BLM to hold public meeting on proposed phosphate mine

SODA SPRINGS, Idaho (BLM Press Release) — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho Falls District is preparing an environmental impact statement to address a mine and reclamation plan submitted by Itafos Conda, LLC for the proposed Husky 1/North Dry Ridge Phosphate Mine. Itafos proposes to develop several phosphate leases it holds on Dry Ridge, about 16 miles northeast of Soda Springs.  

Phosphate mining in southeast Idaho provides minerals for use in products that support agriculture, wildfire suppression, and other industries. Southeast Idaho phosphate mines supply about 22 percent of the Nation’s and 4 percent of the world’s phosphate. The mining methods proposed at the Husky 1/North Dry Ridge Mine would be similar to those of Itafos’ Rasmussen Valley Mine. Operations at the new mine would begin in time to allow a transition as Rasmussen Valley Mine becomes depleted.   

The first phase of the environmental impact statement development process is a 30-day scoping period, during which the BLM will gather public comments on the proposal and identify issues that need to be analyzed in the environmental impact statement. As part of the scoping process, the BLM Idaho Falls District will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, January 11, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A link to attend the virtual public meeting will be posted by that date on the BLM Land Use Planning and NEPA Register website at https://go.usa.gov/x7HSJ 

“We invite all interested members of the public to attend the virtual meeting to learn more about the proposed phosphate mine and to let us know what they believe is important for the BLM to address when considering the proposal and developing different management alternatives to address it,” said Mary D’Aversa, BLM Idaho Falls District Manager.  

Members of the public can learn more about the proposed mine on the BLM Land Use Planning and NEPA Register website at https://go.usa.gov/x7HSJ

and can submit comments during the scoping period through January 22, 2021 by any of the following methods: 

• on the BLM Land Use Planning and NEPA Register website at https://go.usa.gov/x7HSJ   
• by email to BLM_ID_Husky1NDR_EIS@blm.gov  
• by mail to Husky 1/North Dry Ridge Phosphate Mine EIS, C/O Tetra Tech, 2525 Palmer Street, Suite 2, Missoula, MT 59808.