Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the McCoy Solar Energy Project, Riverside County, California, 17718-17719 [2013-06670]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17718-17719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06670]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CACA 048728, LLCAD06000, L51010000.LVRWB09B2510.FX0000]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the McCoy 
Solar Energy Project, Riverside County, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) to grant a Right-of-Way (ROW) and amend 
the California Desert Conservation Area Plan (CDCA Plan) for the McCoy 
Solar Energy Project (MSEP), a photovoltaic solar electricity 
generation project. The Secretary of the Interior approved the ROD on 
March 13, 2013, which constitutes the final decision of the Department.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved Amendment to the CDCA Plan are 
available upon request from the Field Manager, Palm Springs/South Coast 
Field Office 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, and the 
California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, 
Moreno Valley, CA 92553-9046, or via the Internet at the following Web 
site: https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/Solar_Projects/McCoy.html.

[[Page 17719]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffery Childers; telephone, 951-697-
5308; mail, BLM California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan 
de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553-9046; or email jchilders@blm.gov. 
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: McCoy Solar, LLC, filed a ROW application 
for the MSEP. The project as originally proposed would have consisted 
of an up to 750-megawatt photovoltaic solar energy generation facility 
and necessary ancillary facilities. The proposed project included a 
4,437-acre solar plant site and a 14.5-mile generation tie line 
(Eastern Route), access roads, a distribution line, and a 2-acre switch 
yard (total linear disturbance is 146 acres, for a total project area 
of 4,583 acres) to be located adjacent to and connect into Southern 
California Edison's Colorado River Substation. The proposed project 
would require approximately 477 acres of private lands. The project 
site is 13 miles northwest of Blythe, California and 32 miles east of 
Desert Center.
    The Preferred Alternative identified in the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) is the proposed 4,437-acre solar plant site, a 
reconfigured 12.5-mile gen-tie and access road (Central Route), and the 
switch yard interconnection (total linear disturbance of 136 acres) to 
the Colorado River Substation.
    The project site is in the California Desert District within the 
planning boundary of the CDCA Plan, which is the applicable resource 
management plan (RMP) for the project site and surrounding areas. The 
CDCA Plan, while recognizing the potential compatibility of solar 
energy generation facilities with other uses on public lands, requires 
that all sites associated with power generation or transmission not 
already identified in the Plan be considered through the BLM's land use 
plan amendment process. As a result, prior to approval of a ROW grant 
for the MSEP, the BLM must amend the CDCA Plan to allow the solar 
energy generating project on that site. The approved Amendment to the 
CDCA Plan specifically revises the CDCA Plan to allow for the 
development of the MSEP and ancillary facilities on land managed by the 
BLM. With respect to the plan amendment, the publication of the Notice 
of Availability of the Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS for the MSEP 
on December 21, 2012, initiated a 30-day protest period for the 
proposed amendment to the CDCA Plan which concluded on January 22, 
2013. The BLM received two timely and complete written protests which 
were resolved prior to the execution of the ROD. Their resolution is 
summarized in the Director's Protest Summary Report attached to the 
ROD. The proposed amendment to the CDCA Plan was not modified as a 
result of the protests received or their resolution. Simultaneously 
with the protest period, the Governor of California conducted an 
expedited 30-day consistency review of the proposed CDCA Plan amendment 
to identify any inconsistencies with State or local plans, policies or 
programs; no inconsistencies were identified by the Governor's Office.
    Because this decision is approved by the Secretary of the Interior, 
it is not subject to administrative appeal (43 CFR 4.410(a)(3)).

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.

Jamie Connell,
Acting Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-06670 Filed 3-21-13; 8:45 am]
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