Notice2024-30346
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for P4 Production LLC's Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine and Reclamation Plan Project, Caribou County, Idaho
Primary source
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Published
December 20, 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) announces the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for P4 Production LLC's (P4) Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine and Reclamation Plan Project (Project) in Caribou County, Idaho.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 245 (Friday, December 20, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104203-104204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30346]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[PO4820000251]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for P4 Production LLC's Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine and
Reclamation Plan Project, Caribou County, Idaho
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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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)
announces the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for P4 Production LLC's (P4) Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine and
Reclamation Plan Project (Project) in Caribou County, Idaho.
DATES: To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the
Draft EIS, please ensure that the BLM receives your comments within 45
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) of the draft EIS in the
Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
ADDRESSES: The draft EIS and associated documents are available for
review on the BLM project website at <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510</a>.
Written comments related to the Project may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
<bullet> BLM's National NEPA Register (ePlanning) at: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#43010f0e1c0a071c00222f2734262f2f1126352a3026270e11131c060a1003212f2e6d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="044648495b4d405b47656860736168685661726d7761604956545b414d57446668692a636b72">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Mail: Caldwell Canyon Revised Mine EIS, C/O Stantec
Consulting Services Inc., 2890 East Cottonwood Parkway, Suite 300, Salt
Lake City, UT 84121.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Myers, project lead, at
telephone (208) 559-3662; address 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID
83204; or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ccaea1b5a9bebf8caea0a1e2aba3ba"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="caa8a7b3afb8b98aa8a6a7e4ada5bc">[email protected]</span></a>. 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. Myers. 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:
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the EIS is to evaluate and respond to the Revised
Mine and Reclamation Plan (RMRP) submitted for the recovery of
phosphate ore contained within Federal phosphate leases IDI-02, IDI-
014080, and IDI-013738, and to modify leases, in accordance with the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended.
The need for the Project is to develop the phosphate ore resource
in accordance with established requirements (including, but not limited
to, applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, lease terms, and
land use plans) using an economically viable method, and to allow P4
the ability to exercise its right under the Mineral Leasing Act to
develop the leases.
Proposed Action
P4's application proposes mining of existing Federal phosphate
leases IDI-02, IDI-014080, and IDI-013738, and State of Idaho Mineral
Lease E07959, by constructing two open pits, partially backfilling the
inactive Dry Valley Mine South Extension Panel D pit with initial
overburden materials, constructing haul and access roads, installing
various utility lines, and constructing water management features,
monitoring wells, shop and office facilities, while implementing
environmental protection measures and reclamation.
Portions of the two open pits, the North and South Pits, would
extend beyond the existing Federal and State lease boundaries. To
accommodate those portions of the pits that extend outside the current
Federal and State leases, P4 proposes expanding their leases in
accordance with 43 CFR Subpart 3510. Operations would be conducted over
an estimated 40-year period and would occur on public lands
administered by the BLM, on National Forest System lands, on lands
administered by the Idaho Department of Lands, and on private lands.
Total disturbance for the Project would be approximately 1,832
acres, with approximately 418 acres of
[[Page 104204]]
disturbance having already occurred under previous approvals. The RMRP
includes designs to reduce environmental impacts and to reclaim
proposed disturbance. To ensure water quality requirements are met,
reclamation includes a combination of earthen and synthetic reclamation
cover systems.
Additional Alternatives
In addition to the Proposed Action, three action alternatives and
the No Action Alternative are fully analyzed in the Draft EIS. Under
Alternative 1, disturbance to public lands would be minimized by
aligning the Dry Valley Area Haul Road/Access Road/Utility Corridor to
avoid public lands and by not approving a Phosphate Use Permit
associated with the Caldwell Canyon Service Road. Alternative 2
considers and analyzes impacts associated with not issuing the Federal
lease modifications proposed by P4. Alternative 3 excludes any new
disturbance and mining-related activities within designated Greater
Sage-Grouse habitat to minimize impacts. The draft EIS identifies the
Proposed Action as the Agency Preferred Alternative.
Public Involvement Process
The BLM will hold one virtual public meeting. The specific date of
this meeting will be announced in advance through BLM's National NEPA
Register (ePlanning) website <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026858/510</a>. Information on how to register for the online
meeting will be posted on the above website.
The BLM will continue to consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175
and other policies. Agencies will give due consideration to Tribal
concerns, including impacts on Indian Trust Assets and treaty rights,
and potential impacts to cultural resources.
The purpose of public review of the Draft EIS is to provide an
opportunity for meaningful collaborative public engagement and for the
public to provide substantive comments, such as identification of
factual errors, data gaps, relevant methods, or scientific studies. The
BLM will respond to substantive comments by making appropriate
revisions to the EIS or explaining why a comment did not warrant a
change.
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, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Peter Ditton,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-30346 Filed 12-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-21-P
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