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Environmental Assessment for Uranerz Energy Corporation's Environmental Assessment District Plains High Wyoming for Uranerz Energy Corporation’s Proposed Hank Unit Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project, Campbell County, Wyoming WYW-169904 - Buffalo Field Office Field Buffalo July 2015 The BLM manages more land – 256 million acres – than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western States, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub- surface mineral estate throughout the nation. 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. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WY-070-EA13-226 This Environmental Assessment was prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with assistance from TRC Environmental Corporation, an independent environmental consulting firm. The BLM, in accordance with 40 Code of Federal Regulations 1506.5 (a) & (b), is in agreement with the findings of the analysis and approves and takes responsibility for the scope and content of this document. ii ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR URANERZ ENERGY CORPORATION’S PROPOSED HANK UNIT URANIUM IN-SITU RECOVERY PROJECT, CAMPBELL COUNTY, WYOMING Bureau of Land Management Wyoming High Plains District Buffalo Field Office Buffalo, Wyoming July 2015 iii This page intentionally left blank. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION.................................... 5 1.3 DECISION TO BE MADE ...................................................................................... 6 1.4 RELATIONSHIP TO STATUTES, REGULATIONS, PLANS, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSES ........................................................... 9 1.4.1 Conformance with Applicable Land Use Plans ........................................ 9 1.4.2 Relationship to Other Plans and Environmental Analyses ....................... 9 1.4.3 NEPA Compliance .................................................................................... 11 1.4.4 Supplemental Authorities - Statues and Regulations ................................ 12 1.5 SCOPING, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, AND ISSUES ......................................... 12 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ................................................................ 19 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 19 2.2 ALTERNATIVE 1 - PROPOSED ACTION ........................................................... 20 2.2.1 Summary of the Proposed Action ............................................................. 20 2.2.2 Preconstruction Activities ......................................................................... 25 2.2.2.1 NRC, WDEQ LQD, and Other Non-BLM Permitting .............. 25 2.2.2.2 BLM Approval Process.............................................................. 25 2.2.3 Summary of the Plan of Operations (POO) .............................................. 27 2.2.3.1 Overview .................................................................................... 27 2.2.3.2 Construction Phase..................................................................... 29 2.2.3.3 Uranium Recovery Phase ........................................................... 51 2.2.3.4 Groundwater Restoration Phase ................................................. 59 2.2.3.5 Decommissioning and Reclamation Phase ................................ 64 2.2.3.6 Mitigation Measures .................................................................. 68 2.2.3.7 Monitoring ................................................................................. 83 v TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 2.3 ALTERNATIVE 2 - NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................. 92 2.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY ............................................................................................... 92 2.4.1 Use of Conventional Mining and Milling Techniques ............................. 92 2.4.2 Use of Alternate Lixiviants ....................................................................... 94 2.4.3 Use of Alternative Waste Disposal Methods ............................................ 95 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................... 97 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 97 3.2 AIR QUALITY ........................................................................................................ 98 3.3 CULTURAL RESOURCES AND NATIVE AMERICAN CONSULTATION .................................................................................................. 99 3.3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 101 3.3.2 Cultural History ........................................................................................ 103 3.3.2.1 Prehistoric Era ............................................................................ 103 3.3.2.2 Protohistoric/Historic Era .......................................................... 105 3.3.2.3 Places of Cultural Significance .................................................. 108 3.3.2.4 Traditional Cultural Properties .................................................. 110 3.3.2.5 Native American Consultation ................................................... 111 3.4 GEOLOGY, ENERGY, MINERALS, AND GEOLOGIC HAZARDS .................. 112 3.4.1 Geology ..................................................................................................... 112 3.4.1.1 Geology of the Powder River Basin (PRB) ............................... 112 3.4.1.2 Geology of the Hank Unit Project Area ..................................... 116 3.4.2 Energy and Mineral Development ............................................................ 118 3.4.2.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 118 3.4.2.2 Locatable Minerals..................................................................... 119 3.4.2.3 Leasable Minerals ...................................................................... 120 3.4.2.4 Salable Minerals......................................................................... 121 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 3.4.3 Geological Hazards ................................................................................... 121 3.4.3.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 121 3.4.3.2 Earthquakes ................................................................................ 121 3.4.3.3 Subsidence ................................................................................. 123 3.4.3.4 Mass Movements ....................................................................... 123 3.5 LAND USE .............................................................................................................. 124 3.5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 124 3.5.2 Grazing ...................................................................................................... 125 3.5.3 Recreation ................................................................................................. 125 3.5.4 Energy and Mineral Development ............................................................ 125 3.6 SOCIOECONOMICS .............................................................................................. 126 3.6.1 Demographics ........................................................................................... 126 3.6.2 Employment Structure .............................................................................. 126 3.6.3 Income....................................................................................................... 127 3.6.4 Housing ..................................................................................................... 128 3.6.5 Local Finance ............................................................................................ 129 3.6.6 Education .................................................................................................. 129 3.6.7 Health and Social Services........................................................................ 130 3.7 SOIL RESOURCES................................................................................................. 130 3.8 VEGETATION INCLUDING SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES, NOXIOUS WEEDS, AND WETLANDS .................................................................................. 131 3.8.1 Vegetation ................................................................................................. 131 3.8.2 Special Status Plant Species...................................................................... 133 3.8.2.1 Introduction ...............................................................................
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