Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Aiya Solar Project, Clark County, Nevada, 28001-28002 [2015-11298]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 2015 / Notices Their contact information is listed in the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Bureau of Indian Affairs [156A2100DD/AAKC001030/ A0A501010.999900 253G] Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Aiya Solar Project, Clark County, Nevada Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. AGENCY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as the lead Federal agency, with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians (Tribe) as Cooperating Agencies, has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Aiya Solar Project on the Moapa River Indian Reservation (Reservation) in Clark County, Nevada. This notice announces that the DEIS is now available for public review and that BIA will hold public meetings to solicit comments on the DEIS. DATES: The date and locations of the public meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through notices in the following local newspapers: Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Review Journal and the Moapa Valley Progress and on the following Web site: www.AiyaSolarProjectEIS.com. In order to be fully considered, written comments on the DEIS must arrive no later than 45 days after EPA publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: You may mail, email, hand deliver or telefax written comments to Mr. Chip Lewis, Acting Regional Environmental Protection Officer, BIA Western Regional Office, Branch of Environmental Quality Services, 2600 North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mail Room, Phoenix, Arizona 85004–3008; fax (602) 379–3833; email: chip.lewis@ bia.gov. The DEIS will be available for review at: BIA Western Regional Office, 2600 North Central Avenue, 12th Floor, Suite 210, Phoenix, Arizona; BIA Southern Paiute Agency, 180 North 200 East, Suite 111, St. George, Utah; and the BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada. The DEIS is also available on line at: www.AiyaSolarProjectEIS.com. To obtain a compact disk copy of the DEIS, please provide your name and address in writing or by voicemail to Mr. Chip Lewis or Mr. Garry Cantley. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:20 May 14, 2015 Jkt 235001 section of this notice. Individual paper copies of the DEIS will be provided only upon request. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chip Lewis, BIA Western Regional Office, Branch of Environmental Quality Services, 2600 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004–3008, telephone (602) 379–6782; or Mr. Garry Cantley at (602) 379–6750. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Federal action, taken under 25 U.S.C. 415, is BIA’s approval of a solar energy ground lease and associated agreements entered into by the Tribe with Aiya Solar Project, LLC (Aiya Solar or Applicant), a wholly owned subsidiary of First Solar, Inc. (First Solar), to provide for construction and operation of an up-to 100 megawatt (MW) alternating current solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation facility located entirely on the Reservation and specifically on lands held in trust by BIA for the Tribe. The proposed 230 kilovolt (kV) generationtie transmission line required for interconnection would be located on Tribal lands, private lands and Federal lands administered and managed by BLM. The Applicant has accordingly requested that BIA and BLM additionally approve right-of-ways (ROWs) authorizing the construction and operation of the transmission line. Together, the proposed solar energy facility, transmission line, and other associated facilities make up the proposed Aiya Solar Project (Project). The Project would be located in Township 14 South, Range 66 East, Sections 29, 30, 31, and 32 Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada. The generation facility would generate electricity using PV panels. Also included would be inverters, a collection system, an on-site substation to step-up the voltage to transmission level voltage at 230 kV, an operations and maintenance building, and other related facilities. A single overhead 230 kV generation-tie transmission line, approximately 1.5 to 3 miles long, would connect the solar project to NV Energy’s Reid-Gardner 230kV substation through a point northeast of the existing Reid-Gardner substation where a new NV Energy collector station would be built in the future. Construction of the Project is expected to take approximately 12 to 15 months. The Applicant is expected to operate the energy facility for 30 years, with two options to renew the lease for an additional 10 years, if mutually acceptable to the Tribe and Applicant. PO 00000 Frm 00117 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 28001 During construction, the PV panels will be placed on top of fixed-tilt and/or single-axis tracking mounting systems that are set on steel posts embedded in the ground. Other foundation design techniques may be used depending on the site topography and conditions. No water will be used to generate electricity during operations. Water will be needed during construction for dust control and a minimal amount will be needed during operations for landscape irrigation and administrative and sanitary water use on site. The water supply required for construction of the Project would be leased from the Tribe and would be provided via a new temporary intake installed in the Muddy River and a new temporary aboveground pipeline approximately two miles in length. Operational water would be provided through a tap into an existing water pipeline that crosses the solar site. Access to the Project will be provided via State Highway 168. The purposes of the Project are to: (1) Provide a long-term, diverse, and viable economic revenue base and job opportunities for the Tribe; (2) help Nevada and neighboring states to meet their state renewable energy needs; and (3) allow the Tribe, in partnership with the Applicant, to optimize the use of the lease site while maximizing the potential economic benefit to the Tribe. The BIA and BLM will use the EIS to make decisions on the land lease and ROW applications under their respective jurisdiction. The EPA may use the document to make decisions under its authorities. The Tribe may use the EIS to make decisions under its Tribal Environmental Policy Ordinance. The USFWS may use the EIS to support its decision under the Endangered Species Act. Directions for Submitting Comments: Please include your name, return address and the caption: ‘‘DEIS Comments, Proposed Aiya Solar Project’’, on the first page of your written comments. Public Comment Availability: Written comments, including names and addresses of respondents will be available for public review at the BIA mailing addresses shown in the ADDRESSES section during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Before including your address, telephone 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 E:\FR\FM\15MYN1.SGM 15MYN1 28002 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 2015 / Notices identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 of 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 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and in accordance with the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs by part 209 of the Department Manual. Dated: May 1, 2015. Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. [FR Doc. 2015–11298 Filed 5–14–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4337–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNVC02000 L57000000.BX0000; 241A; MO# 4500077944] Notice of Temporary Closures of Public Land in Washoe County, Nevada Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: As authorized under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and relevant regulations, certain public land near Stead, Nevada, will be temporarily closed to all public use to provide for public safety during the 2015 Reno Air Racing Association Pylon Racing Seminar and the Reno National Championship Air Races. DATES: Temporary closure periods are June 17 through June 20, 2015, and September 16 through September 20, 2015. SUMMARY: Mount Diablo Meridian T. 21 N., R. 19 E., Sec. 8, E1⁄2E1⁄2, NW1⁄4NE1⁄4; Sec. 16, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, NW1⁄4, W1⁄2SE1⁄4. The area described contains 450 acres, more or less, in Washoe County, Nevada. The closure notice and map of the closure area will be posted at the BLM Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada and on the BLM Web site: https://www.blm.gov/ nv/st/en/fo/carsoncity_field.html. Roads leading into the public lands under the closure will be posted to notify the public of the closure. Under the authority of Section 303(a) of the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733(a)), 43 CFR 8360.9–7 and 43 CFR 8364.1, the Bureau of Land Management will enforce the following rules in the area described above: All public use, whether motorized, on foot, or otherwise, is prohibited. Exceptions: Closure restrictions do not apply to event officials, medical and rescue personnel, law enforcement, and agency personnel monitoring the events. Penalties: Any person who fails to comply with the closure orders is subject to arrest and, upon conviction, may be fined not more than $1,000 and/ or imprisonment for not more than 12 months under 43 CFR 8360.0–7. Violations may also be subject to the provisions of Title 18, U.S.C. 3571 and 3581. Authority: 43 CFR 8360.0–7 and 8364.1. Leon Thomas, Field Manager, Sierra Front Field Office. [FR Doc. 2015–11682 Filed 5–14–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:20 May 14, 2015 Jkt 235001 This coal lease sale is being held in response to a lease by application (LBA) submitted by Canyon Fuel Company, LLC. to the BLM on March 18, 1998. The successful bidder must pay to the BLM the cost BLM incurs regarding the publishing of this sale notice. If there is no successful bidder, the applicant will be responsible for all publishing costs. The coal resources to be offered consist of all reserves recoverable by underground methods available in the following-described lands located in Sanpete County, Utah, approximately 10 miles southeast of Scofield, Utah, under both private and public surface. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bureau of Land Management [15X L1109AF LLUT920000 L13200000.EL0000, UTU–77114] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leon Thomas, 775–885–6000, email: l70thoma@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: This closure applies to all public use, including pedestrian use and vehicles. The public lands affected by this closure are described as follows: the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended and supplemented. DATES: The lease sale will be held at 1:00 p.m. on June 17, 2015. Sealed bids must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Collections Officer, BLM Utah State Office or be hand delivered to the public room Contact Representatives, BLM Utah State Office at the address indicated below, and must be received on or before 10:00 a.m. on June 17, 2015. Any bid received after the time specified will not be considered and will be returned. The BLM public room Contact Representative will issue a receipt for each hand-delivered sealed bid. The outside of the sealed envelope containing the bid must clearly state that the envelope contains a bid for Coal Lease Sale UTU–77114 and is not to be opened before the date and hour of the sale. ADDRESSES: The lease sale will be held in the Monument Conference Room at the following address: BLM-Utah State Office, Suite 500, 440 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. Sealed bids can be hand delivered to the BLM public room Contact Representative or mailed to the Collections Officer, BLM Utah State Office, at the address given above. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Jeff McKenzie, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 Salt Lake City, Utah 84101–1345 or telephone 801–539– 4038. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours. Notice of Federal Competitive Coal Lease Sale, Utah Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah State Office will offer certain coal resources described below as the Flat Canyon Tract (UTU–77114) in Sanpete County, Utah, for competitive sale by sealed bid, in accordance with the Federal regulations for competitive lease sale notices and SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00118 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Salt Lake Meridian T. 13 S., R.6 E., Sec. 21, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, E1/2NE1/4, and E1/2SE1/4; E:\FR\FM\15MYN1.SGM 15MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28001-28002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11298]



[[Page 28001]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[156A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Aiya Solar 
Project, Clark County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as the lead Federal agency, 
with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Moapa 
Band of Paiute Indians (Tribe) as Cooperating Agencies, has prepared a 
draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Aiya Solar 
Project on the Moapa River Indian Reservation (Reservation) in Clark 
County, Nevada. This notice announces that the DEIS is now available 
for public review and that BIA will hold public meetings to solicit 
comments on the DEIS.

DATES: The date and locations of the public meetings will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through notices in the following local 
newspapers: Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Review Journal and the Moapa 
Valley Progress and on the following Web site: 
www.AiyaSolarProjectEIS.com. In order to be fully considered, written 
comments on the DEIS must arrive no later than 45 days after EPA 
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may mail, email, hand deliver or telefax written 
comments to Mr. Chip Lewis, Acting Regional Environmental Protection 
Officer, BIA Western Regional Office, Branch of Environmental Quality 
Services, 2600 North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mail Room, Phoenix, 
Arizona 85004-3008; fax (602) 379-3833; email: chip.lewis@bia.gov. The 
DEIS will be available for review at: BIA Western Regional Office, 2600 
North Central Avenue, 12th Floor, Suite 210, Phoenix, Arizona; BIA 
Southern Paiute Agency, 180 North 200 East, Suite 111, St. George, 
Utah; and the BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada. The DEIS is also available on line at: 
www.AiyaSolarProjectEIS.com.
    To obtain a compact disk copy of the DEIS, please provide your name 
and address in writing or by voicemail to Mr. Chip Lewis or Mr. Garry 
Cantley. Their contact information is listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. Individual paper copies of 
the DEIS will be provided only upon request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chip Lewis, BIA Western Regional 
Office, Branch of Environmental Quality Services, 2600 North Central 
Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-3008, telephone (602) 379-6782; or Mr. 
Garry Cantley at (602) 379-6750.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Federal action, taken under 25 
U.S.C. 415, is BIA's approval of a solar energy ground lease and 
associated agreements entered into by the Tribe with Aiya Solar 
Project, LLC (Aiya Solar or Applicant), a wholly owned subsidiary of 
First Solar, Inc. (First Solar), to provide for construction and 
operation of an up-to 100 megawatt (MW) alternating current solar 
photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation facility located entirely on 
the Reservation and specifically on lands held in trust by BIA for the 
Tribe. The proposed 230 kilovolt (kV) generation-tie transmission line 
required for interconnection would be located on Tribal lands, private 
lands and Federal lands administered and managed by BLM. The Applicant 
has accordingly requested that BIA and BLM additionally approve right-
of-ways (ROWs) authorizing the construction and operation of the 
transmission line. Together, the proposed solar energy facility, 
transmission line, and other associated facilities make up the proposed 
Aiya Solar Project (Project).
    The Project would be located in Township 14 South, Range 66 East, 
Sections 29, 30, 31, and 32 Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada. The 
generation facility would generate electricity using PV panels. Also 
included would be inverters, a collection system, an on-site substation 
to step-up the voltage to transmission level voltage at 230 kV, an 
operations and maintenance building, and other related facilities. A 
single overhead 230 kV generation-tie transmission line, approximately 
1.5 to 3 miles long, would connect the solar project to NV Energy's 
Reid-Gardner 230kV substation through a point northeast of the existing 
Reid-Gardner substation where a new NV Energy collector station would 
be built in the future.
    Construction of the Project is expected to take approximately 12 to 
15 months. The Applicant is expected to operate the energy facility for 
30 years, with two options to renew the lease for an additional 10 
years, if mutually acceptable to the Tribe and Applicant. During 
construction, the PV panels will be placed on top of fixed-tilt and/or 
single-axis tracking mounting systems that are set on steel posts 
embedded in the ground. Other foundation design techniques may be used 
depending on the site topography and conditions. No water will be used 
to generate electricity during operations. Water will be needed during 
construction for dust control and a minimal amount will be needed 
during operations for landscape irrigation and administrative and 
sanitary water use on site. The water supply required for construction 
of the Project would be leased from the Tribe and would be provided via 
a new temporary intake installed in the Muddy River and a new temporary 
above-ground pipeline approximately two miles in length. Operational 
water would be provided through a tap into an existing water pipeline 
that crosses the solar site. Access to the Project will be provided via 
State Highway 168.
    The purposes of the Project are to: (1) Provide a long-term, 
diverse, and viable economic revenue base and job opportunities for the 
Tribe; (2) help Nevada and neighboring states to meet their state 
renewable energy needs; and (3) allow the Tribe, in partnership with 
the Applicant, to optimize the use of the lease site while maximizing 
the potential economic benefit to the Tribe.
    The BIA and BLM will use the EIS to make decisions on the land 
lease and ROW applications under their respective jurisdiction. The EPA 
may use the document to make decisions under its authorities. The Tribe 
may use the EIS to make decisions under its Tribal Environmental Policy 
Ordinance. The USFWS may use the EIS to support its decision under the 
Endangered Species Act.
    Directions for Submitting Comments: Please include your name, 
return address and the caption: ``DEIS Comments, Proposed Aiya Solar 
Project'', on the first page of your written comments.
    Public Comment Availability: Written comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents will be available for public review at the BIA 
mailing addresses shown in the ADDRESSES section during regular 
business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
holidays. Before including your address, telephone 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

[[Page 28002]]

identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Authority:  This notice is published in accordance with section 
1503.1 of 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 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and in 
accordance with the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs by part 209 of the Department Manual.

    Dated: May 1, 2015.
Kevin Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-11298 Filed 5-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.