Battle Mountain District Office
| Contacts: | Angelica Rose | , 775-635-4034 | , mhmm_project@blm.gov |
BLM to Accept Public Comment on Mt. Hope Mine Project through March 1
Battle Mountain, NV –The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) held two public comment meetings in January, and will continue to accept written public comments on the Eureka Moly, LLC proposed Mt. Hope Mine Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) through March 1.
The BLM is pleased to offer a public process to give the public and other stakeholders an opportunity to learn more about this substantive project,” said Doug Furtado, Battle Mountain District Manager. "Additionally, the BLM is working closely with General Moly and our cooperating agencies to produce a thoroughly-analyzed EIS. Our goal is to effectively permit this project in an environmentally responsible manner."
The two public comment meetings were held January 16 and 17, in Eureka and Crescent Valley. BLM specialists, General Moly personal and contractors preparing the EIS for General Moly answered questions about the Draft EIS and the overall project. That was followed by an opportunity to speak in an open public forum. A court reporter was provided to take verbal comments, in private, if anyone didn’t want to speak in front of the group. Written comments were also accepted. Many Eureka County residents showed an interest in the project. About 120 people attended the Eureka meeting and Crescent Valley had approximately 75 people in attendance.
“The BLM was impressed with the turn out for these two meetings,” said Jon Sherve, Assistant Field Manager for Minerals. “It makes our jobs easier when the public tells us of their concerns, as well as their support, for a project during the Draft EIS stage of the process. Some people expressed concerns about the impact of the project, but the majority of the comments were in support of the project. The BLM will evaluate all substantive public comments and address them in the Final EIS.”
The Mt. Hope proposal includes construction, operation, and closure of a molybdenum mine and milling facility in Eureka County, Nev., about 23 miles northwest of Eureka. The proposed project includes a power transmission line, a water well field, and associated mine-processing facilities. The project would be located on both public and private land. The surface disturbance associated with the proposed activities totals 8,318 acres, of which 8,056 acres are on public land and 262 acres are on private land.
Copies of the Draft EIS are available for review at the BLM Mount Lewis Field Office in Battle Mountain, Nev. The document may also be reviewed or downloaded on the Battle Mountain District’s National Environmental Policy Act web page at: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field/blm_information/national_environmental.html.
Written comments can be sent to: Bureau of Land Management – ATTN: Angelica Rose, Mt. Hope Project – 50 Bastian Rd., Battle Mountain, NV 89820 – Fax (775) 635-4034 or e-mail mhmm_project@blm.gov.
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.
Battle Mountain District Office 50 Bastian Road Battle Mountain, NV 89820