Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed K Road/Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Photovoltaic Solar Facility, Clark County, NV, 6493-6494 [2011-2554]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 24 / Friday, February 4, 2011 / Notices
agency responsible for compliance
under NEPA, we have prepared jointly
with the Water Authority an EIR/EIS
that analyzes three alternatives in
addition to the proposed action (i.e.,
permit issuance based on the Water
Authority NCCP/HCP) described above.
The other alternatives include a noaction (i.e., no permit) alternative, a
larger species list alternative, and a
reduced plan area alternative. Two other
alternatives were considered during the
planning process but were not evaluated
because neither met the purpose and
need of both the Water Authority and
the Service; these alternatives involved
a no-take alternative and an alternative
requiring the Water Authority to
participate in other existing regional
HCPs.
The final EIR/EIS includes all
comments we received on the draft EIR/
EIS and our responses to those
comments. After the 30-day waiting
period, we will complete a Record of
Decision that announces our decision
on what action will be implemented and
discusses all factors leading to the
decision.
Public Involvement
We published a notice of intent to
prepare an EIS for this project in the
Federal Register on November 26, 2003
(68 FR 66478). The Service and Water
Authority held a public scoping meeting
on December 11, 2003. On March 4,
2010, we published a notice of
availability of the draft EIR/EIS, draft
Water Authority NCCP/HCP, and draft
IA in the Federal Register (75 FR 9921).
Public meetings were held on March 17
and March 18, 2010. The draft
documents were available for a 90-day
public comment period ending on June
2, 2010.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Public Review
Copies of the final EIR/EIS, Water
Authority NCCP/HCP, and IA are
available for review (see Availability of
Documents). Any comments we receive
will become part of the administrative
record and may be available to the
public. 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 may 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.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:05 Feb 03, 2011
Jkt 223001
Dated: January 20, 2011.
Alexandra Pitts,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest
Region, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2011–2264 Filed 2–3–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed K Road/Moapa Band of
Paiute Indians Photovoltaic Solar
Facility, Clark County, NV
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice advises the public
that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),
as lead agency, with the Moapa Band of
Paiute Indians (Tribe), the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), the
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), and the Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps), as cooperating agencies, intend
to gather information necessary for
preparing an environmental impact
statement (EIS) for the proposed Moapa
Band of Paiute Indians Solar Generation
Facility on the Moapa River Indian
Reservation, Nevada. This notice also
announces public scoping meetings to
identify potential issues and content for
inclusion in the EIS.
DATES: Written comments on the scope
and implementation of the proposal
must arrive by March 7, 2011. Several
public scoping meetings will be held
and notices will be published in local
newspapers announcing the dates and
locations of the meetings.
ADDRESSES: You may mail, e-mail, hand
carry or fax written comments to either
Ms. Amy Heuslein, Regional
Environmental Protection Officer, BIA
Western Regional Office Branch of
Environmental Quality Services, 2600
North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mail
Room, Phoenix, AZ 85004–3008;
telephone: (602) 379–6750; fax: (602)
379–3833; e-mail:
amy.heuslein@bia.gov; or Mr. Paul
Schlafly, Natural Resource Officer, BIA
Southern Paiute Agency, 180 N. 200 E.,
Suite 111 or P.O. Box 720, St. George,
UT 84771; telephone: (435) 674–9720;
fax: (435) 674–9714; e-mail:
paul.schlafly@bia.gov.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Heuslein at (602) 379–6750 or
amy.heuslein@bia.gov; or Mr. Paul
Schlafy at (435) 674–9720 or
paul.schlafly@bia.gov.
PO 00000
Frm 00099
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Ms.
6493
The
proposed Federal action, taken under 25
U.S.C. 415, is the BIA approval of a
solar energy ground lease and associated
agreements entered into by the Moapa
Band of Paiute Indians with K Road
Moapa Solar LLC (K Road), and
associated approval of rights-of-way and
easements, for K Road to construct and
operate an up-to 350 MW solar
photovoltaic electricity generating
facility located entirely on Moapa tribal
lands. The Moapa Band of Paiute
Indians may use this EIS to make
decisions under the Tribal
Environmental Policy Ordinance. The
BLM may use this EIS to support a
decision for a proposed approximately
0.5 mile right-of-way across Federal
public lands adjoining the Moapa River
Indian Reservation. The right-of-way
may be used to link the proposed solar
generation facility to an existing
substation on a transmission line with a
rating up to 500 kilovolts. The USFWS
may use this EIS to support its decisions
under the Endangered Species Act.
The purposes of the proposed action
are to: (1) use the Tribe’s solar energy
resources and complete a transmission
line from the existing electrical grid to
the Tribe-owned travel plaza on
Interstate 15 (thereby reducing or
eliminating the use of diesel-powered
generation at the plaza, improving and
diversifying the economy of the Moapa
Band of Paiute Indians, and providing
other benefits to their members in an
environmentally compatible manner);
and (2) generate clean, renewable
electricity that can be efficiently
connected to existing transmission lines
to help utilities in the region meet their
renewable energy goals.
The EIS will assess the alternatives to,
and the environmental consequences of,
BIA approval, under 25 U.S.C. 415, of a
proposed solar energy ground lease and
associated agreements between the
Moapa Band of Paiute Indians as lessor
and K Road as lessee. The ground lease
will enable K Road to construct and
operate an up-to 350 MW solar
photovoltaic electricity generating
facility on approximately 2,000 acres of
tribal lands held in trust by the United
States and located on the Moapa River
Indian Reservation, Nevada. The facility
will utilize transformers to step up the
voltage to interconnection voltage,
which will facilitate a connection of the
facility with one or more of the
following: an existing transmission line
on tribal lands (up to 500 kV); the
existing 230 kV Crystal substation
operated by NV Energy outside tribal
lands; and/or the existing 500 kV
Crystal substation operated by NV
Energy outside tribal lands. The Crystal
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\04FEN1.SGM
04FEN1
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
6494
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 24 / Friday, February 4, 2011 / Notices
substation complex is located on BLM
land, approximately 0.5 mile from the
southern border of the Moapa River
Indian Reservation. The proposed BIA
actions include approval of the solar
energy ground lease and associated
agreements, and approval of rights-ofway and easements on the Moapa River
Indian Reservation for K Road to
construct electric transmission lines and
other supporting facilities for one or
more interconnections.
K Road has requested the BLM to
approve a right-of-way across
approximately a 0.5 mile of Federal
public lands in Township 17 South,
Range 64 East, Section 10, for purposes
of constructing an electrical
transmission line to connect the solar
generating facility and electric
transmission on the Moapa River Indian
Reservation with the Crystal substation.
K Road intends to construct and
operate the solar facility for a period of
35 years, with an option to renew the
lease for another 15 years, if mutually
acceptable to the Moapa Tribe and K
Road. This area is located in Clark
County, Nevada, approximately one
mile west of Interstate 15 and
approximately 30 miles northeast of Las
Vegas, Nevada.
The proposed solar facility will be
built in phases of 50 to 100 MW each
to meet the needs of offtakers or
utilities, up to a total of 350 MW. During
the construction of each phase,
photovoltaic panels will be affixed to
the earth using concrete posts, concrete
ballast, or other suitable foundation
design techniques appropriate to the
topography and site conditions. Some or
all of the panels may employ trackers to
track the sun during the day. No water
will be used in the production of
electricity. Water will periodically be
used for cleaning the photovoltaic
panels during routine maintenance,
administrative and sanitation uses at the
site (e.g., water in a small office on site),
and fugitive dust control.
As lead agency, the BIA will have
authority over decisions regarding the
EIS and BIA’s approval of the solar
energy ground lease and associated
agreements. These decisions will be
documented in a Record of Decision
(ROD). BLM will have authority over
approval of the off-reservation right-ofway, documented in its ROD.
Cooperating agencies, including BLM,
will provide expertise and data for their
resources of interest and will aid in the
development of alternatives and
mitigation measures that will minimize
or prevent significant adverse impacts.
Significant issues to be covered
during the scoping process may include,
but would not be limited to: air quality,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:05 Feb 03, 2011
Jkt 223001
geology and soils, surface and
groundwater resources, biological
resources, threatened and endangered
species, cultural resources,
socioeconomic conditions, land use,
aesthetics, environmental justice, and
Indian trust resources.
Directions for Submitting Public
Comments
Please include your name, return
address, and the caption ‘‘EIS, K Road
and Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Solar
Facility’’ on the first page of any written
comments you submit. You may also
submit comments at the public scoping
meetings.
Public Availability of Comments
Comments, including names and
addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the BIA
address shown in the ADDRESSES section
of this notice, during regular business
hours, Monday through Friday, except
holidays. Before including your address,
phone number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Authority
This notice is published in
accordance with sections 1503.1 of the
Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through
1508) and Section 46.305 of the
Department of Interior Regulations (43
CFR part 46), implementing the
procedural requirements of NEPA, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and
is in the exercise of authority delegated
to the Assistant Secretary—Indian
Affairs, by part 209 of the Departmental
Manual.
Dated: January 28, 2011.
Larry Echo Hawk,
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011–2554 Filed 2–1–11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P
PO 00000
Frm 00100
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO–LL230 0000–L11100000–PH.0000]
Notice of Availability of a
Memorandum of Understanding
Between the Bureau of Land
Management and the U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service To Promote
Conservation of Migratory Birds
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
This notice announces the
availability of the final signed
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
between the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) to Promote
Conservation of Migratory Birds.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Geoff Walsh, Wildlife Biologist, 202–
912–7271, geoffrey_walsh@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice announces the availability of the
MOU between the BLM and the FWS to
Promote Conservation of Migratory
Birds signed April 12, 2010. The MOU
provides for strengthening migratory
bird conservation by identifying and
implementing strategies that promote
conservation and reduce or eliminate
adverse impacts on migratory birds
through enhanced collaboration
between the BLM and the FWS, in
coordination with State, tribal, and local
governments. This MOU identifies
specific activities where cooperation
between the BLM and the FWS will
contribute to the conservation of
migratory birds and their habitat. These
activities are intended to complement
and support existing partnerships and
efforts, and to facilitate new
collaborative conservation partnerships
and comprehensive planning efforts for
migratory birds. Pursuant to Executive
Order 13186, [FR 66 3853] published on
January 17, 2001, entitled
‘‘Responsibilities of Federal agencies to
Protect Migratory Birds,’’ this MOU
outlines a collaborative approach to
promote the conservation of migratory
bird populations. The Executive Order
also directs agencies to take certain
actions to further implement the
migratory bird conventions, the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), the
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
(BGEPA) and other pertinent statutes.
The implementation of the MOU will be
coordinated through ongoing
communication between the BLM
Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Plant
Conservation and the FWS Division of
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\04FEN1.SGM
04FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6493-6494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2554]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed K Road/Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Photovoltaic Solar
Facility, Clark County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA), as lead agency, with the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians
(Tribe), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), as
cooperating agencies, intend to gather information necessary for
preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed
Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Solar Generation Facility on the Moapa
River Indian Reservation, Nevada. This notice also announces public
scoping meetings to identify potential issues and content for inclusion
in the EIS.
DATES: Written comments on the scope and implementation of the proposal
must arrive by March 7, 2011. Several public scoping meetings will be
held and notices will be published in local newspapers announcing the
dates and locations of the meetings.
ADDRESSES: You may mail, e-mail, hand carry or fax written comments to
either Ms. Amy Heuslein, Regional Environmental Protection Officer, BIA
Western Regional Office Branch of Environmental Quality Services, 2600
North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mail Room, Phoenix, AZ 85004-3008;
telephone: (602) 379-6750; fax: (602) 379-3833; e-mail:
amy.heuslein@bia.gov; or Mr. Paul Schlafly, Natural Resource Officer,
BIA Southern Paiute Agency, 180 N. 200 E., Suite 111 or P.O. Box 720,
St. George, UT 84771; telephone: (435) 674-9720; fax: (435) 674-9714;
e-mail: paul.schlafly@bia.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy Heuslein at (602) 379-6750 or
amy.heuslein@bia.gov; or Mr. Paul Schlafy at (435) 674-9720 or
paul.schlafly@bia.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Federal action, taken under 25
U.S.C. 415, is the BIA approval of a solar energy ground lease and
associated agreements entered into by the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians
with K Road Moapa Solar LLC (K Road), and associated approval of
rights-of-way and easements, for K Road to construct and operate an up-
to 350 MW solar photovoltaic electricity generating facility located
entirely on Moapa tribal lands. The Moapa Band of Paiute Indians may
use this EIS to make decisions under the Tribal Environmental Policy
Ordinance. The BLM may use this EIS to support a decision for a
proposed approximately 0.5 mile right-of-way across Federal public
lands adjoining the Moapa River Indian Reservation. The right-of-way
may be used to link the proposed solar generation facility to an
existing substation on a transmission line with a rating up to 500
kilovolts. The USFWS may use this EIS to support its decisions under
the Endangered Species Act.
The purposes of the proposed action are to: (1) use the Tribe's
solar energy resources and complete a transmission line from the
existing electrical grid to the Tribe-owned travel plaza on Interstate
15 (thereby reducing or eliminating the use of diesel-powered
generation at the plaza, improving and diversifying the economy of the
Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, and providing other benefits to their
members in an environmentally compatible manner); and (2) generate
clean, renewable electricity that can be efficiently connected to
existing transmission lines to help utilities in the region meet their
renewable energy goals.
The EIS will assess the alternatives to, and the environmental
consequences of, BIA approval, under 25 U.S.C. 415, of a proposed solar
energy ground lease and associated agreements between the Moapa Band of
Paiute Indians as lessor and K Road as lessee. The ground lease will
enable K Road to construct and operate an up-to 350 MW solar
photovoltaic electricity generating facility on approximately 2,000
acres of tribal lands held in trust by the United States and located on
the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada. The facility will utilize
transformers to step up the voltage to interconnection voltage, which
will facilitate a connection of the facility with one or more of the
following: an existing transmission line on tribal lands (up to 500
kV); the existing 230 kV Crystal substation operated by NV Energy
outside tribal lands; and/or the existing 500 kV Crystal substation
operated by NV Energy outside tribal lands. The Crystal
[[Page 6494]]
substation complex is located on BLM land, approximately 0.5 mile from
the southern border of the Moapa River Indian Reservation. The proposed
BIA actions include approval of the solar energy ground lease and
associated agreements, and approval of rights-of-way and easements on
the Moapa River Indian Reservation for K Road to construct electric
transmission lines and other supporting facilities for one or more
interconnections.
K Road has requested the BLM to approve a right-of-way across
approximately a 0.5 mile of Federal public lands in Township 17 South,
Range 64 East, Section 10, for purposes of constructing an electrical
transmission line to connect the solar generating facility and electric
transmission on the Moapa River Indian Reservation with the Crystal
substation.
K Road intends to construct and operate the solar facility for a
period of 35 years, with an option to renew the lease for another 15
years, if mutually acceptable to the Moapa Tribe and K Road. This area
is located in Clark County, Nevada, approximately one mile west of
Interstate 15 and approximately 30 miles northeast of Las Vegas,
Nevada.
The proposed solar facility will be built in phases of 50 to 100 MW
each to meet the needs of offtakers or utilities, up to a total of 350
MW. During the construction of each phase, photovoltaic panels will be
affixed to the earth using concrete posts, concrete ballast, or other
suitable foundation design techniques appropriate to the topography and
site conditions. Some or all of the panels may employ trackers to track
the sun during the day. No water will be used in the production of
electricity. Water will periodically be used for cleaning the
photovoltaic panels during routine maintenance, administrative and
sanitation uses at the site (e.g., water in a small office on site),
and fugitive dust control.
As lead agency, the BIA will have authority over decisions
regarding the EIS and BIA's approval of the solar energy ground lease
and associated agreements. These decisions will be documented in a
Record of Decision (ROD). BLM will have authority over approval of the
off-reservation right-of-way, documented in its ROD. Cooperating
agencies, including BLM, will provide expertise and data for their
resources of interest and will aid in the development of alternatives
and mitigation measures that will minimize or prevent significant
adverse impacts.
Significant issues to be covered during the scoping process may
include, but would not be limited to: air quality, geology and soils,
surface and groundwater resources, biological resources, threatened and
endangered species, cultural resources, socioeconomic conditions, land
use, aesthetics, environmental justice, and Indian trust resources.
Directions for Submitting Public Comments
Please include your name, return address, and the caption ``EIS, K
Road and Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Solar Facility'' on the first
page of any written comments you submit. You may also submit comments
at the public scoping meetings.
Public Availability of Comments
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the BIA address shown in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice, during regular business hours, Monday through
Friday, except holidays. Before including your address, phone number,
e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Authority
This notice is published in accordance with sections 1503.1 of the
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through
1508) and Section 46.305 of the Department of Interior Regulations (43
CFR part 46), implementing the procedural requirements of NEPA, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and is in the exercise of authority
delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, by part 209 of
the Departmental Manual.
Dated: January 28, 2011.
Larry Echo Hawk,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-2554 Filed 2-1-11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P
