Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and a Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Yellow Pine Solar Project, Clark County, NV, 25484-25485 [2018-10961]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 106 (Friday, June 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25484-25485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10961]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVS01000. L51010000.PQ0000. LVRWF1201670; N-90788; MO# 4500110426]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
a Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Yellow Pine Solar Project, 
Clark County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: As requested by Yellow Pine Solar, LLC, and in compliance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the 
BLM Las Vegas Field Office will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for a proposed solar project located approximately 10 
miles southeast of Pahrump, Nevada, and approximately 32 miles west of 
Las Vegas, Nevada. Publication of this Notice initiates the scoping 
process and opens a 90-day public comment period. Publication of this 
Notice also serves to segregate the public lands from appropriation 
under the public land laws, including location and entry under the 
Mining Law, but not disposal under the Mineral Leasing Act or the 
Materials Act, subject to valid existing rights. This Notice initiates 
the public scoping process and the segregation.

DATES: Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until August 30, 
2018. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through local news media and the 
BLM website at: https://goo.gl/gNbjnz. Comments must be received prior 
to the close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public 
meeting, whichever is later, to be included in the Draft EIS. The BLM 
will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon 
publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments related to the project by any of the 
following methods:

 Email: [email protected]
 Fax: (702) 515-5073, attention Nicollee Gaddis
 Mail: BLM, Las Vegas Field Office, Attn: Nicollee Gaddis, 4701 
North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, send requests to: Nicollee Gaddis, 
Renewable Energy Project Manager, at telephone (702) 515-5136; or 
address 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301; or 
email [email protected]. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during 
normal business hours. The FRS 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: In 2016, Yellow Pine Solar, LLC requested an 
amended right-of-way (ROW) authorization for the construction, 
operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of a 250-megawatt (MW) 
photovoltaic (PV) power plant that would provide renewable energy to 
Nevada's electrical transmission grid. In 2011, the original ROW 
application was filed by Boulevard Associates, LLC, a subsidiary of 
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, and the project is thus not subject to 
the decisions adopted by the 2012 Western Solar Plan, the BLM's Record 
of Decision (ROD) for Solar Energy Development in Six Southwestern 
States (BLM 2012).
    The proposed project includes 9,290 acres of lands managed by the 
BLM. The project is located in Clark County at the intersection of 
Nevada State Route 160 and Tecopa Road, approximately 10 miles 
southeast of Pahrump, Nevada and approximately 32 miles west of Las 
Vegas.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. 
At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: 
Threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, visual 
resources, surface water, recreation, socioeconomic effects, and 
cumulative impacts. The congressionally designated Old Spanish National 
Historic Trail crosses the area. Habitat for the federally listed 
desert tortoise is in this proposal area.
    The BLM will consult with Native American tribes on a government-
to-government basis in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, 
Executive Order 13175, and other policies. Tribal concerns will be 
given due consideration, including any impacts on Indian Trust assets. 
Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that 
may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision on this project, 
are invited to participate in the

[[Page 25485]]

scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the 
BLM to participate 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.

Segregation of the Public Lands

    In 2013, the BLM published a Final Rule, Segregation of Lands--
Renewable Energy (78 FR 25204), that amended the regulations found in 
43 CFR 2090 and 2800. The provisions of the Final Rule allow the BLM to 
temporarily segregate public lands within a solar or wind application 
area from the operation of the public land laws, including the Mining 
Law, by publication of a Federal Register Notice. The BLM uses this 
temporary segregation authority to preserve its ability to approve, 
approve with modifications, or deny proposed ROWs, and to facilitate 
the orderly administration of the public lands. This temporary 
segregation is subject to valid existing mining claims located before 
this segregation notice. 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 segregation 
period.
    The lands segregated under this notice are legally described as 
follows:

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

T. 21 S., R. 55 E.,
    Sec. 31, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 32, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 33, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 34, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\.
T. 22 S., R. 55 E.,
    Sec. 1, W\1/2\SW\1/4\ and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 2, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 3, lots 2 thru 4, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Secs. 4 and 5;
    Sec. 6, lot 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, E\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 8, N\1/2\;
    Sec. 9, N\1/2\;
    Secs. 10 thru 14.
T. 22 S., R. 56 E.,
    Sec. 7, lots 3 and 4, E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 17, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 18.

    As provided in the Final Rule, the segregation of lands in this 
Notice will not exceed 2 years from the date of publication unless 
extended for up to 2 additional years, through publication of a new 
notice in the Federal Register. Termination of the segregation occurs 
on the earliest of the following dates: 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 
segregation; or upon publication of a Federal Register Notice of 
termination of the segregation.
    Upon termination of segregation of these lands, all lands subject 
to this segregation will automatically reopen to appropriation under 
the public land laws.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 2091.3-1(e), and 43 CFR 
2804.25(f))

Vanessa L. Hice,
Acting Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2018-10961 Filed 5-31-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P