Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Staff Assessment for the NextEra Energy Resources Genesis Solar Energy Project and Possible California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment, 20379-20380 [2010-8905]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 74 / Monday, April 19, 2010 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNVE02000 L51100000.GN0000 LVEMF1000570 241A; MO:4500011675; 10– 08807; TAS: 14X5017] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Hollister Underground Mine Project, Elko County, NV wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1 AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Intent. SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tuscarora Field Office, Elko, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and to identify issues. DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until May 19, 2010. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM Web site at: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ elko_field_office.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. The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft EIS. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Hollister Underground Mine Project by any of the following methods: • Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/ en/fo/elko_field_office.html. • E-mail: janice_stadelman@blm.gov. • Fax: (775) 753–0255. • Mail: BLM Tuscarora Field Office, Attn. Janice Stadelman, 3900 Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada 89801. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Tuscarora Field Office. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have your name added to the mailing list, contact Janice Stadelman, Project Lead, telephone (775) 753–0346; address 3900 Idaho St., Elko, Nevada 89801; e-mail janice_stadelman@blm.gov. Rodeo Creek Gold Inc. has proposed an SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:04 Apr 16, 2010 Jkt 220001 amendment to their plan of operations for the Hollister Underground Mine Project. The proposed amendment would expand Rodeo Creek Gold Inc.’s existing underground exploration activities into a full-scale underground mining operation. Most of the necessary infrastructure to support full-scale mining was authorized and built in conjunction with the underground exploration activities. Currently, the project has created 66 acres of approved surface disturbance on public lands, of which approximately 75 percent of the existing facilities are located on previously disturbed ground within an existing open pit mine. The proposed expansion to full-scale mining would disturb an additional 58 acres of public land for a total of 124 acres of surface disturbance. The proposed action consists of constructing a new production shaft; improving existing roads; building a power transmission line to the mine site; upgrading ancillary facilities including storage areas, office, shop, and warehouse buildings; and continuing both surface and underground exploration. The fullscale project would augment the existing mine water management facilities that currently include a reverse-osmosis and desilting water treatment plant and rapid infiltration basins by adding underground dewatering wells and obtaining a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit to authorize discharge of groundwater to Little Antelope Creek. The Hollister Project would haul the mined ore using highway-legal trucks to existing off-site milling facilities via existing roads that would be improved as needed; no onsite processing facilities are proposed. The project is expected to operate for 20 years. The proposed project is located in and adjacent to the Tosawihi Quarries Archaeological District and near the Tosawihi Quarries Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP), 47 miles northwest of Elko, Nevada, in Elko County. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: cultural resources, Native American religious concerns, hydrology, and noise. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20379 will be conducted and Tribal concerns will be given due consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets, if any. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders 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 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: 40 CFR 1501.7. Kenneth E. Miller, Manager, Elko District Office. [FR Doc. 2010–8906 Filed 4–16–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CACA 048880, LLCAD06000, L51010000.FX0000, LVRWB09B2520] Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Staff Assessment for the NextEra Energy Resources Genesis Solar Energy Project and Possible California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) have prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Draft California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment, and Staff Assessment (SA) as a joint environmental analysis document for the Genesis Solar Energy Project (GSEP), Riverside County, California, and by this notice are announcing the opening of the comment period. DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Draft EIS/SA and plan amendment within 90 days E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM 19APN1 wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1 20380 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 74 / Monday, April 19, 2010 / Notices following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the GSEP by any of the following methods: • E-mail: CAPSSolarNextEraFPL@blm.gov. • Mail or other delivery service: Allison Shaffer, Project Manager, Palm Springs South Coast Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262. Copies of the GSEP Draft EIS/SA are available from the BLM at the above addresses. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Shaffer, BLM project manager, at (760) 833–7100. See also ADDRESSES above. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextEra Energy Resources has submitted a rightof-way (ROW) application to the BLM for development of the proposed GSEP on public lands, consisting of two concentrating solar electric generating power plants each producing 125 megawatts (MW) for a total output of approximately 250 MW of electricity at full development. The project would use a wet-cooling tower for power plant cooling. Water for the project (approximately 1,644 acre-feet per year) would be obtained from on-site wells. The project would include a 15-mile transmission line to the Colorado River Substation; 5.6 miles of this line would use the existing 230-kilovolt Blythe Energy Transmission Line. The total expected project footprint is about 1,800 acres of BLM-managed lands for the two power plants, and approximately 80 to 90 acres in support of ancillary facilities. The project is sited in an undeveloped area of the Sonoran Desert, near Ford Dry Lake, north of Interstate 10 in Riverside County, approximately 25 miles west of Blythe, California, on lands managed by the BLM. The BLM’s purpose and need for the GSEP is to respond to NextEra’s application for a ROW grant to construct, operate, and decommission a solar power facility on public lands in compliance with Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761), BLM ROW regulations, and other applicable Federal laws. The BLM will decide whether to grant, grant with modification, or deny a ROW to NextEra for the proposed GSEP. The BLM will also consider amending the CDCA Plan (1980, as amended) in this analysis. The VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:04 Apr 16, 2010 Jkt 220001 CDCA Plan, while recognizing the potential compatibility of solar generation facilities on public lands, requires that all sites proposed for power generation or transmission not identified in the Plan be considered through the BLM land use plan amendment process. If the BLM decides to grant a ROW for this project, the CDCA Plan would be amended as required. The proposed action is to authorize the GSEP and amend the CDCA Plan to designate the project area as available for solar energy projects. In addition to the proposed action, the BLM is analyzing an alternative that would reduce the project footprint by half, to approximately 900 acres of disturbance, by constructing only one power plant for a total output of 125 MW. The BLM is also analyzing a dry-cooling alternative. All three action alternatives would amend the CDCA Plan to designate the area as available for commercial solar energy development. As required under NEPA, the Draft EIS analyzes a No Action alternative that would not require a CDCA Plan amendment. The Draft EIS also analyzes alternatives that reject the project, but amend the CDCA Plan to either: (1) Designate the project area as available for future solar energy power generation projects; or (2) designate the project area as unavailable for future solar energy power generation projects. The BLM will take into consideration the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Secretarial Order 3283 Enhancing Renewable Energy Development on the Public Lands and Secretarial Order 3285 Renewable Energy Development by the Department of the Interior in responding to the NextEra application. The BLM has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the CEC to conduct a joint environmental review of solar thermal projects that are proposed on Federal land managed by the BLM. The BLM and CEC have agreed to conduct joint environmental review of the project in a single combined NEPA/California Environmental Quality Act process and document. The Draft EIS/SA analyzes site-specific impacts of the proposed project on air quality; biological, cultural, water, soil, visual, paleontological, and geological resources; recreation; land use; noise; public health; socioeconomics; and traffic and transportation. The Draft EIS/ SA also addresses hazardous materials handling, waste management, worker safety, fire protection, facility design engineering, efficiency, reliability, PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 transmission system engineering, transmission line safety, and nuisance. A Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/ SA and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment for the NextEra Genesis Solar Energy Project in Riverside County was published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2009 (74 FR 61167). The BLM held two public scoping meetings in Blythe, California, and Palm Desert, California, on December 10th and11th, 2009. The formal scoping period ended December 23, 2009. 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: 40 CFR 1506.6, 1506.10, and 43 CFR 1610.2 Karla D. Norris, Associate Deputy State Director. [FR Doc. 2010–8905 Filed 4–16–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–40–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Cape Cod National Seashore; South Wellfleet, Massachusetts; Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission National Park Service, Interior. Two hundredth seventy-third notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770, 5 U.S.C. App 1, Section 10) of a meeting of the Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission. DATES: The meeting of the Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission will be held on May 24, 2010 at 1 p.m. ADDRESSES: The Commission members will meet in the meeting room at Headquarters, 99 Marconi Station, Wellfleet, Massachusetts. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission was reestablished pursuant to Public Law 87–126 as amended by Public Law 105–280. The purpose of the Commission is to consult with the Secretary of the Interior, or his designee, with respect to matters relating to the E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM 19APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 74 (Monday, April 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20379-20380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8905]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CACA 048880, LLCAD06000, L51010000.FX0000, LVRWB09B2520]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Staff Assessment for the NextEra Energy Resources Genesis 
Solar Energy Project and Possible California Desert Conservation Area 
Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and 
the California Energy Commission (CEC) have prepared a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Draft California Desert 
Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment, and Staff Assessment (SA) as a 
joint environmental analysis document for the Genesis Solar Energy 
Project (GSEP), Riverside County, California, and by this notice are 
announcing the opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft EIS/SA and plan amendment within 90 days

[[Page 20380]]

following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce 
future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities 
at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, 
and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the GSEP by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: CAPSSolarNextEraFPL@blm.gov.
     Mail or other delivery service: Allison Shaffer, Project 
Manager, Palm Springs South Coast Field Office, Bureau of Land 
Management, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262.
    Copies of the GSEP Draft EIS/SA are available from the BLM at the 
above addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Shaffer, BLM project manager, 
at (760) 833-7100. See also ADDRESSES above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextEra Energy Resources has submitted a 
right-of-way (ROW) application to the BLM for development of the 
proposed GSEP on public lands, consisting of two concentrating solar 
electric generating power plants each producing 125 megawatts (MW) for 
a total output of approximately 250 MW of electricity at full 
development. The project would use a wet-cooling tower for power plant 
cooling. Water for the project (approximately 1,644 acre-feet per year) 
would be obtained from on-site wells. The project would include a 15-
mile transmission line to the Colorado River Substation; 5.6 miles of 
this line would use the existing 230-kilovolt Blythe Energy 
Transmission Line. The total expected project footprint is about 1,800 
acres of BLM-managed lands for the two power plants, and approximately 
80 to 90 acres in support of ancillary facilities. The project is sited 
in an undeveloped area of the Sonoran Desert, near Ford Dry Lake, north 
of Interstate 10 in Riverside County, approximately 25 miles west of 
Blythe, California, on lands managed by the BLM. The BLM's purpose and 
need for the GSEP is to respond to NextEra's application for a ROW 
grant to construct, operate, and decommission a solar power facility on 
public lands in compliance with Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761), BLM 
ROW regulations, and other applicable Federal laws. The BLM will decide 
whether to grant, grant with modification, or deny a ROW to NextEra for 
the proposed GSEP. The BLM will also consider amending the CDCA Plan 
(1980, as amended) in this analysis. The CDCA Plan, while recognizing 
the potential compatibility of solar generation facilities on public 
lands, requires that all sites proposed for power generation or 
transmission not identified in the Plan be considered through the BLM 
land use plan amendment process. If the BLM decides to grant a ROW for 
this project, the CDCA Plan would be amended as required.
    The proposed action is to authorize the GSEP and amend the CDCA 
Plan to designate the project area as available for solar energy 
projects. In addition to the proposed action, the BLM is analyzing an 
alternative that would reduce the project footprint by half, to 
approximately 900 acres of disturbance, by constructing only one power 
plant for a total output of 125 MW. The BLM is also analyzing a dry-
cooling alternative. All three action alternatives would amend the CDCA 
Plan to designate the area as available for commercial solar energy 
development. As required under NEPA, the Draft EIS analyzes a No Action 
alternative that would not require a CDCA Plan amendment. The Draft EIS 
also analyzes alternatives that reject the project, but amend the CDCA 
Plan to either: (1) Designate the project area as available for future 
solar energy power generation projects; or (2) designate the project 
area as unavailable for future solar energy power generation projects. 
The BLM will take into consideration the provisions of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 and Secretarial Order 3283 Enhancing Renewable 
Energy Development on the Public Lands and Secretarial Order 3285 
Renewable Energy Development by the Department of the Interior in 
responding to the NextEra application.
    The BLM has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the CEC 
to conduct a joint environmental review of solar thermal projects that 
are proposed on Federal land managed by the BLM. The BLM and CEC have 
agreed to conduct joint environmental review of the project in a single 
combined NEPA/California Environmental Quality Act process and 
document. The Draft EIS/SA analyzes site-specific impacts of the 
proposed project on air quality; biological, cultural, water, soil, 
visual, paleontological, and geological resources; recreation; land 
use; noise; public health; socioeconomics; and traffic and 
transportation. The Draft EIS/SA also addresses hazardous materials 
handling, waste management, worker safety, fire protection, facility 
design engineering, efficiency, reliability, transmission system 
engineering, transmission line safety, and nuisance.
    A Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/SA and Proposed Land Use Plan 
Amendment for the NextEra Genesis Solar Energy Project in Riverside 
County was published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2009 (74 
FR 61167). The BLM held two public scoping meetings in Blythe, 
California, and Palm Desert, California, on December 10th and11th, 
2009. The formal scoping period ended December 23, 2009.
    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: 40 CFR 1506.6, 1506.10, and 43 CFR 1610.2

Karla D. Norris,
Associate Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-8905 Filed 4-16-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.