beb6af"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c3a0acaeaea6adb7b0eea6a2b0b7a6b1adeeb0b6b3a6b1aaacb183b6b0a7a2eda4acb5">[email protected]</span></a>. Written comments may be sent to
Forest Headquarters, 8901 Grand Avenue Place, Duluth, MN 55808.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Judd, Minerals Project Manager,
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#462b2732322e2331682c332222063335222768212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c7aaa6b3b3afa2b0e9adb2a3a387b2b4a3a6e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a> or 218-626-4300. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf and hard of hearing (TDD) may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day,
every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the requested withdrawal is to protect and preserve
natural and cultural resources in the Rainy River watershed, including
the BWCAW, MPA, and the 1854 Ceded Territory, from the known and
potential adverse environmental impacts arising from exploration and
development of Federally owned minerals. The withdrawal is needed
because the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have
seen and can reasonably anticipate increasing interest within the
private sector for developing the copper-nickel ore minerals in the
Duluth Complex that may adversely impact the Rainy River watershed.
Proposed Action
The Secretary of the Interior would issue a public land order, and
approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in the
Rainy River watershed would be withdrawn from disposition under the
United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws for
[[Page 38373]]
a 20-year term, subject to valid existing rights. The withdrawal would
restrict the BLM from processing or issuing new hardrock prospecting
permits and mineral leases on National Forest System lands in the
withdrawal boundary. However, the withdrawal would not prohibit ongoing
or future exploration or mining extraction operations on valid existing
rights, as determined by the BLM.
The withdrawal would not prohibit activities on non-federal
(surface and mineral) ownerships. State, county, and private mineral
interests could continue to exercise their ownership rights. However,
if fee simple title of these lands and minerals were acquired by the
United States during the withdrawal period, through means such as
purchase or exchange to be managed by the Forest Service, such
acquisitions would be subject to the withdrawal. Partial federal
mineral interests, where the Federal government owns less than 100
percent of the mineral estate, would also not be affected by the
withdrawal. No other management changes would be made affecting access
to private inholdings, federal mineral material operations (sand,
gravel, and dimension stone), or management of other forest resources
such as timber, wildlife, and recreation.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service is the lead agency for preparing the
environmental assessment. The BLM is a cooperating agency for the NEPA
analysis (40 CFR 1508.1(e)). The BLM will independently evaluate and
review the analysis and any other documents needed for the Secretary of
the Interior to make a decision on the requested withdrawal.
Responsible Official
The Secretary of the Interior is the decision-maker for the
requested withdrawal.
How To Comment
Comments may be submitted in electronic (preferred) or hard-copy
form to the website or addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section of
this notice. It is important that reviewers provide their comments at
such times and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's
preparation of the environmental assessment. Therefore, comments should
be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
The proposed withdrawal is not subject to Forest Service objection
procedures at 36 CFR 218 because the decision to be made is by the
Secretary of the Interior.
Dated: June 8, 2022.
Debbie Hollen,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2022-13776 Filed 6-27-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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