Silicon Exploration Project Eagle Permit NEPA Documents

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received an application from AngloGold Ashanti North America for a 10-year incidental eagle take permit, pursuant to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, for activities associated with their Silicon Exploration Project.  The Silicon Exploration Project is an exploratory drilling operation with the goal to determine the extent and quality of mineral resources (such as gold) in the area. The project is located on Bureau of Land Management lands approximately seven miles northeast of Beatty, Nevada in Nye County.  The submitted application requests a permit for the reoccurring loss of productivity from breeding golden eagles in the vicinity of the project (one mile from surface disturbing activities) for up to 10 times over no more than 10 years.  Disturbance to eagles could occur from noise associated with drilling, the presence of people and drill rigs, and other activities associated with the project.  The applicant prepared an Eagle Conservation Plan, submitted with their application, which details how they propose to avoid, minimize, and mitigate for adverse effects to eagles.

As part of the permit application review, we prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, to assess impacts of the proposed action of issuance of an eagle take permit, as well as alternatives to the proposed action. The proposed action of issuing a permit required implementation of measures to avoid and minimize adverse effects to eagles to the maximum extent practicable and compensatory mitigation to fully offset eagle take. Details of the minimizations measures and compensatory mitigation can be found in the EA document. The analysis detailed in the EA resulted in selection of the proposed action and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI and final EA documents are provided below.

Additional information regarding this project is available online at  https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-seeks-public-comment-silicon-exploration-plan-operations