Draft Environmental Assessment and Proposed Single-Species Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project, Solano County, CA, 1498-1500 [2012-288]
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1498
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 2012 / Notices
designed to fit into the surrounding
community.
DATES: Comments Due Date: March 12,
2012.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit comments regarding
this proposal. Comments should refer to
the proposal by name and OMB Control
Number (2577–New) and should be sent
to: HUD Desk Officer Office of
Management and Budget, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503: Fax (202) 395–5806.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Colette Pollard., Departmental Reports
Management Officer, QDAM,
Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 Seventh Street SW.,
Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410;
telephone: (202) 402–3400, (this is not
a toll-free number) or email Ms. Pollard
at Colette.Pollard@hud.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department will submit the proposed
information collection to OMB for
review, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended). This Notice is
soliciting comments from members of
the public and affected agencies
concerning the proposed collection of
information to: (1) Evaluate whether the
proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) Evaluate the
accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information; (3) Enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (4) Minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond; including
through the use of appropriate
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
This Notice also lists the following
information:
Title of Proposal: Public/Private
Partnerships for the Mixed-Finance
Development of Public Housing Units.
OMB Control Number, if applicable:
2577–New.
Description of the need for the
information and proposed use: HUD is
requesting a new, separate OMB Control
Number for all existing information
collection documents needed to perform
due diligence before approving a MixedFinance financial closing and
committing HUD public housing funds
to the development of a Mixed-Finance
project. Most of the information
collection documents included in this
request resolve PRA non-compliance
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issues. The documents are currently
collected by HUD, have been
standardized or modified to decrease
burden hours. One new document
automates existing manual financial
calculations.
Agency form numbers, if applicable:
HUD–50030, HUD–50029, HUD–50150,
HUD–50151, HUD–50154, HUD–50155.
Members of Affected Public: State and
Local Governments, Public Housing
Agencies, Real Estate Developers, Public
Housing Residents.
Estimation of the total number of
hours needed to prepare the information
collection including number of
respondents, frequency of response, and
hours of response: The estimated
number of respondents is 130 annually,
responding once with each housing
development financial closing, with 920
annual responses. The total reporting
burden is 16,995 hours.
Status of the proposed information
collection: Existing collection pending
an OMB control number.
Authority: section 3506 of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35,
as amended.
Dated: December 28, 2011.
Merrie Nichols-Dixon,
Deputy Director for Office of Policy, Program
and Legislative Initiatives.
[FR Doc. 2012–252 Filed 1–9–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R8–ES–2011–N265; FF08E00000–
FXES11120800000F2–123–F2]
Draft Environmental Assessment and
Proposed Single-Species Habitat
Conservation Plan for the Proposed
Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project, Solano
County, CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: draft
environmental assessment and proposed
habitat conservation plan; request for
comment.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, have prepared a draft
environmental assessment (EA) under
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) for the Proposed Shiloh IV
Wind Plant Project in response to an
application from enXco (applicant) for a
36-year incidental take permit for one
species under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The
application addresses the potential for
‘‘take’’ of one federally listed animal,
SUMMARY:
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the Central California Distinct
Population Segment of the California
tiger salamander. The applicant would
implement a conservation program to
minimize and mitigate the project
activities, as described in the applicant’s
habitat conservation plan (plan). We
request data, comments, new
information or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community,
Tribes, industry, or any other interested
party on the applicant’s permit
application, plan, and the associated
EA.
To ensure consideration, please
send your written comments by March
12, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Please address written
comments to Mike Thomas,
Conservation Planning Division, Fish
and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish
and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way,
W–2605, Sacramento, CA 95825.
Alternatively, you may send comments
by facsimile to (916) 414–6713.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Thomas, Chief, Conservation
Planning Division, or Eric Tattersall,
Deputy Assistant Field Supervisor, at
the address shown above or at (916)
414–6600 (telephone). If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf,
please call the Federal Information
Relay Service at (800) 877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
publish this notice under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.;
NEPA), and its implementing
regulations in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 40 CFR 1506.6, as
well as in compliance with section 10(c)
of the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; Act). We have
prepared this EA to evaluate the impacts
of several alternatives related to the
potential issuance of an incidental take
permit (ITP) to the applicant, as well as
impacts of the implementation of the
supporting proposed habitat
conservation plan (plan).
The applicant proposes to develop a
plan as part of their application for an
ITP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act.
The proposed plan will include
measures necessary to minimize and
mitigate the impacts, to the maximum
extent practicable, of potential proposed
taking of a federally listed species to be
covered by the plan, and the habitats
upon which it depends, resulting from
construction and operation of the
proposed Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project
within the proposed plan area, to
include portions of the Montezuma
DATES:
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 2012 / Notices
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Hills Wind Resource Area in Solano
County, California.
Background Information
Section 9 of the Act prohibits taking
of fish and wildlife species listed as
endangered or threatened under section
4 of the Act. Under the Act, the term
‘‘take’’ means to harass, harm, pursue,
hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture,
or collect, or to attempt to engage in any
such conduct. The term ‘‘harm’’ is
defined in the regulations as significant
habitat modification or degradation that
results in death or injury of listed
species by significantly impairing
essential behavioral patterns, including
breeding, feeding, or sheltering (50 CFR
17.3). The term ‘‘harass’’ is defined in
the regulations as to carry out actions
that create the likelihood of injury to
listed species to such an extent as to
significantly disrupt normal behavioral
patterns, which include, but are not
limited to, breeding, feeding, or
sheltering (50 CFR 17.3).
However, under specified
circumstances, the Service may issue
permits that allow the take of federally
listed species, provided that the take
that occurs is incidental to, but not the
purpose of, an otherwise lawful activity.
Regulations governing permits for
endangered and threatened species are
at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively.
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act contains
provisions for issuing such incidental
take permits to non-Federal entities for
the take of endangered and threatened
species, provided the following criteria
are met:
1. The taking will be incidental;
2. The applicants will, to the
maximum extent practicable, minimize
and mitigate the impact of such taking;
3. The applicants will develop a
proposed HCP and ensure that adequate
funding for the plan will be provided;
4. The taking will not appreciably
reduce the likelihood of the survival
and recovery of the species in the wild;
and
5. The applicants will carry out any
other measures that the Service may
require as being necessary or
appropriate for the purposes of the HCP.
The applicant seeks incidental take
authorization for the following federally
listed threatened species—Central
California Distinct Population Segment
of the California tiger salamander
(Ambystoma californiense)—which we
will refer to as the covered species in
this notice.
The proposed covered activities under
this plan include constructing and
installing the wind turbines and
associated electrical facilities and access
roads, expanding the existing enXco
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operations and maintenance yard by
5,000 square feet, installing a new 230kilovolt substation (to be built on an
existing pad), maintaining the new wind
turbines and the associated facilities,
and, later, decommissioning the facility
and restoring the site. Specifically,
proposed covered activities include
grading, excavating to support access
roads, trenching to install underground
electrical lines, installing of erosioncontrol measures during covered
construction and maintenance activities,
installing new gravel roads, pouring a
cement footing to support each turbine,
installing of other infrastructure, gravel
placement for road maintenance,
vehicle travel, transport of equipment
and supplies, and other similar actions
necessary to support the construction,
maintenance, and operation of the
proposed Shiloh IV Wind Energy
Project.
Alternatives in the Draft Environmental
Assessment
The proposed action presented in the
draft EA will be compared to the noaction alternative. The no-action
alternative represents estimated future
conditions to which the proposed
action’s estimated future conditions can
be compared. Other alternatives
considered, including their potential
impacts, are also addressed in the draft
EA.
No Action Alternative
Under the No Action alternative, we
would not issue a permit, and the
applicant would not construct the
project. The no-action alternative would
not achieve the applicant’s objectives
and would not allow the development
of the project in a designated wind
resource area.
Reduced Take Alternative
Under the Reduced Take Alternative,
wind turbines would be sited farther
than 500 feet from aquatic habitats,
which would reduce the number of
turbines that would be constructed. This
alternative would not meet the
applicant’s objective of a generating
capacity of 100 megawatts.
Proposed Alternative
The Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project
would be constructed on 3,100 acres
encompassing the Plan Area in the
Collinsville–Montezuma Hills Wind
Resources Area, south of State Route 12
in Solano County, California. The Plan
Area is within and surrounded by
existing energy-producing facilities and
will effectively repower the enXco V
project, currently present on the site.
Adjacent energy-producing facilities
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1499
include Shiloh I to the north and west,
High Winds to the east, Shiloh II to the
north, and Montezuma II to the south
and east.
The applicant proposes to develop its
wind energy facility that would deliver
renewable energy to the Pacific Gas &
Electric California Independent System
Operator power grid to meet California’s
Renewable Portfolio Standard goals and
help reduce greenhouse gas emissions
pursuant to California Assembly Bill 32
(Global Warming Solutions Act) and
Solano County’s General Plan. Up to 50
wind turbines would be built in the
Plan Area. The project would be
constructed in a location that supports
suitable habitat for the Central
California Distinct Population Segment
of the California tiger salamander, a
species listed as threatened under the
Act. The Central California Distinct
Population Segment of the California
tiger salamander is the only proposed
‘‘Covered Species.’’
The ‘‘Covered Activities’’ included in
the plan include the construction and
installation of wind turbines and
associated facilities and access roads,
maintenance of the wind turbines and
associated facilities, and
decommissioning of the site. All
turbines are proposed to be located in
cultivated agricultural lands. The
project is expected to result in
permanent loss of 25 acres of
agricultural land. Temporary
construction effects are expected on 130
acres of agricultural land (115 acres
during construction and up to 15 acres
for maintenance activities) and
approximately 2 acres of grassland. All
land cover types affected would be
restored within 1 year of impact. No
direct effects on aquatic breeding habitat
would occur.
The applicant proposes to avoid,
minimize, and mitigate the effects to the
Covered Species associated with the
Covered Activities by fully
implementing the plan. The following
mitigation measures will be
implemented for Central CTS as part of
the plan: Minimize impact area; avoid
injury of the covered species during
implementation of Covered Activities;
avoid habitat impacts associated with
erosion and sedimentation generated by
Covered Activities; minimize the risk of
project-related toxic spills that could
adversely affect the covered species or
its habitat; restore all temporarily
disturbed covered species’ habitat in the
Plan Area to pre-project conditions
within 1 year of disturbance; ensure
implementation of the avoidance and
minimization measures; and offset
unavoidable permanent habitat impacts
on the covered species through the
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 2012 / Notices
purchase of approximately 37 acres of
credits at a Service and California
Department of Fish and Game-approved
conservation bank, to ensure temporary
and permanent effects are mitigated.
Under the proposed action
alternative, we would issue an
incidental take permit for the
applicant’s proposed project, which
includes the activities described above
and in more detail in the plan.
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Environmental Review and Next Steps
As described in our EA, we have
made the preliminary determination
that approval of the proposed plan and
issuance of the permit would qualify as
FONSI under NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.), as provided by Federal regulations
(40 CFR 1500, 5(k), 1507.3(b)(2), 1508.4)
and the Department of the Interior
Manual (516 DM 2 and 516 DM 8). Our
EA articulates the project effects on all
potential resources that could be
adversely affected, including aesthetics,
agricultural resources, air quality,
climate change, biological resources,
cultural resources, geology, minerals
and paleontological resources,
hazardous materials, hydrology and
water quality, land use and planning,
noise, public health hazards, recreation,
traffic and transportation, and utilities
and public service systems. It also
includes an analysis of alternatives, and
other required analyses such as
unavoidable adverse effects, irreversible
and irretrievable commitments of
resources, short-term uses versus longterm productivity and cumulative
effects, and the environmentally
preferable alternative (the proposed
project).
Public Comments
We request data, comments, new
information, or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community,
Tribes, industry, or any other interested
party on this notice. We particularly
seek comments on the following:
1. Biological information concerning
the species;
2. Relevant data concerning the
species;
3. Additional information concerning
the range, distribution, population size,
and population trends of the species;
4. Current or planned activities in the
subject area and their possible impacts
on the species;
5. The presence of archeological sites,
buildings and structures, historic
events, sacred and traditional areas, and
other historic preservation concerns,
which are required to be considered in
project planning by the National
Historic Preservation Act; and
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6. Identification of any other
environmental issues that should be
considered with regard to the proposed
development and permit action.
You may submit your comments and
materials by one of the methods listed
in the ADDRESSES section.
We will identify in the FONSI if we
need to prepare further NEPA
documentation. We will also consider
public comments on the draft EA when
making the final determination on
whether to prepare additional NEPA
documents on the proposed action.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Public Availability of Comments
SUMMARY:
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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.
DATES:
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the permit
application, plan, and EA from the
individuals in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. Copies of these documents are
available for public inspection, by
appointment, during regular business
hours, at the Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES).
Authority
We provide this notice pursuant to
section 10(c) of the Act and the NEPA
public-involvement regulations (40 CFR
1500.1(b), 1500.2(d), and 1506.6). We
will evaluate the permit application,
including the plan and comments we
receive, to determine whether the
application meets the requirements of
section 10(a) of the Act. If the
requirements are met, we will issue a
permit to the applicant for the
incidental take of the Central California
Distinct Population Segment of the
California tiger salamander from the
implementation of the Covered
Activities described in the plan. We will
make the final permit decision no
sooner than 30 days after the date of this
notice.
Alexandra Pitts,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest
Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2012–288 Filed 1–9–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
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Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R5–R–2011–N218; BAC–4311–K9–S3]
Plum Tree Island National Wildlife
Refuge, Poquoson, VA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a
comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), intend to
prepare a comprehensive conservation
plan (CCP) and environmental
assessment (EA) for Plum Tree Island
National Wildlife Refuge (the refuge,
NWR), which is located in Poquoson,
VA. We provide this notice in
compliance with our CCP policy to
advise other Federal and State agencies,
Tribes, and the public of our intention
to conduct detailed planning on this
refuge.
We will announce opportunities
for public input throughout the CCP
process in the Federal Register, local
news media, and on our refuge planning
Web site at https://www.fws.gov/
northeast/plumtreeisland/
refuge_planning.html.
Send your comments or
requests for more information by any of
the following methods.
Email: fw5rw_evrnwr@fws.gov.
Include ‘‘Plum Tree Island CCP’’ in the
subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Meghan Carfioli, (804) 829–
9606.
U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Eastern Virginia Rivers
National Wildlife Refuge Complex—
Charles City Sub-Office, 11116 Kimages
Road, Charles City, VA 23030.
In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off
comments during regular business hours
at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Meghan Carfioli, Planning Team Leader,
(804) 829–5413 (phone) or Andy
Hofmann, Project Leader, Eastern
Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge
Complex, (804) 333–1470 (phone),
fw5rw_evrnwr@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
Introduction
With this notice, we initiate our
process for developing a CCP for Plum
Tree Island NWR, in the city of
Poquoson, VA. This notice complies
with our CCP policy to advise other
Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1498-1500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-288]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2011-N265; FF08E00000-FXES11120800000F2-123-F2]
Draft Environmental Assessment and Proposed Single-Species
Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Shiloh IV Wind Plant
Project, Solano County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: draft environmental assessment and
proposed habitat conservation plan; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have prepared a draft
environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) for the Proposed Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project in response to
an application from enXco (applicant) for a 36-year incidental take
permit for one species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of
one federally listed animal, the Central California Distinct Population
Segment of the California tiger salamander. The applicant would
implement a conservation program to minimize and mitigate the project
activities, as described in the applicant's habitat conservation plan
(plan). We request data, comments, new information or suggestions from
the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific
community, Tribes, industry, or any other interested party on the
applicant's permit application, plan, and the associated EA.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
March 12, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Please address written comments to Mike Thomas, Conservation
Planning Division, Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825.
Alternatively, you may send comments by facsimile to (916) 414-6713.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Thomas, Chief, Conservation
Planning Division, or Eric Tattersall, Deputy Assistant Field
Supervisor, at the address shown above or at (916) 414-6600
(telephone). If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf,
please call the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), publish this notice under the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; NEPA), and its
implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 40
CFR 1506.6, as well as in compliance with section 10(c) of the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; Act). We have prepared
this EA to evaluate the impacts of several alternatives related to the
potential issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP) to the applicant,
as well as impacts of the implementation of the supporting proposed
habitat conservation plan (plan).
The applicant proposes to develop a plan as part of their
application for an ITP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. The
proposed plan will include measures necessary to minimize and mitigate
the impacts, to the maximum extent practicable, of potential proposed
taking of a federally listed species to be covered by the plan, and the
habitats upon which it depends, resulting from construction and
operation of the proposed Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project within the
proposed plan area, to include portions of the Montezuma
[[Page 1499]]
Hills Wind Resource Area in Solano County, California.
Background Information
Section 9 of the Act prohibits taking of fish and wildlife species
listed as endangered or threatened under section 4 of the Act. Under
the Act, the term ``take'' means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot,
wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any
such conduct. The term ``harm'' is defined in the regulations as
significant habitat modification or degradation that results in death
or injury of listed species by significantly impairing essential
behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering (50 CFR
17.3). The term ``harass'' is defined in the regulations as to carry
out actions that create the likelihood of injury to listed species to
such an extent as to significantly disrupt normal behavioral patterns,
which include, but are not limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering
(50 CFR 17.3).
However, under specified circumstances, the Service may issue
permits that allow the take of federally listed species, provided that
the take that occurs is incidental to, but not the purpose of, an
otherwise lawful activity. Regulations governing permits for endangered
and threatened species are at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively.
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act contains provisions for issuing such
incidental take permits to non-Federal entities for the take of
endangered and threatened species, provided the following criteria are
met:
1. The taking will be incidental;
2. The applicants will, to the maximum extent practicable, minimize
and mitigate the impact of such taking;
3. The applicants will develop a proposed HCP and ensure that
adequate funding for the plan will be provided;
4. The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the
survival and recovery of the species in the wild; and
5. The applicants will carry out any other measures that the
Service may require as being necessary or appropriate for the purposes
of the HCP.
The applicant seeks incidental take authorization for the following
federally listed threatened species--Central California Distinct
Population Segment of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma
californiense)--which we will refer to as the covered species in this
notice.
The proposed covered activities under this plan include
constructing and installing the wind turbines and associated electrical
facilities and access roads, expanding the existing enXco operations
and maintenance yard by 5,000 square feet, installing a new 230-
kilovolt substation (to be built on an existing pad), maintaining the
new wind turbines and the associated facilities, and, later,
decommissioning the facility and restoring the site. Specifically,
proposed covered activities include grading, excavating to support
access roads, trenching to install underground electrical lines,
installing of erosion-control measures during covered construction and
maintenance activities, installing new gravel roads, pouring a cement
footing to support each turbine, installing of other infrastructure,
gravel placement for road maintenance, vehicle travel, transport of
equipment and supplies, and other similar actions necessary to support
the construction, maintenance, and operation of the proposed Shiloh IV
Wind Energy Project.
Alternatives in the Draft Environmental Assessment
The proposed action presented in the draft EA will be compared to
the no-action alternative. The no-action alternative represents
estimated future conditions to which the proposed action's estimated
future conditions can be compared. Other alternatives considered,
including their potential impacts, are also addressed in the draft EA.
No Action Alternative
Under the No Action alternative, we would not issue a permit, and
the applicant would not construct the project. The no-action
alternative would not achieve the applicant's objectives and would not
allow the development of the project in a designated wind resource
area.
Reduced Take Alternative
Under the Reduced Take Alternative, wind turbines would be sited
farther than 500 feet from aquatic habitats, which would reduce the
number of turbines that would be constructed. This alternative would
not meet the applicant's objective of a generating capacity of 100
megawatts.
Proposed Alternative
The Shiloh IV Wind Plant Project would be constructed on 3,100
acres encompassing the Plan Area in the Collinsville-Montezuma Hills
Wind Resources Area, south of State Route 12 in Solano County,
California. The Plan Area is within and surrounded by existing energy-
producing facilities and will effectively repower the enXco V project,
currently present on the site. Adjacent energy-producing facilities
include Shiloh I to the north and west, High Winds to the east, Shiloh
II to the north, and Montezuma II to the south and east.
The applicant proposes to develop its wind energy facility that
would deliver renewable energy to the Pacific Gas & Electric California
Independent System Operator power grid to meet California's Renewable
Portfolio Standard goals and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions
pursuant to California Assembly Bill 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act)
and Solano County's General Plan. Up to 50 wind turbines would be built
in the Plan Area. The project would be constructed in a location that
supports suitable habitat for the Central California Distinct
Population Segment of the California tiger salamander, a species listed
as threatened under the Act. The Central California Distinct Population
Segment of the California tiger salamander is the only proposed
``Covered Species.''
The ``Covered Activities'' included in the plan include the
construction and installation of wind turbines and associated
facilities and access roads, maintenance of the wind turbines and
associated facilities, and decommissioning of the site. All turbines
are proposed to be located in cultivated agricultural lands. The
project is expected to result in permanent loss of 25 acres of
agricultural land. Temporary construction effects are expected on 130
acres of agricultural land (115 acres during construction and up to 15
acres for maintenance activities) and approximately 2 acres of
grassland. All land cover types affected would be restored within 1
year of impact. No direct effects on aquatic breeding habitat would
occur.
The applicant proposes to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the effects
to the Covered Species associated with the Covered Activities by fully
implementing the plan. The following mitigation measures will be
implemented for Central CTS as part of the plan: Minimize impact area;
avoid injury of the covered species during implementation of Covered
Activities; avoid habitat impacts associated with erosion and
sedimentation generated by Covered Activities; minimize the risk of
project-related toxic spills that could adversely affect the covered
species or its habitat; restore all temporarily disturbed covered
species' habitat in the Plan Area to pre-project conditions within 1
year of disturbance; ensure implementation of the avoidance and
minimization measures; and offset unavoidable permanent habitat impacts
on the covered species through the
[[Page 1500]]
purchase of approximately 37 acres of credits at a Service and
California Department of Fish and Game-approved conservation bank, to
ensure temporary and permanent effects are mitigated.
Under the proposed action alternative, we would issue an incidental
take permit for the applicant's proposed project, which includes the
activities described above and in more detail in the plan.
Environmental Review and Next Steps
As described in our EA, we have made the preliminary determination
that approval of the proposed plan and issuance of the permit would
qualify as FONSI under NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as provided by
Federal regulations (40 CFR 1500, 5(k), 1507.3(b)(2), 1508.4) and the
Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2 and 516 DM 8). Our EA
articulates the project effects on all potential resources that could
be adversely affected, including aesthetics, agricultural resources,
air quality, climate change, biological resources, cultural resources,
geology, minerals and paleontological resources, hazardous materials,
hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, noise, public
health hazards, recreation, traffic and transportation, and utilities
and public service systems. It also includes an analysis of
alternatives, and other required analyses such as unavoidable adverse
effects, irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources,
short-term uses versus long-term productivity and cumulative effects,
and the environmentally preferable alternative (the proposed project).
Public Comments
We request data, comments, new information, or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific
community, Tribes, industry, or any other interested party on this
notice. We particularly seek comments on the following:
1. Biological information concerning the species;
2. Relevant data concerning the species;
3. Additional information concerning the range, distribution,
population size, and population trends of the species;
4. Current or planned activities in the subject area and their
possible impacts on the species;
5. The presence of archeological sites, buildings and structures,
historic events, sacred and traditional areas, and other historic
preservation concerns, which are required to be considered in project
planning by the National Historic Preservation Act; and
6. Identification of any other environmental issues that should be
considered with regard to the proposed development and permit action.
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods
listed in the ADDRESSES section.
We will identify in the FONSI if we need to prepare further NEPA
documentation. We will also consider public comments on the draft EA
when making the final determination on whether to prepare additional
NEPA documents on the proposed action.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the permit application, plan, and EA from
the individuals in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Copies of these
documents are available for public inspection, by appointment, during
regular business hours, at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office (see
ADDRESSES).
Authority
We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and the
NEPA public-involvement regulations (40 CFR 1500.1(b), 1500.2(d), and
1506.6). We will evaluate the permit application, including the plan
and comments we receive, to determine whether the application meets the
requirements of section 10(a) of the Act. If the requirements are met,
we will issue a permit to the applicant for the incidental take of the
Central California Distinct Population Segment of the California tiger
salamander from the implementation of the Covered Activities described
in the plan. We will make the final permit decision no sooner than 30
days after the date of this notice.
Alexandra Pitts,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2012-288 Filed 1-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
