Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
Land Use Around the Project Area
Land use in the area includes ranching and recreational use (i.e., camping, wood gathering).
Identification of Critical Receptor
The critical receptor is a resident living in the village of San Mateo, approximately 5,100 m
(about 3.2 miles) from Vent 3, the nearest point source.
Meteorological Data
SENES used an average annual temperature of 44 degrees Farenheit ( o F) as a model parameter,
for 335 days: May 25, 2011, to April 25, 2012.
Average Wind Speeds and Frequency
Distributions (Need Windrose if Used in COMPLY-R)
SENES included a windrose in its June 2012 report (SENES, 2012a), compiled using onsite
meteorological data for 335 days: May 25, 2011, to April 25, 2012. The windrose is presented
with supporting data in appendix A of the report.
Ambient Temperature
The ambient temperature of 44 o F compiled using onsite meteorological data for 335 days: May
25, 2011, to April 25, 2012.
Comply-R Results
The June 2012 SENES (SENSES, 2012a) report lists a range of dose rates for 3 existing and 13
arbitrary far field receptors ranging from to 0.3 to 8.4 mrem/yr.
The September 2012 SENES followup report (SENES, 2012b) lists a range of dose rates for nine
arbitrary potential wood collectors ranging from to 0.02 to 1.6 mrem/yr.
The September 2012 SENES followup report also lists dose rates of 2.3 and 8.8 mrem/y to
residents at Schmitt Ranch and the village of San Mateo, respectively.
The maximum observed dose (8.8 mrem/y) is to the resident at the village of San Mateo.
Conclusion for Radon Emissions
The COMPLY-R modeled predictions, which incorporated EPA radon emission estimates for
uranium mines, indicate that the doses to people living continuously or collecting wood for 5
hours per week at known and/or arbitrary locations in the vicinity of the mine would not exceed
the 40 CFR 61, Subpart B standard of 10 mrem/y due to radon emissions from underground
uranium mines.
Greenhouse Gasses and Global Warming
The overall amount of CO2 generated due to heavy equipment use during the proposed action
would be approximately 7,111 tons during the highest year, and 85,223 tons over the life of
RHR’s proposed action (table 26). This is equivalent to 1,265 passenger vehicles, or 804
household’s annual electricity usage (USEPA, 2012a). Notably, this is less than 0.0001 percent of
the global CO2 emissions. In addition, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently
192 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest