Notice of Availability of the Draft Joint Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report and California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment for the Proposed Soda Mountain Solar Project, San Bernardino County, CA, 71640-71641 [2013-28506]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2013 / Notices
review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Authority: This notice is published in
accordance with the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR
part 1500 et seq.) and the Department of the
Interior regulations (43 CFR part 46)
implementing the procedural requirements of
the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.),
and is accordance with the exercise of
authority delegated to the Assistant
Secretary-Indian Affairs by part 209 of the
Departmental Manual.
Dated: November 12, 2013.
Kevin Washburn,
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013–28444 Filed 11–27–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD08000,
L51010000.FX0000.LVRWB09B3130]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Joint
Environmental Impact Statement and
Environmental Impact Report and
California Desert Conservation Area
Plan Amendment for the Proposed
Soda Mountain Solar Project, San
Bernardino County, 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 Draft
Joint Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and Environmental Impact Report
(EIR) and California Desert Conservation
Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment for the
Soda Mountain Solar Project (Project),
San Bernardino County, California, and
by this notice is announcing the
opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR
and Draft CDCA Plan Amendment
within 90 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register. The BLM will
announce future meetings or hearings
and any other public involvement
activities at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media releases,
and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Soda Mountain Solar
Project Draft EIS/EIR and Draft CDCA
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:56 Nov 27, 2013
Jkt 232001
Plan Amendment by any of the
following methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/
en/fo/cdd.html.
• Email: sodamtnsolar@blm.gov.
• Fax: 951–697–5299, Attn: Jose M.
Najar.
• Mail: California Desert District
Office, Attn: Jose M. Najar, 22835 Calle
San Juan de los Lagos, Moreno Valley,
CA 92553.
Copies of the Soda Mountain Solar
Project Draft Joint EIS/EIR and CDCA
Plan Amendment are available in the
California Desert District Office at the
above address and at the Barstow Field
Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA
92311.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jose
M. Najar, Project Manager, telephone
951–697–5387; address 22835 Calle San
Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA
92553; email sodamtnsolar@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 Soda Mountain Solar,
LLC, to construct, operate, maintain,
and decommission a solar photovoltaic
(PV) power plant facility proposed on
4,179 acres with solar fields occupying
approximately 2,557 acres of BLMadministered public lands in San
Bernardino County, California. The
Project would utilize solar panels and
would be built in several phases. The
Project would connect to the existing
Los Angeles Department of Water and
Power 500kV transmission line to the
west of the project using a transmission
interconnect from the proposed
substation. The Project would not
require any expansion of the existing
transmission line or any upgrades.
The Project would be adjacent to
Interstate 15 (I–15), South of Blue Bell
Mine Road, about 6 miles southwest of
Baker, California, and 12 miles
northeast of Barstow, California.
The proposed project site is located
near the National Park Service’s Mojave
National Preserve, Soda Mountain and
Cady Mountains Wilderness Study
Areas, and the Rasor Off Highway
Vehicle and Afton Canyon Special
Recreation Management Areas within
the BLM’s CDCA. A portion of the Blue
Bell Mine Road lies north adjacent to
the project site at its closest point, and
runs approximately east to west.
PO 00000
Frm 00080
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
All proposed project components
would be located on BLM-administered
lands subject to a ROW grant. The
proposed Project components would
include solar array fields; access roads;
collector lines; a substation with
switchyard and interconnection;
ancillary buildings; six groundwater
production, test, and observation water
wells; water tanks; a water treatment
and storage facility; brine ponds;
warehouses; fencing; berms; other
infrastructure; and laydown areas. The
existing roads would provide access to
the proposed project site. New minor
internal roads would be constructed
among collector lines, substation, arrays
and sub arrays, and other ancillary
facilities. The interconnection to the
proposed substation and collector lines
from the arrays would be via
underground trench, including
underground trenching of I–15. Once
approved and operational, the proposed
Project is expected to have up to 358
megawatts of generating capacity. In
connection with its decision on the
proposed Soda Mountain Solar project,
the BLM will also include consideration
of potential amendments to the CDCA
land use plan, as analyzed in the Draft
EIS/EIR alternatives. 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 Soda Mountain
Solar project site as available or
unavailable for solar development.
The Draft EIS/EIR describes the
following six alternatives: Alternative A:
The Proposed Action—358 MW on
2,557 acres; Alternative B: 264 MW
project on 2,127 acres; Alternative C:
298 MW project on 2,354 acres;
Alternative D: 250 MW project on 2,134
acres; Alternative E: No action
alternative/no project approval—no
issuance of a ROW Grant, no county
approval of a groundwater well permit,
no Land Use Plan (LUP) amendment;
Alternative F: BLM approves project
with no county approval of a
groundwater well permit; and,
Alternative G: Planning decision
identifying the area as unsuitable for
solar, with no BLM ROW—LUP Plan
Amendment (PA), no issuance of a ROW
Grant, and no county approval of a
groundwater well permit. All of the
action alternatives, except Alternative E,
would include an amendment to the
CDCA Plan. Alternative A is the
preferred alternative in the Draft EIS.
E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM
29NON1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2013 / Notices
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
The issues analyzed in the Draft EIS
include the physical, biological,
cultural, socioeconomic, and other
resources that have the potential to be
affected by the proposed project and
alternatives. In addition, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) is analyzing
impacts on air quality, greenhouse gas
emissions and climate change; geology
and soils; hazards and hazardous
materials; fire and fuels; water
resources, hydrology and water quality;
land use, lands and realty; noise;
recreation; traffic; visual resources;
paleontological resources; public health
and safety; lands with wilderness
characteristics; socioeconomics and
environmental justice; special
designations; transportation and public
access; cumulative effects, pre and post
construction and operations; and areas
with high potential for renewable
energy development.
The BLM will host one or more public
meetings, to be announced separately,
which will be held to allow oral or
written comments to be presented to the
lead agencies. Please see BLM’s Web
page at https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/
barstow/renewableenergy/soda_
mountain.html for information about
the location, date, and time of any such
meeting.
All substantive issues raised during
the comment period will be considered,
and modifications may be made to
develop the Final PA/EIS/EIR based on
these comments. Please note that public
comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and
email addresses of persons who submit
comments will 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, 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 1506.6, 40 CFR
1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources,
BLM California.
[FR Doc. 2013–28506 Filed 11–27–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:47 Nov 27, 2013
Jkt 232001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[12X.LLAZG01000.L71220000.EU0000.
LVTFA1258570 241A; AZA–35682]
Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of
Public Land in Graham County, AZ
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of realty action.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Safford Field Office
(SFO), is considering a noncompetitive
direct sale of approximately 15 acres of
public land in Graham County, Arizona,
to Gilligan and Blanca Bowman
(proponents) for not less than the
appraised fair market value (FMV).
DATES: In order to ensure consideration
in the environmental analysis of the
proposed sale, the BLM must receive
comments by January 13, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Written comments
concerning the proposed direct sale
should be sent to Scott Cooke, Field
Manager, BLM Safford Field Office, 711
14th Avenue, Safford, AZ 85546.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron
Peru, Realty Specialist, at the above
address, or phone 928–348–4439.
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
following described parcel of public
land in Graham County, Arizona, is
being considered for direct sale under
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 the regulations at 43
CFR subparts 2710 and 2720:
SUMMARY:
Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona
Township 7 South, Range 27 East, sec. 8,
S1/2SW1/4NE1/4SW1/4 and SE1/4NE1/
4SW1/4,
The area described contains approximately
15 acres.
Consistent with Section 203 of
FLPMA, a tract of public land may be
sold where, as a result of land use
planning, sale of the tract meets the
disposal criteria of that section.
The public lands described above
were identified as suitable for disposal
by the BLM Safford District Resource
Management Plan in August 1991. The
parcel is not needed for any other
PO 00000
Frm 00081
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
71641
Federal purpose and has become
difficult and uneconomical to manage
due to public lands in Sections 7 and 8
being encumbered on three sides by
private land.
The regulations found at 43 CFR
2710.0–3(a) and 43 CFR 2711.3–3(a)(5)
permit the BLM to make direct sales of
public lands when a competitive sale is
not appropriate and the public interest
would be best served by a direct sale.
The regulations at 43 CFR 2711.3–
3(a)(5) permit direct sales to occur to
resolve inadvertent unauthorized use or
occupancy of the lands.
With respect to the lands above, there
is an inadvertent unauthorized
occupancy on the land that consists of
an access road and buildings associated
with a residence.
The unauthorized developments have
been in place for approximately 10
years. The proponents of the direct sale
wish to purchase the parcel to resolve
this inadvertent unauthorized
occupancy, and the BLM has concluded
that the public interest would be best
served by a direct sale of those lands.
No significant biological and cultural
resource values have been identified on
the lands in questions. As a result, there
are no impacts to resource values that
are expected from this action. The BLM
prepared a mineral potential report,
dated June 22, 2012, and the lands
identified for sale have no known
mineral value. The BLM proposes that
the conveyance of the Federal mineral
interest occur simultaneously with the
sale. The proponents will be required to
pay a $50 non-refundable filing fee in
conjunction with the final payment for
processing of the conveyance of the
mineral interests. The project is not
expected to affect the San Carlos Indian
Reservation located about 12 miles
away. In addition to this Notice of
Realty Action (NORA), notice of this
sale will also be published once a week
for 3 weeks in the Eastern Arizona
Courier.
Pursuant to the requirements of 43
CFR 2711.1–2(d), upon publication of
this notice in the Federal Register, the
lands identified above will be
segregated from all appropriation under
the public land laws, including the
mining laws. Upon publication of this
NORA, and until completion of the sale,
the BLM will no longer accept land use
applications affecting the identified
public land, except applications for the
amendment of previously filed right-ofway applications or existing
authorizations to increase the term of
the grants in accordance with 43 CFR
2807.15 and 43 CFR 2886.15. This
segregation will terminate upon
issuance of a patent, publication in the
E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM
29NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71640-71641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28506]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD08000, L51010000.FX0000.LVRWB09B3130]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Joint Environmental Impact
Statement and Environmental Impact Report and California Desert
Conservation Area Plan Amendment for the Proposed Soda Mountain Solar
Project, San Bernardino County, 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
Draft Joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) and California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan
Amendment for the Soda Mountain Solar Project (Project), San Bernardino
County, California, and by this notice is announcing the opening of the
comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR and Draft CDCA Plan Amendment
within 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM
will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public
involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public
notices, media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Soda Mountain Solar
Project Draft EIS/EIR and Draft CDCA Plan Amendment by any of the
following methods:
Web site: https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html.
Email: sodamtnsolar@blm.gov.
Fax: 951-697-5299, Attn: Jose M. Najar.
Mail: California Desert District Office, Attn: Jose M.
Najar, 22835 Calle San Juan de los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553.
Copies of the Soda Mountain Solar Project Draft Joint EIS/EIR and
CDCA Plan Amendment are available in the California Desert District
Office at the above address and at the Barstow Field Office, 2601
Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jose M. Najar, Project Manager,
telephone 951-697-5387; address 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos,
Moreno Valley, CA 92553; email sodamtnsolar@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 Soda Mountain Solar, LLC, to construct, operate,
maintain, and decommission a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant
facility proposed on 4,179 acres with solar fields occupying
approximately 2,557 acres of BLM-administered public lands in San
Bernardino County, California. The Project would utilize solar panels
and would be built in several phases. The Project would connect to the
existing Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 500kV transmission
line to the west of the project using a transmission interconnect from
the proposed substation. The Project would not require any expansion of
the existing transmission line or any upgrades.
The Project would be adjacent to Interstate 15 (I-15), South of
Blue Bell Mine Road, about 6 miles southwest of Baker, California, and
12 miles northeast of Barstow, California.
The proposed project site is located near the National Park
Service's Mojave National Preserve, Soda Mountain and Cady Mountains
Wilderness Study Areas, and the Rasor Off Highway Vehicle and Afton
Canyon Special Recreation Management Areas within the BLM's CDCA. A
portion of the Blue Bell Mine Road lies north adjacent to the project
site at its closest point, and runs approximately east to west.
All proposed project components would be located on BLM-
administered lands subject to a ROW grant. The proposed Project
components would include solar array fields; access roads; collector
lines; a substation with switchyard and interconnection; ancillary
buildings; six groundwater production, test, and observation water
wells; water tanks; a water treatment and storage facility; brine
ponds; warehouses; fencing; berms; other infrastructure; and laydown
areas. The existing roads would provide access to the proposed project
site. New minor internal roads would be constructed among collector
lines, substation, arrays and sub arrays, and other ancillary
facilities. The interconnection to the proposed substation and
collector lines from the arrays would be via underground trench,
including underground trenching of I-15. Once approved and operational,
the proposed Project is expected to have up to 358 megawatts of
generating capacity. In connection with its decision on the proposed
Soda Mountain Solar project, the BLM will also include consideration of
potential amendments to the CDCA land use plan, as analyzed in the
Draft EIS/EIR alternatives. 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 Soda Mountain Solar project site as available
or unavailable for solar development.
The Draft EIS/EIR describes the following six alternatives:
Alternative A: The Proposed Action--358 MW on 2,557 acres; Alternative
B: 264 MW project on 2,127 acres; Alternative C: 298 MW project on
2,354 acres; Alternative D: 250 MW project on 2,134 acres; Alternative
E: No action alternative/no project approval--no issuance of a ROW
Grant, no county approval of a groundwater well permit, no Land Use
Plan (LUP) amendment; Alternative F: BLM approves project with no
county approval of a groundwater well permit; and, Alternative G:
Planning decision identifying the area as unsuitable for solar, with no
BLM ROW--LUP Plan Amendment (PA), no issuance of a ROW Grant, and no
county approval of a groundwater well permit. All of the action
alternatives, except Alternative E, would include an amendment to the
CDCA Plan. Alternative A is the preferred alternative in the Draft EIS.
[[Page 71641]]
The issues analyzed in the Draft EIS include the physical,
biological, cultural, socioeconomic, and other resources that have the
potential to be affected by the proposed project and alternatives. In
addition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is analyzing impacts on
air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; geology and
soils; hazards and hazardous materials; fire and fuels; water
resources, hydrology and water quality; land use, lands and realty;
noise; recreation; traffic; visual resources; paleontological
resources; public health and safety; lands with wilderness
characteristics; socioeconomics and environmental justice; special
designations; transportation and public access; cumulative effects, pre
and post construction and operations; and areas with high potential for
renewable energy development.
The BLM will host one or more public meetings, to be announced
separately, which will be held to allow oral or written comments to be
presented to the lead agencies. Please see BLM's Web page at https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/renewableenergy/soda_mountain.html for
information about the location, date, and time of any such meeting.
All substantive issues raised during the comment period will be
considered, and modifications may be made to develop the Final PA/EIS/
EIR based on these comments. Please note that public comments and
information submitted including names, street addresses, and email
addresses of persons who submit comments will 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, 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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources, BLM California.
[FR Doc. 2013-28506 Filed 11-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
