Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Desert Rock Energy Project and the Navajo Mine Extension Project, San Juan County, NM: Reopening of Comment Period, 51462-51463 [E7-17356]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 173 / Friday, September 7, 2007 / Notices
predation, disease, demographic
limitations, loss of genetic diversity, and
inbreeding.
In 2001, the Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife began a captive
breeding program for the Columbia
Basin pygmy rabbit. Ultimately, the goal
of the captive breeding program is to
facilitate future releases of captive-bred
animals at suitable sites within the
population’s historical distribution to
begin the process of its recovery in the
wild. However, the captive purebred
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits did not
produce enough offspring to
accommodate reintroduction efforts,
and only a minimal number of purebred
animals have been available since the
program’s first breeding season in 2002.
In addition, the available information
indicates that the Columbia Basin
pygmy rabbit has experienced a loss of
genetic diversity as a result of
inbreeding and genetic drift. Due to
poor demographic, behavioral,
physiological, and genetic indicators for
pure Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit
breeding efforts, intercross matings
between Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits
and pygmy rabbits of the same
taxonomic classification from a discrete
population in Idaho were initiated
during the 2003 breeding season.
In March, 2007, 20 captive-bred
pygmy rabbits were reintroduced to
habitats historically occupied by the
species within the Columbia Basin of
central Washington. These captive-bred
animals experienced a high level of
predation over the first several weeks
following their release. As of May 15,
2007, five of these animals remained
alive and they will continue to be
monitored throughout the 2007 breeding
season. Just prior to the initial release
effort, there were 86 individuals
included in the captive breeding
program, 3 of which were purebred
Columbia Basin animals. At least one
wild-born, and likely captive bred kit
(approximately 1-month old) has been
documented at the release site. The
remaining captive-bred female was also
observed displaying nesting behavior.
The balance of the captive population
and those recently released to the wild
consist of intercross pygmy rabbits.
Intercross breeding has helped facilitate
genetic restoration of the Columbia
Basin pygmy rabbit and is considered
essential for recovery efforts. Currently,
proposed measures to recover the
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit in the
wild include additional releases of
captive-bred animals with at least 75
percent Columbia Basin ancestry.
The draft recovery plan proposes a
phased approach to recovery
implementation: first, removal or
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abatement of imminent threats to
prevent the extinction of the Columbia
Basin pygmy rabbit; second,
reestablishment of an appropriate
number and distribution of free-ranging
subpopulations over the near-term; and
third, establishment and protection of a
resilient, free-ranging population that
could withstand foreseeable long-term
threats. A key near-term objective of
Federal recovery efforts is to reintroduce
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits to the
wild and sufficiently reduce threats to
the population to ensure a high
probability of its persistence over the
foreseeable future. The long-term
recovery goal is to increase the number,
distribution, and security of free-ranging
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits so that
the population may be reclassified as
threatened and, ultimately, be removed
from the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants under
the Act. The draft recovery plan
identifies the following main actions as
necessary to initiate recovery of the
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit: (1)
Manage the captive breeding program;
(2) manage genetic characteristics; (3)
survey for and monitor free-ranging
individuals; (4) reestablish free-ranging
subpopulations within their historical
distribution; (5) protect free-ranging
individuals; (6) manage habitats at
recovery emphasis areas to support
stable, self-sustaining subpopulations;
(7) pursue cooperative agreements with
land owners and managers of
intervening properties within the
population’s historical distribution; (8)
exchange information with stakeholders
and the general public to address
concerns and increase support for
recovery efforts; (9) secure funding for
recovery efforts; and (10) revise the
recovery plan as necessary to achieve
the phased recovery strategy.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the
draft recovery plan described in this
notice. All comments received by the
date specified above will be considered
in development of a final recovery plan
for the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f)
of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C.
1533 (f).
Dated: July 26, 2007.
David Wesley,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E7–17679 Filed 9–6–07; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Desert Rock Energy
Project and the Navajo Mine Extension
Project, San Juan County, NM:
Reopening of Comment Period
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public
that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
and the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) are reopening the
comment period on the draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Proposed Desert Rock Energy
Project and the Navajo Mine Extension
Project, San Juan County, New Mexico,
for an additional 30 days. The Notice of
Availability of the DEIS, published by in
the Federal Register by the BIA on June
20, 2007 (72 FR 34035), and by the EPA
on June 22, 2007 (72 FR 34463),
announced a closing date for comments
of August 20, 2007.
DATES: Written comments for the
reopened comment period must arrive
by 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time
(MST), October 9, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may mail written
comments on the DEIS via U.S. Postal
Service first class or priority to
Harrilene Yazzie, Regional NEPA
Coordinator, Navajo Regional Office,
Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. Box 1060,
Gallup, New Mexico 87305. You may
also hand carry, or have written
comments delivered by U.S. Postal
Service Express Mail or by courier
service to Harrilene Yazzie at the Navajo
Regional Office, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, 301 W. Hill Street, Gallup, New
Mexico 87305. In addition, you may
send comments by e-mail to the project
Web site, www.desertrockenergy.com, or
to the BIA contractor’s e-mail account
for this project,
desertrockEIS@urscorp.com. Please
include the caption, ‘‘Desert Rock
Energy Project DEIS Comments,’’ at the
top of your letter or in the subject line
of your e-mail message; be specific in
your comments and cite the chapter,
page, paragraph, and sentence to which
they pertain; and include your name
and return address in your letter or
message.
The DEIS is available for review at the
BIA Office, 301 West Hill Street, Gallup,
New Mexico. It is also available for
review on the project Web site
www.desertrockenergy.com. A limited
number of compact disk (CD) and paper
copies have been prepared for
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 173 / Friday, September 7, 2007 / Notices
distribution and are available upon
request. For your convenience, however,
the BIA recommends using the Internet
or other publicly available copies for
reviews where possible. You may obtain
a CD or paper copy by contacting
Harrilene Yazzie at the BIA mailing
address provided in the ADDRESSES
section, at her telephone number shown
below, or by fax at (505) 863–8324.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Harrilene Yazzie, (505) 863–8286.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Reopening of the Comment Period
On June 20 and 22, 2007, the BIA and
the EPA, respectively, published notices
in the Federal Register announcing the
availability of the DEIS, a comment
period closing on August 20, 2007, and
the dates, times and locations of 10
public hearings on the DEIS. These
public hearings were held between July
17 and July 25, 2007. Subsequent to the
publishing of the notices, the BIA
received requests to extend the
comment period. We are reopening the
comment period in consideration of
these requests.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Background on the Desert Rock Energy
Project EIS
The DEIS analyzes and discloses
probable environmental effects of the
proposed Desert Rock Energy Project (or
referred to herein as Desert Rock Energy
Project or proposed project/action) and
the Navajo Mine Extension Project (or
referred to herein as the Navajo Mine
Extension Project or Area IV North, Area
IV South and Area V of the BHP Navajo
Coal Company [BNCC] Lease Area).
Together, Sithe Global Power, LLC, by
and through the Desert Rock Energy
Company, LLC, and Dino Power
Authority (DPA), a Navajo Nation
enterprise, are proposing to develop and
construct the Desert Rock Energy
Project. Desert Rock Energy Company,
LLC, entered into a development
agreement with DPA to develop and
construct a coal-fired power plant on
the Navajo Reservation. Desert Rock
Energy Company, LLC, is a privately
held, independent power company and
a limited liability corporation formed
under the laws of the State of Delaware.
DPA was established by the Navajo
Nation Council to develop utility-scale
energy projects on behalf of the Navajo
Nation for the economic benefit of the
Navajo people.
The proposed project involves the
construction and operation of a coalfired electrical power plant that would
generate up to 1,500 megawatts (MW) of
power; the extension of existing surface
coal mining operations at the Navajo
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Mine to provide fuel for the power
plant; disposal of coal combustion byproducts (CCBs); and mine reclamation
operations along with associated mine
support facilities and activities. The
proposed project also includes a water
well field and supply pipeline to the
power plant, transmission lines, a
receiving electrical station, other
upgrades and ancillary facilities
required in the production and
transmission of electricity, and new
access roads.
The proposed project is located
approximately 30 miles southwest of
Farmington in San Juan County, New
Mexico, and is entirely on trust lands
within the exterior boundaries of the
Navajo Nation. The power plant would
be constructed on a 592-acre parcel
immediately adjacent to, and west of
Area IV North of the BNCC Lease Area.
The coal fuel supply would be produced
from Areas IV South and V of the BNCC
Lease Area and transported by conveyor
to a proposed coal preparation facility
located in Area IV North of the BNCC
lease area, near the power plant.
The proposed project requires a longterm business site lease between the
Navajo Nation and DPA, and a sublease
between DPA and Desert Rock Energy
Company, LLC. Because the power plant
and associated facilities would be
located on land held in trust by the
federal government for the Navajo
Nation within the Navajo reservation,
the lease must be approved by BIA, an
agency of the United States Department
of the Interior.
The DEIS is intended to satisfy the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act for each
federal agency’s decision related to the
siting, construction, operation, and
maintenance of the proposed facility;
and to aid federal, Navajo Nation, state,
and local permitting authorities with
their permitting responsibilities,
including surface coal mining, CCB
disposal and reclamation activities on
the BNCC Lease Area under the Surface
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
1977 (SMCRA).
Availability of Your Comments for
Public Review
Comments, including names and
addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the street
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,
e-mail address or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
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51463
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.
Authority
This notice is published in
accordance with section 1503.1 of the
Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR, Parts 1500 through
1508) implementing the procedural
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. Seq.), and
the Department of the Interior Manual
(516 DM 1–6), and is in the exercise of
authority delegated to the Assistant
Secretary—Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and
Compliance.
[FR Doc. E7–17356 Filed 9–6–07; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NM–110–1610–DR]
Notice of Availability of Record of
Decision for the Kasha-Katuwe Tent
Rocks National Monument Resource
Management Plan (RMP)
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act (FLPMA), the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM)
management policies and Presidential
Proclamation 7394 signed on January
17, 2001, the BLM announces the
availability of the Record of Decision
(ROD)/Approved Resource Management
Plan (RMP) for the Kasha-Katuwe Tent
Rocks National Monument located in
Sandoval County, New Mexico. The
New Mexico State Director will sign the
ROD approving the RMP which
becomes effective immediately. The
RMP provides for recreational use and
facility development. The public has
been provided opportunities to observe,
study and experience the geologic
processes that shape natural landscapes,
as well as other cultural and biological
objects of interest. The BLM has
considered American Indian Uses and
Traditional Cultural Practices, siting
access and transportation to minimize
intrusion on American Indian Use.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 173 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51462-51463]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17356]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Desert Rock
Energy Project and the Navajo Mine Extension Project, San Juan County,
NM: Reopening of Comment Period
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are
reopening the comment period on the draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed Desert Rock Energy Project and the
Navajo Mine Extension Project, San Juan County, New Mexico, for an
additional 30 days. The Notice of Availability of the DEIS, published
by in the Federal Register by the BIA on June 20, 2007 (72 FR 34035),
and by the EPA on June 22, 2007 (72 FR 34463), announced a closing date
for comments of August 20, 2007.
DATES: Written comments for the reopened comment period must arrive by
4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST), October 9, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may mail written comments on the DEIS via U.S. Postal
Service first class or priority to Harrilene Yazzie, Regional NEPA
Coordinator, Navajo Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. Box
1060, Gallup, New Mexico 87305. You may also hand carry, or have
written comments delivered by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail or by
courier service to Harrilene Yazzie at the Navajo Regional Office,
Bureau of Indian Affairs, 301 W. Hill Street, Gallup, New Mexico 87305.
In addition, you may send comments by e-mail to the project Web site,
www.desertrockenergy.com, or to the BIA contractor's e-mail account for
this project, desertrockEIS@urscorp.com. Please include the caption,
``Desert Rock Energy Project DEIS Comments,'' at the top of your letter
or in the subject line of your e-mail message; be specific in your
comments and cite the chapter, page, paragraph, and sentence to which
they pertain; and include your name and return address in your letter
or message.
The DEIS is available for review at the BIA Office, 301 West Hill
Street, Gallup, New Mexico. It is also available for review on the
project Web site www.desertrockenergy.com. A limited number of compact
disk (CD) and paper copies have been prepared for
[[Page 51463]]
distribution and are available upon request. For your convenience,
however, the BIA recommends using the Internet or other publicly
available copies for reviews where possible. You may obtain a CD or
paper copy by contacting Harrilene Yazzie at the BIA mailing address
provided in the ADDRESSES section, at her telephone number shown below,
or by fax at (505) 863-8324.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harrilene Yazzie, (505) 863-8286.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Reopening of the Comment Period
On June 20 and 22, 2007, the BIA and the EPA, respectively,
published notices in the Federal Register announcing the availability
of the DEIS, a comment period closing on August 20, 2007, and the
dates, times and locations of 10 public hearings on the DEIS. These
public hearings were held between July 17 and July 25, 2007. Subsequent
to the publishing of the notices, the BIA received requests to extend
the comment period. We are reopening the comment period in
consideration of these requests.
Background on the Desert Rock Energy Project EIS
The DEIS analyzes and discloses probable environmental effects of
the proposed Desert Rock Energy Project (or referred to herein as
Desert Rock Energy Project or proposed project/action) and the Navajo
Mine Extension Project (or referred to herein as the Navajo Mine
Extension Project or Area IV North, Area IV South and Area V of the BHP
Navajo Coal Company [BNCC] Lease Area).
Together, Sithe Global Power, LLC, by and through the Desert Rock
Energy Company, LLC, and Dino Power Authority (DPA), a Navajo Nation
enterprise, are proposing to develop and construct the Desert Rock
Energy Project. Desert Rock Energy Company, LLC, entered into a
development agreement with DPA to develop and construct a coal-fired
power plant on the Navajo Reservation. Desert Rock Energy Company, LLC,
is a privately held, independent power company and a limited liability
corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware. DPA was
established by the Navajo Nation Council to develop utility-scale
energy projects on behalf of the Navajo Nation for the economic benefit
of the Navajo people.
The proposed project involves the construction and operation of a
coal-fired electrical power plant that would generate up to 1,500
megawatts (MW) of power; the extension of existing surface coal mining
operations at the Navajo Mine to provide fuel for the power plant;
disposal of coal combustion by-products (CCBs); and mine reclamation
operations along with associated mine support facilities and
activities. The proposed project also includes a water well field and
supply pipeline to the power plant, transmission lines, a receiving
electrical station, other upgrades and ancillary facilities required in
the production and transmission of electricity, and new access roads.
The proposed project is located approximately 30 miles southwest of
Farmington in San Juan County, New Mexico, and is entirely on trust
lands within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation. The power
plant would be constructed on a 592-acre parcel immediately adjacent
to, and west of Area IV North of the BNCC Lease Area. The coal fuel
supply would be produced from Areas IV South and V of the BNCC Lease
Area and transported by conveyor to a proposed coal preparation
facility located in Area IV North of the BNCC lease area, near the
power plant.
The proposed project requires a long-term business site lease
between the Navajo Nation and DPA, and a sublease between DPA and
Desert Rock Energy Company, LLC. Because the power plant and associated
facilities would be located on land held in trust by the federal
government for the Navajo Nation within the Navajo reservation, the
lease must be approved by BIA, an agency of the United States
Department of the Interior.
The DEIS is intended to satisfy the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act for each federal agency's decision related to
the siting, construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed
facility; and to aid federal, Navajo Nation, state, and local
permitting authorities with their permitting responsibilities,
including surface coal mining, CCB disposal and reclamation activities
on the BNCC Lease Area under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation
Act of 1977 (SMCRA).
Availability of Your Comments for Public Review
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the street 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, e-mail 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.
Authority
This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 of the
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR, Parts 1500
through 1508) implementing the procedural requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. Seq.),
and the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6), and is in the
exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian
Affairs by 209 DM 8.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. E7-17356 Filed 9-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P
