California Desert District
| Contacts: | Stephen Razo | , 951-697-5217; srazo@ca.blm.gov |
BLM Seeks Public Comment on Briggs Mine Expansion
The BLM is seeking public comment on a proposed 94-acre expansion of the CR Briggs Corporation’s gold mine operations area located eight miles south of Ballarat, CA on the western front of the Panamint Mountains.
Briggs has proposed expanding the existing 2,363-acre operations area, including the Goldtooth pit and associated additions to stockpiles of waste rock, ore and topsoil in the southern portion. The expansion would extend the mine life by three to five years.
An Environmental Assessment has been prepared analyzing impacts that could result from the proposed expansion. The EA can be viewed at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest.html
Public comment on the proposed expansion will be accepted until August 1, 2011. Comments should be made in writing and addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, Ridgecrest Field Office, Attn: Goldtooth South Project, 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555.
For further information contact Randy Porter, BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, at (760) 384-5452.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
California Desert District 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos Moreno Valley, CA 92553