Notice of Availability for the Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Gemini Solar Project in Clark County, NV, 71455-71457 [2019-27904]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 248 / Friday, December 27, 2019 / Notices
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under
the Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA; 33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Pursuant to OPA,
Federal and State agencies act as
trustees on behalf of the public to assess
natural resource injuries and losses and
to determine the actions required to
compensate the public for those injuries
and losses. The OPA further instructs
the designated trustees to develop and
implement a plan for the restoration,
rehabilitation, replacement, or
acquisition of the equivalent of the
injured natural resources under their
trusteeship, including the loss of use
and services from those resources from
the time of injury until the completion
of restoration to baseline (the resource
quality and conditions that would exist
if the spill had not occurred).
The Deepwater Horizon Trustees are:
• U.S. Department of the Interior
(DOI), as represented by the National
Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and Bureau of Land
Management;
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), on behalf of
the U.S. Department of Commerce;
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA);
• U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA);
• State of Louisiana Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority,
Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office,
Department of Environmental Quality,
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
and Department of Natural Resources;
• State of Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality;
• State of Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources and
Geological Survey of Alabama;
• State of Florida Department of
Environmental Protection and Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission; and
• State of Texas: Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, Texas General
Land Office, and Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
On April 4, 2016, the Trustees
reached and finalized a settlement of
their natural resource damage claims
with BP in a Consent Decree approved
by the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Pursuant to that Consent Decree,
restoration projects in the Alabama
Restoration Area are now chosen and
managed by the AL TIG. The AL TIG
comprises the following Trustees: State
of Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources and Geological
Survey of Alabama; DOI; NOAA; EPA;
and USDA.
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Background
In preparation for the draft AL RP III/
EA planning process, on December 19,
2018, the AL TIG posted a notice on two
websites: The NOAA Gulf Spill web
portal at https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov, and
the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources
Project Portal at https://
www.alabamacoastalrestoration.org/.
The notice requested public input on
restoration project ideas in the Alabama
Restoration Area, asking the public to
focus their input on ‘‘Provide and
Enhance Recreational Opportunities’’
and ‘‘Birds’’ restoration types. The AL
TIG reviewed and considered these
restoration project ideas and prepared a
draft AL RP III/EA. Notice of availability
of the draft AL RP III/EA was published
in the Federal Register on September 3,
2019 (84 FR 46033). The AL TIG
provided the public 30 days to review
and comment on the draft AL RP III/EA.
Comments submitted during that time
were reviewed and addressed by the AL
TIG before finalizing the AL RP III/EA.
Details, including the AL TIG’s
responses to the comments, are
provided in the final AL RP III/EA.
Additional restoration planning for the
Alabama Restoration Area will
continue.
71455
Street Boardwalk *
Restoration Type—Birds
Stewardship of Coastal Alabama
Beach Nesting Bird Habitat
Dauphin Island West End Acquisition
Based on the NEPA analysis provided
in the AL RP III/EA, the AL TIG Federal
Trustees issued a FONSI in accordance
with 40 CFR part 1508.13 and 15 CFR
part 990.23. The FONSI is available in
Appendix J of the AL RP III/EA.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the
Administrative Record for the AL RP III/
EA can be viewed electronically at
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/
adminrecord.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et
seq.), its implementing Natural Resource
Damage Assessment regulations found
at 15 CFR part 990, and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations found at 40
CFR parts 1500–1508.
Mary Josie Blanchard,
Director of Gulf of Mexico Restoration,
Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2019–27891 Filed 12–26–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
Overview of the Final AL RP III/EA
The final AL RP III/EA is being
released in accordance with OPA NRDA
regulations found in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR part 990,
NEPA and its implementing regulations
found at 40 CFR parts 1500–1508, the
Final PDARP/PEIS, and the Consent
Decree. In the final AL RP III/EA and
FONSI, the AL TIG selected projects to
implement addressing two restoration
types. Five were selected for funding
under the ‘‘Provide and Enhance
Recreational Opportunities’’ restoration
type allocation proposing to use
approximately $13,500,000 in DWH
settlement funds. Two were selected for
funding under the ‘‘Birds’’ restoration
type allocation, using approximately
$8,700,000 in DWH settlement funds.
The following projects were selected for
implementation (immediate or future):
Restoration Type—Provide and Enhance
Recreational Opportunities
Perdido River Land Acquisition
(Molpus Tract)
Bayfront Park Restoration and
Improvement Phases IIa and IIb
Gulf State Park Pier Renovation
Perdido Beach Public Access Coastal
Protection *
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Recreation Enhancement—Mobile
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVS01000.L51010000.ER0000.
LVRWF1906190.19X; N–84631;
MO#4500141706]
Notice of Availability for the Proposed
Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Final Environmental
Impact Statement for the Gemini Solar
Project in Clark County, NV
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
SUMMARY:
* The Trustees are not proposing to exceed the
allocation for ‘‘Provide and Enhance Recreational
Opportunities’’ in this RP III/EA. Implementation of
the selected alternatives, noted with an asterisk, is
therefore pending fund availability. Additional
funds could become available to the ‘‘Provide and
Enhance Recreational Opportunities’’ restoration
type for various reasons (e.g., project cancellation
or modification, projects under budget), at which
time the AL TIG could allocate those recreational
use funds to those noted alternatives, consistent
with this RP III/EA, through TIG resolution.
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
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71456
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 248 / Friday, December 27, 2019 / Notices
Land Management (BLM) Las Vegas
Field Office has prepared a Proposed
Resource Management Plan (RMP)
Amendment and Final Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Gemini
Solar Project and by this notice is
announcing the opening of the protest
period.
DATES: This notice initiates the protest
period for proposed plan amendment. In
accordance with CFR 1610.5–2 protests
may be submitted in writing until
January 27, 2020. Any person who
participated in the planning process and
has an interest which is or may be
adversely affected by the approval or
amendment of a RMP may protest such
approval or amendment. A protest may
raise only those issues which were
submitted for the record during the
planning process. The protest shall be in
writing and shall be filed with the
Director. The protest shall contain: (i)
The name, mailing address, telephone
number and interest of the person filing
the protest; (ii) A statement of the issue
or issues being protested; (iii) A
statement of the part or parts of the plan
or amendment being protested; (iv) A
copy of all documents addressing the
issue or issues that were submitted
during the planning process by the
protesting party, or an indication of the
date the issue or issues were discussed
for the record; and (v) A concise
statement explaining why the State
Director’s decision is believed to be
wrong. The BLM will issue a Record of
Decision approximately 90 days after
the protest period opens which will be
announced in a Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: All protests must be in
writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: Director (210), Attn:
Protest Coordinator, P.O. Box 71383,
Washington, DC 20024–1383
Overnight Delivery: Director (210), Attn:
Protest Coordinator, 20 M Street SE,
Room 2134LM, Washington, DC
20003
Electronic protests will not be
accepted as valid protests unless the
protesting party also provides the
original letter by either regular mail or
overnight delivery postmarked by the
close of the protest period. Under these
conditions, the BLM will consider the
electronic protest as an advance copy
and will afford it full consideration. If
you wish to provide the BLM with such
advance notification, you can submit
your protest through the project’s
ePlanning page at https://go.usa.gov/
xntTQ.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nicholas Pay, Acting Energy &
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18:44 Dec 26, 2019
Jkt 250001
Infrastructure Project Manager,
telephone 702–515–5284; address 4701
North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas,
Nevada 89130–2301; email blm_nv_
sndo_geminisolar@blm.gov. 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: The
applicant, Solar Partners XI, LLC
(Arevia) has proposed to construct,
operate, maintain and decommission a
690 megawatt photovoltaic solar electric
generating facility and associated
generation tie-line and access road
facilities on approximately 7,100 acres
of federal lands administered by the
BLM. The proposed solar facility would
be located approximately 33 miles
northeast of Las Vegas and directly
south of the Moapa River Indian
Reservation in Clark County, Nevada.
The expected life of the project is 30
years.
The Final EIS analyzed the direct,
indirect and cumulative environmental
impacts of the proposed action and
alternatives. The Final EIS analyzed the
Proposed Action, the Hybrid (BLM
Preferred), All Mowing and the No
Action Alternatives. All of the
alternatives involve development on
approximately 7,100 acres of land;
however, each action/alternative differs
in how the facility is constructed. The
Proposed Action would involve solar
development utilizing traditional
development methods, which include
disk and roll that removes all vegetation
in the solar array areas. The Hybrid
(BLM Preferred) Alternative would
involve solar development utilizing a
combination of traditional development
methods in solar array areas (on
approximately 2,500 acres) and mowing
that leaves vegetation and natural land
contours in place on the remaining solar
array areas (on approximately 4,600
acres). The All Mowing Alternative
would involve development of the
facility utilizing only mowing in solar
array areas. Where mowing is utilized in
each alternative, desert tortoise would
be reintroduced into the solar array
areas after completion of construction,
since habitat would remain. The No
Action Alternative would be a
continuation of existing conditions.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
EIS for the proposed Gemini Solar
Project was published in the Federal
Register on July 13, 2018 (83 FR 32681).
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The public scoping period closed
August 27, 2018. The BLM held two
public scoping meetings. The BLM
received 34 public scoping comment
letters during the 45-day scoping period.
The scoping comments focused on
biological resources (desert tortoise and
threecorner milkvetch); visual
resources; recreation and public access;
and impacts to the Old Spanish
National Historic Trail.
A Notice of Availability (NOA) to
prepare RMP Amendment and Draft EIS
for the proposed Gemini Solar Project
was published in the Federal Register
on June 7, 2019 (84 FR 26701) The BLM
held two public meetings. The public
comment period closed September 5,
2019. The BLM received 114 substantive
letters containing 1,147 individual
substantive comments during the 90-day
public comment period. The comments
focused on range of alternatives; Mojave
Desert Tortoise; bighorn sheep and
migratory birds; threecorner milkvetch,
other sensitive plants and native
vegetation communities; Old Spanish
National Historic Trail; change to Visual
Resource Management Class; impacts to
recreation; drainage impacts and
hydrologic changes, erosion, and dust;
and tribal concern. Comments on the
Draft RMP Amendment and EIS were
considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the Proposed RMP
Amendment and Final EIS. Public
comments did not result in the addition
of substantive revisions to the Draft
RMP Amendment and EIS that were
published in June of 2019. Responses to
all comments are located in Appendix L
of the Final EIS.
The BLM has utilized and
coordinated the NEPA scoping and
comment process to help fulfill the
public involvement requirements under
the National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided
in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3.) The information
about historic and cultural resources
within the area potentially affected by
the proposed project has assisted the
BLM in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources in the context
of both NEPA and the NHPA.
The BLM has consulted and will
continue to consult with Indian tribes
on a government-to-government basis in
accordance with Executive Order 13175
and other policies. Tribal concerns,
including impacts to Indian trust assets
and potential impacts to cultural
resources have been analyzed in the
Final EIS.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
protest, be advised that your entire
protest—including your personal
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
27DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 248 / Friday, December 27, 2019 / Notices
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your protest to
withhold from public review your
personal identifying information, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
The BLM Director will make every
attempt to promptly render a decision
on each protest. The decision will be in
writing and will be sent to the
protesting party by certified mail, return
receipt requested. The decision of the
BLM Director shall be the final decision
of the Department of the Interior on
each protest. Responses to protest issues
will be compiled and formalized in a
Director’s Protest Resolution Report
made available following issuance of the
decisions.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR
1506.10.
Jon K. Raby,
Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019–27904 Filed 12–26–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLAZC03000.L51050000.EA0000.
LVRCA19SA090; AZ–SRP–030–15–01]
Notice of Temporary Closure and
Temporary Restrictions of Selected
Public Lands in La Paz County, AZ
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of temporary closure and
restrictions.
AGENCY:
As authorized under the
provisions of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, notice is hereby given that
temporary closures and temporary
restrictions of activities will be in effect
on public lands administered by the
Lake Havasu Field Office, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) to minimize
the risk of potential collisions with
spectators and racers during the annual
Best In The Desert (BITD) off-highway
vehicle (OHV) race events, Parker 250
and Parker 425, authorized under a
Special Recreation Permit (SRP).
DATES: This notice is effective upon
publication. The temporary restrictions
for the Parker 250 take effect at noon,
January 9, 2020, through 2 a.m. January
12, 2020. The temporary closure for the
Parker 250 takes effect at 5 a.m. January
11, 2020, through 2 a.m. January 12,
2020. The temporary restrictions for the
Parker 425 take effect at noon January
22, 2020, through 11:59 p.m. January 25,
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:44 Dec 26, 2019
Jkt 250001
2020. The temporary closure for the
Parker 425 takes effect at 5 a.m. January
24, 2020, through 11:59 p.m. January 25,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jason West, Field Manager, BLM Lake
Havasu Field Office, 1785 Kiowa
Avenue, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
86403, 928–505–1200. Also see the Lake
Havasu Field Office website: https://
www.blm.gov/office/lake-havasu-fieldoffice. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for hearing
impaired (TDD) may call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS) at 800–877–8339 to
contact the above individual during
normal business hours. FRS is available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave
a message or question. You will receive
a reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
January 6, 2015, the Decision Record
authorizing the BITD Parker Races SRP
was signed. This permit authorizes the
BITD to utilize the Parker 400 course for
the Parker 250 race event on January 11
through 12, 2020, and for the Parker 425
race event on January 24 through 25,
2020. The permit is authorized from
2015 through 2024. The Environmental
Assessment analyzing these routes (EA
#DOI–BLM–AZ–C030–2014–0040)
concluded that allowing permitted
motorized racers exclusive use of the
Lake Havasu Field Office Record of
Decision/Approved Resource
Management Plan (2007) designated
Parker 400 course would mitigate safety
concerns. These routes receive the most
intense and concentrated high-speed
use during the two annual permitted
events.
These temporary closures and
restrictions affect public lands in and
around the Parker 400 course near the
communities of Parker and Bouse in La
Paz County, Arizona. The temporary
restriction area begins on public lands
east of the eastern boundary of the
Colorado River Indian Tribe (CRIT)
Reservation, along Shea Road, then east
into Osborne Wash onto the ParkerSwansea Road to the Central Arizona
Project (CAP) Canal, then north on the
west side of the CAP Canal, crossing the
canal on the county-maintained road,
running northeast into Mineral Wash
Canyon, then southeast on the countymaintained road, through the fourcorners intersection to the Midway (Pit)
intersection, then east on Transmission
Pass Road, through State Trust Land
located in Butler Valley, turning north
into Cunningham Wash to North Tank;
continuing south to Transmission Pass
Road and east (reentering public land)
within two miles of Alamo Dam Road.
The temporary restriction area boundary
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71457
turns south and west onto the wooden
power line road, onto the State Trust
Land in Butler Valley, turning
southwest into Cunningham Wash to
the Graham Well, intersecting Butler
Valley Road, then north and west on the
county-maintained road to the ‘‘Bouse
Y’’ intersection, two miles north of
Bouse, Arizona. The temporary
restriction area boundary proceeds
north, paralleling the Bouse-Swansea
Road to the Midway (Pit) intersection,
then west along the north boundary
(power line) road of the East Cactus
Plain Wilderness Area to ParkerSwansea Road. The temporary
restriction area boundary turns west
into Osborne Wash crossing the CAP
Canal, along the north boundary of the
Cactus Plain Wilderness Study Area; it
continues west staying in Osborne Wash
and crossing Shea Road along the
southern boundary of Gibraltar
Wilderness, rejoining Osborne Wash at
the CRIT Reservation boundary. The
closure area follows the Parker 400
course as designated in the 2007 Lake
Havasu Resource Management Plan.
The temporary closures and
restrictions are necessary because of the
high speed nature of the race event and
the added safety concerns due to the
limited visibility when there is no
daylight. Roads leading into the public
lands under the temporary closure and
restrictions will be posted with copies
of the temporary closure, temporary
restrictions, and associated maps to
notify the public. The temporary closure
and restriction orders will be posted in
the Lake Havasu Field Office and online
at https://www.blm.gov/office/lakehavasu-field-office. Maps of the affected
area and other documents associated
with this temporary closure are
available at the Lake Havasu Field
Office, 1785 Kiowa Avenue, Lake
Havasu City, Arizona.
The closures and restrictions are
issued under the authority of 43 CFR
8364.1 which allows the BLM to
establish closures for the protection of
persons, property, and public lands and
resources. Violation of any of the terms,
conditions, or restrictions contained
within this closure order may subject
the violator to citation or arrest with a
penalty or fine or imprisonment or both
as specified by law.
Temporary Closure and Restrictions
and Existing Regulations
1. Environmental Resource Management
and Protection
a. No person may deface, disturb,
remove, or destroy any natural object.
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 248 (Friday, December 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71455-71457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27904]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVS01000.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWF1906190.19X; N-84631; MO#4500141706]
Notice of Availability for the Proposed Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Gemini Solar
Project in Clark County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
[[Page 71456]]
Land Management (BLM) Las Vegas Field Office has prepared a Proposed
Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Gemini Solar Project and by this notice is
announcing the opening of the protest period.
DATES: This notice initiates the protest period for proposed plan
amendment. In accordance with CFR 1610.5-2 protests may be submitted in
writing until January 27, 2020. Any person who participated in the
planning process and has an interest which is or may be adversely
affected by the approval or amendment of a RMP may protest such
approval or amendment. A protest may raise only those issues which were
submitted for the record during the planning process. The protest shall
be in writing and shall be filed with the Director. The protest shall
contain: (i) The name, mailing address, telephone number and interest
of the person filing the protest; (ii) A statement of the issue or
issues being protested; (iii) A statement of the part or parts of the
plan or amendment being protested; (iv) A copy of all documents
addressing the issue or issues that were submitted during the planning
process by the protesting party, or an indication of the date the issue
or issues were discussed for the record; and (v) A concise statement
explaining why the State Director's decision is believed to be wrong.
The BLM will issue a Record of Decision approximately 90 days after the
protest period opens which will be announced in a Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: Director (210), Attn: Protest Coordinator, P.O. Box
71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383
Overnight Delivery: Director (210), Attn: Protest Coordinator, 20 M
Street SE, Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003
Electronic protests will not be accepted as valid protests unless
the protesting party also provides the original letter by either
regular mail or overnight delivery postmarked by the close of the
protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the
electronic protest as an advance copy and will afford it full
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance
notification, you can submit your protest through the project's
ePlanning page at https://go.usa.gov/xntTQ.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Pay, Acting Energy &
Infrastructure Project Manager, telephone 702-515-5284; address 4701
North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301; 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: The applicant, Solar Partners XI, LLC
(Arevia) has proposed to construct, operate, maintain and decommission
a 690 megawatt photovoltaic solar electric generating facility and
associated generation tie-line and access road facilities on
approximately 7,100 acres of federal lands administered by the BLM. The
proposed solar facility would be located approximately 33 miles
northeast of Las Vegas and directly south of the Moapa River Indian
Reservation in Clark County, Nevada. The expected life of the project
is 30 years.
The Final EIS analyzed the direct, indirect and cumulative
environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives. The
Final EIS analyzed the Proposed Action, the Hybrid (BLM Preferred), All
Mowing and the No Action Alternatives. All of the alternatives involve
development on approximately 7,100 acres of land; however, each action/
alternative differs in how the facility is constructed. The Proposed
Action would involve solar development utilizing traditional
development methods, which include disk and roll that removes all
vegetation in the solar array areas. The Hybrid (BLM Preferred)
Alternative would involve solar development utilizing a combination of
traditional development methods in solar array areas (on approximately
2,500 acres) and mowing that leaves vegetation and natural land
contours in place on the remaining solar array areas (on approximately
4,600 acres). The All Mowing Alternative would involve development of
the facility utilizing only mowing in solar array areas. Where mowing
is utilized in each alternative, desert tortoise would be reintroduced
into the solar array areas after completion of construction, since
habitat would remain. The No Action Alternative would be a continuation
of existing conditions.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS for the proposed Gemini
Solar Project was published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2018
(83 FR 32681). The public scoping period closed August 27, 2018. The
BLM held two public scoping meetings. The BLM received 34 public
scoping comment letters during the 45-day scoping period. The scoping
comments focused on biological resources (desert tortoise and
threecorner milkvetch); visual resources; recreation and public access;
and impacts to the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.
A Notice of Availability (NOA) to prepare RMP Amendment and Draft
EIS for the proposed Gemini Solar Project was published in the Federal
Register on June 7, 2019 (84 FR 26701) The BLM held two public
meetings. The public comment period closed September 5, 2019. The BLM
received 114 substantive letters containing 1,147 individual
substantive comments during the 90-day public comment period. The
comments focused on range of alternatives; Mojave Desert Tortoise;
bighorn sheep and migratory birds; threecorner milkvetch, other
sensitive plants and native vegetation communities; Old Spanish
National Historic Trail; change to Visual Resource Management Class;
impacts to recreation; drainage impacts and hydrologic changes,
erosion, and dust; and tribal concern. Comments on the Draft RMP
Amendment and EIS were considered and incorporated as appropriate into
the Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS. Public comments did not
result in the addition of substantive revisions to the Draft RMP
Amendment and EIS that were published in June of 2019. Responses to all
comments are located in Appendix L of the Final EIS.
The BLM has utilized and coordinated the NEPA scoping and comment
process to help fulfill the public involvement requirements under the
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108) as
provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3.) The information about historic and
cultural resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed
project has assisted the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to
such resources in the context of both NEPA and the NHPA.
The BLM has consulted and will continue to consult with Indian
tribes on a government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts to
Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources have
been analyzed in the Final EIS.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your protest, be advised that
your entire protest--including your personal
[[Page 71457]]
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your protest to withhold from public review
your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will
be able to do so.
The BLM Director will make every attempt to promptly render a
decision on each protest. The decision will be in writing and will be
sent to the protesting party by certified mail, return receipt
requested. The decision of the BLM Director shall be the final decision
of the Department of the Interior on each protest. Responses to protest
issues will be compiled and formalized in a Director's Protest
Resolution Report made available following issuance of the decisions.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
Jon K. Raby,
Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-27904 Filed 12-26-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
