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BLM LIBRARY Department of the Interior iu of Land Management Winnemucca District Office Winnemucca, Nevada August 1998 Environmental Final Impact Statement TRENTON CANYON PROJECT The Bureau ofLand Management isresponsibleforthestewardshipofourpublic lands It is committedtomanage, protect, and improvetheselands in amannertoservetheneedsoftheAmerican people for all times. Management is based upon the principles ofmultiple use and sustained yield ofour nation's resources within a framework of environmental responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife, wilderness, airand scenic, scientific and cultural values. BLM LIBRARY 50A BLDG 50, ST-1 i CENT,E;R FEDERAL DENVER BLM/WN/PL-98/018+1793 -.0.30X25047 COLORADO 80229 DENVER, United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Winnemucca Field Office 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard Winnemucca, Nevada 89445 702-623-1500 In Reply Refer To: 1793/3809 NV-020 August 1998 7, Dear Reader: This Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Newmont Gold Company's Trenton Canyon Project, prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (Bureau), Winnemucca Field Office is submitted for your review and comment. The FEIS is based on a Plan of Operations submitted to the Bureau under 43 CFR 3809. This FEIS analyzes the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts associated with the continued mining with expansion of the North Peak and Valmy deposits and commencement of mining in the Trenton deposit. The FEIS also analyzes impacts related to new haul roads, overburden disposal areas, additional heap leach facilities, widening of the primary access road, and additional ancillary facilities. The Proposed Action and the No Action alternatives are analyzed, as well as backfilling alternatives and alternative configurations for overburden disposal areas. The Plan of Operations and technical reports in support of the plan, the Draft EIS (DEIS), and FEIS are available for review at this office. Supporting materials referenced in the FEIS are also available for review at the Bureau's Nevada State Office, 850 Harvard Way, Reno, Nevada. Comments were received on the DEIS during the 60-day comment period, which ended April 14, 1998. Public meetings were held on the DEIS in Winnemucca and Battle Mountain, Nevada on March 18 and 19, 1998. This FEIS is in abbreviated format and responds to comments received on the DEIS, as well as provides additional information and corrections to the DEIS. To review the FEIS it will be necessary to refer to the DEIS. You may direct questions to Rodney Herrick, Project Manager, at the above address or phone number. Comments on this FEIS will be accepted until the close of business September 14, 1998. Written comments should be directed to Rodney Herrick, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada, 89445. A Record of Decision will be issued following the public comment period on this FEIS. Michael R. Holbert Acting Field Manager 6LM LIBRARY BLDG 50, ST-16QA DENVER FEDERAL CENTER BOX P.O. 25047 DENVER, COLORADO 80225 u v TT jff * l | FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT TRENTON CANYON PROJECT Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca Field Office Project Location: Humboldt County, Nevada Lander County, Nevada Comments on this Final EIS Should be Directed to: Rodney Herrick, EIS Project Manager Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca Field Office 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard Winnemucca, Nevada 89445 (702) 623-1500 Date Final EIS Filed with EPA: August 14, 1998 Date by Which Comments should be received by the BLM: September 14, 1998 This Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) analyzes the impacts that would occur with the implementation of Newmont Gold Company’s (Newmont) Plan ofOperations for the Trenton Canyon Project (BLM Case #N20-96-002P). The Trenton Canyon Project is composed of mining operations at three distinct deposits: North Peak (T32N, R42E, Sections 1, 11, 15), Valmy (T33N, R43E, Sections 20, 21, 29, 31, 32) and Trenton Canyon (T32N, R43E, Sections 7,18, 19 and T32N, R42E, Section 13). The portion of the Valmy and North Peak operations on private land are currently permitted and would be expanded under the proposed project. The proposed Trenton Canyon deposit mining operations would include 8 open pits; 6 overburden disposal areas; diversion channels and ancillary facilities; and improved access. The Valmy deposit would include expansion of the pit and construction of heap leach facilities. The incremental surface disturbance for modifications of permitted facilities and for new activities within the Proposed Action would be approximately 1,480 acres, including 633 acres of public land administered by the BLM. The potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed mining of the Trenton Canyon deposit and expansion of the Valmy and North Peak mining areas (Proposed Action), the No Action Alternative, the Expansion of TC-6 Alternative, the Rehandling of TC-4 and TC-5 Alternative, and the Partial Sequential Backfill Alternative are presented within this FEIS. Responsible Official for EIS: Winnemucca Acting Field Manager Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY Purpose and Need S-l Scoping and Public Involvement Process S-l Existing and Permitted Facilities S-2 Proposed Action and Alternatives S-3 Affected Environment S-6 Environmental Consequences S-9 CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1 - Agency Preferred Alternative 1-2 CHAPTER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 2 - Introduction 2-1 Public Information 2-1 Formal Public Meetings 2-1 CHAPTER 3 - MODIFICATIONS TO THE DRAFT EIS Summary 3-1 Chapter 1 - Introduction 3-1 Chapter 2 - Alternatives Including the Proposed Action 3-3 Chapter 3 - Affected Environment 3-21 Chapter 4 - Environmental Consequences 3-47 Chapter 5 - Consultation and Coordination 3-79 Chapter 6 - Preparers and Contributors 3-79 Appendix A - Methods Used to Analyze Water And Geochemistry 3-79 CHAPTER COMMENT LETTERS AND RESPONSES 4 - CHAPTER PREPARERS AND CONTRIBUTORS 5 - CHAPTER REFERENCES 6 - GLOSSARY INDEX Trenton Canyon Project FEIS l Table of Contents LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A - Reclamation Costs APPENDIX B - Nevada Division ofEnvironmental Protection Publication APPENDIX C - Proposed Reclamation Seed Species APPENDIX D - Air Quality Data APPENDIX E - Baseline Hydrology Data APPENDIX F - List ofAgencies, Organizations, and Individuals Who Were Sent Copies of this FEIS 11 Trenton Canyon Project FEIS