BLM Completes Initial Environmental Review of Proposed Gold Bar Mine
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BATTLE MOUNTAIN – Today the Bureau of Land Management released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed open-pit gold mine 30 miles northwest of Eureka, Nevada, which could create 120 new jobs in the area.
For the next 45 days, the BLM is seeking public input on the initial analysis that will be used in developing a final decision on how the project will move forward.
McEwen Mining Inc.’s Gold Bar Mine Project proposal encompasses a project area of 5,362 acres of public land and 199 acres of private land located in the southwest portion of the Roberts Mountains. The actual surface disturbance proposed is approximately 20 percent of the project area, totaling nearly 1,130 acres, of which 944 acres are managed by the BLM.
After receiving the mine proposal, the BLM began its scoping process by reaching out to the public in 2015 to gather information related to the project. That information was used to develop the DEIS released today.
The DEIS includes four alternatives that examine the mine’s range of potential impacts to natural resources in the area, such as water resources, air quality, vegetation, wildlife, livestock grazing, recreation and cultural resources.
The BLM is now asking the public to review the DEIS and provide substantive comments to help shape the final environmental analysis that will be used to guide the BLM’s decision whether or not to authorize the mine and how to best manage the variety of resources potentially affected.
A public meeting is scheduled in Eureka, Nevada, on March 22, 2017, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Eureka Opera House, 31 South Main Street, Eureka, Nevada. BLM specialists will be available to provide information and answer questions about the proposed project.
The DEIS is available online at http://bit.ly/2gyfZms. Interested individuals should address all written comments to Christine Gabriel, Project Manager, using any of the following ways:
Phone: (775) 635-4000
Fax: (775) 635-4034
Email: blm_nv_bmdo_mlfo_gold_bar_project_eis@blm.gov
Mail: Bureau of Land Management Mount Lewis Field Office, 50 Bastian Road Battle Mountain, NV 89820
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.