Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Staff Assessment for the Proposed Construction and Operation of the Rice Solar Energy Project, Riverside County, CA (DOE/EIS-0439) and Possible Land Use Plan Amendments, 15427-15429 [2010-7019]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 59 / Monday, March 29, 2010 / Notices
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
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Online service, please e-mail
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(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: April 12, 2010.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010–6826 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/Staff
Assessment for the Proposed
Construction and Operation of the Rice
Solar Energy Project, Riverside
County, CA (DOE/EIS–0439) and
Possible Land Use Plan Amendments
Western Area Power
Administration, DOE; Bureau of Land
Management, DOI.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/Staff
Assessment, Possible Land Use Plan
Amendments and to Conduct Scoping
Meetings; Notice of Floodplain and
Wetlands Involvement.
cprice-sewell on DSK89S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and the
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), the Western Area Power
Administration (Western), an agency of
the DOE, and the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) Palm Springs—
South Coast Field Office, together with
the California Energy Commission
(CEC), intend to prepare a joint
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Staff Assessment (SA), which may
include an amendment to the California
Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan
(1980, as amended) and by this notice
are announcing the beginning of the
scoping process to inform the public
and interested parties and to solicit
public comments and identify issues
concerning the scope, proposed actions,
and alternatives to be addressed in the
EIS and SA for the proposed Rice Solar
Energy Project (Project) in Riverside
County, California. Rice Solar Energy,
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09:18 Apr 05, 2010
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LLC (RSE) has applied to Western to
interconnect the proposed Project to
Western’s electrical transmission
system. This EIS/SA will address
Western’s proposed Federal action of
interconnecting the proposed Project to
Western’s transmission system and
making any necessary modifications to
Western facilities to accommodate the
interconnection and will also address
BLM’s proposed action of authorizing
rights of way (ROW) for a 230-kilovolt
(kV) transmission line, access road, and
fiber optic line and possibly amending
the CDCA. The EIS/SA will also review
the potential environmental impacts of
constructing, operating, and
maintaining RSE’s 150-megawatt (MW)
solar-powered generating facility,
consisting of a solar field of heliostat
mirrors, power block, thermal energy
storage system, substation site,
transmission line, temporary laydown
areas, and other ancillary facilities.
The public scoping period begins
with the publication of this notice and
will end on April 28, 2010. Western and
BLM will host public scoping meetings
to provide information on the proposed
Project and gather comments on the
proposal. The public scoping meetings
will be on March 31, 2010 at Big River
Community Services District, 150351
Del Rey Street, Big River, California, and
on April 1, 2010 at University of
California Riverside-Palm Desert
Campus, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive,
Palm Desert, California 92211. Scoping
meetings will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The meetings will be informal, and
attendees will be able to speak directly
with Western, BLM, and RSE
representatives about the proposed
Project. Oral or written comments may
be provided at the public scoping
meetings, mailed or e-mailed to Ms.
Liana Reilly at the address listed in the
addresses section.
DATES:
Written comments on the
scope of the EIS/SA and possible land
use plan amendment should be
addressed to:
Ms. Liana Reilly, NEPA Document
Manager, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 281213,
Lakewood, Colorado 80228–8213 or email at RiceSolar@wapa.gov.
Allison Shaffer, Project Manager,
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office,
BLM 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm
Springs, California 92262 or e-mail at
CAPSSolarRice@blm.gov.
John Kessler, Project Manager, Siting,
Transmission and Environmental
Protection Division, CEC 1516 Ninth
Street, Sacramento, California 95814 or
e-mail at Jkessler@energy.state.ca.us.
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
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15427
To help define the scope of the EIS,
written comments should be received
no later than April 28, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the proposed Project, the
EIS process or to receive a copy of the
Draft EIS (DEIS) when it is published,
contact Ms. Reilly at (720) 962–7253, or
(800) 336–7288, or the address provided
above.
For information relating to BLM’s
participation, contact Allison Shaffer at
(760) 833–7100 or the address provided
above.
For information relating to the CEC’s
participation, contact John Kessler at
(916) 654–4679 or the address above or
information can be obtained through the
CEC’s Public Adviser’s Office at (916)
654–8236 or toll free in California, (800)
822–6228, or by e-mail at
publicadviser@energy.state.ca.us.
For general information on DOE’s
NEPA review procedures or status of a
NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M.
Borgstrom, Director of NEPA Policy and
Compliance, GC–54, U.S. Department of
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone
(202) 586–4600 or (800) 472–2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western,
an agency within DOE, markets Federal
hydroelectric power to preference
customers, as specified by law. These
customers include municipalities,
cooperatives, irrigation districts, Federal
and State agencies, and Native
American tribes. Western’s service
territory covers 15 western states,
including California. Western owns and
operates more than 17,000 miles of
high-voltage transmission lines. Under
Federal law, BLM is responsible for
responding to applications for ROW on
public lands. BLM has received an
application for a ROW authorization to
construct and operate a transmission
line that would interconnect the Rice
Solar Energy Project to Western’s
transmission system. A portion of the
transmission line would cross managed
lands in eastern Riverside County,
California. Pursuant to BLM’s CDCA
Plan, sites associated with power
generation or transmission not
identified in the CDCA Plan will be
considered through the plan
amendment process. By this notice, the
BLM is complying with the
requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2 (c) to
notify the public of potential
amendments to land use plans, subject
to the findings of the EIS.
Western and BLM intend to prepare
an EIS to analyze the impacts of their
respective proposed Federal action and
RSE’s proposed Project in accordance
with the NEPA, as amended, CEQ
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 59 / Monday, March 29, 2010 / Notices
cprice-sewell on DSK89S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
regulations for implementing NEPA (40
CFR 1500–1508), and agency
implementing regulations. This will be
accomplished through preparation of a
DEIS/SA in coordination with the CEC.
Under California law, the CEC is
responsible for reviewing the
Applications for Certification (AFC)
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 (Pub.
Res. Code, sections 21000 et seq. and,
25500 et seq.). The CEC conducts these
reviews in accordance with the
administrative adjudication provisions
of California’s Administrative Procedure
Act (Government Code section 11400 et
seq.) and its own regulations governing
site certification proceedings (Cal. Code
Regulations., title 20, section 1701 et
seq.), which have been deemed CEQAequivalent by the Secretary of
Resources.
RSE is a Santa Monica, California
based energy company formed by U.S.
Renewables Group, a private equity firm
focused exclusively on renewable
energy development.
RSE’s Proposed Project
RSE proposes to construct a 150–MW
solar-powered electrical generation
facility in eastern Riverside County,
California. The proposed solar
generation facility is located within a
private land holding of 3,324 acres, of
which 2,560 acres constitute the project
parcel. The solar generation facility site
is approximately 40 miles from Blythe,
65 miles from Needles, and 75 miles
from Twentynine Palms. State Route 62
is immediately adjacent to the northern
boundary of the proposed solar
generation facility and would be the
primary access during construction and
operation. The proposed solar
generation facility would be located on
the site of a former airfield (Rice Army
Airfield) that was used during World
War II as a training site, later transferred
to private use, and then abandoned
sometime between 1955 and 1958.
The proposed Project would use
concentrating solar ‘‘power tower’’
technology to capture the sun’s heat to
make steam, which would power
traditional steam turbine generators.
The solar generation facility would
contain the power block, a central
receiver or tower, solar fields which
consist of mirrors or heliostats to reflect
the sun’s energy to the central tower, a
thermal energy storage system, technical
and non-technical buildings, a storm
water system, two on-site water wells,
water supply and treatment system, a
wastewater system, evaporation ponds,
and other supporting facilities. These
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09:18 Apr 05, 2010
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facilities would be situated on 1,410
acres within the project parcel and
would be surrounded by a site fence.
Other Project components would
include a new transmission line, a new
electrical substation, and an access road.
RSE has applied to Western to
interconnect the proposed Project to
Western’s transmission system. The new
230–kV transmission line from the solar
facility would extend approximately ten
miles from the solar facility boundary to
a new substation to be constructed
adjacent to Western’s existing line. The
substation, to be owned and operated by
Western, would be located adjacent to
Western’s existing Parker-Blythe
transmission line. The new substation
would be approximately 300 x 400 feet
or about three acres.
An on-site temporary laydown area
would be used during the construction
phase of the Project. Laydown areas
within the project parcel total
approximately 30 acres and would be
used for storage and assembly of
proposed Project components and for
temporary construction trailers. Because
of the remote location of the site, RSE
will make available a construction
workforce RV/trailer parking camp on
the project site near the parking and
laydown areas at the north end of the
heliostat field. This workforce camp
will offer spaces for up to 300 trailers or
RVs (in keeping with the county
requirement that limits trailer parks to
20 per acre), electrical hookups, and
mobile water and sanitary sewer service
for the trailers and RVs.
Proposed Agency Actions and
Alternatives
Western’s proposed action is to
interconnect the proposed Project to
Western’s transmission system at the
substation described above. BLM’s
proposed action is to authorize a ROW
in favor of a 230–kV transmission line,
access road, and fiber optic line and
possibly amend the CDCA.
Western and BLM will also consider
the no-action alternative in the EIS.
Under the no-action alternative,
Western would deny the
interconnection request and BLM would
not grant a ROW. There would be no
plan amendment to the CDCA. For the
purpose of impact analysis and
comparison in the EIS/SA, it will be
assumed that RSE’s proposed Project
would not be built and the
environmental impacts associated with
construction and operation would not
occur.
Agency Responsibilities
Because interconnection of the
proposed Project would incorporate a
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major new generation resource into
Western’s power transmission system,
Western has determined that an EIS is
required under DOE NEPA
implementing procedures, 10 CFR part
1021, Subpart D, Appendix D, class of
action D6.1
Western and BLM are serving as colead Federal agencies, as defined at 40
CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the EIS
and will coordinate with the CEC in
preparation of a joint NEPA/CEQA EIS/
SA. Western and BLM invite other
Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies
with jurisdiction by law or special
expertise with respect to environmental
issues to be cooperating agencies on the
EIS, as defined at 40 CFR 1501.6. Such
agencies may make a request to Western
and BLM to be a cooperating agency by
contacting Ms. Reilly at the address
listed in the ADDRESSES section. Because
the proposed Project may involve action
in floodplains or wetlands, this NOI also
serves as a notice of proposed
floodplain or wetland action, in
accordance with DOE regulations for
Compliance with Floodplain and
Wetlands Environmental Review
Requirements at 10 CFR 1022.12(a). The
EIS will include a floodplain/wetland
assessment and, if required, a
floodplain/wetland statement of
findings will be issued with the Final
EIS or Western and BLM’s Records of
Decision.
Environmental Issues
This notice is to inform agencies and
the public of Western and BLM’s intent
to prepare an EIS and solicit comments
and suggestions for consideration in the
EIS. To help the public frame its
comments, the following list contains
potential environmental issues
preliminarily identified for analysis in
the EIS:
1. Impacts on protected, threatened,
endangered, or sensitive species of
animals or plants
2. Impacts on migratory birds
3. Introduction of noxious weeds,
invasive, and non-native species
4. Impacts on recreation and
transportation
5. Impacts on land use, wilderness,
farmlands, and Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern
6. Impacts on cultural or historic
resources and tribal values
7. Impacts on human health and
safety
1 On October 4, 1999, DOE’s Assistant Secretary
for Environmental, Safety and Health delegated to
Western’s Administrator the authority to approve
EISs for integrating transmission facilities with
Western’s transmission grid.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 59 / Monday, March 29, 2010 / Notices
8. Impacts on air, soil, and water
resources (including air quality and
surface water impacts)
9. Visual impacts
10. Socioeconomic impacts and
disproportionately high and adverse
impacts to minority and low-income
populations
This list is not intended to be allinclusive or to imply any
predetermination of impacts. Western
and BLM invite interested parties to
suggest specific issues within these
general categories, or other issues not
included above, to be considered in the
EIS/SA.
A certificate designating approval
from the CEC must be obtained by RSE
before construction of power plants
and/or electric transmission lines and
related facilities.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. EL03–153–005]
[Docket Nos. EL00–95–229; EL00–98–214]
Dynegy Power Marketing, Inc;. Notice
of Filing
March 22, 2010.
San Diego Gas & Electric Co.;
California Independent System
Operator; Notice of Filing
Take notice that on December 15,
2008, Dynegy Power Marketing, Inc.,
Dynegy Power Corp., El Segundo Power
LLC, Long Beach Generation LLC,
Cabrillo Power I LLC and Cabrillo
Power II LLC (collectively Dynegy)
hereby submitted a modified Stipulation
and Agreement in compliance with
Commission Order dated November 14,
2008.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. Anyone filing a motion
to intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant and
all the parties in this proceeding.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible online at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on March 29, 2010.
Take notice that on July 20, 2009,
Avista Energy, Inc. pursuant to the
Commission’s Order on Rehearing (June
18, 2009) submitted a compliance filing
and revisions related to their Return on
Investment.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. Anyone filing a motion
to intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant and
all the parties in this proceeding.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on March 29, 2010.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010–7019 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2010–6825 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2010–6824 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Public Participation
The EIS process includes a public
scoping period; public scoping
meetings, public review, and hearings
on the draft EIS, publication of a final
EIS, and publication of separate records
of decision by Western and BLM.
Persons interested in receiving future
notices, Project information, copies of
the EIS, and other information on the
NEPA review process should contact
Ms. Reilly at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section.
Western and BLM will hold public
scoping meetings as described in the
DATES section above.
The purpose of the scoping meetings
is to provide information about the
proposed Project, review Project maps,
answer questions, and take written
comments from interested parties. All
meeting locations are handicappedaccessible. Anyone needing special
accommodations should contact Ms.
Reilly to make arrangements. The public
will have the opportunity to provide
written comments at the public scoping
meetings. Written comments may also
be sent to Ms. Reilly by fax, e-mail, or
U.S. Postal Service mail. To help define
the scope of the EIS, comments should
be received by Western no later than
April 28, 2010.
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
15429
Dated: March 24, 2010.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator, Western Power.
Dated: March 19, 2010.
Karla D. Norris,
Associate Deputy State Director, Bureau of
Land Management.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 59 (Monday, March 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15427-15429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7019]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Staff Assessment for the Proposed Construction and Operation of the
Rice Solar Energy Project, Riverside County, CA (DOE/EIS-0439) and
Possible Land Use Plan Amendments
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE; Bureau of Land
Management, DOI.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Staff Assessment, Possible Land Use Plan Amendments and to Conduct
Scoping Meetings; Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), the Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency of
the DOE, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Palm Springs--South
Coast Field Office, together with the California Energy Commission
(CEC), intend to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Staff Assessment (SA), which may include an amendment to the California
Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended) and by this
notice are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to inform
the public and interested parties and to solicit public comments and
identify issues concerning the scope, proposed actions, and
alternatives to be addressed in the EIS and SA for the proposed Rice
Solar Energy Project (Project) in Riverside County, California. Rice
Solar Energy, LLC (RSE) has applied to Western to interconnect the
proposed Project to Western's electrical transmission system. This EIS/
SA will address Western's proposed Federal action of interconnecting
the proposed Project to Western's transmission system and making any
necessary modifications to Western facilities to accommodate the
interconnection and will also address BLM's proposed action of
authorizing rights of way (ROW) for a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission
line, access road, and fiber optic line and possibly amending the CDCA.
The EIS/SA will also review the potential environmental impacts of
constructing, operating, and maintaining RSE's 150-megawatt (MW) solar-
powered generating facility, consisting of a solar field of heliostat
mirrors, power block, thermal energy storage system, substation site,
transmission line, temporary laydown areas, and other ancillary
facilities.
DATES: The public scoping period begins with the publication of this
notice and will end on April 28, 2010. Western and BLM will host public
scoping meetings to provide information on the proposed Project and
gather comments on the proposal. The public scoping meetings will be on
March 31, 2010 at Big River Community Services District, 150351 Del Rey
Street, Big River, California, and on April 1, 2010 at University of
California Riverside-Palm Desert Campus, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive,
Palm Desert, California 92211. Scoping meetings will be from 4 p.m. to
7 p.m. The meetings will be informal, and attendees will be able to
speak directly with Western, BLM, and RSE representatives about the
proposed Project. Oral or written comments may be provided at the
public scoping meetings, mailed or e-mailed to Ms. Liana Reilly at the
address listed in the addresses section.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS/SA and possible
land use plan amendment should be addressed to:
Ms. Liana Reilly, NEPA Document Manager, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, Colorado 80228-8213 or e-
mail at RiceSolar@wapa.gov.
Allison Shaffer, Project Manager, Palm Springs-South Coast Field
Office, BLM 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262 or
e-mail at CAPSSolarRice@blm.gov.
John Kessler, Project Manager, Siting, Transmission and
Environmental Protection Division, CEC 1516 Ninth Street, Sacramento,
California 95814 or e-mail at Jkessler@energy.state.ca.us.
To help define the scope of the EIS, written comments should be
received no later than April 28, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed
Project, the EIS process or to receive a copy of the Draft EIS (DEIS)
when it is published, contact Ms. Reilly at (720) 962-7253, or (800)
336-7288, or the address provided above.
For information relating to BLM's participation, contact Allison
Shaffer at (760) 833-7100 or the address provided above.
For information relating to the CEC's participation, contact John
Kessler at (916) 654-4679 or the address above or information can be
obtained through the CEC's Public Adviser's Office at (916) 654-8236 or
toll free in California, (800) 822-6228, or by e-mail at
publicadviser@energy.state.ca.us.
For general information on DOE's NEPA review procedures or status
of a NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director of NEPA
Policy and Compliance, GC-54, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 586-
4600 or (800) 472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western, an agency within DOE, markets
Federal hydroelectric power to preference customers, as specified by
law. These customers include municipalities, cooperatives, irrigation
districts, Federal and State agencies, and Native American tribes.
Western's service territory covers 15 western states, including
California. Western owns and operates more than 17,000 miles of high-
voltage transmission lines. Under Federal law, BLM is responsible for
responding to applications for ROW on public lands. BLM has received an
application for a ROW authorization to construct and operate a
transmission line that would interconnect the Rice Solar Energy Project
to Western's transmission system. A portion of the transmission line
would cross managed lands in eastern Riverside County, California.
Pursuant to BLM's CDCA Plan, sites associated with power generation or
transmission not identified in the CDCA Plan will be considered through
the plan amendment process. By this notice, the BLM is complying with
the requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2 (c) to notify the public of potential
amendments to land use plans, subject to the findings of the EIS.
Western and BLM intend to prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of
their respective proposed Federal action and RSE's proposed Project in
accordance with the NEPA, as amended, CEQ
[[Page 15428]]
regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), and agency
implementing regulations. This will be accomplished through preparation
of a DEIS/SA in coordination with the CEC. Under California law, the
CEC is responsible for reviewing the Applications for Certification
(AFC) 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 (Pub. Res. Code, sections 21000 et seq. and, 25500 et seq.). The
CEC conducts these reviews in accordance with the administrative
adjudication provisions of California's Administrative Procedure Act
(Government Code section 11400 et seq.) and its own regulations
governing site certification proceedings (Cal. Code Regulations., title
20, section 1701 et seq.), which have been deemed CEQA-equivalent by
the Secretary of Resources.
RSE is a Santa Monica, California based energy company formed by
U.S. Renewables Group, a private equity firm focused exclusively on
renewable energy development.
RSE's Proposed Project
RSE proposes to construct a 150-MW solar-powered electrical
generation facility in eastern Riverside County, California. The
proposed solar generation facility is located within a private land
holding of 3,324 acres, of which 2,560 acres constitute the project
parcel. The solar generation facility site is approximately 40 miles
from Blythe, 65 miles from Needles, and 75 miles from Twentynine Palms.
State Route 62 is immediately adjacent to the northern boundary of the
proposed solar generation facility and would be the primary access
during construction and operation. The proposed solar generation
facility would be located on the site of a former airfield (Rice Army
Airfield) that was used during World War II as a training site, later
transferred to private use, and then abandoned sometime between 1955
and 1958.
The proposed Project would use concentrating solar ``power tower''
technology to capture the sun's heat to make steam, which would power
traditional steam turbine generators. The solar generation facility
would contain the power block, a central receiver or tower, solar
fields which consist of mirrors or heliostats to reflect the sun's
energy to the central tower, a thermal energy storage system, technical
and non-technical buildings, a storm water system, two on-site water
wells, water supply and treatment system, a wastewater system,
evaporation ponds, and other supporting facilities. These facilities
would be situated on 1,410 acres within the project parcel and would be
surrounded by a site fence. Other Project components would include a
new transmission line, a new electrical substation, and an access road.
RSE has applied to Western to interconnect the proposed Project to
Western's transmission system. The new 230-kV transmission line from
the solar facility would extend approximately ten miles from the solar
facility boundary to a new substation to be constructed adjacent to
Western's existing line. The substation, to be owned and operated by
Western, would be located adjacent to Western's existing Parker-Blythe
transmission line. The new substation would be approximately 300 x 400
feet or about three acres.
An on-site temporary laydown area would be used during the
construction phase of the Project. Laydown areas within the project
parcel total approximately 30 acres and would be used for storage and
assembly of proposed Project components and for temporary construction
trailers. Because of the remote location of the site, RSE will make
available a construction workforce RV/trailer parking camp on the
project site near the parking and laydown areas at the north end of the
heliostat field. This workforce camp will offer spaces for up to 300
trailers or RVs (in keeping with the county requirement that limits
trailer parks to 20 per acre), electrical hookups, and mobile water and
sanitary sewer service for the trailers and RVs.
Proposed Agency Actions and Alternatives
Western's proposed action is to interconnect the proposed Project
to Western's transmission system at the substation described above.
BLM's proposed action is to authorize a ROW in favor of a 230-kV
transmission line, access road, and fiber optic line and possibly amend
the CDCA.
Western and BLM will also consider the no-action alternative in the
EIS. Under the no-action alternative, Western would deny the
interconnection request and BLM would not grant a ROW. There would be
no plan amendment to the CDCA. For the purpose of impact analysis and
comparison in the EIS/SA, it will be assumed that RSE's proposed
Project would not be built and the environmental impacts associated
with construction and operation would not occur.
Agency Responsibilities
Because interconnection of the proposed Project would incorporate a
major new generation resource into Western's power transmission system,
Western has determined that an EIS is required under DOE NEPA
implementing procedures, 10 CFR part 1021, Subpart D, Appendix D, class
of action D6.\1\
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\1\ On October 4, 1999, DOE's Assistant Secretary for
Environmental, Safety and Health delegated to Western's
Administrator the authority to approve EISs for integrating
transmission facilities with Western's transmission grid.
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Western and BLM are serving as co-lead Federal agencies, as defined
at 40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the EIS and will coordinate with
the CEC in preparation of a joint NEPA/CEQA EIS/SA. Western and BLM
invite other Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies with
jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to environmental
issues to be cooperating agencies on the EIS, as defined at 40 CFR
1501.6. Such agencies may make a request to Western and BLM to be a
cooperating agency by contacting Ms. Reilly at the address listed in
the ADDRESSES section. Because the proposed Project may involve action
in floodplains or wetlands, this NOI also serves as a notice of
proposed floodplain or wetland action, in accordance with DOE
regulations for Compliance with Floodplain and Wetlands Environmental
Review Requirements at 10 CFR 1022.12(a). The EIS will include a
floodplain/wetland assessment and, if required, a floodplain/wetland
statement of findings will be issued with the Final EIS or Western and
BLM's Records of Decision.
Environmental Issues
This notice is to inform agencies and the public of Western and
BLM's intent to prepare an EIS and solicit comments and suggestions for
consideration in the EIS. To help the public frame its comments, the
following list contains potential environmental issues preliminarily
identified for analysis in the EIS:
1. Impacts on protected, threatened, endangered, or sensitive
species of animals or plants
2. Impacts on migratory birds
3. Introduction of noxious weeds, invasive, and non-native species
4. Impacts on recreation and transportation
5. Impacts on land use, wilderness, farmlands, and Areas of
Critical Environmental Concern
6. Impacts on cultural or historic resources and tribal values
7. Impacts on human health and safety
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8. Impacts on air, soil, and water resources (including air quality
and surface water impacts)
9. Visual impacts
10. Socioeconomic impacts and disproportionately high and adverse
impacts to minority and low-income populations
This list is not intended to be all-inclusive or to imply any
predetermination of impacts. Western and BLM invite interested parties
to suggest specific issues within these general categories, or other
issues not included above, to be considered in the EIS/SA.
A certificate designating approval from the CEC must be obtained by
RSE before construction of power plants and/or electric transmission
lines and related facilities.
Public Participation
The EIS process includes a public scoping period; public scoping
meetings, public review, and hearings on the draft EIS, publication of
a final EIS, and publication of separate records of decision by Western
and BLM. Persons interested in receiving future notices, Project
information, copies of the EIS, and other information on the NEPA
review process should contact Ms. Reilly at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section.
Western and BLM will hold public scoping meetings as described in
the DATES section above.
The purpose of the scoping meetings is to provide information about
the proposed Project, review Project maps, answer questions, and take
written comments from interested parties. All meeting locations are
handicapped-accessible. Anyone needing special accommodations should
contact Ms. Reilly to make arrangements. The public will have the
opportunity to provide written comments at the public scoping meetings.
Written comments may also be sent to Ms. Reilly by fax, e-mail, or U.S.
Postal Service mail. To help define the scope of the EIS, comments
should be received by Western no later than April 28, 2010.
Dated: March 24, 2010.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator, Western Power.
Dated: March 19, 2010.
Karla D. Norris,
Associate Deputy State Director, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-7019 Filed 3-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
