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Show BLM Issues Final Impact Statements on Mining Claims such as the California Desert Conservation Area or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, will require a plan of operations. Emphasis is placed on the reclamation of disturbed sites Hvtiether the operations are conducted con-ducted under a "notice" or a "plan." The preferred alternative alter-native grew out of analyzing both written and verbal comments to the 1976 and 1980 proposed rulemaking as WASHINGTON The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a final environmental en-vironmental impact statement (FEIS) which analyzes impacts of prospecting, exploration, and development of ' mining claims on lands administered by BLM as outlined in new final regulations (43-CFR 3809). The regulations concern con-cern only those minerals such as gold, silver, lead, zinc, or other minerals considered "locatable" under the mining laws of the United States, including in-cluding the 1872 Mining Law. The regulations would not affect development of leasable, minerals such as sand and gravel purchased from BLM. The hardrock mining regulations were first issued as proposed rulemaking in December, 1976, redrafted in response to more than 5,000 comments, and reproposed in March, 1980. The FEIS considers management alternatives alter-natives ranging from legislative change to no 'action,. .''and, also recommends a preferred alternative which would allow most exploration activities and some extraction ex-traction activities by filing a "notice." Activities Ac-tivities that exceed a certain level or will take place on certain lands, well as a doubt that BLM could effecvtively implement im-plement the regulations as were proposed on March 3, 1980. The target date for publication of the final rulemaking, is October, 1980, with - ' 'implementation 'im-plementation about January 1, 1981. Copies of the FEIS are available at the BLM Utah State Office Public. Room, 1400 University Club Building, 136 East South Temple, Salt Lake City. In addition examination copies may be read at BLM district offices in Utah. |
