Notice2024-05719
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Grassy Mountain Mine Project, Malheur County, Oregon
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Published
March 18, 2024
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vale District Office, Vale, Oregon, intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Calico Resources USA's (proponent) proposal to construct, operate, reclaim, and close an underground mining and precious metal milling operation known as the Grassy Mountain Mine Project. By this notice, the BLM announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 53 (Monday, March 18, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19346-19348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05719]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_OR_FRN_MO4500177683]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Grassy Mountain Mine Project, Malheur County, Oregon
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vale
District Office, Vale, Oregon, intends to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Calico Resources
USA's (proponent) proposal to construct, operate, reclaim, and close an
underground mining and precious metal milling operation known as the
Grassy Mountain Mine Project. By this notice, the BLM announces the
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the 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 April 17, 2024. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments in the Draft EIS, please ensure your
comments are received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period
or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Grassy Mountain Mine
Project by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cfada3a290a0bd90b9a390a8bdaebcbcb6a2bba18fada3a2e1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b5d7d9d8eadac7eac3d9ead2c7d4c6c6ccd8c1dbf5d7d9d89bd2dac3">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Fax: 541-473-6213.
<bullet> Mail: Vale BLM District Office, 100 Oregon Street, Vale,
OR 97918.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510</a> and at the
Vale BLM District Office, 100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Pike, Geologist; 541-473-6369,
100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#204a50494b4560424c4d0e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cea4bea7a5ab8eaca2a3e0a9a1b8">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Daniel Pike
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 Daniel Pike.
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 proponent requests BLM approval to
construct, operate, reclaim, and close an underground mining and
precious metal milling operation, including associated structures and
facilities, known as the Grassy Mountain Mine Project.
In addition to approval of the mine plan of operations, the
proponent also seeks BLM's concurrence for occupancy incident to the
mining operations and a right-of-way (ROW) grant, parallel to the
access road, for a transmission line to provide electricity for
facilities and operations at the mine.
Purpose and Need for Federal Action
The BLM is responsible for administering mineral rights access on
certain federal lands as authorized by the General Mining Law of 1872.
Under the law, qualified prospectors are entitled to reasonable access
to mineral deposits on public domain lands that have not been withdrawn
from mineral entry. To use public lands managed by the BLM for
locatable mineral exploration and development, persons must comply with
FLPMA and the BLM's implementing regulations governing surface
management, occupancy, and, where appropriate, ROW grants across public
lands, at title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), parts
3809, 3715, and 2800, respectively, as well as other applicable
statutes and regulations. The purpose of this Federal action is to
analyze the environmental effects associated with approving, denying,
or conditionally approving the proposed action. The need for Federal
action is established by the BLM's responsibilities under FLPMA and its
implementing regulations to respond to the proponent's request for
approval of a plan of operations for the proponent to exercise its
rights under the General Mining Law of 1872, as well as the proponent's
related proposal to occupy BLM-administered lands more than the 14
calendar days within a 90-day period
[[Page 19347]]
at a single location (43 CFR subpart 3715) and its application for a
transmission line ROW across BLM-administered public lands.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proponent's proposed action is to construct, operate, reclaim,
and close an underground mining and precious metal milling operation,
including associated structures and facilities. The project would be
located in Malheur County, Oregon, approximately 22 miles south-
southwest of Vale, Oregon, in Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8, Township 22S,
Range 44E, Willamette Base & Meridian. The project would consist of a
mine and process plant area and a project access area. Access to the
mine would be along an existing road, though road improvements would
need to be made to accommodate large mining vehicles. The proponent
proposes to mine approximately 2.07 million tons of mill-grade ore and
0.27 million tons of waste rock for a mine operation of approximately 8
years. The project would result in approximately 487.9 acres of
proposed surface disturbance on 18.9 acres of private land and 469
acres of public land. The project would include the following major
components:
<bullet> One underground mine;
<bullet> One waste rock storage area;
<bullet> One carbon-in-leach processing plant;
<bullet> Three borrow pit areas;
<bullet> One tailings storage facility;
<bullet> Run-of-mine ore stockpile;
<bullet> One reclaim pond;
<bullet> A water supply well field and pipeline, associated water
delivery pipelines, and power;
<bullet> A power substation and distribution system;
<bullet> Access and haul roads;
<bullet> Ancillary facilities that include the following: haul,
secondary, and exploration roads; truck workshop; warehouse; storm
water diversions; sediment control basins; reagent and fuel storage;
storage and laydown yards; explosive magazines; freshwater storage;
monitoring wells; meteorological station; administration/security
building; borrow areas; landfill; growth media stockpiles; and solid
and hazardous waste management facilities to manage wastes; and
<bullet> Reclamation and closure, including the development of an
evaporation cell for potential long-term discharge from the tailings
storage facility.
The main access area is in portions of Section 5, T22S, R44E;
Sections 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 32, T21S, R44E;
Sections 1, 12, 13, 14, 23, 26, 27, and 34, T20S, R44E; Sections 6 and
7, T20S, R45E; and Sections 22, 23, 26, 35, and 36, T19S, R44E. The
access road and its analysis corridor cover 876 acres. In addition to
approval of the mine plan of operations, the proponent also seeks BLM's
concurrence for occupancy incident to the mining operations and a ROW
grant, parallel to the access road, for a transmission line to provide
electricity for facilities and operations at the mine.
At present, there are two alternatives that will be considered.
Under the No Action alternative, the BLM would disapprove the plan of
operations, issue a determination of non-concurrence for occupancy, and
deny the application for a ROW grant for a transmission line. The
proponent, with permits from the Oregon Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries, could conduct mining operations on their privately
held parcels of land. The facilities that they propose building on BLM-
administered lands would not be constructed, and current land use would
continue, including grazing and notice level work by the proponent on
BLM-administered land where it has valid mining claims. This notice
level work would be limited to five acres of ground disturbance, and
the proponent would be required to reclaim these acres once the notice
level activity is completed.
The action, as proposed by the proponent, will be considered in the
EIS. If the proposed action would cause unnecessary or undue
degradation, the BLM will consider an alternative with mitigation
measures necessary to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation. Other
alternatives may be identified after scoping has been completed and the
alternatives/issues meeting with the interdisciplinary team takes
place. The proponent has prepared an alternatives analysis for the
state agencies, which has been provided to the BLM. The BLM welcomes
comments on these preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for
additional alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Anticipated impacts from the proposed project include up to 487.9
acres of proposed surface disturbance on 18.9 acres of private land and
469 acres of public land for development of the major components
described above. Potential impacts may include vegetation removal;
recreation and access changes; wildlife impacts including habitat loss;
impacts to cultural resources and other impacts of concern to Native
Americans; and socioeconomic impacts. Known resources to be addressed
in the analysis include, but are not limited to, water quality and
quantity; Native American religious concerns; environmental justice;
socioeconomics; mining and minerals; recreation; grazing/rangelands;
cultural resources; wildlife; soils; and invasive species. Impact
analysis will also consider the cumulative impacts to natural and
cultural resources from reasonably foreseeable future projects in the
area.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public
participation consistent with the NEPA process, including a 45-day
comment period on the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be
available for public review in February 2025, and the Final EIS is
anticipated to be released in August 2025 with a Record of Decision in
November 2025.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
If approved, the BLM would authorize the ground disturbance and
occupancy as proposed in the plan of operations, as well as determine a
financial guarantee to account for reclamation responsibilities. Other
Federal, State, and local authorizations will be required for the
project. These could include authorizations under the Clean Water Act,
14 CFR part 77, and other State laws and regulations determined to be
applicable to the project.
Public Scoping Process
The BLM will hold two public scoping meetings in the following
locations:
<bullet> Lions Club Hall, Jordan Valley, OR
<bullet> Senior Citizens Center, Vale, OR
The event to be held in Vale, OR, will be livestreamed and
participants can attend virtually. The specific dates of these scoping
meetings will be announced in advance through a news release in local
newspapers, the BLM website (see ADDRESSES), and the project's
ePlanning page (see ADDRESSES).
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM is the lead agency for this EIS. The United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Malheur County, and the Oregon
Department of Geology and Mineral Industries have accepted cooperating
agency status.
Responsible Official
As authorized by the BLM Manual 1203--Delegation of Authority, the
Vale District Manager is delegated the authority to make the final
decision on the EIS for a mining plan of operations,
[[Page 19348]]
occupancy determination, and ROW grant.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Authorized Officer will consider alternatives analyzed through
the NEPA process, including an alternative to not authorize the project
and the proponent's proposed mine plan of operations. The Authorized
Officer will select an alternative and consider whether that action
will be authorized, what mitigation to avoid or reduce resource effects
will be necessary, and whether an amendment to the existing
Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan (2002, as amended) will be
necessary. If an amendment is necessary, the BLM would propose a plan
amendment concurrently with the final decision on the project.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address
reasonably foreseeable effects to resources from the Proposed Action
and all analyzed reasonable alternatives, and in accordance with 40 CFR
1502.14(e), including appropriate mitigation measures not already
included in the proposed action. Mitigation may include avoidance,
minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over time, and
compensation, and may be considered at multiple scales, including the
landscape scale.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA process to help
support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including
public involvement requirements. The information about historic and
cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the
area potentially affected by the proposed action will assist the BLM in
identifying, evaluating, and where appropriate, mitigating effects to
such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual
Section 1780, and other departmental policies. Tribal concerns,
including effects on Indian trust assets and potential effects to
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, state,
and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the proposed
action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate in the
scoping process, and if eligible, may request or be requested by the
BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as
a cooperating agency.
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 1501.9).
Shane DeForest,
Vale District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2024-05719 Filed 3-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-24-P
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