BATTLE MOUNTAin – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Battle Mountain District, Mount Lewis Field Office, has released the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the 2008 Cortez Hills Expansion Project Final EIS. 

The Draft SEIS Notice of Availability was published in the Federal Register on August 20, 2010, formally initiating a public comment period of 45 days for the Draft SEIS.  The BLM has scheduled two public open house meetings to accept comments on the Draft SEIS.  The Cortez Hills Expansion Project is located in Lander County, Nevada, approximately 30 miles southeast of Battle Mountain.  The project involves an expansion of existing open-pit gold mining and processing operations. ?

The public meetings will be held on September 14 and 15, 2010, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in two locations:  at the Crescent Valley Town Center, Crescent Valley, Nevada, and at the BLM Battle Mountain District Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada.  Representatives from Barrick and the BLM will be present to answer questions.  Public comment on the Draft SEIS is an important part of the review process.  Comments on the Draft SEIS will be considered and responded to in the Final SEIS.  Comments will be available to the public, including any personal identifying information.

On December 3, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit partially reversed the District Court of Nevada's denial of preliminary injunctive relief with respect to the BLM's environmental analysis of air quality and water resource issues.  The BLM subsequently elected to prepare a SEIS to refine the analysis of potential air quality effects and the dewatering mitigation effectiveness for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project.

Comments on the Draft SEIS must be received by 4:30 p.m. on October 4, 2010.  Written comments should be sent to the BLM, Attention: Christopher Worthington, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820.  Faxed comments can be sent to 775-635-4034, Attention: Christopher Worthington.  E-mail comments can be sent to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  The Draft SEIS is also available online at:  www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field.html.

Background information, including printed and electronic copies of the Final EIS for the Cortez Hills Expansion Project, are available at the BLM Battle Mountain District Office during regular business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.  Copies are also available at the following website: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field.html.  For more information call Christopher Worthington, (775) 635-4000, or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .