Press Release
The Bureau of Land Management Price Field Office is seeking public comment on the Deer Creek Mine Closure Water Pipeline Environmental Assessment (EA). This EA analyzes the proposed construction and operation of a buried water pipeline from the Deer Creek Mine for use at the Huntington Power Plant. The Deer Creek Mine has completed active coal mining and is undergoing mine closure procedures. The purpose of the pipeline is to transfer water with elevated iron levels from the portals in Rilda Canyon to a location where it can be safely managed, the risk of contamination of water resources on federal lands is minimized, and the closure of the mine is facilitated.
The proposed pipeline will start at the Deer Creek Mine 1st Right Portals and run alongside Emery County Road #306 down Rilda Canyon. The pipeline will cross underneath Highway 31 in Huntington Canyon and then run alongside Highway 31 to the water treatment facilities at Huntington Power Plant, just outside of Huntington, Utah. The BLM-Price Field Office and Manti-La Sal National Forest are preparing the EA in a joint effort. Each agency will issue a separate decision whether or not to grant the proposed right-of-way across public lands within their jurisdiction and if so, under what terms and conditions.
The EA is available for review and comment on the BLM ePlanning website: https://go.usa.gov/xDR3H
The comment period will run from September 27, 2016 through October 27, 2016. Comments are most useful when they identify issues relevant to the proposed action, potential errors in the EA, or new technical or scientific information. Comments that contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but may be considered in the decision making process.
Commenters should be aware that their entire comment, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but agencies may not be able not guarantee information will be withheld.
For more information about the project, please contact Jake Palma at (435) 636-3600. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for Jake Palma. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The BLM will reply during normal business hours.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In Fiscal Year 2015, the BLM generated $4.1 billion in receipts from activities occurring on public lands.