Notice2022-20251
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Road, Fairbanks, Alaska
Primary source
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Published
September 20, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Federal authorizations to construct and operate a 200+mile long industrial access road in the southern Brooks Range foothills of Alaska, terminating at the Ambler Mining District. By this notice BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57509-57510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20251]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLAKF00000.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWL22L0980.22X]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Ambler Mining District Industrial Access
Road, Fairbanks, Alaska
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), as amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Federal authorizations to
construct and operate a 200+mile long industrial access road in the
southern Brooks Range foothills of Alaska, terminating at the Ambler
Mining District. By this notice BLM is announcing the beginning of the
scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public-scoping process for the
Supplemental EIS. The BLM requests that the public submit comments
concerning the scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and
identification of relevant information, and studies by November 4,
2022. To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the
Draft Supplemental EIS, please
[[Page 57510]]
ensure your comments are received prior to the close of the 45-day
scoping period.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Proposed Ambler
Mining District Industrial Access Road by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/510</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3e1efeefce2e8fce2e8f0ecfce2cec1cfc6d1f1ccc2c7fce0cccecec6cdd7d0e3c1cfce8dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="df9d9392809e94809e948c90809eb2bdb3baad8db0bebb809cb0b2b2bab1abac9fbdb3b2f1b8b0a9">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Fax: (907) 271-5479.
<bullet> Mail: Ambler Road Scoping Comments, 222 West 7th Avenue,
Stop #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/510</a> and at the BLM
Alaska Public Room, Fairbanks District Office, 222 University Avenue,
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709; and at the BLM Alaska Public Information
Center, Alaska State Office, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska
99513.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wendy Huber, Planning and
Environmental Specialist, telephone 907-271-3137; address 222 W 7th
Ave. Stop #13, Anchorage, AK 99513; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#35425d40575047755759581b525a43"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a1d6c9d4c3c4d3e1c3cdcc8fc6ced7">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Ms.
Huber to have your name added to our mailing list. Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Ms. Huber. Individuals
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in
the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Ambler Mining District
Industrial Access Road was originally analyzed in the March 2020 Final
EIS and authorized in a Record of Decision (ROD) issued in July 2020.
Litigation commenced with suits from multiple parties in August and
October 2020. In February 2022, the Department of the Interior
requested the U.S. District Court for Alaska grant voluntary remand,
stating that additional legal analysis had revealed deficiencies in the
BLM's analysis of subsistence impacts under ANILCA Section 810 and
consultation with tribes pursuant to Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The Court granted that request in May
2022, returning the matter to BLM to correct the identified
deficiencies. The BLM will prepare a Supplemental EIS to help address
the identified deficiencies, and to ensure compliance with applicable
law, including NEPA, FLPMA, NHPA, and ANILCA. The BLM's Supplemental
EIS analysis will focus on more thoroughly assessing the impacts and
resources related to the identified deficiencies to facilitate
integrating its NEPA analysis with its ongoing ANILCA Section 810 and
NHPA Section 106 processes. BLM is providing this opportunity for
scoping to help determine which additional impacts and resources should
be more thoroughly assessed.
If the BLM holds any public meetings, in-person or virtual, during
this 45-day scoping period, specific date(s) and location(s) of
meetings will be announced in advance on the project page at <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/510</a>. The BLM is seeking
public comments on issues, concerns, potential impacts, alternatives,
and mitigation measures that should be considered in the analysis.
Additional opportunities for public participation, including at least a
45-day public comment period, will be provided upon publication of the
Draft Supplemental EIS.
The input of Alaska Native Tribes and Corporations is of critical
importance to this Supplemental EIS. Therefore, the BLM will continue
to consult with potentially affected Federally recognized Tribes on a
government-to-government basis, and with affected Alaska Native
Corporations in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and Public Law
108-199, Div. H, sec. 161, 118 Stat. 452, as amended by Public Law 108-
447, Div. H, sec. 518, 118 Stat. 3267, as well as other Department and
Bureau policies. The BLM will hold individual consultation meetings
upon request.
The BLM will also use and coordinate the NEPA process to help
fulfill its obligations under the National Historic Preservation Act,
including as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). New information about
historic and cultural resources within the area potentially affected by
the proposed action will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources.
It is important that commenters provide their comments at such
times and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's
preparation of the Supplemental EIS. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the commenter's concerns and contentions. Comments received
in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of
those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed
action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6)
Erika Reed,
Acting Alaska State Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-20251 Filed 9-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P
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