Mountain Valley MD Holdings Inc C.MVMD

Giddy up MAY

[buyb4its2l82]

ALTERNATIVE A: PROPOSED ACTION

Meadow Bay is proposing an exploratory drilling program at Atlanta Mine. Surface disturbances constitute approximately 15 acres, including the construction of up to 62 drill sites during the 2014 and 2015 drilling season (generally defined as spring/summer/fall).

The following activities constitute the Proposed Action:

x Using cross country travel;

x Constructing drill pads and sumps;

x Drilling boreholes and collecting samples;

x Using existing onsite facilities (primary office, guard shack, crew quarters and geology laboratory) for temporary storage of drilling materials, equipment, and support facilities.

Figure 2-1 shows the locations of these activities and Figure 2-2 shows the existing onsite facilities that would be used during the proposed exploratory drilling operations.

Table 2-1 lists the proposed surface disturbance. All of the proposed surface disturbance would be on public lands managed by the BLM Schell FO. The allocation of acreage by activity outlined in Table 2-1 is representative of the planned exploration.

Table 2-1. Proposed Surface Disturbance under the Proposed Action

Proje ct Compone nt	Proposed Disturbance
			(Acres)
Access Routes to Drill Sites	26,806	feet	9
Drill Sites (Pads and Sumps)	62	sites	5
Total Proposed Disturbance (Rounded)			15
Meadow Bay would reclaim any surface disturbance due to Meadow
Bay activities.

2.2.1 Project Area Location and Access

The 11,365-acre project area is located at the northern tip of the Wilson Creek Range in Lincoln County, Nevada; approximately 37 miles north of Pioche, and 17 miles east of U.S. Highway 93 (see Figure 1-1). As shown in Figure 1-1, the project area can be accessed from the north, west, southwest and northeast. However, Meadow Bay would only use Atlanta Road (Lincoln County Road 894) from the southwest for the project access. Atlanta Road originates at U.S. Highway 93. 

Personnel and Travel
The following personnel would be used in conjunction with project activities:

x Each drill rig would use a two- to four-person crew. The crew would carpool in one pickup truck to minimize the number of trips per day. Drilling would occur throughout the calendar year. Where multiple drill rigs are in use, a supervisor may also be present. The supervisor may cover multiple rigs.

x Each drill rig would have a water truck, which is expected to make at least one trip to the drill site for water each day. Depending on water needs for dust control, the water trucks may need to make multiple trips to the onsite 200,000-gallon water tank.

x A pipe truck would travel to the drill site at the beginning of work and back from the site at the completion of the work.

x Drilling muds would be delivered periodically as needed. Whenever possible, the mud would be delivered in bulk to minimize trips to the site.

x One or more Meadow Bay geologists would travel to the project each day to supervise operations.

2.2.10.3 Water Use

Meadow Bay estimates that the water use for an average hole is 5,000 gallons. However, up to 10,000 gallons of water may be required for a problematic hole. Meadow Bay would acquire or verify that all necessary waivers from the Nevada Division of Water Rights (NDWR) for temporary use of groundwater for mineral exploration are in place.

2.2.10.4 Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials used at the project area would include diesel fuel, gasoline, and lubricating grease. Diesel fuel would be stored in a fuel delivery system on vehicles and drill rigs. For the proposed operations, a 5,500-gallon aboveground diesel fuel tank would be placed in a lined containment pit at the crew quarters. Approximately 25 pounds of lubricating grease would be stored on the drill rigs or transported by drill trucks.