Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wilson Creek Wind Project, Lincoln County, NV, 30963-30964 [2011-13010]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 103 / Friday, May 27, 2011 / Notices
For
further information and/or to have your
name added to our mailing list, contact
Tamara Gertsch, Project Manager;
telephone (307) 775–6115; e-mail
utsrbproj@blm.gov; address BLM, Cedar
City Field Office, 176 East D.L. Sargent
Drive, Cedar City, Utah 84721. Persons
who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339 to contact the above
individual during normal business
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message
or question with the above individual.
You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PacifiCorp, doing business as Rocky
Mountain Power, has filed right-of-way
applications with the BLM and United
States Forest Service (USFS) proposing
to construct, operate, and maintain the
Project, a single-circuit, alternatingcurrent (AC), 345 kV overhead
transmission line. The transmission line
would be located to connect the existing
Sigurd Substation near Richfield in
Sevier County with the existing Red
Butte Substation near the community of
Central in Washington County, Utah, a
distance of approximately 160 miles
depending on the route selected. The
Project also includes expansion of the
existing Sigurd Substation on private
land to accommodate new substation
equipment for interconnecting the
proposed transmission line with the
existing system. When completed, the
Project would provide about 600
megawatts of electrical capacity to
respond to anticipated load growth in
Southwestern Utah. Alternative routes
considered in the Draft EIS cross
Federal, state, tribal, and private lands.
The requested right-of-way width on
Federal lands for construction and
operation of the Project is 150 feet. The
Proponent proposes to predominantly
use steel-pole H-frame tower structures,
from 80 to 140 feet in height, with
average spans between structures of 800
to 1,200 feet (5 to 7 structures per mile).
Permanent and temporary access roads,
a minimum of 14 feet wide, would be
needed for the Project. Temporary
access roads would be needed for
construction only. Temporary work
space would be needed during
construction for material storage,
conductor tensioning sites, and to
accommodate vehicles and equipment.
Under Federal law, the BLM is
responsible for responding to
applications for rights-of-way on BLMadministered lands. Similarly, under
Federal law, the USFS is responsible for
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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responding to applications for rights-ofway on lands they administer. In
accordance with NEPA, the BLM has
prepared a Draft EIS for the Project. An
interdisciplinary approach was used to
develop the Draft EIS, in order to
consider a variety of resource issues and
concerns identified during internal,
interagency, and public scoping. The
BLM is the designated lead Federal
agency for preparation of the EIS as
defined at 40 CFR 1501.5. Agencies with
jurisdiction by law or special expertise
were invited to participate as
cooperating agencies in preparation of
the EIS. The following agencies have
agreed to participate as cooperating
agencies: USFS (Dixie and Fishlake
National Forests); U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers; National Park Service; State
of Utah; Millard, Sevier, Beaver, Iron,
and Washington counties, Utah; and the
cities of St. George and Enterprise, Utah.
In response to Section 368 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15926), a Programmatic EIS was
prepared by the Department of Energy
and the Department of the Interior for
energy corridors in 11 western states
including Utah. A Final Programmatic
EIS was published on November 28,
2008 (73 FR 72521). Records of Decision
(ROD) on the Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement,
Designation of Energy Corridors on
Federal Land in the 11 Western States
(DOE/EIS–0386), signed January 14,
2009, designated energy corridors and
provided guidance, best management
practices, and mitigation measures to be
used where linear facilities are proposed
within the corridors. Corridor
designation occurred upon BLM’s
amendment of its relevant Resource
Management Plans and upon USFS’
amendment of its Land Management
Plans. Designation of corridors does not
require their use, nor does such
designation exempt the Federal agencies
from conducting a site-specific
environmental review on each Project.
The BLM has considered the use of the
corridors in preparation of the Draft EIS.
Documents pertinent to the right-of-way
application and the Draft EIS for the
Project may be examined at:
• BLM, Cedar City Field Office, 176
East D.L. Sargent Drive, Cedar City,
Utah 84721;
• BLM, Richfield Field Office, 150
East, 900 North, Richfield, Utah 84701;
• BLM, Fillmore Field Office, 35 East,
500 North, Fillmore, Utah 84631;
• Dixie National Forest Office, 1789
North Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City,
Utah 84721;
• Fishlake National Forest Office, 115
East 900 North, Richfield, Utah 84701.
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30963
Please note that public comments may
be available for public review and
disclosure at the above address during
regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or any 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 request in your comment
that your personal identifying
information be withheld from public
review, the BLM cannot guarantee that
they will be able to do so.
Juan Palma,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011–13009 Filed 5–26–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL00000.L51010000.
FX0000LVRWF1000810.241A; NVN–084465;
11–08807; MO# 4500020272; TAS 14X5017]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Wilson Creek Wind
Project, Lincoln County, NV
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Schell Field
Office, Nevada, intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for a right-of-way (ROW) application
submitted by Wilson Creek Power
Partners, LLC, for a wind energy
generation project and by this notice is
announcing the beginning of the
scoping process to solicit public input
on the identification of issues. The BLM
may also determine that the proposed
project would require an amendment to
the Ely Resource Management Plan, in
which case the EIS would support any
planning amendment.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. Comments
on issues may be submitted in writing
until July 26, 2011. 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:
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\27MYN1.SGM
27MYN1
jdjones on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES
30964
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 103 / Friday, May 27, 2011 / Notices
https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/
ely_field_office.html. In order to be
considered 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
on issues related to the Proposed Wilson
Creek Wind Project by any of the
following methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nv/
st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html.
• E-mail: wilsoncreekwind@blm.gov.
• Fax: (775) 775–1918 (attention Dan
Netcher).
• Mail: BLM Ely District Office, Attn:
Dan Netcher, HC 33 Box 33500 Ely, NV
89301.
• In person: at the BLM Ely District
Office and at any public scoping
meetings on the proposal.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the BLM Ely
District Office, 702 North Industrial
Way, Ely, Nevada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan
Netcher, Renewable Energy Project
Manager, (775) 289–1872; or e-mail
wilsoncreekwind@blm.gov. You may
also use this contact information to
request that your name be added to the
project mailing list. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FIRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
to leave a message or question with the
above individual. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
applicant, Wilson Creek Power Partners,
LLC, has requested a ROW authorization
to construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission a multi-phase wind
powered generation facility on
approximately 31,000 acres of BLM
administered public lands in Lincoln
County, Nevada. The fully constructed
project would consist of 336 to 373
wind turbines to be located along the
ridgeline of the Wilson Creek Range
approximately 20 miles northeast of the
town of Pioche, Nevada. In addition to
the wind turbines, other project
components are expected to include
buried power collection lines and
communication cables, access roads,
meteorological towers, substation(s) and
switchyard(s), an operation and
maintenance building, a single or
double-circuited 120 to 230 kilovolt
overhead transmission line, and
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portable cement batch plants and rock
crushing facilities. The project is
anticipated to be developed in multiple
phases, with the Wilson Creek Range
and Table Mountain sites composing
Phase I. Phase I would consist of up to
195 wind turbines, producing 500
megawatts (MW) of electricity,
depending on the selected wind turbine
manufacturer. The Atlanta Summit site
would compose Phase II, and the White
Rock site would compose Phase III. The
later phases of the project would be
considered for development if the wind
resource in the Atlanta Summit and
White Rock areas is found to be
sufficient. Additional environmental
analysis would be conducted for Phases
II and III of the project and any
associated land use plan amendments.
The purpose of the public scoping
process is to determine relevant issues
that will influence the scope of the
environmental analysis and guide the
process for developing the EIS,
including the development of
alternatives. The BLM has identified the
following preliminary issues:
Threatened and endangered species;
wildlife, particularly avian species;
visual resource impacts; recreation
impacts; and socioeconomic effects.
Authorization of this proposal may
require an amendment of the Ely
Resource Management Plan (2007). By
this notice, the BLM is complying with
requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2(c) to
notify the public of potential
amendments to land use plans. If a land
use plan amendment is necessary, the
BLM will integrate the land use
planning process with the NEPA
process for this project.
The BLM will use and coordinate the
NEPA commenting process to satisfy the
public involvement requirements of
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
BLM policy, and tribal concerns
including potential impacts on Indian
trust assets will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with other stakeholders
that may be interested in or affected by
the BLM’s decision(s) are invited to
participate in the scoping process and,
if eligible, 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.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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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 and 43 CFR
1610.2.
Mary D’Aversa,
Manager, Schell Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2011–13010 Filed 5–26–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAN00000.L18200000.XZ0000]
Notice of Public Meeting: Northeast
California Resource Advisory Council
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and the Federal
Advisory Committee Act of 1972
(FACA), the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) Northeast California Resource
Advisory Council will meet as indicated
below.
DATES: The committee will meet
Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 24 and
25, 2011, in Susanville, California. On
Aug. 24, the RAC will convene at 10
a.m. at the Bureau of Land Management
Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 Riverside
Dr., Susanville, and depart immediately
for a field tour. Members of the public
are welcome. They must provide their
own transportation, food and beverages.
On Aug. 25, the council meeting begins
at 8 a.m. in the Conference Room of the
BLM Eagle Lake Field Office. The public
is welcome.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Haug, BLM Northern California
District manager, (530) 224–2160; or
Joseph J. Fontana, BLM public affairs
officer, (530) 252–5332.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15member council advises the Secretary of
the Interior, through the BLM, on a
variety of planning and management
issues associated with public land
management in northeast California and
the northwest corner of Nevada. Agenda
items at this meeting include
management of wild horses and burros,
stewardship contracting, alternative
energy development, marijuana garden
cleanup issues, status of a PG&E land
transfer and the Sage Steppe Ecosystem
Management Plan. The council will
accept public comments at 11 a.m.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\27MYN1.SGM
27MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30963-30964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13010]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVL00000.L51010000.FX0000LVRWF1000810.241A; NVN-084465; 11-08807;
MO 4500020272; TAS 14X5017]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Wilson Creek Wind Project, Lincoln County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Schell
Field Office, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for a right-of-way (ROW) application submitted by
Wilson Creek Power Partners, LLC, for a wind energy generation project
and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process
to solicit public input on the identification of issues. The BLM may
also determine that the proposed project would require an amendment to
the Ely Resource Management Plan, in which case the EIS would support
any planning amendment.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS.
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until July 26, 2011. 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:
[[Page 30964]]
https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html. In order to be
considered 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 on issues related to the Proposed
Wilson Creek Wind Project by any of the following methods:
Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html.
E-mail: wilsoncreekwind@blm.gov.
Fax: (775) 775-1918 (attention Dan Netcher).
Mail: BLM Ely District Office, Attn: Dan Netcher, HC 33
Box 33500 Ely, NV 89301.
In person: at the BLM Ely District Office and at any
public scoping meetings on the proposal.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM Ely
District Office, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Netcher, Renewable Energy Project
Manager, (775) 289-1872; or e-mail wilsoncreekwind@blm.gov. You may
also use this contact information to request that your name be added to
the project mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal
business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to
leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive
a reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, Wilson Creek Power Partners,
LLC, has requested a ROW authorization to construct, operate, maintain,
and decommission a multi-phase wind powered generation facility on
approximately 31,000 acres of BLM administered public lands in Lincoln
County, Nevada. The fully constructed project would consist of 336 to
373 wind turbines to be located along the ridgeline of the Wilson Creek
Range approximately 20 miles northeast of the town of Pioche, Nevada.
In addition to the wind turbines, other project components are expected
to include buried power collection lines and communication cables,
access roads, meteorological towers, substation(s) and switchyard(s),
an operation and maintenance building, a single or double-circuited 120
to 230 kilovolt overhead transmission line, and portable cement batch
plants and rock crushing facilities. The project is anticipated to be
developed in multiple phases, with the Wilson Creek Range and Table
Mountain sites composing Phase I. Phase I would consist of up to 195
wind turbines, producing 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity, depending
on the selected wind turbine manufacturer. The Atlanta Summit site
would compose Phase II, and the White Rock site would compose Phase
III. The later phases of the project would be considered for
development if the wind resource in the Atlanta Summit and White Rock
areas is found to be sufficient. Additional environmental analysis
would be conducted for Phases II and III of the project and any
associated land use plan amendments. The purpose of the public scoping
process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope
of the environmental analysis and guide the process for developing the
EIS, including the development of alternatives. The BLM has identified
the following preliminary issues: Threatened and endangered species;
wildlife, particularly avian species; visual resource impacts;
recreation impacts; and socioeconomic effects. Authorization of this
proposal may require an amendment of the Ely Resource Management Plan
(2007). By this notice, the BLM is complying with requirements in 43
CFR 1610.2(c) to notify the public of potential amendments to land use
plans. If a land use plan amendment is necessary, the BLM will
integrate the land use planning process with the NEPA process for this
project.
The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to
satisfy the public involvement requirements of 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 BLM policy, and tribal concerns including
potential impacts on Indian trust assets will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other
stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the BLM's
decision(s) are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if
eligible, 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 and 43 CFR 1610.2.
Mary D'Aversa,
Manager, Schell Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-13010 Filed 5-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
