[Federal Register: September 15, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 179)]
[Notices]
[Page 53268-53269]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15se08-93]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[OR-025-1990-EX-241A; HAG8-0195]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Celatom Mine Expansion Plan of Operations From EP Minerals, LLC
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Burns District, Three Rivers
Resource Area.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 and surface management regulations at 43 CFR part 3809 and 43 CFR
part 3715 for operations authorized by the mining laws on public lands,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze potential environmental
effects resulting from proposed expansion of an existing diatomite
mine.
DATES: Scoping comments will be accepted for 45 days following
publication of this notice. The scoping comments will be used as BLM
prepares the Draft EIS. Public notice will be provided when the Draft
EIS becomes available in 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Celatom Mine Expansion EIS
Lead, Bureau of Land Management, Burns District Office, 28910, Highway
20 West, Hines, Oregon 97738; (541) 573-4400; Fax (541) 573-4411; or e-
mail (OREPCME@blm.gov). Documents pertinent to this project may be
examined at the Burns District Office west of Hines, Oregon, during
regular business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Celatom Mine is currently on Federal,
State, and private land covering approximately 450 acres. On Federal
land it is operating under a Mine Plan of Operations received by Burns
District BLM in 1984 that was approved by BLM after completion of an
Environmental Assessment in 1985. Proposed expansion of the Celatom
Mine and changes in mining methods require additional environmental
analysis. The existing disturbance, coupled with proposed mine
expansion and areas proposed for exploratory drilling, encompasses
8,115 acres of public land managed by BLM, 1,280 acres of state
[[Page 53269]]
land, 1,640 acres of private land, and 1,600 acres of private surface
estate with Federal mineral estate patented under the Stock Raising
Homestead Act. The mine area is located almost entirely in Three Rivers
Resource Area of Burns District BLM with 35 acres in Vale District BLM.
An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the EIS in
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns
identified through the scoping process. Disciplines involved in the
planning process will include (but not be limited to) those with
expertise in air quality, American Indian traditional practices,
biological soil crusts, cultural heritage, fire management, fisheries,
grazing management, migratory birds, minerals, noxious weeds,
recreation, soils, transportation/roads, vegetation, visual resources,
water quality, riparian zones, wildlife, and wilderness
characteristics.
Public Participation
Cooperating agencies having specific expertise or interests in the
project are invited to participate. The public and interest groups will
have every opportunity to participate during formal comment periods. In
addition, public meetings will be held during the public comment period
for the Draft EIS. Public meetings will be held in Burns, Oregon, and
Vale, Oregon, plus other communities if the interest warrants. Early
participation is encouraged and will help determine the future
management of the Celatom Mine. Meetings and comment deadlines will be
announced through the local news media and the Burns BLM Web site
(http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns). Written comments will be
accepted throughout the planning process at the address above. Before
including your address, phone number, e-mail 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.
Background Information
The Celatom Mine currently consists of three open pit mines located
within four miles of each other in Harney and Malheur Counties, Oregon.
One mine is on land managed by BLM's Burns District; another mine is on
land managed by the State of Oregon, and the third mine is on private
land. EP Minerals excavates diatomaceous earth during the summer,
stockpiles ore and waste rock in the vicinity of each mine, and hauls
the ore approximately 60 miles year-round to their mill located on
private land west of Vale, Oregon. Some ore is stockpiled at a site on
land administered by BLM in the vicinity of the mill. Mill waste is
backhauled to the mine site and used in backfilling the open pits as
part of reclamation.
Brendan J. Cain,
Acting Burns District Manager.
[FR Doc. E8-21491 Filed 9-12-08; 8:45 am]
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