TONIGHTS AGENDA Open n house se 5:00 to 5:30 Presen enta tatio - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TONIGHT’S AGENDA Open n house se 5:00 to 5:30 Presen enta tatio tion 5:30 to 6:00 Workshop shop 6:00 to 7:30 Questio stions ns and Answer ers 7:30 to 8:00 1

Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange EIS ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS Neil Bosworth – Forest Supervisor Tom Torres – Deputy Forest Supervisor Mary Rasmussen – Project Manager 2

Tonight’s Presentation Project Decision Framework  Project Status and Scoping Results  Alternatives Development Process  Criteria for Screening Alternatives  Purpose of Tonight’s Workshop  3

Proj roject ect Purpo rpose se and d Ne Need d The Tonto National Forest is preparing an Environmental  Impact Statement (EIS) for the Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange:  To consider approval of a proposed plan of operations submitted by Resolution Copper, which would govern surface disturbance on Forest Service lands from mining operations that are reasonably incident to extraction, transportation, and processing of copper and molybdenum.  To exchange lands between Resolution Copper and the United States as directed by Section 3003 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2015 (NDAA). 4

Na National nal Envir ironm nmental ntal Policy icy Ac Act t (NE NEPA) A) As part of NEPA process, the Forest Service is required to:   Involv olve e the e pu public blic to identify issues and concerns surrounding the proposed action (sco copin ping) g)  Develop elop technically nically feasib sible le altern ernat ativ ives es to address the identified issues and concerns  Analy lyze ze and d co compare mpare for ores esee eeable able impa pacts cts under der each altern ernat ativ ive e to make an equitable and informed decision 5

For orest Servic ice NE NEPA A Proces rocess s for for EIS Scopin ing COMPLETED Alterna nati tives es Development elopment Winter er 2017 – Summer er 2017 Summer 2017 – Summer 2019 Draft t EIS Fall 2019 – Spring 2020 Final EIS/D /Draft Decision ision Spring 2020 – Summer 2020 Obje jecti ction n Period Final Recor ord of Deci cision sion Fall 2020 6

Publ blic ic Scopi ping ng SCOP OPING ING Alter ernativ atives  March 2016 – July 2016 Draf aft t EIS Five public meetings, 120-day comment period  Final al EIS/D /Draft t Dec ecision ision 133,653 letter submittals received  Object jectio ion Perio iod  99% Form Letters Final al Dec ecis isio ion 1,237 Unique Letters  6,948 individual comments identified   Scoping Report published and available for download March 10th at www.ResolutionMineEIS.us 7

Publ blic ic Concern rn Topi pics cs SCOP OPING ING Socioeconomic effects (both beneficial and Alter ernativ atives  adverse) Draf aft t EIS Subsidence at Oak Flat  Final al EIS/Dr /Draft t Dec ecision ision Threats to public health and safety  Object jectio ion Perio iod Impacts to surface and groundwater  Final al Dec ecis isio ion Impacts to tribal cultural resources  Impacts to scenery resources and open spaces  Impacts to biological resources, wildlife habitat  Loss of recreational access and opportunities  Location tion of Tailings ilings St Storage rage Facility ility  8

Spe pecif ific ic Publ blic ic Concerns rns Tailin ings gs Storage ge Facil ilit ity y Locat ation: ion: • Investigate alternate tailings storage facility locations, including: ◦ Arizona State Trust Land parcel in Superstition Vistas BLM and State land at the base of the mountains just West of Gonzales ◦ Pass and South of US Highway 60 • Transport mine tailings by rail to safer alternate tailings storage facility location. • Use existing and future mine pits for disposal • Use private land for disposal • Use brownfield site for disposal 9

Spe pecif ific ic Publ blic ic Concerns rns Tailings ngs Storage age Faci cili lity Desig ign: n: • Construct the tailings storage facility using the safer downstream construction design, rather than upstream construction design • Consider filter/dry stack tailings • Evaluate “ filtered ” and “ paste ” tailings storage facility designs. • Include underdrains to desaturate tailings at the storage facility impoundment • Line the tailings storage facility and potentially acid -generating material storage impoundments • Investigate alternative, long -lasting liner materials • Use alternative methods of toxin removal and recovery of additional rare metals and minerals from the tailings 10

What do do we we do do wi with the SCOP OPING ING Scopi ping ng Comments ts in the EIS pro proces ess? s? Alter ernativ atives Draf aft t EIS Establish the range of issues sues to be  Final al EIS/Dr /Draft t Dec ecision ision addressed in depth in the EIS analyses Object jectio ion Perio iod Identify suggestions for analysis,  Final al Dec ecis isio ion mitigation, or modification of the proposed action Develop altern rnativ atives es that address issues  identified during scoping 11

What are re EIS Alternat rnativ ives ? Scop oping ing ALTER TERNA NATIV IVES ES A mix of strategi egies es that: Draf aft t EIS  Resolve or address key issues identified Final al EIS/D /Draft t Dec ecision ision during scoping Objec jectio ion Proc oces ess Final al Dec ecis isio ion Meet the purpose of and need for the  action Consistent with the basic policy objectives  for management of the area 12

Alternat rnativ ives s for for this EIS incl clude ude: Scop oping ing ALTER TERNA NATIV IVES ES  Propo oposed ed Act Actio ion n – submitted mining plan of Draf aft t EIS operations and land exchange Final al EIS/D /Draft t Dec ecision ision No-Actio No ction n Alter ernat nativ ive e – status quo, no mining  Objec jectio ion Proc oces ess proposal or land exchange: used to determine Final al Dec ecis isio ion baseline conditions to compare effects Other er Reaso sonabl able e Alternati ernatives es – currently  under development by the Forest Service with stakeholder input 13

Prop ropose sed d Ac Action tion Alternativ rnative Scop oping ing ALTER TERNA NATIV IVES ES Four major components of the proposed mine:  Draf aft t EIS  East Plant t Site e (includes ore body and Final al EIS/D /Draft t Dec ecision ision underground workings) Objec jectio ion Proc oces ess West Plant nt Site e (ore processing facilities)  Final al Dec ecis isio ion MARRCO RRCO Corri rrido dor (ore conveyance facilities)  Taili lings ngs St Storage rage Facility cility (area for permanent  disposal of mine-produced tailings) 14

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Devel velopi ping ng Pre relimi iminar nary Alternativ rnatives Scop oping ing ALTER TERNA NATIV IVES ES  Criteria for screening and evaluating alternatives include: Draf aft t EIS Final al EIS/D S/Dra raft t Deci ecision ion  Meets the Purpose and Need Object jectio ion Proc ocess ess Technically feasible (engineering)  Final al Dec ecis isio ion Economically viable (costs)   Environmental/Social factors (public input) 16

Pre relimi iminar nary y Alternativ rnatives: s: Aspe pects cts of m mining ing pro propo posal l unde der r conside ideration ration Scop oping ing ALTER TERNA NATIV IVES ES Mining techniques  Draf aft t EIS Types of Tailings (slurry vs. dry stack)  Final al EIS Tailings facility design/dam types  Object jectio ion Proc ocess ess Transportation options (alternate haul roads, Reco ecord of Decision ision  use of rail) Relocation of filter or processing facilities  Taili lings ngs St Storage rage Facility cility locations tions  17

What is the Purpose of Tonight’s Workshop?  Public input from Scoping meetings and recurring themes led to the creation of 6 evaluation criteria Cultural Resources 1) Proximity to Existing Communities 2) Recreation 3) Scenery 4) Streams and Springs 5) Wildlife Habitat 6) 18

Purpose of Tonight’s Workshop ( con ont)  Obtain your input about your social and environmental values related to the tailings storage facility location Your participation during the interactive portion will help  the Forest Service evaluate and compare alternative tailings facility locations 19

Interactiv ractive po portion n of works rkshop How will this work?   Hand-held keypads will be distributed and you will have a chance to input your views to a series of questions The Forest Service realizes that in many instances, all the  options will be equally important. We still would ask you select 1 element By participating, you are not eliminating the other options …  but identifying what you believe to be the most crucial element when considering alternate locations. 20

Keypad pad Pol olli ling g Worksh orkshop op St Step p 1 – Demog ographic raphic Questi tions ons St Step p 2 – Cri riteria eria Defi finitio nitions ns (s (see ha hand ndou out pa page 2) St Step p 3 – Criter eria ia Rating ng Step St p 4 – Cri riteria eria Pai Paired red Com ompa paris risons ons 21