Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Snow Mountain Solar Project on the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Reservation, Clark County, Nevada, 68909-68910 [2014-27379]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 223 / Wednesday, November 19, 2014 / Notices
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necessity of this information collection
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) The accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden (hours
and cost) of the collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Ways we could enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Ways we could
minimize the burden of the collection of
the information on the respondents.
Please note that an agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and an individual
need not respond to, a collection of
information unless it has a valid OMB
Control Number.
It is our policy to make all comments
available to the public for review at the
location listed in the ADDRESSES section.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 1076–0131.
Title: Indian Child Welfare Quarterly
and Annual Report.
Brief Description of Collection: The
BIA is seeking to revise the information
collection conducted under 25 CFR part
23, related to the Indian Child Welfare
Act (ICWA). The revisions includes
changing the name of the collection
(previously identified as Indian Child
Welfare Assistance Report, 25 CFR part
83) to ‘‘Indian Child Welfare Quarterly
and Annual Report.’’ BIA simplified the
previous form, which is now Part A—
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Data.
The changes includes few categories
that are no longer considered useful for
planning purposes, based on feedback
received from BIA regional staff. In
addition, a new form has been added,
Part B—Tribal Child Abuse and Neglect
Data. This form must completed by
tribes that operate child protection
programs.
Submission of this information by
Indian tribes allows BIA to consolidate
and review selected data on Indian
child welfare cases. The data is useful
on a local level, to the tribes and tribal
entities that collect it, for case
management purposes. The data are
useful on a nationwide basis for
planning and budget purposes.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:16 Nov 18, 2014
Jkt 235001
Response is required to obtain or retain
a benefit.
Type of Review: Revision of currently
approved collection.
Respondents: Indian tribes or tribal
entities that are operating programs for
Indian tribes.
Number of Respondents:
Approximately 536 per year, on average,
for Part A—ICWA Data; approximately
200 per year, on average, for Part B—
Tribal Child Abuse Neglect Data.
Frequency of Response: Four times
per year for the Part A—ICWA Data; if
applicable, four times per year for Part
B—Tribal Child Abuse Neglect Data.
Estimated Time per Response:
Approximately 15 minutes for Part A—
ICWA Data; approximately 15 minutes
for Part B—Tribal Child Abuse and
Neglect Data.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:
736 hours, on average.
Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour
Dollar Cost: $0.
Dated: November 13, 2014.
Elizabeth K. Appel,
Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and
Collaborative Action—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014–27375 Filed 11–18–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–4J–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[AAK6006201 145A2100DD
AOR3030.999900]
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Snow
Mountain Solar Project on the Las
Vegas Paiute Indian Reservation, Clark
County, Nevada
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In order to comply with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA), as lead agency in cooperation
with the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe (Tribe),
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
and other Federal agencies, intend to
prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) that will evaluate a
proposed photovoltaic (PV) solar energy
generation project on the Las Vegas
Paiute Indian Reservation and a
transmission line located on tribal
lands, private lands and/or Federal
lands administered and managed by
BLM in Clark County, Nevada.
This notice announces the beginning
of the scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify potential issues
related to the EIS. It also announces that
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
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68909
public scoping meetings will be held in
Nevada to identify potential issues,
alternatives, and mitigation to be
considered in the EIS.
DATES: The date and location of the
public scoping meeting will be
published in the Las Vegas Sun and Las
Vegas Review-Journal at least 15 days
before the scoping meeting. Written
comments on the scope of the EIS or
implementation of the proposal must
arrive by December 19, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may mail, email, or
hand carry written comments to either
Mr. Paul Schlafly, Natural Resource
Specialist, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Southern Paiute Agency, 180 North 200
East, Suite 111, P.O. Box 720, St.
George, Utah 84770; telephone: (435)
674–9720; email: paul.schlafly@bia.gov,
or Mr. Chip Lewis, BIA Western
Regional Office, 2600 North Central
Avenue, 4th Floor Mailroom, Phoenix,
Arizona 85004; telephone: (602) 379–
6782; email: chip.lewis@bia.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed Federal action, taken under 25
U.S.C. 415, is BIA’s approval of a solar
energy ground lease and associated
agreements entered into by the Las
Vegas Paiute Tribe with a subsidiary of
First Solar, Inc. (First Solar) to provide
for construction and operation of an upto 100 megawatt (MW) alternating
current solar photovoltaic (PV)
electricity generation facility located
entirely on the Las Vegas Paiute Snow
Mountain Reservation and specifically
on lands held in trust by the United
States for the Tribe. The Project would
interconnect to an adjacent substation
via a short 138 kilovolt or 230 kilovolt
(kV) line that may be located on Tribal
lands, private lands and/or Federal
lands administered and managed by
BLM. First Solar has accordingly
requested that the BIA and BLM
additionally approve right-of-ways
(ROWs) authorizing the construction
and operation of the transmission line.
Together, the proposed solar energy
facility, transmission line, and other
associated facilities will make up the
proposed Snow Mountain Solar Project
(Project).
The Project would be located in
Township 18 South, Range 59 East,
Sections 34, 35, and 36 Mount Diablo
Meridian, Nevada, and access to the
Project would be provided by U.S.
Highway 95, Paiute Drive, and/or an
upgrade to an existing road that crosses
next to the proposed Project site. The
generation facility would generate
electricity using First Solar’s solar PV
panels. Also included would be
inverters, a collection system, an on-site
substation to step-up the voltage to
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mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
68910
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 223 / Wednesday, November 19, 2014 / Notices
transmission-level voltage at 138 or
230kV, an operations and maintenance
building, and other related facilities. A
short single overhead 138 or 230 kV
generation-tie transmission line would
connect the solar project to the adjacent
Northwest Substation.
Construction of the Project is
expected to take approximately 12 to 15
months. First Solar is expected to
operate the energy facility for 30 years,
with two options to renew the lease for
an additional 10 years, if mutually
acceptable to the Tribe and First Solar.
The Project is expected to be built in
one phase of up to 100 MW, per the
demand of potential off-takers or
utilities. During construction, the PV
panels will be placed on top of fixed-tilt
and/or single-axis tracking mounting
systems that are set on steel posts
embedded in the ground. Other
foundation design techniques may be
used depending on the site topography
and conditions. No water will be used
to generate electricity during operations.
Water will be needed during
construction for dust control and a
minimal amount will be needed during
operations for administrative and
sanitary water use on-site. The water
supply required for the Project would be
leased from the Tribe and the EIS will
consider the impacts of alternative
sources and delivery methods.
The purposes of the proposed actions
are to: (1) Help to provide long-term,
diverse, and viable economic revenue
base and job opportunities for the Tribe;
(2) help Nevada and neighboring States
to meet their State renewable energy
needs; and (3) allow the Tribe, in
partnership with First Solar, to optimize
the use of the lease site while
maximizing the potential economic
benefit to the Tribe.
The BIA will prepare the EIS in
cooperation with the Tribe, BLM, and
possibly the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and the
Department of Defense (DOD). In
addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) will provide input on
the analysis. The resulting EIS will aim
to: (1) Provide agency decision makers,
the Tribe, and the general public with
a comprehensive understanding of the
impacts of the proposed Project and
alternatives on the Reservation; (2)
describe the cumulative impacts of
increased development on the
Reservation; and (3) identify and
propose mitigation measures that would
minimize or prevent significant adverse
impacts. Consistent with these
objectives, the EIS will analyze the
proposed Project and appurtenant
features, viable alternatives including
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:16 Nov 18, 2014
Jkt 235001
other interconnection options, modified
footprint alternatives, alternate routing
for Project ROWs, and the No Action
alternative. Other alternatives may be
identified in response to issues raised
during the scoping process.
The EIS will provide a framework for
BIA and BLM to make determinations
and to decide whether to take the
aforementioned Federal actions. In
addition, BIA will use and coordinate
the NEPA commenting process to satisfy
its obligations under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for
in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Tribal
consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy and tribal
concerns will be given due
consideration, including impacts on
Indian trust assets. Other Federal
agencies may rely on the EIS to make
decisions under their authority and the
Tribe may also use the EIS to make
decisions. The USFWS will review the
EIS for consistency with the Endangered
Species Act, as amended, and other
implementing acts, and may rely on the
EIS to support its decisions and
opinions regarding the Project’s impact
on federally listed species.
Issues to be covered during the
scoping process may include, but would
not be limited to, Project impacts on air
quality, geology and soils, surface and
groundwater resources, biological
resources, threatened and endangered
species, cultural resources,
socioeconomic conditions, land use,
aesthetics, environmental justice, and
Indian trust resources. In addition to
those already identified above, other
Federal, State, and local agencies, along
with other stakeholders that may be
interested or affected by the BIA’s
decision on the proposed Project, are
invited to participate in the scoping
process.
Submission of Public Comments
Please include your name, return
address, and the caption ‘‘EIS, Snow
Mountain Solar Project,’’ on the first
page of any written comments. You may
also submit comments at the public
scoping meeting.
A public scoping meeting will be held
on the Reservation to further describe
the Project and identify potential issues
and alternatives to be considered in the
EIS. The date of the public scoping
meeting will be included in notices to
be posted in the Las Vegas Sun and Las
Vegas Review-Journal at least 15 days
before the meeting.
Public Comment Availability
Comments, including names and
addresses of respondents, will be
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
available for public review at the
mailing address shown in the
ADDRESSES section during regular
business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except
holidays. Before including your address,
phone number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
Authority
This notice is published in
accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7 of the
Council of Environmental Quality
regulations and 43 CFR 46.235 of the
Department of the Interior Regulations
implementing the procedural
requirements of the NEPA (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), and in accordance with
the exercise of authority delegated to the
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs by
part 209 of the Department Manual.
Dated: November 10, 2014.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014–27379 Filed 11–18–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[DR.5B711.IA000815]
Indian Gaming
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Tribal-State Class III
Gaming Compact taking effect.
AGENCY:
This notice publishes the
Class III Gaming Compact between the
Karuk Tribe and the State of California
taking effect.
DATES: Effective Date: November 19,
2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paula L. Hart, Director, Office of Indian
Gaming, Office of the Deputy Assistant
Secretary—Policy and Economic
Development, Washington, DC 20240,
(202) 219–4066.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under
section 11 of the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act (IGRA), Public Law 100–
497, 25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq., the
Secretary of the Interior shall publish in
the Federal Register notice of approved
Tribal-State compacts for the purpose of
engaging in Class III gaming activities
on Indian lands. The Compact between
the State of California and the Karuk
Tribe allows for one gaming facility and
authorizes the Tribe to operate up to
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\19NON1.SGM
19NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68909-68910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27379]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[AAK6006201 145A2100DD AOR3030.999900]
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Snow
Mountain Solar Project on the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Reservation,
Clark County, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In order to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as lead agency in
cooperation with the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe (Tribe), the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), and other Federal agencies, intend to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) that will evaluate a proposed
photovoltaic (PV) solar energy generation project on the Las Vegas
Paiute Indian Reservation and a transmission line located on tribal
lands, private lands and/or Federal lands administered and managed by
BLM in Clark County, Nevada.
This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to
solicit public comments and identify potential issues related to the
EIS. It also announces that public scoping meetings will be held in
Nevada to identify potential issues, alternatives, and mitigation to be
considered in the EIS.
DATES: The date and location of the public scoping meeting will be
published in the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal at least 15
days before the scoping meeting. Written comments on the scope of the
EIS or implementation of the proposal must arrive by December 19, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may mail, email, or hand carry written comments to
either Mr. Paul Schlafly, Natural Resource Specialist, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Southern Paiute Agency, 180 North 200 East, Suite 111, P.O.
Box 720, St. George, Utah 84770; telephone: (435) 674-9720; email:
paul.schlafly@bia.gov, or Mr. Chip Lewis, BIA Western Regional Office,
2600 North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mailroom, Phoenix, Arizona 85004;
telephone: (602) 379-6782; email: chip.lewis@bia.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Federal action, taken under 25
U.S.C. 415, is BIA's approval of a solar energy ground lease and
associated agreements entered into by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe with a
subsidiary of First Solar, Inc. (First Solar) to provide for
construction and operation of an up-to 100 megawatt (MW) alternating
current solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation facility located
entirely on the Las Vegas Paiute Snow Mountain Reservation and
specifically on lands held in trust by the United States for the Tribe.
The Project would interconnect to an adjacent substation via a short
138 kilovolt or 230 kilovolt (kV) line that may be located on Tribal
lands, private lands and/or Federal lands administered and managed by
BLM. First Solar has accordingly requested that the BIA and BLM
additionally approve right-of-ways (ROWs) authorizing the construction
and operation of the transmission line. Together, the proposed solar
energy facility, transmission line, and other associated facilities
will make up the proposed Snow Mountain Solar Project (Project).
The Project would be located in Township 18 South, Range 59 East,
Sections 34, 35, and 36 Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada, and access to
the Project would be provided by U.S. Highway 95, Paiute Drive, and/or
an upgrade to an existing road that crosses next to the proposed
Project site. The generation facility would generate electricity using
First Solar's solar PV panels. Also included would be inverters, a
collection system, an on-site substation to step-up the voltage to
[[Page 68910]]
transmission-level voltage at 138 or 230kV, an operations and
maintenance building, and other related facilities. A short single
overhead 138 or 230 kV generation-tie transmission line would connect
the solar project to the adjacent Northwest Substation.
Construction of the Project is expected to take approximately 12 to
15 months. First Solar is expected to operate the energy facility for
30 years, with two options to renew the lease for an additional 10
years, if mutually acceptable to the Tribe and First Solar. The Project
is expected to be built in one phase of up to 100 MW, per the demand of
potential off-takers or utilities. During construction, the PV panels
will be placed on top of fixed-tilt and/or single-axis tracking
mounting systems that are set on steel posts embedded in the ground.
Other foundation design techniques may be used depending on the site
topography and conditions. No water will be used to generate
electricity during operations. Water will be needed during construction
for dust control and a minimal amount will be needed during operations
for administrative and sanitary water use on-site. The water supply
required for the Project would be leased from the Tribe and the EIS
will consider the impacts of alternative sources and delivery methods.
The purposes of the proposed actions are to: (1) Help to provide
long-term, diverse, and viable economic revenue base and job
opportunities for the Tribe; (2) help Nevada and neighboring States to
meet their State renewable energy needs; and (3) allow the Tribe, in
partnership with First Solar, to optimize the use of the lease site
while maximizing the potential economic benefit to the Tribe.
The BIA will prepare the EIS in cooperation with the Tribe, BLM,
and possibly the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Defense
(DOD). In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will
provide input on the analysis. The resulting EIS will aim to: (1)
Provide agency decision makers, the Tribe, and the general public with
a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of the proposed Project
and alternatives on the Reservation; (2) describe the cumulative
impacts of increased development on the Reservation; and (3) identify
and propose mitigation measures that would minimize or prevent
significant adverse impacts. Consistent with these objectives, the EIS
will analyze the proposed Project and appurtenant features, viable
alternatives including other interconnection options, modified
footprint alternatives, alternate routing for Project ROWs, and the No
Action alternative. Other alternatives may be identified in response to
issues raised during the scoping process.
The EIS will provide a framework for BIA and BLM to make
determinations and to decide whether to take the aforementioned Federal
actions. In addition, BIA will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting
process to satisfy its obligations under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36
CFR 800.2(d)(3). Tribal consultations will be conducted in accordance
with policy and tribal concerns will be given due consideration,
including impacts on Indian trust assets. Other Federal agencies may
rely on the EIS to make decisions under their authority and the Tribe
may also use the EIS to make decisions. The USFWS will review the EIS
for consistency with the Endangered Species Act, as amended, and other
implementing acts, and may rely on the EIS to support its decisions and
opinions regarding the Project's impact on federally listed species.
Issues to be covered during the scoping process may include, but
would not be limited to, Project impacts on air quality, geology and
soils, surface and groundwater resources, biological resources,
threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, socioeconomic
conditions, land use, aesthetics, environmental justice, and Indian
trust resources. In addition to those already identified above, other
Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that
may be interested or affected by the BIA's decision on the proposed
Project, are invited to participate in the scoping process.
Submission of Public Comments
Please include your name, return address, and the caption ``EIS,
Snow Mountain Solar Project,'' on the first page of any written
comments. You may also submit comments at the public scoping meeting.
A public scoping meeting will be held on the Reservation to further
describe the Project and identify potential issues and alternatives to
be considered in the EIS. The date of the public scoping meeting will
be included in notices to be posted in the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas
Review-Journal at least 15 days before the meeting.
Public Comment Availability
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the mailing address shown in the
ADDRESSES section during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Before including your address,
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly
available at any time.
Authority
This notice is published in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7 of the
Council of Environmental Quality regulations and 43 CFR 46.235 of the
Department of the Interior Regulations implementing the procedural
requirements of the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and in accordance
with the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--
Indian Affairs by part 209 of the Department Manual.
Dated: November 10, 2014.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-27379 Filed 11-18-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P
