Selected actions for mining claim and millsite use and occupancy in Nevada : programmatic environmental assessment PDF
Preview Selected actions for mining claim and millsite use and occupancy in Nevada : programmatic environmental assessment
III BLM LIBRA(RYI III 88C CC oi DD U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEVADA STATE OFFICE Finding of No Significant Impact and Preliminary Programmatic Environmental Assessment for • • Selected Actions for Mining Claim and Millsite Use and Occupancy in Nevada March 1999 M565 1999 c. 2 MISSION STATEMENT The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for stewardship of our public lands. The BLM is committed to manage, protect and improve these lands in a manner to serve the needs of the American people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield of our nation's resources within a framework of environmental responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife habitat, wilderness, air and scenic quality, as well as scientific and cultural values. BLM LIBRARY BLDG 50, ST-150A DENVF ' "D-ERA! T R i* BOX 2504/ .\j. DENVER, COLORADO 80225 BLM/NV/PL-99/011+3844 Dear Reader: Enclosed for your review and comment is a preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and the supporting statewide Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA) for Selected Actions Taken for Mining Claim and Millsite Use and Occupancy in Nevada. This EA-level analysis has been prepared to implement the regulations at 43 CFR 3715, Use and Occupancy Under the Mining Laws, issued on July 16, 1996. The EA-level analysis sets out: • typical requests to occupy a mining claim; • procedures to analyze occupancy requests; and • standard performance measures (mitigation measures) that apply to typical occupancies. Your comments are invited on the range of alternatives considered and the adequacy of the impact analysis. Comments are most useful when they address one or more of the following: • errors in analysis; • new scientific information that would have a bearing on the analysis; • misinformation that could affect the outcome of the analysis; • requests for clarification; or • a substantive new alternative whose mix of allocations differ from those under any of the existing alternatives. The proposed action permits seven typical mining claim occupancies and establishes performance measures that provide specific guidance to operators of mining or milling operations for their occupancies. The proposed performance measures for typical mining claim or millsite occupancies can be found in Appendix 3. Please address written comments to: Bob Gibson, Geologist, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nevada 89520. To be considered in making the determinations for the final FONSI, comments must be in writing and postmarked on or before May 28, 1999. Sincerely, Robert V. Abbey State Director Enclosure . Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required by regulations at 43 CFR 3715 to give formal written concurrence to requests made to occupy mining claims and millsites on public lands where BLM administers both the mineral and surface estates. The proposed action would allow the BLM to give concurrence to seven “typical” occupancy scenarios that involve 5 acres of surface disturbance or less. BLM would employ the standard performance measures developed in the proposed action to lay the framework for approving specific requests made by the public to occupy the public lands under the Mining Law of 1872. Summary of Environmental Assessment This finding of No Significant Impact is supported by the Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Selected Actions Taken for Mining Claim Use and Occupancy in Nevada (EA) released for public review on April 26, 1999. This EA is summarized as follows: ♦ The proposed action (PA) consists of six typical occupancy proposals. These proposals involve only lands where BLM is the managing agency for both the surface and mineral estates. The (PA) does not involve lands such as Wilderness Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. ♦ Performance measures were developed to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of the public lands for actions described in the PA. ♦ All proposed occupancies will be reviewed against the standards contained in this EA. Any additional impacts not previously identified will be subject to additional analysis before the occupancy would be authorized. Determination On the basis of analysis of potential environmental impacts contained in the attached EA and all other information available to me, it is my determination that the proposed action will not have any significant impacts on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required. Date State Director HD #*//«> 3)56, I'D %ZDLr (/?£>% 243 .MS X<YdLj*d \°\°^f\ c 2 . . Selected Actions for Mining Claim and Millsite Use and Occupancy in Nevada PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Office April 1999 Table of Contents Need for the Proposal.1 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action.1 Definitions .1 Casual use or casual use activities.1 Notice or notice level activity.1 Occupancy . 1 Plan of operations or plan level activity.2 Substantially Regular Work.2 Reasonably Incident.2 Unnecessary or Undue Degradation.2 Alternative One: The Proposed Action .3 Alternative Two: No Action.5 Information and Processing Procedures Under the Proposed Action.5 Information and the 3715 Filing.5 Procedures.6 Step 1, Reasonably Incident . 6 Step 2, NEPA Analysis .6 Step 3, Development of Performance Measures.8 Step 4, Required Permits and Financial Guarantees.10 Step 5, Once Occupancies or Uses Begin.13 Requirements for Further Environmental Analysis. 14 Interrelationships. 14 Federal Government . 14 State Governments . 15 Local Governments. 17 Description of the Affected Environment . 17 Physical Setting . 17 Geology and Mining. 18 Soils. 18 Water Resources.18 Surface Water. 18 Groundwater. 18 Vegetation. 19 Wildlife.20 Wild Horses and Burros .20 Cultural Resources .20 l Visual Resources and Recreation .21 Recreation Resource Management .21 Economic Conditions .21 Social Environment.22 Environmental Consequences .22 Impacts on Climate and Air Quality .23 Impacts on Geology and Topography .23 Impacts on Soils.24 Impacts on Water Resources .24 Impacts on Vegetation.25 Impacts on Wildlife .26 Impacts on Wild Horses and Burros .26 Impacts on Cultural Resources.27 Impacts on Visual Resources and Recreation.27 Impacts on Economic Conditions .28 Impacts on the Social Environment.29 Cumulative Impacts.29 Environmental Justice.30 Agencies and Individuals Consulted.30 References Cited.31 Appendix 1-43 CFR 3715 Regulations Appendix 2 - Sample 3715 Filing and Claimant Instructions Appendix 3 - Standard Operating Procedures, Special Stipulations, and Actions and Activities Not Allowed Appendix 4 - Threatened and Endangered Species Appendix 5 - MSHA and OSHA Interagency Agreement li
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