Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 2. Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action
• Water impoundments constructed onsite would include storm water detention ponds,
evaporations ponds, and settling ponds. These ponds would be lined and monitored.
• Construction, operation, and restoration of the mud pits at drilling locations would be in
compliance with the Pit Rule (19.15.17 NMAC).
• Some of the arroyos that transect the operational area would be armored or straightened.
• Discharges to surface water courses would be monitored.
Groundwater
• Implementation of offsets (mitigation measures) as defined by NMOSE through the
permitting process.
• Discharge plan would include measures to prevent soil water logging or increased flood
runoff.
• Mine backfill materials would be mixed with cement prior to placement.
• Implementation of controls as detailed in the Groundwater Discharge Permit (in review
by NMED).
• Implement proposed monitoring program to include routine inspection of operating and
storage areas, instrumentation of key equipment (as an example, pressure sensors on
discharge pipelines), and installation of monitoring wells for overall monitoring of the
process areas, including components that do not include leak detection systems per se—
for example, the lined retention ponds that drain the stockpiles.
Air Quality
• Implement BMPs to control for fugitive dust.
• Water would be used to control fugitive dust emissions from blasting, drilling, and
surface disturbance. Ore stockpiles and waste rock stockpiles would be sprayed with
water to minimize the amount of dust generated during loading operations.
• Fuels, explosives, and chemical storage would comply with any applicable fuel storage
and fuel dispensing air quality regulations.
Vegetation
• Implement BMPs for storm water control and erosion control.
• Revegetation design would follow the reclamation plan.
Wildlife
• Implement BMPs for control of storm water, erosion, and fugitive dust.
• Conduct periodic inspections of mining activities.
• Implement measures outlined in the mine operations plan. These include:
○ The maximum speed limit on the mine permit area would be posted at 15 miles per
hour and signs would be posted along access roads to and around the permit area
alerting drivers to the presence of wildlife.
56 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest