Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Staff Assessment and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment for the Proposed SES Solar Two Project, Imperial County, CA, 61902-61903 [E8-24685]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 202 / Friday, October 17, 2008 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CACA 47740, LLCAD07000 L51030000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/Staff
Assessment and Proposed Land Use
Plan Amendment for the Proposed
SES Solar Two Project, Imperial
County, CA
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), the Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
together with the California Energy
Commission (Energy Commission),
(hereinafter jointly referred to as the
Agencies) intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/Staff
Assessment (EIS/SA), and a Proposed
Land Use Plan Amendment, for the
Stirling Energy Systems (SES) Solar
Two Project (Project), a Stirling engine
systems solar dish project in Imperial
County, California. SES is seeking
approval to construct and operate an
electrical generating facility with a
nominal capacity of 750 megawatts
(MW), using concentrated solar thermal
power. The approximately 6,500 acres
of land needed to develop the Project
consists of approximately 6,140 acres of
BLM administered public land and
approximately 360 acres of privately
owned land.
SES has submitted an application to
the BLM requesting a right-of-way
(ROW) to construct the Project and
related facilities. Pursuant to the
California Desert Conservation Area
(CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended), sites
associated with power generation or
transmission not identified in the CDCA
Plan will be considered through the
plan amendment process.
Under Federal law, BLM is
responsible for processing requests for
rights-of-way to authorize such
proposed projects and associated
transmission lines and other
appurtenant facilities on land it
manages. BLM must comply with the
requirements of NEPA to ensure that
environmental impacts associated with
construction, operation, and
decommissioning will be identified,
analyzed and considered in the
application process. In the case of solar
thermal power plant projects, this will
be accomplished through coordination
of the state and federal application
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:18 Oct 16, 2008
Jkt 217001
processes, public participation,
environmental analysis, and the
preparation of Draft and Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
in coordination with the Energy
Commission and its Preliminary and
Final Staff Assessments.
Under California law, the Energy
Commission is responsible for
reviewing the applications for
certification filed for thermal power
plants over 50 MW, and also has the
role of lead agency for the
environmental review of such projects
under the CEQA (Public Resources
Code, section 25500 et seq.; and Public
Resources Code, section 21000 et seq.)
The Energy Commission conducts this
review in accordance with the
administrative adjudication provisions
of the Administrative Procedure Act
(Gov. Code, section 11400 et seq.) and
its own regulations governing site
certification proceedings (Cal. Code
Regs., tit. 20, section 1701 et seq.),
which have been deemed CEQA
equivalent by the Secretary of
Resources. SES Solar Two, LLC has
submitted an Application for
Certification (AFC) to the Energy
Commission. The AFC facilitates
analysis and review by staff prior to an
Energy Commission decision.
Publication of this notice
initiates a public scoping period of at
least 30 days. During the public scoping
period, the Agencies will solicit public
comments on issues, concerns, potential
impacts, alternatives, and mitigation
measures that should be considered in
the analysis of the proposed action. In
addition, the Agencies expect to hold at
least one public meeting/workshop
during the scoping period to encourage
public input. The public meeting(s) will
be announced through the local news
media, newspapers, mailings, the BLM
Web page (https://www.ca.blm.gov/
elcentro) and the Energy Commission
Web page (https://www.energy.ca.gov/
sitingcases/solartwo/) at least 15 days
prior to the event. While you may have
the opportunity to make oral comments,
comments must also be submitted in
writing. In order to be included in the
Draft EIS/Preliminary Staff Assessment
(DEIS/PSA), all comments must be
received prior to the close of the scoping
period or 15 days after the last public
meeting, whichever is later. Additional
opportunities for public participation
and formal comment occur when the
DEIS/PSA is issued.
DATES:
You may submit comments
in a variety of ways: (1) By U.S. mail,
(2) by electronic mail, (3) or by
attending the public scoping meeting(s)
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00126
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
and submitting written comments at the
meeting(s).
By Mail: Please use first-class postage
and be sure to include your name and
a return address. Please send written
comment to: Christopher Meyer, Project
Manager, Systems Assessment & Facility
Siting Division, California Energy
Commission, 1516 Ninth Street, MS–15,
Sacramento, CA 95814.
By Electronic Mail: E-mail comments
are welcome; however, please remember
to include your name and return
address in the e-mail message. E-mail
messages should be sent to
CMeyer@energy.state.ca.us.
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Information regarding the BLM process
may be obtained from the Bureau of
Land Management, 1661 So. 4th Street,
El Centro, 92243, attention Lynda
Kastoll, (760) 337–4421,
lynda_kastoll@ca.blm.gov; or Erin
Dreyfuss, (760) 337–4436,
erin_dreyfuss@ca.blm.gov. Information
regarding the Energy Commission
process may be obtained from
Christopher Meyer, Project Manager,
Systems Assessment & Facility Siting
Division, California Energy
Commission, 1516 Ninth Street, MS–15,
Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 653–1639,
CMeyer@energy.state.ca.us. Information
on participating in the Commission’s
review of the project may be obtained
through the Commission’s Public
Adviser’s Office, at (916) 654–4489 or
toll free in California, (800) 822–6228,
or by email at
PublicAdviser@energy.state.ca.us. News
media inquiries should be directed to
the Commission’s media office at (916)
654–4989, or via email at
mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us.
Status of the proposed project, copies
of notices, an electronic version of the
AFC, and other relevant documents are
also available on the Commission’s
internet Web site at https://
www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/
solartwo. You can also subscribe to
receive e-mail notification of all notices
at https://www.energy.ca.gov/listservers.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SES Solar
Two, LLC has applied to BLM for a
right-of-way on public lands to
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
17OCN1
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 202 / Friday, October 17, 2008 / Notices
construct a concentrated solar thermal
power plant facility approximately 14
miles west of El Centro, CA, in Imperial
County. The project site is just south of
Plaster City between the Union Pacific
Railroad tracks and the Interstate 8
highway. The facility is expected to
operate for approximately 30 years. The
proposed project would utilize
SunCatcher technology, consisting of
approximately 30,000 25-kilowatt solar
power dishes with a generating capacity
of approximately 750 megawatts (MW)
to be built in two phases. The first phase
would consist up to 12,000 SunCathers
configured in 200 1.5 MW solar groups
of 60 SunCatchers per group and have
a net nominal generating capacity of 300
MW. The second phase would consist of
approximately 18,000 SunCatchers
configured in 500 1.5 MW groups with
a net generating capacity of 450 MW.
Each SunCatcher system consists of an
approximate 38-foot high by 40-foot
wide solar concentrator dish that
supports an array of curved glass mirror
facets designed to automatically track
the sun and focus solar energy onto a
Power Conversion Unit which generates
electricity. Related structures would
include a main services complex,
assembly buildings, a 230-kilovolts (kV)
electrical substation, a 10-mile
transmission line, access roads, supply
water line, and a 10-mile double circuit
230kV transmission line from the
project site to San Diego Gas and
Electric’s existing Imperial Valley
electrical substation interconnecting the
project to the existing 500 kV
transmission system. The 450–MW
Phase II is dependent on the approval of
the proposed Sunrise Powerlink 500kV
transmission line that would also
interconnect with the Imperial Valley
electrical substation. The EIS/SA will
analyze the site-specific impacts on air
quality, biological resources, cultural
resources, water resources, geological
resources and hazards, hazardous
materials handling, land use, noise,
paleontological resources, public health,
socioeconomics, soils, traffic and
transportation, visual resources, waste
management and worker safety and fire
protection, as well as facility design
engineering, efficiency, reliability,
transmission system engineering and
transmission line safety and nuisance.
The CDCA Plan, while recognizing the
potential compatibility of solar
generation facilities on public lands,
requires that all sites associated with
power generation or transmission not
identified in the Plan will be considered
through the Plan Amendment process.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:18 Oct 16, 2008
Jkt 217001
The following Planning Criteria will
be utilized during the plan amendment
process:
• The plan amendment process will
be completed in compliance with
FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant
Federal law, Executive orders, and
management policies of the BLM;
• The plan amendment process will
include an EIS that will comply with
NEPA standards;
• Where existing planning decisions
are still valid, those decisions may
remain unchanged and be incorporated
into the new plan amendment;
• The plan amendment will recognize
valid existing rights;
• Native American Tribal
consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy and Tribal
concerns will be given due
consideration. The plan amendment
process will include the consideration
of any impacts on Indian trust assets;
• Consultation with the SHPO will be
conducted throughout the plan
amendment process; and
• Consultation with USFWS will be
conducted throughout the plan
amendment process.
If the ROW and proposed land use
plan amendment are approved by BLM,
the concentrated solar thermal power
plant facility on public lands would be
authorized in accordance with Title V of
the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 and the
Federal Regulations at 43 CFR part
2800.
A certificate designating approval of
the Energy Commission must be
obtained by SES before it may construct
a power plant and/or electric
transmission line and related facilities.
Dated: October 10, 2008.
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources
(CA–930), California State Office.
[FR Doc. E8–24685 Filed 10–16–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Availability and Notice of
Hearing for the South Gillette Area
Coal Draft Environmental Impact
Statement That Includes Four Federal
Coal Lease by Applications, Wyoming
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00127
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the South Gillette Area Coal project
that contains four Federal Coal Lease By
Applications (LBAs), and by this Notice
is announcing a public hearing
requesting comments on the DEIS,
Maximum Economic Recovery (MER),
and Fair Market Value (FMV) pursuant
to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
3425.4.
DATES: To ensure comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the South Gillette
Area Coal DEIS, MER, and FMV within
60 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register. The public hearing
will be held at 7 p.m. MST, on
November 19, 2008, at the Campbell
County George Amos Memorial
Building, 412 South Gillette Avenue,
Gillette, Wyoming.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
• E-mail: casper_wymail@blm.gov.
• Fax: 307–261–7587.
• Mail: Casper Field Office, Bureau of
Land Management, Attn: Teresa
Johnson, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper,
Wyoming 82604.
Copies of the DEIS are available at the
following BLM office locations: BLM
Wyoming State Office, 5353
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming
82009; and BLM Casper Field Office,
2987 Prospector Lane, Casper, Wyoming
82604. The DEIS is available
electronically on the following Web site:
https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/
NEPA/cfodocs/south_gillette.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Teresa Johnson or Mike Karbs at the
above address, or telephone: 307–261–
7600.
The DEIS
analyzes the potential impacts for
Federal Coal LBAs serialized as
WYW161248, WYW172585,
WYW172657, and WYW173360 and
referred to as the Belle Ayr North, West
Coal Creek, Caballo West, and Maysdorf
II tracts, in the decertified Powder River
Federal Coal Production Region,
Wyoming. The BLM is considering
issuing these four coal leases as a result
of four applications filed between July
of 2004 and September of 2006.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION by
application is as follows.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[WY–060–1320–EL, WY–060–5110–GA–
CK33, WY–060–5110–GA–CK36, WY–060–
5110–GA–CK35, WYW161248, WYW172585,
WYW172657, WYW173360]
61903
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
17OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 202 (Friday, October 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61902-61903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24685]
[[Page 61902]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CACA 47740, LLCAD07000 L51030000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Staff Assessment and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment for the Proposed
SES Solar Two Project, Imperial County, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), together with the California Energy Commission (Energy
Commission), (hereinafter jointly referred to as the Agencies) intend
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Staff Assessment (EIS/SA),
and a Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment, for the Stirling Energy Systems
(SES) Solar Two Project (Project), a Stirling engine systems solar dish
project in Imperial County, California. SES is seeking approval to
construct and operate an electrical generating facility with a nominal
capacity of 750 megawatts (MW), using concentrated solar thermal power.
The approximately 6,500 acres of land needed to develop the Project
consists of approximately 6,140 acres of BLM administered public land
and approximately 360 acres of privately owned land.
SES has submitted an application to the BLM requesting a right-of-
way (ROW) to construct the Project and related facilities. Pursuant to
the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended),
sites associated with power generation or transmission not identified
in the CDCA Plan will be considered through the plan amendment process.
Under Federal law, BLM is responsible for processing requests for
rights-of-way to authorize such proposed projects and associated
transmission lines and other appurtenant facilities on land it manages.
BLM must comply with the requirements of NEPA to ensure that
environmental impacts associated with construction, operation, and
decommissioning will be identified, analyzed and considered in the
application process. In the case of solar thermal power plant projects,
this will be accomplished through coordination of the state and federal
application processes, public participation, environmental analysis,
and the preparation of Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) in coordination with the Energy Commission and its Preliminary
and Final Staff Assessments.
Under California law, the Energy Commission is responsible for
reviewing the applications for certification filed for thermal power
plants over 50 MW, and also has the role of lead agency for the
environmental review of such projects under the CEQA (Public Resources
Code, section 25500 et seq.; and Public Resources Code, section 21000
et seq.) The Energy Commission conducts this review in accordance with
the administrative adjudication provisions of the Administrative
Procedure Act (Gov. Code, section 11400 et seq.) and its own
regulations governing site certification proceedings (Cal. Code Regs.,
tit. 20, section 1701 et seq.), which have been deemed CEQA equivalent
by the Secretary of Resources. SES Solar Two, LLC has submitted an
Application for Certification (AFC) to the Energy Commission. The AFC
facilitates analysis and review by staff prior to an Energy Commission
decision.
DATES: Publication of this notice initiates a public scoping period of
at least 30 days. During the public scoping period, the Agencies will
solicit public comments on issues, concerns, potential impacts,
alternatives, and mitigation measures that should be considered in the
analysis of the proposed action. In addition, the Agencies expect to
hold at least one public meeting/workshop during the scoping period to
encourage public input. The public meeting(s) will be announced through
the local news media, newspapers, mailings, the BLM Web page (https://
www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro) and the Energy Commission Web page (https://
www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/solartwo/) at least 15 days prior to the
event. While you may have the opportunity to make oral comments,
comments must also be submitted in writing. In order to be included in
the Draft EIS/Preliminary Staff Assessment (DEIS/PSA), all comments
must be received prior to the close of the scoping period or 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever is later. Additional
opportunities for public participation and formal comment occur when
the DEIS/PSA is issued.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments in a variety of ways: (1) By U.S.
mail, (2) by electronic mail, (3) or by attending the public scoping
meeting(s) and submitting written comments at the meeting(s).
By Mail: Please use first-class postage and be sure to include your
name and a return address. Please send written comment to: Christopher
Meyer, Project Manager, Systems Assessment & Facility Siting Division,
California Energy Commission, 1516 Ninth Street, MS-15, Sacramento, CA
95814.
By Electronic Mail: E-mail comments are welcome; however, please
remember to include your name and return address in the e-mail message.
E-mail messages should be sent to CMeyer@energy.state.ca.us.
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information regarding the BLM process
may be obtained from the Bureau of Land Management, 1661 So. 4th
Street, El Centro, 92243, attention Lynda Kastoll, (760) 337-4421,
lynda_kastoll@ca.blm.gov; or Erin Dreyfuss, (760) 337-4436, erin_
dreyfuss@ca.blm.gov. Information regarding the Energy Commission
process may be obtained from Christopher Meyer, Project Manager,
Systems Assessment & Facility Siting Division, California Energy
Commission, 1516 Ninth Street, MS-15, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 653-
1639, CMeyer@energy.state.ca.us. Information on participating in the
Commission's review of the project may be obtained through the
Commission's Public Adviser's Office, at (916) 654-4489 or toll free in
California, (800) 822-6228, or by email at
PublicAdviser@energy.state.ca.us. News media inquiries should be
directed to the Commission's media office at (916) 654-4989, or via
email at mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us.
Status of the proposed project, copies of notices, an electronic
version of the AFC, and other relevant documents are also available on
the Commission's internet Web site at https://www.energy.ca.gov/
sitingcases/solartwo. You can also subscribe to receive e-mail
notification of all notices at https://www.energy.ca.gov/listservers.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SES Solar Two, LLC has applied to BLM for a
right-of-way on public lands to
[[Page 61903]]
construct a concentrated solar thermal power plant facility
approximately 14 miles west of El Centro, CA, in Imperial County. The
project site is just south of Plaster City between the Union Pacific
Railroad tracks and the Interstate 8 highway. The facility is expected
to operate for approximately 30 years. The proposed project would
utilize SunCatcher technology, consisting of approximately 30,000 25-
kilowatt solar power dishes with a generating capacity of approximately
750 megawatts (MW) to be built in two phases. The first phase would
consist up to 12,000 SunCathers configured in 200 1.5 MW solar groups
of 60 SunCatchers per group and have a net nominal generating capacity
of 300 MW. The second phase would consist of approximately 18,000
SunCatchers configured in 500 1.5 MW groups with a net generating
capacity of 450 MW. Each SunCatcher system consists of an approximate
38-foot high by 40-foot wide solar concentrator dish that supports an
array of curved glass mirror facets designed to automatically track the
sun and focus solar energy onto a Power Conversion Unit which generates
electricity. Related structures would include a main services complex,
assembly buildings, a 230-kilovolts (kV) electrical substation, a 10-
mile transmission line, access roads, supply water line, and a 10-mile
double circuit 230kV transmission line from the project site to San
Diego Gas and Electric's existing Imperial Valley electrical substation
interconnecting the project to the existing 500 kV transmission system.
The 450-MW Phase II is dependent on the approval of the proposed
Sunrise Powerlink 500kV transmission line that would also interconnect
with the Imperial Valley electrical substation. The EIS/SA will analyze
the site-specific impacts on air quality, biological resources,
cultural resources, water resources, geological resources and hazards,
hazardous materials handling, land use, noise, paleontological
resources, public health, socioeconomics, soils, traffic and
transportation, visual resources, waste management and worker safety
and fire protection, as well as facility design engineering,
efficiency, reliability, transmission system engineering and
transmission line safety and nuisance. The CDCA Plan, while recognizing
the potential compatibility of solar generation facilities on public
lands, requires that all sites associated with power generation or
transmission not identified in the Plan will be considered through the
Plan Amendment process.
The following Planning Criteria will be utilized during the plan
amendment process:
The plan amendment process will be completed in compliance
with FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant Federal law, Executive orders,
and management policies of the BLM;
The plan amendment process will include an EIS that will
comply with NEPA standards;
Where existing planning decisions are still valid, those
decisions may remain unchanged and be incorporated into the new plan
amendment;
The plan amendment will recognize valid existing rights;
Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy and Tribal concerns will be given due
consideration. The plan amendment process will include the
consideration of any impacts on Indian trust assets;
Consultation with the SHPO will be conducted throughout
the plan amendment process; and
Consultation with USFWS will be conducted throughout the
plan amendment process.
If the ROW and proposed land use plan amendment are approved by
BLM, the concentrated solar thermal power plant facility on public
lands would be authorized in accordance with Title V of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Regulations at
43 CFR part 2800.
A certificate designating approval of the Energy Commission must be
obtained by SES before it may construct a power plant and/or electric
transmission line and related facilities.
Dated: October 10, 2008.
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources (CA-930), California State
Office.
[FR Doc. E8-24685 Filed 10-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
