GENERAL55525

• Permit No: M1983194
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 2/28/1990
• Doc Name: DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT WOLF RIDGE CORP MINE PLAN FOR A NAHCOLITE SOLUTION MINE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

SUMMARY
On October 9, 1984, Wolf Ridge Corporation (WRC),
the holder of four federal sodium lease tracts within the
Piceance Basin in northwest Colorado, submitted a mine
plan to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a
commercial-scale nahcolite solution mine. Initial screening
of the mine plan indicated that it represented a major federal
action with the potential for significant impacts; therefore,
pursuant to Section 102 of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), BLM determined that an
environmental impact statement (EIS) would be required
in conjunction with approval of the mine plan.
Four alternatives, including N/RC's proposal, are
described and analyzed in this EIS. The purpose of this
E1S is to analyze and define the potential environmental
and socioeconomic effects of each of these alternatives. In
addition, the EIS identifies necessary mitigation in the form
of stipulations that would be incorporated into the approved
plan.
The following narrative briefly describes each of the
alternatives and summarizes their anticipated impacts.
No Action Alternative
This alternative involves construction and operation of
a 6-ton per year (tpy), 2-year maximum pilot-scale nahcolite
mine that was analyzed and approved by BLM in an
environmental assessment (EA Number CO-010-86-07) on
May 2, 1986. Thereiore, this aMion (pilot-scale mine) is
independent of WRC's commercial-scale mine plan and can
occur, regardless of the outcome of this EIS.
Under the No Action Alternative, the approved pilot
project will take place; however, expansion of the approved
pilot project to a commercial-scale project will not occur.
Facilities approved under the pilot project include: a 5-
acre plant site, a 4-acre well field (or in situ solution mining
of nahcolite, an evaporation pond encompassing 4 acres,
a new water well and ancillary pipeline, and upgrading
(including graveling) of the existing access road into the
plant site.
No significant adverse impacts will result from the No
Action (Pilot Project) Alternative. Minor short-term impacts
will occur to air quality, soils, vegetation, livestock grazing,
water resources, wildlife, and recreational/visual resources.
Cultural and paleontological resources will also be
potentially impacted. Existing and future mineral lease rights
could be complicated because of diminished surface
occupancy possibilities within the project development area.
Groundwater consumed by the pilot project will
contribute cumulatively to adverse alterations of downstream
endangered fish habitat, although the project, by itself, will
probably notjeopardize the continued existence of any listed
fish. Mitigation (conservation measures) will compensate for
this impact.
Proposed Action
WRC's proposal involves consvuction and operation of
a commercial-scale nahcolite solution mine to produce
sodium bicarbonate at a maximum rate of 125,000 tpy over
a 30-year period. The proposal involves phased-approach
development, with initial production of 50,000 tpy,
increasing in the second or third year of operation to 125,000
tpy.
The Proposed Action would involve: expansion of the
approved pilot project well field and plant site, paving of
the access road into the plant site (affecting up to 215
additional acres), construction of additional evaporation
ponds (affecting up to 22 additional acres), construction
of a natural gas pipeline into the plant site (involving l7
acres), and addition of a warehouse/rail loading facility at
Lacy Station in Rifle, Colorado.
The only potentially significant adverse impacts associated
with this alternative would be to local groundwater quantity
and quality. There would be a 5 percent reduction in average
daily flow from Yellow Creek. This could be mitigated
through a state required water augmentation plan. The area
of the base of the lower aquifer in contact with salts would
increase by approximately 20 percent within [he lease tracts.
The resources described as being affected under the No
Action, in most cases, would be impacted to a greater degree
under this alternative because of the 30-year project life.
Potential surface subsidence of less than 1 foot would also
occur; however, none of these impacts would be considered
significant after application of mitigation.
50,000 TPY Alternative
This alternative would involve construction and operation
of a 30-year solution mine producing 50,000 tpy of sodium
bicarbonate. It would essentially be an expansion of the
2-year pilot project to a 30.year commercial facility. It would
involve similar, but less expansion than described under the
Proposed Action, except the atx;ess road would not be paved
and the Lacy Station warehouse/rail loading facility would
not be utilized. Approximately 90 acres of additional land
would be associated with expansion of the well field.
Additional evaporation ponds would be required, affecting
approximately 10 acres.
S-I