{"abstract":"The USDA Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, through the Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose effects from the proposed Mine Plan of Operations (MPO), submitted by Rare Element Resources Inc. (proponent), for the development of the Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project. This EIS will evaluate potential impacts of the proposed open-pit mining for rare earth elements from National Forest System (NFS) lands and its associated infrastructure. The proposed action is expected to require a project-specific forest plan amendment to authorize deviation from existing visual standards and guidelines in the Black Hills Forest Plan. The Planning, Administrative Reviews, and Litigation System identification number for the project is #291093.","action":"Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE","name":"Agriculture Department","id":12,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/agriculture-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/12","parent_id":null,"slug":"agriculture-department"},{"raw_name":"Forest Service","name":"Forest Service","id":209,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/forest-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/209","parent_id":12,"slug":"forest-service"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2026/07/29/2026-15255.html","cfr_references":[],"citation":"91 FR 47803","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This notice initiates a 30-day period to solicit public comments and identify issues. The Forest Service requests that the public submit comments on the alternatives or effects and on relevant information, studies, or analyses with respect to the proposal by August 28, 2026. The Black Hills National Forest will publish the complete EIS in late 2027. Associated documentation will be published on the project web page, listed below. The Forest Service will not publish a draft environmental impact statement or conduct an objections process. A schedule for the decision-making process and additional information about the project can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/ blackhills/projects/291093.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[],"agency_name":"FS","documents":[{"comment_count":0,"comment_start_date":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-29T14:56:08.599-04:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FS_FRDOC_0001-4198","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"FS_FRDOC_0001-4198","comment_end_date":null,"regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":0,"id":"FS_FRDOC_0001","title":"Recently Posted FS Rules and Notices."}],"document_number":"2026-15255","effective_on":"2026-08-28","end_page":47805,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2026/07/29/2026-15255.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/29/2026-15255/black-hills-national-forest-wyoming-bear-lodge-rare-earth-project","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2026-15255?publication_date=2026-07-29","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2026-07-29/2026-15255/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":3,"page_views":{"count":757,"last_updated":"2026-09-21 00:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-29/pdf/2026-15255.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-15255.pdf?1785242709","publication_date":"2026-07-29","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/07/29/2026-15255.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"FS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=FS_FRDOC_0001","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"FS_FRDOC_0001","document_id":"FS_FRDOC_0001-4198","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Recently Posted FS Rules and Notices.","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2026-07-30T21:55:03Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":null,"signing_date":null,"start_page":47803,"subtype":null,"title":"Black Hills National Forest; Wyoming; Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project","toc_doc":"Black Hills National Forest, WY, Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project","toc_subject":"Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.","topics":[],"type":"Notice","volume":91}