|
The project proposed by Haile is to reactivate the existing Haile Gold Mine near Kershaw, SC for the development of gold resources, to expand the area for open pit mining, and to construct associated facilities. The Haile Gold Mine Site encompasses approximately 4,231 acres. Mining will occur in phases involving eight open mining pits over a twelve-year period, with pit depths ranging from 110 to 840 feet deep. The proposed work includes the mechanized land clearing, grubbing, temporary stockpiling, filling, and excavation that will impact approximately 161.81 acres of jurisdictional, freshwater wetlands and 38,775 linear feet of streams. Construction drawings provided by the applicant are included in the original Joint Public Notice of January 28, 2011, and are available on Charleston District’s public website.
|
| Project Information |  |
Public Involvement | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Additional project information is provided in the documents listed below. Click on the document name in order to open the file
AnnouncementsOn December 15, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wrote the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requesting designation as a "Cooperating Agency" for the development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Haile Gold Mine. On January 10, 2012, the USACE responded by designating the EPA as a "Cooperating Agency." Click the following link (Corps EPA Cooperation Letters) to read the correspondence between the EPA and the USACE on this topic. On May 10, 2012, Catawba Indian Nation Chief William Harris requested that the USACE grant the tribe "Cooperating Agency" status in the development of the Haile Gold Mine EIS. The USACE responded by designating the Catawba Indian Nation (CIN) as a "Cooperating Agency" on June 5, 2012. Click the following link (Corps CIN Cooperation Letters) to read the correspondence between the CIN and the USACE on this topic. On September 26, 2012, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) requested designation as a "Cooperating Agency" for the development of the Haile Gold Mine EIS. On October 5, 2012, the USACE responded by designating DHEC as a "Cooperating Agency." Click the following link (Corps DHEC Cooperation Letters) to read the correspondence between DHEC and the USACE on this topic. Contact Information For further information and/or questions about the proposed project and the Environmental Impact Statement, please contact: For inquiries from the media, please contact the Corps, Charleston District Corporate Communications Officer (CCO), Ms. Glenn Jeffries by telephone: (843) 329–8123. |
Public Involvement is essential to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process in identifying significant issues, offering relevant information based on personal experience and knowledge, and providing assistance in defining the scope of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Charleston District hosted a community meeting on January 23, 2012, in Kershaw, South Carolina and was invited to attend a number of small citizen group meetings throughout the week. These interactions provided an opportunity for interested parties and community members to have open and informal dialogue with the USACE regarding the proposed Haile Gold Mine and preparation of the EIS. During these forums, the USACE heard a wide range of comments and concerns, and responded to a number of questions and comments. Click here for the Responses to Frequently Asked Questions. In addition to the community meetings, the USACE hosted an Interagency Group meeting in Kershaw, South Carolina on January 25, 2012. The meeting was attended by the Applicant and a number of state and federal agency representatives, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a Cooperating Agency with the USACE, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Other agencies are expected to participate in these Interagency Group Meetings in the future, including the State Historic Preservation Office and the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. The Interagency Group will meet at major project milestones to discuss concerns on behalf of the commenting agencies. The USACE also developed a Public Involvement Advisory Group (PIAG) and held the first meeting with this group on January 25, 2012, in Camden, South Carolina. The purpose of the PIAG is to engage in open dialogue with interested parties, including the Applicant and their consultants, commenting agencies, interested property owners, environmental groups, the Mayor of Kershaw, and the Lancaster County Economic Development Corporation. The PIAG will meet at major project milestones to discuss various merits of the project and concerns on behalf of interested parties, commenting agencies, and community members. The USACE plans to hold additional community involvement meetings. The next meetings will be formally announced on the website upon scheduling. In addition to the above-referenced meetings, the public is welcome to submit comments directly to the USACE by contacting Dr. Richard Darden, Project Manager, by email at Richard.Darden@usace.army.mil or by phone at (843) 329-8043 or toll free at 1-866-329-8187.
|
|||
| To Learn more about the Haile Gold Mine Project and the EIS Process, click here | ||||
