Notice To Extend Mineral Segregation for the Proposed Silver State Solar Project Near Primm in Clark County, Nevada, 53779-53780 [2013-21105]

Download as PDF tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 169 / Friday, August 30, 2013 / Notices using solar photovoltaic (PV) technology with a capacity of 485 MWs on 4,138 acres of BLM-administered public land, as opposed to the originally approved 1,000 MWs on 6,831 acres. The NBSEC has submitted an amendment to the existing ROW grant (CACA 048811) to reduce the overall acreage of the project, change the authorized technology from concentrating solar trough to solar PV, adjust other aspects of the project layout related to the technology change, and reduce the BSPP’s authorized capacity from 1,000 MW to 485 MW (the ‘‘Modified Project’’). In connection with its development of the Modified Project, NBSEC filed a partial relinquishment of the existing ROW grant with the BLM on March 7, 2013. The BLM has determined that the requested amendment for the Modified Project is not within the range of alternatives analyzed in the EIS prepared in connection with the original 2010 decision for the project; therefore, the BLM must undertake additional NEPA analysis to evaluate the proposed amendment. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of this environmental analysis, including alternatives, and to guide the process for developing the Draft EIS. The BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: Noise, visual resources, wildlife, vegetation, hydrology, air quality, and cumulative effects along with other areas with high potential for renewable energy development. The BLM published the Final EIS for the existing project on August 20, 2010. The BLM will incorporate the analysis of that Project by reference to the extent appropriate, and also seeks comments on whether new issues or information have arisen since the publication of that Final EIS. Although the proposed amendment would be entirely within the project footprint analyzed in the 2010 Final EIS, the BLM has determined that a new EIS would assist in planning and decision-making on whether to approve NBSEC’s proposed amendment. The BLM, in consultation with the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and consulting parties pursuant to 36 CFR 800.4(b)(2), are phasing final identification and evaluation of historic properties for the project pursuant to 36 CFR 800.4(b)(2) because the alternatives under consideration consist of large land areas. In accordance with the requirements of 36 CFR 800.4(b)(2), the BLM executed a Programmatic Agreement (PA) in connection with its prior approval of the BSPP. The PA sets VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:00 Aug 29, 2013 Jkt 229001 forth the process for completing phased compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA and also addresses subsequent modifications to the Project. The BLM previously notified and invited federally recognized tribes to participate in the development of the PA. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Colorado River Indian Tribes signed the PA as Concurring Parties. Tribes expressed their views and concerns about the importance and sensitivity of specific cultural resources to which they attach religious and cultural significance. The BLM will continue to consult with the tribes throughout the implementation of the PA regarding the adverse effects to historic properties to which they attach religious and cultural significance. The BLM will carry out its responsibilities to consult with tribes on a government-togovernment basis and other members of the public pursuant to Section 106, Executive Order 13175, and other laws and policies to the extent applicable to its consideration of NBSEC’s proposed amendment to the BSPP ROW grant. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due consideration as part of that process. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the BLM’s decision on the proposed project and amendment of the existing ROW authorization, 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. 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. Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2, 2091.3–1(e), and 2804.25(e). Thomas Pogacnik, Deputy State Director, California. [FR Doc. 2013–21285 Filed 8–29–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–40–P PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 53779 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNVS0100.L51010000. ER0000.LVRWF1304100; NVN–085801, NVN–088592, NVN–089530, and NVN– 090050; MO# 4500053295; TAS: 14X5017] Notice To Extend Mineral Segregation for the Proposed Silver State Solar Project Near Primm in Clark County, Nevada Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Publication of this notice serves to extend the segregation of the identified lands for an additional two years from appropriation pursuant to the public land laws, including location pursuant to the General Mining Act, but not the Mineral Lands Leasing Act or the authority of the Materials Act of 1947, subject to valid existing rights in existence prior to the original segregation. This segregation extension is warranted to provide for the orderly administration of the public lands to facilitate the development of valuable renewable energy resources and to avoid conflicts between renewable energy generation and mining claims. DATES: Effective Date: September 1, 2013. SUMMARY: For further information or to have your name added to the mailing list, contact Gregory Helseth, Renewable Energy Project Manager, at 702–515–5173; or email at SilverStateSouthEIS@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. 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: Silver State Solar, LLC, has submitted a rightof-way (ROW) application for the construction, operation, maintenance, and termination of a solar energy generation facility on a portion of the ROW application on 13,043 acres of public lands east of Primm, Nevada. The ROW application is assigned BLM case number NVN–089530. This application expands on ROW application NVN– 085801. The proposed solar energy project would consist of photovoltaic panels and related ROW appurtenances, including a substation and switchyard facilities, and would produce about 250 megawatts of electricity. The lands FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM 30AUN1 53780 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 169 / Friday, August 30, 2013 / Notices tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES covered by the ROW application were initially segregated from the operation of the public land laws through a Notice published in the Federal Register on September 1, 2011 (76 FR 54483). The prior segregation was made pursuant to an Interim Final Segregation Rule, which was in effect at the time. The BLM is in the process of preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in connection with its review of the ROW application. The BLM published a Final Segregation Rule (78 FR 25204) on April 30, 2013, that amended the BLM regulations found in 43 CFR 2090 and 2800. As with the Interim Final Segregation Rule, the Final Rule allows the BLM to temporarily segregate from the operation of the public land laws, by publication of a Federal Register notice, public lands included in a pending solar energy generation ROW application in order to promote the orderly administration of the public lands. The Final Rule also allows a State Director to grant a one-time extension of the initial 2-year project-specific segregation if the State Director determines that such an extension is necessary for the orderly administration of the public lands. As noted above, the initial 2 year segregation (76 FR 54483) will expire on August 31, 2013. Based on the status of the BLM’s processing of the ROW application, the Nevada State Director has determined that the continued segregation of the lands identified below is necessary for the orderly administration of the public lands in order to prevent the filing of mining claims in the ROW application area prior to any final decision by the BLM, which would hinder the development of the project and increase the costs of such development. This one-time 2-year extension of the existing segregation does not affect valid existing rights in mining claims located before the original segregation of the affected lands. Licenses, permits, cooperative agreements, or discretionary land use authorizations of a temporary nature which would not impact lands identified in this notice may be allowed with the approval of an authorized officer of the BLM during the temporary segregative period. The lands segregated under this notice are described as follows: Mount Diablo Meridian T. 26 S., R. 59 E., sec. 13, lots 1 to 8, inclusive; sec. 14; sec. 23, E1⁄2; secs. 24, 25 and 26; sec. 27, SE1⁄4; VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:00 Aug 29, 2013 sec. 34, E1⁄2, that portion of public lands in the NW1⁄4; lying east of the easterly rightof-way of CC 0360; secs. 35 and 36. T. 27 S., R. 59 E., secs. 1 and 2; sec. 3, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, NE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4SE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4SE1⁄4, and SE1⁄4SE1⁄4SE1⁄4; sec. 9, NE1⁄4SE1⁄4, SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NW1⁄4SE1⁄4, and NE1⁄4NW1⁄4SE1⁄4, that portion of public lands lying east of the easterly right-of-way of CC 0360; sec. 10, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, N1⁄2NE1⁄4, and S1⁄2; secs. 11 to 15, inclusive; secs. 22, 23 and 24; sec. 25, N1⁄2; sec. 26; sec. 27, lots 4 to 6, inclusive. The area described contains 13,043 acres, more or less, in Clark County, Nevada. The BLM intends to resurvey T. 27 S., R. 59 E., sec. 3, lots 1 to 3, inclusive. The description will be replaced for those lands upon final approval of the official plat of survey. The segregation extension of land identified in this notice will not exceed 2 years from the effective date. Termination of the segregation, as provided in the Final Rule, is the date that is the earliest of the following: Upon issuance of a decision by the authorized officer granting, granting with modifications, or denying the application for a ROW; automatically at the end of the 2 year segregation extension; or upon publication of a Federal Register notice of termination of the segregation. Upon termination or expiration of the segregation of these lands, all lands subject to this segregation will automatically reopen to appropriation under the public land laws, including the United States Mining Laws. Authority: 43 CFR parts 2800 and 2090. Gary Johnson, State Director, Acting. [FR Doc. 2013–21105 Filed 8–29–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNML00000 L71220000 EU0000 LVTFG09G6150; NMNM124955] Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of ˜ Public Land in Dona Ana County, NM Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of realty action. AGENCY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Cruces District SUMMARY: Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Office, proposes to sell two parcels of ˜ public land totaling 2.47 acres in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. The public land would be sold to the Union Pacific Railroad for $11,000 which is more than the appraised fair market value. DATES: Written comments regarding the proposed sale must be received by the BLM on or before October 15, 2013. ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the proposed sale should be sent to the District Manager, BLM Las Cruces District Office, 1800 Marquess Street, Las Cruces, NM 88005. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Hom, Realty Specialist, at the address above, by telephone 575–525– 4331, or by email at Anthony_ Hom@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 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 public land described below is proposed for direct sale to Union Pacific Railroad, the adjoining landowner, in accordance with Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719) and is described as follows: New Mexico Principal Meridian, New Mexico T. 28 S., R. 2 E., Sec. 11, lot 2; Sec. 14, lot 7. The area described contains 2.47 acres, in ˜ Dona Ana County, New Mexico. The public land has been identified as suitable for disposal by exchange or sale ˜ in the BLM Dona Ana County Resource Management Plan, as amended by Environmental Assessment (NM–030– 2008–025) Decision Record approved on January 12, 2009. The land is not needed for any other Federal purpose and its disposal would be in the public interest. The purpose of the sale is to dispose of public land which is difficult and uneconomic to manage as part of the public land because the parcels are small and isolated. The BLM is proposing a direct sale to Union Pacific Railroad, the owner of the adjoining land on both parcels of public land proposed for sale. Lots 2 and 7 are encumbered by a 200-foot wide railroad easement, currently held by Union Pacific Railroad, authorized in 1881 under the authority of the General Railroad Act of 1875. Lot 2 is also E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM 30AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53779-53780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-21105]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVS0100.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWF1304100; NVN-085801, NVN-088592, NVN-
089530, and NVN-090050; MO 4500053295; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice To Extend Mineral Segregation for the Proposed Silver 
State Solar Project Near Primm in Clark County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Publication of this notice serves to extend the segregation of 
the identified lands for an additional two years from appropriation 
pursuant to the public land laws, including location pursuant to the 
General Mining Act, but not the Mineral Lands Leasing Act or the 
authority of the Materials Act of 1947, subject to valid existing 
rights in existence prior to the original segregation. This segregation 
extension is warranted to provide for the orderly administration of the 
public lands to facilitate the development of valuable renewable energy 
resources and to avoid conflicts between renewable energy generation 
and mining claims.

DATES: Effective Date: September 1, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact Gregory Helseth, Renewable 
Energy Project Manager, at 702-515-5173; or email at 
SilverStateSouthEIS@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. 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: Silver State Solar, LLC, has submitted a 
right-of-way (ROW) application for the construction, operation, 
maintenance, and termination of a solar energy generation facility on a 
portion of the ROW application on 13,043 acres of public lands east of 
Primm, Nevada. The ROW application is assigned BLM case number NVN-
089530. This application expands on ROW application NVN-085801. The 
proposed solar energy project would consist of photovoltaic panels and 
related ROW appurtenances, including a substation and switchyard 
facilities, and would produce about 250 megawatts of electricity. The 
lands

[[Page 53780]]

covered by the ROW application were initially segregated from the 
operation of the public land laws through a Notice published in the 
Federal Register on September 1, 2011 (76 FR 54483). The prior 
segregation was made pursuant to an Interim Final Segregation Rule, 
which was in effect at the time. The BLM is in the process of preparing 
a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in connection with its 
review of the ROW application.
    The BLM published a Final Segregation Rule (78 FR 25204) on April 
30, 2013, that amended the BLM regulations found in 43 CFR 2090 and 
2800. As with the Interim Final Segregation Rule, the Final Rule allows 
the BLM to temporarily segregate from the operation of the public land 
laws, by publication of a Federal Register notice, public lands 
included in a pending solar energy generation ROW application in order 
to promote the orderly administration of the public lands. The Final 
Rule also allows a State Director to grant a one-time extension of the 
initial 2-year project-specific segregation if the State Director 
determines that such an extension is necessary for the orderly 
administration of the public lands.
    As noted above, the initial 2 year segregation (76 FR 54483) will 
expire on August 31, 2013. Based on the status of the BLM's processing 
of the ROW application, the Nevada State Director has determined that 
the continued segregation of the lands identified below is necessary 
for the orderly administration of the public lands in order to prevent 
the filing of mining claims in the ROW application area prior to any 
final decision by the BLM, which would hinder the development of the 
project and increase the costs of such development. This one-time 2-
year extension of the existing segregation does not affect valid 
existing rights in mining claims located before the original 
segregation of the affected lands. Licenses, permits, cooperative 
agreements, or discretionary land use authorizations of a temporary 
nature which would not impact lands identified in this notice may be 
allowed with the approval of an authorized officer of the BLM during 
the temporary segregative period. The lands segregated under this 
notice are described as follows:

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 26 S., R. 59 E.,
    sec. 13, lots 1 to 8, inclusive;
    sec. 14;
    sec. 23, E\1/2\;
    secs. 24, 25 and 26;
    sec. 27, SE\1/4\;
    sec. 34, E\1/2\, that portion of public lands in the NW\1/4\; 
lying east of the easterly right-of-way of CC 0360;
    secs. 35 and 36.
T. 27 S., R. 59 E.,
    secs. 1 and 2;
    sec. 3, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/
4\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, and 
SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 9, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, 
NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and NE\1/4\NW\1/
4\SE\1/4\, that portion of public lands lying east of the easterly 
right-of-way of CC 0360;
    sec. 10, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    secs. 11 to 15, inclusive;
    secs. 22, 23 and 24;
    sec. 25, N\1/2\;
    sec. 26;
    sec. 27, lots 4 to 6, inclusive.

    The area described contains 13,043 acres, more or less, in Clark 
County, Nevada.

    The BLM intends to resurvey T. 27 S., R. 59 E., sec. 3, lots 1 to 
3, inclusive. The description will be replaced for those lands upon 
final approval of the official plat of survey.
    The segregation extension of land identified in this notice will 
not exceed 2 years from the effective date. Termination of the 
segregation, as provided in the Final Rule, is the date that is the 
earliest of the following: Upon issuance of a decision by the 
authorized officer granting, granting with modifications, or denying 
the application for a ROW; automatically at the end of the 2 year 
segregation extension; or upon publication of a Federal Register notice 
of termination of the segregation.
    Upon termination or expiration of the segregation of these lands, 
all lands subject to this segregation will automatically reopen to 
appropriation under the public land laws, including the United States 
Mining Laws.

    Authority:  43 CFR parts 2800 and 2090.

Gary Johnson,
State Director, Acting.
[FR Doc. 2013-21105 Filed 8-29-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
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