Notice2024-07423
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed North Bullfrog Mine Project, Nye County, Nevada
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Published
April 9, 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) Tonopah Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Corvus Gold Nevada, Inc.'s (Corvus) North Bullfrog Mine Project (Project) in Nye County, Nevada. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues and alternatives; it also serves to initiate public consultation, as required, under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24854-24857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07423]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO4500177954]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed North Bullfrog Mine Project, Nye County, Nevada
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)
Tonopah Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of Corvus
Gold Nevada, Inc.'s (Corvus) North Bullfrog Mine Project (Project) in
Nye County, Nevada. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping
process to solicit public comments and identify issues and
alternatives; it also serves to initiate public consultation, as
required, under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
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, no later than 30 days after the date of
publication in the Federal Register. 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. In-person public
scoping meetings will be held during the public scoping period, the
dates of which are to be determined.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the North Bullfrog Mine
Project by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2031869/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2031869/510</a>
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7b19171624150d2419161f14240b5d1e1824151e0b1a3b191716551c140d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="71131d1c2e1f072e131c151e2e015714122e1f14011031131d1c5f161e07">[email protected]</span></a>
<bullet> Fax: (775) 635-4034
<bullet> Mail: BLM Battle Mountain District Office, Attn: North
Bullfrog Mine Project, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2031869/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2031869/510</a> and at
the Tonopah Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene Gilseth, Project Manager,
telephone: (775) 635-4020; address: BLM Battle Mountain District
Office, Attn: North Bullfrog Mine Project, 50 Bastian Road, Battle
Mountain, NV 89820; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#701517191c0315041830121c1d5e171f06"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0461636d687761706c446668692a636b72">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Mr. Gilseth 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 Mr. Gilseth.
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: Based on the submitted proposed plan of
operations (Plan), Corvus is proposing to construct, operate, close,
and reclaim a new surface mine at the northern end of the Bullfrog
Hills, south of Sarcobatus Flat, in Nye County, Nevada, approximately
nine miles north of the Town of Beatty.
The proposed North Bullfrog Mine Plan boundary would encompass
6,298 acres, including approximately 5,402 acres of public lands and
896 acres of private land. The total disturbance associated with the
proposed action would be 3,518.4 acres, including 3,436.4 acres of new
surface disturbance and 82 acres of existing exploration disturbance.
Of the new surface disturbance, approximately 3,077.2 acres would occur
on BLM-administered public lands, and 359.2 acres would occur on
private lands. Of the existing exploration surface
[[Page 24855]]
disturbance, 61.2 acres is on BLM-administered public lands, and 20.8
acres is on private lands. The proposed surface mining activities for
the North Bullfrog Mine would include:
<bullet> Three open pits: the Sierra Blanca Open Pit (which would
include the Sierra Blanca pit area, Yellow Jacket pit area, and Savage
Valley pit area); the Jolly Jane Open Pit; and the Mayflower Open Pit;
<bullet> Four overburden storage areas (OSAs);
<bullet> An ore crushing and conveying system;
<bullet> A gravity mill circuit with cyanide tank leaching;
<bullet> Carbon-in-columns;
<bullet> Ore stockpiles;
<bullet> Growth media stockpiles;
<bullet> A power sub-station, solar field (located within the yard
area), and associated distribution system;
<bullet> A heap leach facility (HLF) including the heap leach pad
(HLP) with solution channels, associated process solution tanks, and
ponds;
<bullet> A water supply well field and open pit dewatering system
(wells, pipelines, and pipeline corridor);
<bullet> Stormwater diversion channels and stormwater sediment
basins;
<bullet> An adsorption desorption and recovery plan, refinery, and
an assay laboratory;
<bullet> Access and haul roads;
<bullet> Ancillary facilities including a septic and potable water
supply system, and associated maintenance area; reagent and fuel
storage; stormwater controls; parking areas; lighting; growth media
stockpile; water truck refill stations; emergency helipads; fencing;
communication trailers; storage and laydown yards; a meteorological
station; a warehouse; a truck maintenance shop; a truck wash; offices;
a metallurgical laboratory; change/lunch facilities; an administration/
security building; and solid and hazardous waste management facilities;
<bullet> Continued surface exploration; and
<bullet> Reclamation and closure, including the development of
evapotranspiration cells.
The Project would contract a short-term maximum of 530 employees
during the 12- to 18-month construction period, and approximately 230
employees during active mining and processing.
As proposed, the project would operate 24 hours per day, 365 days
per year. The total life of the project would be up to 20 years,
including 1 year of pre-mining and construction, 12 years of mining, 2
to 3 additional years of active gold recovery on the HLP, mine
reclamation activities, and 3 to 4 additional years of heap rinsing,
reclamation, and closure activities. Reclamation of disturbed areas
resulting from mining operations would be completed in accordance with
BLM and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection regulations.
Concurrent reclamation would take place where practicable and safe.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The BLM's purpose is to respond to Corvus's proposal as described
in the Plan and to analyze the environmental effects associated with
the proposed action and alternatives. NEPA mandates that the BLM
evaluate the effects of the proposed action and develop alternatives.
The need for action is established by the BLM's responsibilities,
under section 302 of FLPMA and the BLM Surface Management Regulations
at 43 CFR 3809, to respond to a Plan submitted by an applicant to
exercise their rights under the General Mining Law of 1872, and to
prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands as a result of
the actions taken to prospect, explore, assess, develop, and process
locatable minerals resources on public lands.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proposed action consists of the Plan as submitted by Corvus.
Additional alternatives to be considered at this time include the No
Action Alternative and a Revised Mill Location Alternative.
Under the No Action Alternative, the development of the North
Bullfrog Mine Project would not be authorized, and Corvus would not
construct, operate, and close a new surface mine. Existing exploration
activities would continue per previous authorizations.
The Revised Mill Location Alternative would include consolidation
of processing facilities to a central location, a revised HLF design
requiring only one single process pond, and elimination of the need for
a large hillside cut for the proposed run-of-mine (ROM) stockpile,
resulting in reduced air emissions by eliminating the mining activity
required to build the ROM stockpile and reducing travel distance to the
mill site. Additionally, the footprint of the Jolly Jane OSA would be
reduced by 22.8 acres due to a proposed redesign for avoidance of
cultural resources. Overall, surface disturbance under this alternative
would be 130 acres less than the proposed action.
The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary options as well as
suggestions for additional alternatives to be considered.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Primary impacts from the North Bullfrog Mine Project that will be
analyzed in the EIS include potential impacts to cultural resources and
Native American traditional values; wildlife resources, including
threatened and endangered and special status species; aesthetics
(visual and noise); air quality, including climate change and
greenhouse gases; water resources (surface and groundwater); traffic
generation; livestock grazing; and vegetation and soil resources. A
summary of potential impacts include:
<bullet> Cultural Resources and Native American Traditional Values:
There are 34 historic properties that may potentially be affected by
the proposed action within the physical and/or vibrational, auditory,
and visual areas of potential effects. There are an additional eight
sites that are currently identified as unevaluated that may be affected
by the Project. Of these 42 cultural resources, it was determined that
22 currently unevaluated or National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP)-eligible and the NRHP-eligible Wild Burro Archaeological
District would be adversely impacted from physical, vibrational, and/or
visual effects resulting from the Project.
<bullet> Water Resources (Surface and Groundwater): The Project
involves groundwater pumping to allow mining below the water table at
the Sierra Blanca and Jolly Jane Open Pits. No dewatering requirements
are anticipated at the Mayflower Open Pit. Dewatering operations would
result in a lowering of the local groundwater table, with estimated
recovery of the groundwater table to pre-mining conditions being
approximately 85 to 200 years from the end of pit dewatering, depending
on the location of the drawdown. Mining in the Mayflower Pit would
occur entirely above the natural water table and as a result a pit lake
is not expected to form at closure. The Sierra Blanca Pit and Jolly
Jane Pit would be backfilled up to approximately 3,970 feet above mean
sea level to eliminate the formation of a pit lake. Potential impacts
to seep, spring, and stream flow may occur within the maximum extent of
the 10-foot drawdown from proposed dewatering operations if the source
of the water is connected to the regional aquifer feeding these surface
water features. A monitoring and mitigation plan is currently being
developed to address these potential impacts. Sedimentation and erosion
may also occur due to Project-related disturbance,
[[Page 24856]]
but this would be addressed through appropriate mine design
requirements.
<bullet> Wildlife Resources: Potential impacts include habitat
modifications, habitat loss, potential impacts to water sources from
dewatering induced drawdown from the Project, fatalities as a result of
collisions with vehicles, displacement due to human activity and
disturbance, and fragmentation from impediments to movement through the
project area.
<bullet> Threatened and Endangered Species: Federally listed
species that have been documented or may be present in the project area
include the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii
extimus), yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), and the Mojave
Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). No direct impacts to the yellow-
billed cuckoo or southwest willow flycatcher would be anticipated from
the proposed action, though indirect impacts may occur from potential
dewatering induced drawdown at spring sites and riparian areas where
these species potentially occur. The proposed action is anticipated to
disturb certain vegetation communities that support Mojave Desert
tortoise, and Mojave Desert tortoise have been documented within the
Project Area. Compliance with section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
(16 United States Code 1536) will be required to address potential
impacts to the Mojave Desert tortoise.
<bullet> BLM Special Status Species: Special status species that
have been documented in the vicinity of the project area include the
Amargosa toad (Anaxyrus nelson), Oasis Valley speckled dace
(Rhinichthys osculus), Oasis Valley springsnail (Pyrgulopsis
micrococcus), brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri), loggerhead shrike
(Lanius ludovicianus), burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), ferruginous
hawk (Buteo regalis), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), pallid bat
(Antrozous pallidus), Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida
brasiliensis), California myotis (Myotis californicus), canyon bat
(Parastrellus Hesperus), fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes), desert
bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelson), desert horned lizard
(Phrynosoma platyrhinos), Great Basin collared lizard (Crotaphytus
bicinctores), and long-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia wislizenii).
Potential impacts include habitat modifications, habitat loss,
potential impacts to water sources from dewatering induced drawdown
from the Project, displacement due to human activity and disturbance,
and fragmentation from impediments to movement through the project
area. Impacts to special status aquatic species may include potential
impacts from dewatering induced drawdown at spring sites and riparian
areas where these species are known to occur. A monitoring and
mitigation plan is currently being developed to address potential
impacts to special status aquatic species.
<bullet> Aesthetics (visual and noise): Potential impacts to visual
resources include the addition of form, line, texture, and color to the
existing landscape from proposed Project features. Potential noise
impacts include an increase in noise generation in the vicinity of the
Project.
<bullet> Air Quality: Air quality modeling has determined that
impacts from the proposed action would not exceed National Ambient Air
Quality Standards for particulate matter 10 microns in diameter or less
(PM<INF>10</INF>), particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter or less
(PM<INF>2.5</INF>), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide
(NO<INF>X</INF>), and sulfur oxide (SO<INF>2</INF>). Total facility-
wide Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) are estimated to be 7.28 tons per
year (tpy), with 5.07 tpy of the highest single HAP, hydrogen cyanide.
Greenhouse gas emissions (measured in carbon dioxide equivalent
(CO<INF>2</INF>e)) from operations are estimated at a maximum of
102,692 tpy CO<INF>2</INF>e, which includes process sources, fugitive
sources, and mobile mining equipment. Potential ozone (O<INF>3</INF>)
impacts are estimated at 0.75 parts per billion (ppb), which is below
the O<INF>3</INF> Significant Impact Level of 1 ppb and therefore
considered insignificant. Mercury emissions are estimated to be 16.7
pounds per year, which would be less than 0.44 percent contribution to
the global background deposition within the two adjacent hydrographic
basins.
<bullet> Traffic: Traffic on transportation routes within the area
of analysis would potentially increase by up to 120 Annual Average
Daily Traffic (AADT) during construction, and 88 AADT during
operations. The addition of project traffic is not anticipated to lower
the level of service of the roadways and intersections, which are all
currently at an acceptable level of service. Corvus is proposing to
coordinate with the Nevada Department of Transportation to add turn
lane improvements at the intersection of Strozzi Ranch Road and US 95
to further reduce any potential impacts from heavy vehicle traffic
entering and exiting the Project.
<bullet> Livestock Grazing: The proposed action would impact forage
utilized by livestock as a result of new surface disturbance of up to
3,436.4 acres. Approximately two Animal Unit Months (268.3 acres) would
be impacted in the Razorback Allotment, South Montezuma Pasture. This
would represent less than 0.1 percent of the overall permitted use in
the allotment.
<bullet> Vegetation and Soils: The proposed action would result in
new disturbance to soil and removal of vegetation on 3,436.4 acres, in
additional to 82 acres of existing or acknowledged exploration for a
total disturbance of 3,518.4 acres.
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 Summer 2024 and the Final EIS is
anticipated to be released in Winter 2025 with a Record of Decision in
Winter 2025.
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period. The BLM will
hold two virtual public scoping meetings. The specific dates and times
of these scoping meetings will be announced in advance through local
newspaper publications and the BLM National NEPA Register Project page
at <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2031869/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2031869/510</a>.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM Tonopah Field Office is serving as the lead federal agency
for preparing the EIS. Cooperating agencies for this analysis include
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nye County, and Town of Beatty.
Responsible Official
Douglas W. Furtado, District Manager, Battle Mountain District
Office
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The BLM's decision for the North Bullfrog Mine Project will
consider the following: (1) whether to approve the proposed Project
Plan to authorize the proposed activities without modifications or
additional mitigation measures; (2) whether to approve the proposed
Project Plan with additional mitigation measures that the BLM deems
necessary to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands;
(3) whether to approve an alternative analyzed in the EIS for the North
Bullfrog Mine Project; or (4) denial of the proposed Project Plan and
associated activities.
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Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed
action and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with
40 CFR 1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already
included in the proposed action or alternatives. 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 NHPA (54
U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public
involvement requirements of section 106. Information about historic and
cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the
area potentially affected by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM MS 1780,
and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on
Indian trust assets and potential impacts 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 North Bullfrog Mine Project,
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)
Douglas W. Furtado,
District Manager, Battle Mountain District.
[FR Doc. 2024-07423 Filed 4-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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