Dairy Syncline Mine Project Record of Decision
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United States Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Caribou-Targhee National Forest Final Record of Decision Dairy Syncline Mine Project, Caribou County, Idaho April 2020 Forest Service – Caribou-Targhee National Forest – April 2020 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 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Record of Decision Dairy Syncline Mine JOINT LEAD AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture Caribou-Targhee National Forest 1405 Hollipark Drive Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401 (208) 524-7500 LEAD AGENCY: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Idaho Falls District 4350 Cliffs Drive Pocatello, Idaho 83204 (208) 478-6340 DATE DECISION SIGNED: COOPERATING AGENCIES: Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Idaho Department of Lands Idaho Office of Energy and Mineral Resources U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Abstract The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) analyzes impacts from developing the proposed Dairy Syncline Mine and Reclamation Plan (M&RP) in Caribou County, Idaho. The Proposed Action includes disturbance of approximately 2,767 acres of surface through the creation of five open-pits, external overburden disposal areas, access roads, a transmission line, an ore slurry pipeline, an industrial water well, a mill and tailings pond, and other ancillary facilities. Development will primarily take place on two existing federal phosphate leases (IDI-28115 and IDI-0258) within the United States Forest Service (USFS), Caribou-Targhee National Forest, but also includes some off-lease National Forest Service (NFS) lands, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public land, and private land. To maximize recovery of phosphate from the leases, the M&RP proposes to enlarge the existing leases by 722 acres through lease modifications. USFS Special Use Authorizations (SUA) are needed for ancillary facilities located off-lease on NFS lands. The tailings pond would be located on private land and on lands acquired from the BLM and the USFS. The M&RP proposes a 1,142- acre BLM direct land sale for the BLM portion of the tailings pond and adjacent facility area. Simplot would purchase the land for full market value and donate a 440-acre parcel to BLM to minimize potential impacts to the public and tribal treaty rights stemming from the loss of federal land. An amendment to the Pocatello Approved Resource Management Plan (ARMP) is required to complete the sale. In addition, a USFS land exchange is proposed for Simplot to acquire the USFS portion of the tailings pond. The M&RP proposes an exchange of 632 acres of NFS lands for a 640-acre parcel of Simplot property. The USFS Revised Forest Plan (RFP) would also be amended. The FEIS analyzed a full range of alternatives. In addition to the Proposed Action and the No Action alternatives, the FEIS analyzed an alternative access route and an alternative method of mining [selective handling of waste rock] designed to minimize impacts to surface water and groundwater. Because the Proposed Action includes a BLM land sale and a USFS land exchange, additional land tenure alternatives are also analyzed. There is a No BLM Land Sale alternative and a No USFS Land Exchange alternative. In order to minimize impacts that may be caused by the loss of federal lands, the FEIS also analyzes a Reduced BLM Land Sale alternative and a Reduced USFS Land Exchange alternative. These two alternatives would dispose of only the minimum acreage of federal land needed to accommodate the tailings pond and locate this facility off public and NFS lands. The FEIS identifies the Reduced USFS Land Exchange, the Reduced BLM Land Sale, and the Selective Handling of Waste Rock alternatives as the Preferred Alternative(s). This Record of Decision (ROD) documents the USFS decision to select the Reduced USFS Land Exchange alternative and exchange 160 acres for lands of equal value; accept the donation of the remaining (approximately 480 acres) lands within the 640 acre offered parcel; modify the Huckleberry Basin and Sage Creek Inventoried Roadless Areas accordingly; issue SUAs for roads and other off lease facilities; amend the RFP to accommodate the change in the RFP management prescriptions and designate utility corridors; and modify the 2005 Caribou National Forest Revised Travel Plan to accommodate the closure of existing roads and the construction of new public roads. Table of Contents Part 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 About This Document .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action ....................................................................................... 2 1.3 Setting ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.3.1 Location, History, and Background ....................................................................... 2 1.3.2 Previous Environmental Analyses ......................................................................... 3 1.4 Simplot’s Proposed Dairy Syncline Mine Project .......................................................... 3 1.4.1 Mining ................................................................................................................... 3 1.4.2 Mine Access ......................................................................................................... 4 1.4.3 Groundwater Wells ............................................................................................... 4 1.4.4 Timber and Topsoil Operations ............................................................................. 4 1.4.5 Reclamation Covers .............................................................................................. 4 1.4.6 Reclamation Seed Mix .......................................................................................... 4 1.4.7 Facility Removal ................................................................................................... 5 1.4.8 Unreclaimed Areas ............................................................................................... 5 1.4.9 Mill/Shop Complex ................................................................................................ 5 1.4.10 Powerline .............................................................................................................. 5 1.4.11 Tailings Facility ..................................................................................................... 6 1.4.12 Environmental Protection Measures ..................................................................... 6 1.4.13 Administrative Actions Part of Simplot’s Proposed Action ..................................... 6 Part 2 Decision .....................................................................................................................10 2.1 Introduction and Decision Authority .............................................................................10 2.1.1 BLM Consultation with the USFS .........................................................................13 2.2 The USFS Decision ....................................................................................................13 2.2.1 Mine Access: Proposed Action ............................................................................14 2.2.2 Alternative 5: Reduced Land Exchange and Acquisition ......................................14 2.2.3 IRA Boundary Changes .......................................................................................15 2.2.4 Grazing Decisions ................................................................................................15 2.2.5 Special Use Authorizations ..................................................................................15