PUBLIC SCOPING NOTICE - Greater Yellowstone Coalition

USDA Forest Service
Caribou-Targhee National Forest
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/cariboutarghee
1405 Hollipark Drive
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
(208) 524-7500
USDI Bureau of Land
Management
Idaho Falls District
http://www.id.blm.gov/
PUBLIC SCOPING NOTICE
Husky 1 and North Dry Ridge Phosphate Exploration Project
INTRODUCTION
Public involvement is an important part of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses for the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). We ask for your input to determine
the issues and the scope of this environmental analysis.
Please take the time to read the following information and let us know your concerns about the proposed
action and the decisions to be made. We appreciate your contribution of time and effort, and believe the
information you share with us will lead to a better decision. The scoping and identification of issues are
scheduled to take place fall of 2009. An Environmental Assessment (EA) is planned for completion late
winter 2010.
The BLM, Idaho Falls District, and USFS, Caribou-Targhee National Forest (the Agencies), will prepare
an EA to consider approval of the proposed Husky 1 and North Dry Ridge Phosphate Exploration Project
for drilling operations on Federal Phosphate leases I-05549 (Husky 1) and I-8289 (North Dry Ridge), as
well as on off-lease areas. The proposed exploration project is located in Caribou County, Idaho,
approximately 17 miles northeast of Soda Springs, Idaho (Figure 1). This EA will evaluate the effects of
the proposed action to the human environment including effects on area natural resources. Alternatives to
the proposed action and the no action alternative will be considered.
As the agency designated to manage federally owned minerals such as phosphate, the BLM will act as the
lead agency in preparation of the EA and administration of the mineral exploration aspects of the project.
The Caribou-Targhee National Forest will act as the joint lead agency for all other aspects of the project.
There are no formal cooperating agencies for this project; however, input may be solicited by BLM and
USFS throughout the analysis process from agencies such as Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
(IDEQ), Idaho Departments of Lands (IDL), Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE) because of their special expertise and responsibilities for mining,
reclamation, and the environment.
PURPOSE AND NEED
The proposed exploration drilling program is designed to verify past drilling data, generate new drilling
data, and gather additional environmental data within the lease areas, as well as within limited off-lease
areas adjacent to the existing leases. The purpose of the current proposal for drilling in the Husky 1
exploration area is to provide further delineation and understanding of the Meade Peak phosphate shales.
Historic drilling of the Husky 1 lease was conducted in 1969–1970, 1974, and 1981; however, records of
those operations are incomplete and the location markers are inadequate.
Historic exploration drilling of the North Dry Ridge lease occurred in 1989–1990. The purpose of the
current proposal to drill on this lease is to obtain overburden and soil samples to assess their suitability for
providing capping material for overburden piles, for geochemical analysis, and for slope stability
analyses.
1

Based on currently available information, the proposed project would consist of drilling an adequate
number of holes to further delineate the amount and grade of phosphate reserves and to obtain additional
environmental information in the project area. As drilling commences and new geologic and hydrologic
information is obtained and assessed, it is anticipated that some additional exploration drilling or slight
location adjustments may be necessary. In addition, some drill holes may be cased and used to obtain
additional environmental information.
The drill data would be used by Nu-West Industries, Inc., doing business as Agrium Conda Phosphate
Operations (Agrium) to determine if the deposit is amenable to mining at some point in the future. Data
may also be used to prepare a Mining and Reclamation Plan (MRP). However, evaluation of the effects
of mining is outside the scope of this analysis as Agrium needs to acquire geologic and environmental
data from this drilling proposal to evaluate the deposit and consider preparation and submittal of an MRP
application. A submittal of an MRP application in the future and any additional mineral leasing would be
subject to additional analysis and public involvement.
Agrium’s existing leases give them exclusive rights that must be honored to explore and develop ore
reserves in a reasonable fashion within the lease boundaries. Allowing additional exploration activities
under a BLM-issued Exploration License outside of the existing lease boundaries is a discretionary action
by BLM, but information gathered can be used to assess the utility of future leasing adjacent to Agrium’s
existing leases.
PROPOSED ACTION
Agrium submitted the Husky 1 and North Dry Ridge Exploration Drilling – Plan of Operations (Plan) in
April 2009. The Plan proposes exploration drilling and disturbance within National Forest System (NFS)
lands on the Husky 1 lease (I-05549) and the North Dry Ridge lease (I-8289), as well as areas off-lease to
the north and south of the Husky 1 lease and a portion of the Maybe Canyon lease (I-04) as shown on
Figure 2. A total of 158 drill holes are proposed: 102 on the Husky 1 lease; 5 on the Maybe Canyon
lease; 39 off lease between Husky 1 and Maybe Canyon leases; 2 off lease south of the Husky 1 lease;
and 10 on the North Dry Ridge lease.
Structures associated with the proposed exploration plan include access roads, drill pads, and drill fluid
retention sumps. Access roads would be native-surface, approximately 20 feet wide and road grades
minimized; however, the steep topography of the area may require grades greater than 10 percent.
Approximately 10.02 miles of existing access roads and drill pads constructed for historic drilling
programs would be reconstructed and utilized where possible in an effort to minimize new disturbances.
Drill pads are anticipated to be 40 feet wide by 80 feet long. Overall, the total estimated disturbance for
structures associated with the Plan is 52.5 acres. The following table itemizes acres of disturbance by
type and location:
Husky 1 Exploration
North Dry Ridge
Exploration
South of Husky
1 Exploration
Maybe Canyon
Exploration
On Lease Off Lease On Lease Off Lease On Lease Total Acres
Reconstruction 17.85 0 6.35 0.10 0 24.29
New Construction 17.60 8.11 1 1.05 0.32 2 1.09 28.17
1
2
Total 35.45 8.11 7.39 0.42 1.09 52.46
Seven drill holes within roadless area
One drill hole within roadless area
2

Eight drill holes and 0.59 miles of new road construction would be located within the Dry Ridge Roadless
Area managed under the General Forest theme of the Idaho Roadless Rule (36 CFR Part 294). Section
294.25(e)(1) of the Rule allows the Forest Service to authorize road construction and reconstruction in
association with phosphate deposits on NFS lands described in Figure 3-20 of the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for Roadless Area Conservation, NFS Lands in Idaho (USDA 2008, page 182). As
required in Section 294.25(e) (3 and 4), options other than road construction and reconstruction to access
the sites for exploration drilling will be considered. Any alternative(s) that include road construction
and/or reconstruction will minimize effects on surface resources, be consistent with the Revised Forest
Plan for the Caribou National Forest, and be decommissioned upon completion of the project, or
expiration of the lease. The Idaho Roadless Rule allows timber to be cut, sold, or removed to implement
the proposed exploration drilling (36 CFR 294[d]).
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The project objective is to develop an EA to analyze and document the environmental and socioeconomic
effects, as well as other issues identified during the scoping process of the proposed Plan. The EA will
evaluate the mitigation of site-specific environmental consequences to determine appropriate conditions
for approval of the proposed Plan.
DECISIONS TO BE MADE
Because of separate agency authorities related to minerals, the BLM and USFS will make separate
decisions, subject to respective administrative policies. The EA will be prepared in close coordination
since on-lease and off-lease drilling exploration activities are interconnected.
The BLM will make decisions related to the proposed exploration drilling and mitigation measures related
to those activities. The BLM decisions will consider the USFS recommendations, public scoping
comments, response to the comments prepared by the agencies, anticipated environmental consequences
disclosed in the EA, and applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The BLM will use the EA to:
• Determine whether the proposed Plan within the lease boundaries would be approved, along with
any specific conditions and mitigation measures required.
• Determine whether an exploration license for off-lease drilling activities would be issued.
The Forest Service will make decisions related to whether or not to issue a Special Use Authorization to
permit exploration activities outside of lease boundaries including:
• Road reconstruction and reconstruction, including any associated vegetation removal,
• Reclamation requirements for all off-lease activities.
In addition, the USFS will identify mitigation measures necessary to comply with the 2003 Revised
Forest Plan for the Caribou National Forest, Best Management Practices and other measures necessary to
minimize effects on surface resources. These actions will be incorporated into the USFS decisions for
off-lease activities and formally recommended to the BLM for activities within lease-boundaries. The
USFS will ensure that both agencies’ Decisions comply with the Idaho Roadless Rule. Specifically,
options other than road construction and reconstruction to access the sites within the Dry Ridge Roadless
Area will be considered. Any alternative(s) that include road construction and/or reconstruction will
minimize effects on surface resources, be consistent with the Revised Forest Plan for the Caribou
National Forest, and be decommissioned upon completion of the project, or expiration of the lease.
3

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
The BLM and USFS are seeking input and written comments from Federal, State, and local agencies as
well as individuals and organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed project. To
assist the agencies in identifying and considering issues and concerns related to the proposed Plan,
comments for scoping should be as specific as possible. Scoping comments will be used in: 1)
identifying potential issues; 2) narrowing the potential issues and identifying key issues; 3) exploring
alternatives in addition to the no action and proposed action; and 4) identifying potential environmental
effects of the proposed Plan.
To ensure that all issues related to this proposed project are addressed and that impacts are identified,
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral,
and electronic comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following publication of the legal notice in
the Idaho State Journal. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for
calculating the comment period for this proposal. You should not rely upon dates or timeframe
information provided by any other source. Only those who submit timely comments will be eligible to
appeal the subsequent Forest Service decision under 36 CFR 215.
Send written comments to:
Bureau of Land Management
Pocatello Field Office
Attn: Barry Myers, 2009 Husky 1 and North Dry Ridge Exploration EA Scoping
4350 Cliffs Drive
Pocatello, Idaho 83204
For further information contact:
Barry Myers, Planning and NEPA Specialist, Bureau of Land Management, Pocatello Field Office, 4350
Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, (208) 478-6369.
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents will be available for public review at the
BLM Pocatello Field Office and will be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA). They will be published as part of the EA and other related documents. Individual respondents
may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name and/or address from public review or
disclosure under the FOIA, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comment.
The BLM will honor such requests to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety.
Sincerely,
JOE KRAAYENBRINK
District Manager
BLM Idaho Falls District
BRENT LARSON
Forest Supervisor
Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Enclosures:
Figure 1 – Project Location Map
Figure 2 – Project Site Map
4

Blackfoot
Reservoir
T6S R42E
T6S R43E
T6S R44E
Project
Location
T6S R45E
I D A H O
Blackfoot
T7S R42E T7S R43E
North Dry Ridge
I-8289
Text
T7S R44E
T7S R45E
River
Maybe Canyon
I-04
Maybe Canyon
Exploration
On Lease
T8S R42E
T8S R43E
T8S R44E
T8S R45E
Husky 1
Exploration
Off Lease
Soda
Springs
Husky 1
I-05549
South of Husky 1
Exploration
Off Lease
T9S R42E T9S R43E
T9S R44E
T9S R45E
T10S R42E T10S R43E
T10S R44E
T10S R45E
LEGEND
Project Exploration Area
Lease Boundary
NORTH
0 1 2 3
Miles
Projection: North America Datum 1927,
State Plane, Idaho East Zone
Source: USGS 1:250,000 Scale DRG -
Preston (1978), Idaho
HUSKY 1 AND NORTH DRY RIDGE
EXPLORATION DRILLING PLAN EA
Figure 1
Project Location Map
ANALYSIS AREA: Caribou County, Idaho
File: K:\CO001452\ ScopingLetter_Fig1_ProjectLocation.mxd - 9/22/2009 @ 9:45:49 AM
Prepared By: JC
Reviewed By: EC

North
Dry Ridge
EO-9061
R 44 E
R 45 E
North
Dry Ridge
I-8289
T 7 S
T 8 S
T 7 S
T 8 S
Maybe
Canyon
I-04
R 44 E
R 45 E
Maybe Canyon
Exploration
On Lease
Husky 1
Exploration
Off Lease
Husky 1
I-05549
T 8 S
T 9 S
South of
Husky 1
Exploration
Off Lease
Dry Ridge
I-07238
T 8 S
T 9 S
LEGEND
Proposed Drill Collar
Lease Boundary
HUSKY 1 AND NORTH DRY RIDGE
EXPLORATION DRILLING PLAN EA
Existing Access Road
Proposed Access Road
Proposed Hooper Springs-
Lower Valley Transmission
Line
Project Exploration Area
Map 3-20 Areas
Idaho Roadless Theme
Backcountry Restoration
General Forest
Special Area
NORTH
0 0.5 1
Miles
Projection: North America Datum 1927,
State Plane, Idaho East Zone
Source: USGS 1:100,000 Scale DRG -
Soda Springs (1982), Idaho
Figure 2
Project Site Map
ANALYSIS AREA: Caribou County, Idaho
File: K:\CO001452\ ScopingLetter_Fig2_ProjectSite.mxd - 9/25/2009 @ 10:18:51 AM
Prepared By: JC
Reviewed By: EC