Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and To Conduct Scoping for the Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc. Betze Project in Elko and Eureka Counties, NV

摘要

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management, Elko District Office, prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with respect to Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc.'s (Barrick's) Betze Project. The Final EIS and Record of Decision for the Betze Project were issued on June 10, 1991. The Final EIS included a description of the environmental impacts projected to result from groundwater pumping conducted by Barrick to lower the local groundwater elevations below the proposed Betze mining operations. Since the Betze EIS was issued, Barrick's implementation of the pumping operations and its monitoring of groundwater elevations have provided new information regarding the pumping requirements and potential environmental impacts of pumping operations. The Bureau has determined that a Supplemental EIS should be prepared to assess the potential environmental impacts of the pumping and water management operations associated with Barrick's mining operations.