Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Initiate Public Scoping for the Proposed Mohave County Wind Farm Project, Mohave County, AZ, 60289-60290 [E9-27867]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 223 (Friday, November 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60289-60290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27867]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZC010.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWA09A2310.241A; AZA 32315]


Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Initiate Public Scoping for the Proposed Mohave County Wind Farm 
Project, Mohave County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kingman 
Field Office, Kingman, Arizona, intends to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Mohave County Wind Farm Project 
and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process 
to solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments may be submitted in writing until January 4, 2010. The date(s) 
and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 
days in advance through local news media, newspapers, and the BLM-
Arizona Web site at: https://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html. In order to be 
included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the 
close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Proposed Mohave 
County Wind Farm Project, Mohave County, Arizona by any of the 
following methods:
     Web site: https://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html.
     E-mail: KFO_WindEnergy@blm.gov.
     Fax: (928) 718-3761.
     Mail: Ruben Sanchez, Field Manager, BLM, Kingman Field 
Office, 2755 Mission Boulevard, Kingman, Arizona 86401.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Bureau of 
Land Management Kingman Field Office, Kingman, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Jerry Crockford, BLM-
contracted Project Manager at (505) 360-0473 or e-mail KFO_WindEnergy@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 1, 2002, the BLM received a 
right-of-way (ROW) application from BP Wind Energy North America (BPWE) 
for meteorological testing and monitoring for a wind energy project 
area. The BLM issued BPWE a ROW grant (AZA 32315) for a wind energy 
testing and monitoring project area of approximately 41,900 acres. 
Having gathered wind data for more than four years, BPWE is now moving 
forward to develop the project area, including an additional 3,520 
acres, with a proposal to construct, operate, maintain, and 
decommission facilities and improvements associated with wind energy 
generation on the site, including wind turbine generators (WTG), access 
roads, operations and maintenance buildings, power lines, substations 
and other ancillary facilities and improvements, and an interconnection 
with one of two transmission lines which transect the project area. 
BPWE also proposes installing WTGs on approximately 4,360 acres of 
private lands adjacent to the ROW over which BPWE holds or anticipates 
holding wind development leases or easements. Zoning approval for 
development on private lands will be sought from Mohave County. The 
project area ROW includes approximately 45,420 acres of public land 
under jurisdiction of the BLM Kingman Field Office and potentially 
4,360 acres of private land in the White Hills area approximately 40 
miles northwest of Kingman, Arizona, approximately nine miles south of 
the Colorado River, and approximately 20 miles southeast of Hoover Dam. 
The project area is generally located within Townships 27 through 29 
North, Ranges 18 and 19 West, and Townships 28 and 29 North, Range 20 
West.
    Total electric generation capacity of the project is anticipated to 
be up to 500 megawatts (MW). The project will consist of up to 335 WTGs 
and consist of construction in multiple phases.
    Phase I is proposed to be located on the northwest portion of the 
BLM project area ROW, and may consist of up to 235 WTGs, access roads, 
and ancillary facilities. The WTGs are anticipated to range in size 
from 1.5 to 3.0 MW each. To the extent possible, existing roads would 
be used for access to the project, supplemented with internal access/
service roads to each WTG. Ancillary facilities may include

[[Page 60290]]

pad-mounted transformers, an underground 34.5 kilovolt (kV) electrical 
collection system between the turbines, either a 345 or 500 kV 
electrical substation, and either a 345 or 500 kV overhead transmission 
line from the substation to a new switchyard where the project would 
interconnect to one of the two major existing transmission lines in the 
area. Up to 10 WTGs could be installed on adjacent private lands during 
Phase I.
    Subsequent phases are proposed to include comparable facilities 
with additional wind generation capacity of up to 150 MW on the balance 
of the area within the ROW and the private lands adjacent to the ROW 
area. A total of 50 to 100 WTGs may be installed on public or adjacent 
private lands in the subsequent phases of the project. These turbines 
also are anticipated to range in size from 1.5 to 3.0 MW.
    A map of the proposed project area with the news release announcing 
the public meetings, is available on the BLM-Arizona Web site at: 
https://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html.
    The EIS will consider the impacts of the proposed action, 
alternatives, and a no action alternative.
    The public is invited to submit comments and resource information 
and identify issues or concerns to be considered in the Draft EIS. 
Public comments will aid the BLM in identifying alternatives and 
mitigating measures and will help assure all relevant issues are 
considered in the EIS.
    Preliminary issues that have been identified by the BLM for 
analysis include: access requirements; air quality during construction; 
cultural and historical resources; areas with high mineral potential; 
noise; sensitive soils and geology; recreation resources; 
socioeconomics; threatened and endangered species; visual resources; 
water resources; and wildlife habitats.
    The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to 
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted in 
accordance with policy and Tribal concerns and will be given due 
consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal, 
State, and local agencies, as well as individuals, organizations, or 
tribes that may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision on this 
project are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if 
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a 
cooperating agency.
    Before including your 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:  43 CFR 2800.

James G. Kenna,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-27867 Filed 11-19-09; 8:45 am]
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