83 FR 12714 - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Oregon; Powder River Watershed Mining Plans

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 57 (March 23, 2018)

The USDA Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to process and respond to the mining Plans of Operations within the Powder River Watershed submitted to the Whitman Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12714-12715]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06002]


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                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 57 / Friday, March 23, 2018 / 
Notices

[[Page 12714]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Oregon; Powder River Watershed 
Mining Plans

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to process and respond to the mining Plans of 
Operations within the Powder River Watershed submitted to the Whitman 
Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be 
received by April 23, 2018. The draft EIS is expected July 2018, and 
the final EIS is expected December 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions to Jeff Tomac, Whitman 
District Ranger, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, 1550 Dewey Ave., 
Suite A, Baker City, OR 97814. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sophia Millar, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Whitman Ranger District, 1550 
Dewey Ave., Suite A, Baker City, OR 97814, Phone: (541) 263-1735.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Per the General Mining Law of 1872, the 
miner is entitled to conduct operations that are reasonably incident to 
exploration and development of mineral deposits on its mining claims 
pursuant to applicable U.S. laws and regulations and is asserting its 
right under the General Mining Law to develop, mine, and remove the 
mineral deposit subject to regulatory laws.

Purpose and Need

    The purpose and need for action is to (1) respond to the proposed 
Plans of Operations (Plans) to conduct mining activities within the 
Powder River watershed; (2) ensure that the selected alternative, where 
feasible, would minimize adverse environmental impacts on National 
Forest System (NFS) surface resources; and (3) ensure that measures 
would be included that provide for reclamation of the surface 
disturbance.

Proposed Action

    The Powder River Watershed Mining Plans analysis area is located on 
the Whitman Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, 
approximately 14 miles southwest of Baker City, Oregon. The decision 
area will cover 22 proposed mining Plans within the Powder River 
Watershed, an analysis area encompassing approximately 126,831 acres of 
NFS lands in Baker County. Typically, each project would disturb and 
reclaim an area of approximately 1-10 acres annually.
    This EIS will evaluate each of the 22 Plans and propose additional 
operational requirements for some or all of the Plans. The final Record 
of Decision (ROD) would identify which Plans will be approved, and any 
specific Plans that require further action prior to Plan approval.
    Once the ROD is signed and issued, reclamation bonds and any 401 
certifications deemed necessary to be consistent with the Clean Water 
Act would be presented to the Forest Service before the Plans are 
approved. PACFISH (which amended the WWNF Forest Plan in 1995) Minerals 
Management standard #1 requires a reclamation plan and reclamation bond 
for mineral operations in riparian habitat conservation areas (RHCAs).

Responsible Official

    The Whitman District Ranger, Jeff Tomac, will be the responsible 
official for making the decision and providing direction for the 
analysis.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide whether or not to move forward 
with approving specific mining Plans within the Powder River Watershed 
Mining Plans analysis area. The responsible official will also decide 
whether or not to select the proposed action as stated or modified, or 
to select an alternative to it; any mitigation measures needed; and any 
monitoring that may be required.

Preliminary Issues

    The interdisciplinary team has conducted field surveys and data 
research to identify preliminary issues of concern with this proposal. 
The primary concern is the potential for sediment or heavy metal 
discharges into streams from mining operations, potentially impacting 
water quality, and Endangered Species Act-listed bull trout and bull 
trout habitat (pools and temperature). Based on these preliminary 
issues and the level of activity proposed at some sites, there is the 
potential for significant impacts to some resources, therefore an EIS 
fits the scope of this analysis rather than an Environmental 
Assessment.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the EIS. Public participation is especially 
important at several points during the development of the EIS. The 
Forest Service is seeking information, comments, and coordination with 
Federal, State, and local agencies, and tribal governments, individuals 
or organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. The most useful comments to developing or refining the proposed 
action would be site-specific concerns and those that pertain to 
authorizing mining activities within the Powder River Watershed Mining 
Plans analysis area that meet the purpose of and need for action.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of 
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's 
concerns and contentions.

[[Page 12715]]

    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action and will be available for public inspection.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21).

    Dated: February 16, 2018.
Glenn P. Casamassa,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-06002 Filed 3-22-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P