BLM Las Cruces District announces public comment period for Little Rock 2020 mine plan operations amendment

Organization

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Las Cruces District Office

Media Contact:

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Cruces District announces a public comment period for an environmental assessment for activities associated with an amendment to the Little Rock Mine Plan of Operations NMNM091644 submitted by Freeport-McMoRan Tyrone, Inc. The public comment period is open from May 9 to June 8, 2022.

The project is located approximately 11 miles southwest of Silver City. The plan assesses the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts from the proposed action, which is to authorize surface disturbances to BLM managed land that are necessary for the expansion of the current open pit configuration and the continued construction, operation and reclamation of Little Rock Mine. The 2020 amendment proposes expansion of the current pit configuration through the anticipated life of the mine and the surface disturbances necessary for the construction, operation, monitoring, closure and post closure of the mine.

The environmental assessment and the draft finding of no significant impact can be found at the BLM’s ePlanning website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2019319/510. Comments can be made via ePlanning or may be sent by mail to: BLM Las Cruces District Office, Joseph Navarro, 1800 Marquess Street, Las Cruces, NM 88005. Comments will be available for public review at the BLM Office during regular business hours (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. 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 available publicly at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

For more information, please contact BLM Environmental Protection Specialist Joseph Navarro at 575-525-4363.


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.