Notice of Availability of the San Diego Gas & Electric Ocotillo Sol Solar Project Final Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment, CA, 45268-45269 [2013-17870]
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45268
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 144 / Friday, July 26, 2013 / Notices
resources in the context of both NEPA
and Section 106 of the NHPA.
The BLM will consult with Indian
tribes on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal
concerns, including impacts on Indian
trust assets and potential impacts to
cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with tribes and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the proposed action that the
BLM is evaluating, are invited to
participate in the scoping process and,
if eligible, may request or be requested
by the BLM to participate in the
development of the environmental
analysis as a cooperating agency.
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary
approach to develop the plan in order
to consider the variety of resource issues
and concerns identified. Specialists
with expertise in the following
disciplines will be involved in the
planning process: minerals and geology,
archaeology, wildlife and fisheries,
lands and realty, hydrology, soils,
livestock grazing, recreation, sociology,
and economics.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7; 43 CFR 1610.2
Jesse J. Juen,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–17981 Filed 7–25–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–FB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD07000,
L51010000.FX0000.LVRWB10B4050]
Notice of Availability of the San Diego
Gas & Electric Ocotillo Sol Solar
Project Final Environmental Impact
Statement and Proposed California
Desert Conservation Area Plan
Amendment, CA
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared a
Proposed California Desert Conservation
Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment and
Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the San Diego Gas & Electric
(SDG&E) Ocotillo Sol Solar Project in
Imperial County, California, and by this
notice is announcing its availability.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:54 Jul 25, 2013
Jkt 229001
BLM planning regulations state
that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the
regulations may protest the Proposed
CDCA Plan Amendment. A person who
meets the conditions and files a protest
must file the protest within 30 days of
the date that the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its notice
of availability for the EIS in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Ocotillo Sol
Solar Project Final EIS/Proposed CDCA
Plan Amendment have been sent to
affected Federal, State, and local
government agencies and to other
stakeholders, including tribal
governments. Copies are also available
in the BLM California Desert District
Office at 22835 Calle San Juan de los
Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553 and at
the El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th
Street, El Centro, CA 92243.
Interested persons may also review
the Final EIS/Proposed CDCA Plan
Amendment on the Internet at https://
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/
nepa/ocotillosol.html. All protests must
be in writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box
71383, Washington, DC 20024–1383.
Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Williams, 20 M Street
SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC
20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noel
Ludwig, Project Manager, telephone
951–697–5368; address 22835 Calle San
Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA
92553; or email CA_BLM_Ocotillo_Sol_
Comments@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: The BLM
has received a right-of-way (ROW)
application from SDG&E to construct,
operate, maintain, and decommission
the Ocotillo Sol Solar Project, a solar
photovoltaic (PV) power plant facility,
on approximately 115 acres of BLMadministered public lands in Imperial
County, California. The site for the solar
facility would be adjacent to the existing
Imperial Valley Substation (IVS), 4
miles south of Interstate 8,
approximately 5 miles north of the
United States-Mexico border, 5 miles
south of Seeley, 9 miles southwest of El
Centro, and 82 miles east of San Diego.
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00100
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The proposed project site is located
within the BLM’s CDCA, the BLM’s
Yuha Basin Area of Critical
Environmental Concern, and the Yuha
Desert Management Area for flat-tailed
horned lizard. A portion of the northsouth running Juan Bautista de Anza
National Historic Trail lies
approximately 5 miles southwest of the
project site at its closest point. The
Jacumba Mountains Wilderness lies 11.7
miles to the west of the project site.
All proposed project components,
including a temporary 15-acre
construction laydown area, would be
located on BLM-administered lands.
The proposed Ocotillo Sol project
components would include the PV
modules and mounting structures, a
maintenance building with an
associated parking area, internal roads,
inverters, transformers, and the
combining switchgear. An existing road
to the IVS would provide access to the
proposed project site. New minor
internal roads would be constructed
between the module rows. The
interconnection to the IVS would be via
underground trench. Once approved
and operational, the proposed Ocotillo
Sol project is expected to have an
average generating capacity of 15 to 18
megawatts (MW), depending on the
specific technology chosen, with a peak
output of up to 20 MW.
In connection with its decision on the
proposed Ocotillo Sol project, the BLM
will also include potential amendments
to the CDCA Plan, as analyzed in the
Final EIS. The CDCA Plan, while
recognizing the potential compatibility
of solar energy facilities on public lands,
requires that all sites associated with
power generation or transmission not
identified in the Plan be considered
through the land use plan amendment
process. The BLM is deciding whether
to amend the CDCA Plan to identify the
Ocotillo Sol project site as suitable or
unsuitable for solar energy
development.
The Final EIS describes the following
three alternatives: (1) A No Action/No
CDCA Plan Amendment; (2) The
Applicant’s Proposed Project to
construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission a 100-acre solar PV
facility on BLM-managed lands under
an authorized ROW, plus utilization of
a 15-acre temporary ROW for
construction laydown; and (3) A
Reduced Footprint Alternative which
would retain the 100-acre facility but
reduce the laydown area from 15 acres
to 2 acres. All of the alternatives except
the No Action/No CDCA Plan
Amendment would include an
amendment to the CDCA Plan.
E:\FR\FM\26JYN1.SGM
26JYN1
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 144 / Friday, July 26, 2013 / Notices
Alternative 3 is the BLM’s preferred
alternative in the Final EIS.
The issues evaluated in the Final EIS
include the physical, biological,
cultural, socioeconomic, and other
resources that have the potential to be
affected by the proposed project and
alternatives. These issues include air
quality, greenhouse gases and climate
change, geology and soil resources,
water resources, biological resources,
cultural resources, paleontological
resources, fire and fuels, lands and
realty, special designations, lands with
wilderness characteristics, recreation,
visual resources, transportation and
public access, noise and vibration,
public health and safety,
socioeconomics, and environmental
justice.
The BLM hosted two public scoping
meetings in El Centro, California, on
August 10, 2011. During the public
scoping period, two Federal agencies,
eight interest groups, and three
individuals provided comments. Two
public comment meetings for the
Ocotillo Sol Draft EIS/Draft CDCA Plan
Amendment were held in El Centro on
June 4, 2012. The formal comment
period commenced with the publication
of the Draft EIS/Draft CDCA Plan
Amendment on April 20, 2012 and
ended 90 days later on July 19, 2012.
The BLM received 13 comment letters
(including public comment forms from
public meetings, postal letters, emails,
and faxes) from individuals, agencies,
organizations, and groups during the
public comment period.
Comments on the Draft EIS/Draft
CDCA Plan Amendment received from
the public and internal BLM review
were considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the Final EIS/Proposed
CDCA Plan Amendment. Public
comments resulted in the addition of
clarifying text, but did not significantly
change the analysis, alternatives, or
proposed land use plan decisions.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment may
be found in the ‘‘Dear Reader’’ Letter of
the Final EIS/Proposed CDCA Plan
Amendment and at 43 CFR 1610.5–2.
All protests must be in writing and
mailed to the appropriate address, as set
forth in the ADDRESSES section above.
Emailed protests will not be accepted as
valid protests unless the protesting
party also provides the original letter by
either regular or overnight mail
postmarked by the close of the protest
period. Under these conditions, the
BLM will consider the email as an
advance copy and it will receive full
consideration. If you wish to provide
the BLM with such advance
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:54 Jul 25, 2013
Jkt 229001
notification, please direct emails to
Bhudgens@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
protest, you should be aware that your
entire protest—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your protest 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, 40 CFR
1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–17870 Filed 7–25–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLOR936000–L14300000–ET0000; FUND
13XL1109AF; HAG–13–0199; OROR–66533]
Public Land Order No. 7819; Chetco
Wild and Scenic River Withdrawal;
Oregon
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Public Land Order.
AGENCY:
This order withdraws
approximately 5,610 acres of National
Forest System lands from location and
entry under the United States mining
laws, and leasing under the mineral and
geothermal leasing laws, for a period of
5 years. This withdrawal will protect
the scenic and recreational segments of
the Chetco Wild and Scenic River
corridor in Curry County, Oregon, while
Congress considers a technical
correction to the Wild and Scenic Rivers
Act.
DATES: Effective Date: July 26, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael L. Barnes, Bureau of Land
Management, Oregon/Washington State
Office, 333 SW 1st Avenue, Portland,
OR 97204, 503–808–6155, or Dianne
Torpin, United States Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Region, 333 SW 1st
Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, 503–808–
2422. 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 either of the above
individuals. The FIRS is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question with either of the
above individuals. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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45269
On
October 28, 1988, 44.5 miles of the
Chetco River located in the Siskiyou
National Forest was designated a Wild
and Scenic River (102 Stat. 2782 (1988)).
Of the designated 44.5 river miles, the
lower 19 miles were designated scenic
and recreational and remained open to
location and entry under the United
States mining laws. The United States
Forest Service requests that, subject to
valid existing rights, the lower 19 miles
be closed to location and entry under
the United States mining laws and to
leasing under the mineral and
geothermal leasing laws while
legislation is being considered to make
a technical correction to Section 3(a)(69)
of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16
U.S.C. 1274(69)).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Order
By virtue of the authority vested in
the Secretary of the Interior by Section
204 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C.
1714, it is ordered as follows:
1. Subject to valid existing rights, the
following described National Forest
System lands are hereby withdrawn
from location and entry under the
United States mining laws, and from
leasing under the mineral and
geothermal leasing laws, but not the
mineral materials laws, for a 5-year
period, to protect the Scenic and
Recreational Segment of the Chetco
Wild and Scenic River corridor:
Willamette Meridian
Siskiyou National Forest
T. 39 S., R. 12 W.,
The Point of Beginning, being the
southwest corner of Section 31; thence S.
83°43′ E., 599.5 ft. along the south section
line of Section 31 to a point which is 100 ft.
westerly of and perpendicular to the
centerline of Forest Service Road (FSR)
1107–650; thence paralleling FSR 1107–650,
100 ft. westerly and northwesterly of
centerline to point 100 ft. westerly of and
perpendicular to FSR 1107–650 at
intersection of the centerline of FSR 1107;
thence N. 74°10′ E., 3572.4 ft. to a point at
the end point of FSR 1107–632; thence N.
34°33′ E., 1245.8 ft. to a point at the end
point of FSR 1107–630; thence N. 73°50′ E.,
785.5 ft. to a point on the east section line
of Section 30, which is 1⁄4 mile from the
ordinary high water line of the Chetco River;
thence paralleling the Chetco River 1⁄4 mile
from the ordinary high water line to point 1⁄4
mile east of the ordinary high water line of
the Chetco River on the north section line of
Section 20; thence N. 87°20′ W., 496.3 ft.
along the north section line of Section 20 to
the southwest corner of the SE1⁄4SE1⁄4 of
Section 17; thence N. 02°36′ E., 3,992.9 ft.
along the north-south centerline of the SE1⁄4
and NE1⁄4 of Section 17 to the southwest
corner of the NE1⁄4NE1⁄4 of Section 17; thence
S. 87°40′ E., 1,233.5 ft. along the south line
E:\FR\FM\26JYN1.SGM
26JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45268-45269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17870]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD07000, L51010000.FX0000.LVRWB10B4050]
Notice of Availability of the San Diego Gas & Electric Ocotillo
Sol Solar Project Final Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed
California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a
Proposed California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment and
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the San Diego Gas &
Electric (SDG&E) Ocotillo Sol Solar Project in Imperial County,
California, and by this notice is announcing its availability.
DATES: BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the Proposed
CDCA Plan Amendment. A person who meets the conditions and files a
protest must file the protest within 30 days of the date that the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of availability
for the EIS in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Ocotillo Sol Solar Project Final EIS/Proposed
CDCA Plan Amendment have been sent to affected Federal, State, and
local government agencies and to other stakeholders, including tribal
governments. Copies are also available in the BLM California Desert
District Office at 22835 Calle San Juan de los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA
92553 and at the El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro,
CA 92243.
Interested persons may also review the Final EIS/Proposed CDCA Plan
Amendment on the Internet at https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/nepa/ocotillosol.html. All protests must be in writing and mailed to
one of the following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O.
Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 20
M Street SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noel Ludwig, Project Manager,
telephone 951-697-5368; address 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos,
Moreno Valley, CA 92553; or email CA_BLM_Ocotillo_Sol_Comments@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: The BLM has received a right-of-way (ROW)
application from SDG&E to construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission the Ocotillo Sol Solar Project, a solar photovoltaic (PV)
power plant facility, on approximately 115 acres of BLM-administered
public lands in Imperial County, California. The site for the solar
facility would be adjacent to the existing Imperial Valley Substation
(IVS), 4 miles south of Interstate 8, approximately 5 miles north of
the United States-Mexico border, 5 miles south of Seeley, 9 miles
southwest of El Centro, and 82 miles east of San Diego.
The proposed project site is located within the BLM's CDCA, the
BLM's Yuha Basin Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and the Yuha
Desert Management Area for flat-tailed horned lizard. A portion of the
north-south running Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail lies
approximately 5 miles southwest of the project site at its closest
point. The Jacumba Mountains Wilderness lies 11.7 miles to the west of
the project site.
All proposed project components, including a temporary 15-acre
construction laydown area, would be located on BLM-administered lands.
The proposed Ocotillo Sol project components would include the PV
modules and mounting structures, a maintenance building with an
associated parking area, internal roads, inverters, transformers, and
the combining switchgear. An existing road to the IVS would provide
access to the proposed project site. New minor internal roads would be
constructed between the module rows. The interconnection to the IVS
would be via underground trench. Once approved and operational, the
proposed Ocotillo Sol project is expected to have an average generating
capacity of 15 to 18 megawatts (MW), depending on the specific
technology chosen, with a peak output of up to 20 MW.
In connection with its decision on the proposed Ocotillo Sol
project, the BLM will also include potential amendments to the CDCA
Plan, as analyzed in the Final EIS. The CDCA Plan, while recognizing
the potential compatibility of solar energy facilities on public lands,
requires that all sites associated with power generation or
transmission not identified in the Plan be considered through the land
use plan amendment process. The BLM is deciding whether to amend the
CDCA Plan to identify the Ocotillo Sol project site as suitable or
unsuitable for solar energy development.
The Final EIS describes the following three alternatives: (1) A No
Action/No CDCA Plan Amendment; (2) The Applicant's Proposed Project to
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 100-acre solar PV
facility on BLM-managed lands under an authorized ROW, plus utilization
of a 15-acre temporary ROW for construction laydown; and (3) A Reduced
Footprint Alternative which would retain the 100-acre facility but
reduce the laydown area from 15 acres to 2 acres. All of the
alternatives except the No Action/No CDCA Plan Amendment would include
an amendment to the CDCA Plan.
[[Page 45269]]
Alternative 3 is the BLM's preferred alternative in the Final EIS.
The issues evaluated in the Final EIS include the physical,
biological, cultural, socioeconomic, and other resources that have the
potential to be affected by the proposed project and alternatives.
These issues include air quality, greenhouse gases and climate change,
geology and soil resources, water resources, biological resources,
cultural resources, paleontological resources, fire and fuels, lands
and realty, special designations, lands with wilderness
characteristics, recreation, visual resources, transportation and
public access, noise and vibration, public health and safety,
socioeconomics, and environmental justice.
The BLM hosted two public scoping meetings in El Centro,
California, on August 10, 2011. During the public scoping period, two
Federal agencies, eight interest groups, and three individuals provided
comments. Two public comment meetings for the Ocotillo Sol Draft EIS/
Draft CDCA Plan Amendment were held in El Centro on June 4, 2012. The
formal comment period commenced with the publication of the Draft EIS/
Draft CDCA Plan Amendment on April 20, 2012 and ended 90 days later on
July 19, 2012. The BLM received 13 comment letters (including public
comment forms from public meetings, postal letters, emails, and faxes)
from individuals, agencies, organizations, and groups during the public
comment period.
Comments on the Draft EIS/Draft CDCA Plan Amendment received from
the public and internal BLM review were considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the Final EIS/Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment. Public
comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, but did not
significantly change the analysis, alternatives, or proposed land use
plan decisions.
Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM
regarding the Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment may be found in the ``Dear
Reader'' Letter of the Final EIS/Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment and at 43
CFR 1610.5-2.
All protests must be in writing and mailed to the appropriate
address, as set forth in the ADDRESSES section above. Emailed protests
will not be accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also
provides the original letter by either regular or overnight mail
postmarked by the close of the protest period. Under these conditions,
the BLM will consider the email as an advance copy and it will receive
full consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance
notification, please direct emails to Bhudgens@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your protest, you should be
aware that your entire protest--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your protest 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, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-17870 Filed 7-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
