The USDA Forest Service, Sawtooth National Forest (SNF) published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register Friday April 3, 2026, to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Black Pine Gold project and is seeking comments from the public. The Forest Service is the lead federal agency for the preparation of the EIS, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pocatello Field Office (PFO) is a cooperating agency. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho Department of Lands, and Office of Energy and Mineral Resources are also cooperating agencies.
The applicant, Liberty Gold (USA), Inc. (Liberty Gold) proposes to construct, operate, reclaim, and close an oxide-gold heap leach mine operation at the site of Black Pine Mine, located in Cassia and Oneida Counties, Idaho. The EIS will evaluate the potential effects of the Project on natural resources and the human environment.
The Black Pine Mine is located in southcentral Idaho in the Black Pine Division of the Minidoka Ranger District, approximately 18 miles northwest of Snowville, UT. The site operated as an open pit mine in the 1990s and was closed and reclaimed in 2000. Liberty Gold submitted a Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) to the Forest Service and BLM in February 2025, proposing new and expanded mining operations on NFS lands and the siting of mine facilities and support infrastructure on adjacent BLM-administered lands. If approved, the proposed plan would authorize surface disturbance on Forest Service and BLM lands associated with the development, mining, and processing of gold and silver.
Information about the proposed project is available on-line at:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth/projects/68766
The USFS is responsible for regulating mining activities on NFS lands and would make decisions regarding approval of the proposed Project and appropriate land uses on NFS lands. The Sawtooth Forest Supervisor, as the responsible official acting on behalf of the lead agency, through a signed Record of Decision will determine whether to approve the Project as proposed or an alternative. The BLM is responsible for operations on BLM administered lands and will utilize the EIS to prepare a separate Record of Decision to approve, approve with modifications, or deny the proposed Project with respect to the proposed developments on BLM administered public lands.
This Project is a “covered project” under section 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41). FAST-41 provides increased transparency and predictability by requiring Federal agencies to publish comprehensive permitting timetables for all covered projects. FAST-41 also provides procedures for modifying permitting timetables to address the unpredictability inherent in the environmental review and permitting process for significant infrastructure projects. To view the FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard for the Project, visit: https://www.permits.performance.gov/permitting-project/fast-41-covered-projects/black-pine-gold-project.
Approval of the proposed plan would be a major federal action subject to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Accordingly, the Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement to consider and publicly disclose the environmental effects of the proposed plan. The environmental analysis will follow the USDA regulations implementing NEPA at 7 CFR Part 1b. If necessary, amendments of the 2003 Land and Resource Management Plan for the SNF, as amended, (Sawtooth LRMP) will be identified and disclosed in the EIS. The scope of the potential amendment(s) may be project-specific or plan-level and would be for the purpose and need to ensure consistency of the project with the Sawtooth LRMP. If a plan-level scope is determined for the potential amendment(s) the decision for the amendment(s) would be subject to the plan objection process of 36 CFR 219, Subpart B. The likely to be directly affected, and therefore applicable, substantive requirements that would apply to the potential amendment(s) include 36 CFR 219.8 through 219.11.
How to Comment and Timeframe
The purpose of this legal notice is to announce the initiation of the scoping process (upon publication of the Notice of Intent [NOI] in the Federal Register), which guides the development of the EIS and provides notice that the proposed decision will be subject to the pre-decisional review process. Comments sought by the SNF include specific comments to the proposed project, appropriate information that could be pertinent to analysis of environmental effects, identification of significant issues, and identification of potential alternatives.
The publication date of the notice in the Federal Register is the exclusive means for calculating the time to submit written comments on a proposed project or activity. It is the responsibility of all individuals and organizations to ensure that their comments are received in a timely manner.
Comments should be submitted through the public participation portal on the project webpage:
https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=68766
To submit comments using the web form on the project webpage select “Get Connected” under “Project Summary” on the project’s webpage. Then select “Comment/Object on Project” to be directed to the comment web form. Written comments can also be sent to: Casey Johnson, Forest Supervisor, c/o Heidie Torrealday, Project Manager, Sawtooth National Forest; 2306 Hiland Avenue, Burley, Idaho 83318. Please use the subject line “Black Pine Gold Project Environmental Impact Statement.” Comments will be accepted for 30 days from the date of publication of the NOI in the Federal Register which is scheduled for Friday April 3, 2026.
Any decision that the Forest Service may make is potentially subject to a pre-decisional administrative review process, also known as an objection process (36 CFR 218). The proposed amendment to the regulations at 36 CFR 218 was published in the Federal Register on February 6, 2026 (91 FR 5387), prior to the initiation of public comment in this NOI. This project and the associated environmental compliance document and any potential decision may be subject to the revised regulations if the final 36 CFR 218 rule is published before the project is finalized. Otherwise, this project will follow the administrative review process established prior to the proposed rule. The BLM will make a separate decision that will be subject to their post-decision appeal process (43 CFR Part 4 and 43 CFR Subpart 3809).
It is important that interested members of the public provide their comments at such times and in such manner that they are useful to the agency’s preparation of the EIS; therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the commenter’s concerns and contentions. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, they will not be used to establish eligibility for the objection process. Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project during a public comment period. Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted, timely, and specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising after designated public comment opportunities.
The SNF will provide two public information meetings, during which members of the public can learn about the proposed action.
These meetings will be held at:
• Tuesday, April 14, 2026 — Virtual public meeting:
• Wednesday, April 15, 2026 — Raft River High School, 55 N 1st St W, Malta, ID 83342
Each meeting will begin at 6:00 pm MDT.
Additional information related to the proposed project can be found on the project website, https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth/projects/68766
or by contacting Heidie Torrealday, Project Manager via email at heidie.torrealday@usda.gov.
The form below can be used to submit your comments to the responsible project official.
National Forests have the option to post comments for public viewing on this web site via a public reading room. Active reading rooms allow the public to read or download your letter, including your contact information. If this project has an active reading room, a link labeled “Public Comment Reading Room” will appear on the main project page. The agency may withhold letters containing proprietary information, sensitive cultural or habitat locations, profanity, etc. All letters, including those not posted, will be considered and included as part of the project record.
Disclaimer: All contact information is optional; however, anonymous comments will not provide standing to object.
