The Forest Service has completed its Federal Hardrock Mineral Prospecting Permits Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which analyzes environmental effects of prospecting for hardrock minerals owned by the federal government and located under national forest system lands within the Superior National Forest. No activities are proposed in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or the Mining Protection Area of the Superior National Forest.
Acting Forest Supervisor Tim Dabney selected Alternative 4 which, as described in the Record of Decision, gives Forest Service consent to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to issue 29 prospecting permits and identifies stipulations (mitigation measures) for use and protection of the national forest system lands involved. This decision does not authorize mineral development (mining). It only provides Forest Service consent for minerals prospecting. Any proposal for mineral development would go through a separate permitting process and environmental review.
The decision helps achieve objectives in the Forest Plan and Forest Service policy to conduct prospecting in an environmentally sound manner. The 29 permit areas are located on national forest land south and southeast of Ely.
The prospecting in this project targets copper, nickel, platinum and other associated minerals. Prospecting for hardrock minerals generally consists of conducting geophysical surveys, collecting soil and rock samples, constructing temporary roads, clearing drill pads, and obtaining rock cores through drilling. Project activities also include mitigation measures to avoid and minimize environmental impacts and to reclaim ground disturbance and decommission temporary roads.
As a cooperating agency, the BLM will issue a separate Record of Decision on whether to issue the 29 prospecting permits. If the BLM issues the prospecting permits, the Forest Service will work with the BLM to ensure that stipulations for use and protection of the national forest system lands will be appropriately applied to all project activities in the permit areas.
A copy of the Final EIS and Record of Decision is posted on the Superior National Forest website: www.fs.usda. gov/superior
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