U.S. Department of the Interior February 2020 Bureau of Land Management Humboldt River Field Office Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines Plan of Operations, Amendment 11 Final EIS: Volume 1 Costs: BLM: $237,060 (through cost recovery from propo- nent) Proponent: $6,200,000 MISSION STATEMENT It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and produc�vity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future genera�ons. BLM/NV/WN/ES/19-06+1793 DOI-BLM-NV-W010-2019-0008-EIS TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. ES-1 ES.1 Need for this Document........................................................................................................... ES-1 ES.2 Description of the Proposed Action ...................................................................................... ES-1 ES.3 Project Alternatives ................................................................................................................... ES-2 ES.3.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................ ES-3 ES.3.2 Alternative 1—Management of PAG in the West RDS ..................................... ES-3 ES.3.3 Alternative 2—Partial Backfill of Pit Lake .............................................................. ES-3 ES.4 Issues .............................................................................................................................................. ES-3 ES.5 Summary of Potential Impacts ................................................................................................. ES-4 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action ................................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Land Use Plan Conformance ...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.4 BLM and Non-BLM Policies, Plans, and Programs ................................................................ 1-2 1.5 Authorizing Actions ..................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.6 Scoping ............................................................................................................................................ 1-4 1.7 Issues ................................................................................................................................................ 1-4 1.7.1 Alternatives ..................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.7.2 Cumulative Impacts ....................................................................................................... 1-4 1.7.3 Mitigation and Monitoring ........................................................................................... 1-4 1.7.4 Air Quality and Climate ............................................................................................... 1-5 1.7.5 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................ 1-5 1.7.6 Geology and Minerals ................................................................................................... 1-5 1.7.7 Migratory Birds ............................................................................................................... 1-5 1.7.8 Soil Resources ................................................................................................................ 1-5 1.7.9 Solid and Hazardous Waste ........................................................................................ 1-5 1.7.10 Special Status Species .................................................................................................... 1-5 1.7.11 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................ 1-5 1.7.12 Water Resources ........................................................................................................... 1-5 1.7.13 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 1-6 1.7.14 Native American Religious Concerns ....................................................................... 1-6 1.7.15 Socioeconomics ............................................................................................................. 1-6 1.7.16 Rangeland ......................................................................................................................... 1-6 1.7.17 Public Access................................................................................................................... 1-6 1.7.18 Night Skies ....................................................................................................................... 1-6 CHAPTER 2. PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ............................................................ 2-1 2.1 Alternatives to the Proposed Action ....................................................................................... 2-3 2.1.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................................................. 2-3 2.1.2 Alternative 1—Management of PAG material in the West RDS ....................... 2-3 2.1.3 Alternative 2—Partial Backfill of Pit Lake (Preferred Alternative)...................... 2-3 2.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ...................................... 2-4 2.2.1 Alternate HLP Locations .............................................................................................. 2-4 2.2.2 Management of PAG Material in the West RDS with Layering .......................... 2-4 2.2.3 Lime Amendment for Pit Lake.................................................................................... 2-4 Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS i Table of Contents 2.2.4 Water Infiltration/Rapid Infiltration Basins (RIBs) ................................................. 2-4 2.2.5 Alternative Power Line Routes .................................................................................. 2-4 CHAPTER 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................. 3-1 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Supplemental Authorities ............................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Additional Affected Resources ................................................................................... 3-2 3.2 Cumulative Effects ........................................................................................................................ 3-4 3.2.1 Temporal Boundary of Evaluation ............................................................................. 3-4 3.2.2 Description of Cumulative Effects Study Area (CESA) Boundaries .................. 3-5 3.2.3 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ................................ 3-5 3.3 Air Quality and Atmospheric Resources ................................................................................ 3-8 3.3.1 Regulatory Framework ................................................................................................. 3-8 3.3.2 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-10 3.3.3 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-12 3.4 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 3-24 3.4.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-24 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-25 3.5 Migratory Birds ............................................................................................................................ 3-27 3.5.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-27 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-27 3.6 Native American Religious Concerns .................................................................................... 3-30 3.6.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-31 3.7 Wastes and Materials (Hazardous and Solid) ...................................................................... 3-31 3.7.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-31 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-32 3.8 Water Quality and Quantity (Surface and Ground) .......................................................... 3-33 3.8.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-33 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-39 3.9 Geology and Minerals ................................................................................................................ 3-49 3.9.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-49 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-51 3.10 Rangeland Management ............................................................................................................. 3-51 3.10.1 Regulatory Framework ............................................................................................... 3-51 3.10.2 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-52 3.10.3 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-53 3.11 Lands and Realty ......................................................................................................................... 3-54 3.11.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-54 3.11.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-55 3.12 Social Values and Economic Conditions ................................................................................ 3-56 3.12.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-56 3.12.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-57 3.13 Soils ................................................................................................................................................ 3-64 3.13.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-64 3.13.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-65 3.14 Special Status Species ................................................................................................................. 3-67 3.14.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-67 3.14.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-70 3.15 Transportation, Access, and Public Safety ............................................................................ 3-76 3.15.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-76 ii Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS Table of Contents 3.15.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-77 3.16 Vegetation ..................................................................................................................................... 3-78 3.16.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-78 3.16.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-80 3.17 Visual Resources ......................................................................................................................... 3-85 3.17.1 Regulatory Framework ............................................................................................... 3-85 3.17.2 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-85 3.17.3 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-86 3.18 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................... 3-90 3.18.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-90 3.18.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-90 3.19 Unavoidable Adverse Effects .................................................................................................... 3-93 3.20 Relationship Between Local Short-Term Uses and Long-Term Productivity .............. 3-93 3.21 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources .............................................. 3-93 CHAPTER 4. MITIGATION AND MONITORING .......................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Recommended Mitigation Measures ......................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Applicant Committed Monitoring .............................................................................. 4-2 4.1.3 No Action Alternative .................................................................................................. 4-2 4.1.4 Alternative 1—Management of PAG in the West RDS ....................................... 4-2 4.1.5 Alternative 2—Partial Backfill of Pit Lake ................................................................ 4-3 CHAPTER 5. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION................................................................ 5-1 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Notice of Intent ............................................................................................................................ 5-1 5.3 Public Comments on the Draft EIS .......................................................................................... 5-1 5.4 Consultation and Coordination with Agencies and Tribal Governments ...................... 5-1 5.4.1 Government-to-Government Consultation with Native American Tribes ..... 5-1 5.4.2 Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Consultation .................................. 5-2 5.4.3 US Fish and Wildlife Service Consultation .............................................................. 5-2 5.4.4 US Environmental Protection Agency ...................................................................... 5-2 5.4.5 State of Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Program .................................................... 5-2 5.4.6 Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Protection ....................................................................................... 5-3 5.5 Cooperating Agencies ................................................................................................................. 5-3 5.6 List of Preparers ............................................................................................................................ 5-3 CHAPTER 6. GLOSSARY............................................................................................................. 6-1 CHAPTER 7. REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 7-1 Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS iii Table of Contents TABLES Page ES-1 Summary of Impacts .................................................................................................................................. ES-5 1-1 Permits and Approvals ............................................................................................................................... 1-3 2-1 Proposed Disturbance Acres by Mining Activities .............................................................................. 2-1 2-2 POA 11 Improvement Projects and Disturbance Acres .................................................................... 2-1 3-1 Supplemental Authorities ........................................................................................................................... 3-1 3-2 Additional Affected Resources ................................................................................................................. 3-3 3-3 Cumulative Effect Study Areas by Resource ......................................................................................... 3-5 3-4 Past and Present Projects, Plans, or Actions in Each Cumulative Effects Study Area ................. 3-6 3-5 Reasonably Foreseeable Projects, Plans, or Actions in each Cumulative Effects Study Area ... 3-7 3-6 Major Projects, Plans, or Actions in Each Cumulative Effects Study Area ..................................... 3-7 3-7 State and National Ambient Air Quality Standards ............................................................................. 3-9 3-8 2014 National Emissions Inventory, Pershing County, Nevada ...................................................... 3-10 3-9 Coeur Rochester Mine Emissions (No Action) ................................................................................. 3-11 3-10 Proposed Action Aggregated Emissions (Tons per Year) ............................................................... 3-13 3-11 Construction of Stage VI and Packard Heap Leach Pads, New Crushing and Conveying Facilities, Associated Yards, Borrows, Road Expansions, and Other Disturbance Areas ........ 3-15 3-12 Operation of the Mine Using the New Stage VI Heap Leach with Trucking of Waste Rock to the West RDS ............................................................................................................................ 3-16 3-13 Operation of the Mine Using the New Stage VI Heap Leach with Trucking of Waste Rock to the South RDS ............................................................................................................................ 3-17 3-14 Operation of the Mine Using the New Packard Pit and the New Packard Heap Leach with Trucking of Waste Rock to the Packard RDS........................................................................... 3-18 3-15 Emergency Generators ............................................................................................................................ 3-19 3-16 Maximum Extent of the Hydraulic Sink ................................................................................................ 3-42 3-17 Grazing Allotments in the Project Area ............................................................................................... 3-52 3-18 Grazing Allotments and Permittees ...................................................................................................... 3-52 3-19 Existing ROWs ........................................................................................................................................... 3-54 3-20 Proposed ROW Actions .......................................................................................................................... 3-55 3-21 Potential for Sensitive Soil Layers and Proposed Surface Disturbance ........................................ 3-64 3-22 Special Status Plant Species Potential Habitat and Proposed Surface Disturbance ................... 3-71 3-23 Vegetation Communities and Proposed Surface Disturbance ........................................................ 3-79 3-24 Visual Resource Management Classes .................................................................................................. 3-86 3-25 VRM Class Conformance Determination Summary ......................................................................... 3-87 3-26 Big Game Habitat and Proposed Surface Disturbance ..................................................................... 3-91 4-1 Monitoring Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 4-2 iv Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS Table of Contents FIGURES (see Appendix A) 1-1 Project Area 1-2 Existing and Proposed Plan Boundaries 1-3 Existing and Authorized Facilities 2-1 Proposed Facilities 2-2 Proposed Facilities- ROWs 2-3 Permanent Disturbance 2-4 Alternative 1 - Management of PAG in the West RDS 2-5 Alternative 2 - Partial Backfill of Pit Lake 3-1 Cumulative Effect Study Areas 3-2 Cultural Area of Potential Effect 3-3 Seeps and Springs 3-4 Geology 3-5 Alluvial Potentiometric Surface 3-6 Bedrock Potentiometric Surface, Second Quarter 2017 3-7 Grazing Allotments 3-8 Rights-of-way 3-9 Soil Map Unit Names 3-10 Potential Biological Soil Crusts 3-11 Areas of Potential Water Erosion 3-12 Areas of Potential Wind Erosion 3-13 Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat, 2019 3-14 Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat, 2015 3-15 Vegetation Communities 3-16 Visual Resource Management APPENDICES A Figures B Environmental Protection Measures C Impact Analysis Methodology D Cultural Resources Supporting Tables E Visual Resources – Contrast Rating Worksheets F Public Comments and BLM Response Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS v Table of Contents This page intentionally left blank. vi Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Full Phrase ABA acid-base accounting Afa acre feet per annum amsl above mean sea level APE area of potential effect ARD acid rock drainage AUMs animal unit months BAPC Bureau of Air Quality Planning BLM Bureau of Land Management BMPs best management practices BMRR Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation BRF Black Ridge Fault CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CESA cumulative effects study area CFR Code of Federal Regulations CO carbon monoxide CO carbon dioxide equivalent 2e CRI Coeur Rochester, Inc. dBA a-weighted decibels e-cell evaporation cell EIS environmental impact statement EPA Environmental Protection Agency ERA Ecological Risk Assessment FLPMA Federal Land Policy and Management Act GHGs greenhouse gases GHMA General Habitat Management Area GIS geographic information system gpm gallons per minute HAP hazardous air pollutant HLP heap leach pad HQT Nevada Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Quantification Tool HRFO Humboldt River Field Office KOP key observation point kV kilovolt LOAEL lowest observed adverse effect level LOS Level of Service LQG large quantity generator LTT long-term trust NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAC Nevada Administrative Code NBAPC Nevada Bureau of Air Pollution Control NDEP Nevada Department of Environmental Protection Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS vii Acronyms and Abbreviations NDOW Nevada Department of Wildlife NDWR Nevada Department of Water Resources NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NO nitrogen dioxide 2 NOAEL No Observed Adverse Effect Level NOI notice of intent NOx oxides of nitrogen NRHP National Register of Historic Places NRS Nevada Revised Statutes NRVs Nevada Reference Values NV AAQS Nevada ambient air quality standards OHMA Other Habitat Management Area PA programmatic agreement PAG potentially acid generating PHMA Priority Habitat Management Area PM particulate matter with a diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microns 2.5 PM particulate matter with a diameter less than or equal to 10 microns 10 POA 10 Coeur Rochester Mine Plan of Operations Amendment 10 and Closure Plan POA 11 Plan of Operations and Reclamation Permit # N-64629, Amendment 11 ppb parts per billion ppm parts per million RCD Rochester Cultural District RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RDS rock disposal site RFFAs reasonably foreseeable future actions RIBs Rapid Infiltration Basins RMP Resource Management Plan RMZ recreation management zone ROWs rights-of-way RV recreational vehicle SETT Sagebrush Ecosystem Technical Team SHPO Nevada State Historic Preservation Office SO sulfur dioxide 2 SRMA special recreation management area TDS total dissolved solids TRVs toxicity reference values µg/m3 microgram per cubic meter USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service VOC volatile organic compound VRM visual resource management WPCP water pollution control permit viii Coeur Rochester and Packard Mines POA 11 EIS