Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment for Borderlands Wind Project in Catron County, New Mexico, 49676-49677 [2020-17431]
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49676
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 158 / Friday, August 14, 2020 / Notices
The authority for this action is the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Faith M. Bremner,
Senior Regulatory Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2020–17794 Filed 8–13–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNMA02000.L51010000.ER0000.19X
LVRWG19G1360; NMNM 136976]
Notice of Availability of the Record of
Decision for the Final Environmental
Impact Statement and Proposed Land
Use Plan Amendment for Borderlands
Wind Project in Catron County, New
Mexico
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 (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Record of Decision (ROD) to
authorize a right-of-way (ROW) and
amend the 2010 Socorro Field Office
Resource Management Plan (RMP) for
the Borderlands Wind Project (Project)
and by this notice, is announcing the
availability of the ROD.
DATES: The Assistant Secretary of the
Department of the Interior signed the
ROD on August 3, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are
available for public inspection at the
Socorro Field Office, Bureau of Land
Management, 901 S Hwy. 85, Socorro,
New Mexico 87801 or, via the internet
at the project’s ePlanning page at
https://www.blm.gov/programs/
planning-and-nepa/plans-indevelopment/new-mexico/proposedborderlands-wind-project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Virginia Alguire, BLM Socorro Field
Office, 901 S Hwy. 85, Socorro, New
Mexico 87801; phone (575) 838–1290,
or email to valguire@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 Ms. Alguire
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.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:29 Aug 13, 2020
Jkt 250001
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Borderlands Wind, LLC submitted an
application to the BLM requesting
authorization to construct, operate,
maintain, and terminate an up-to-100
megawatt commercial wind energy
generation facility—Borderlands Wind
Project (NMNM136976), in Catron
County, New Mexico, within a
boundary that encompasses land
managed by the BLM, the New Mexico
State Land Office (NMSLO), and private
landowners. The project would be
located south of U.S. Route 60 in Catron
County near Quemado, New Mexico,
and the Arizona-New Mexico border.
Authorization of this proposal requires
amendments to the 2010 Socorro Field
Office RMP to modify the visual
resource management class in the
project area and to modify a ROW
avoidance area.
The Final EIS analyzed the direct,
indirect and cumulative environmental
impacts of the Proposed Action,
Alternative 1 (optimize the proposed
wind facility components in order to
minimize potential environmental
impacts), Alternative 2 (change in the
turbine generation types), and the No
Action Alternative. Alternatives 1 and 2
would be constructed and operating and
maintained with the same project area.
The Proposed Action and Alternative 1
would construct 40 turbines. However,
because of the difference in the types of
turbines, Alternative 2, the BLM
Preferred Alternative would only
construct 36 turbines instead of 40
turbines within the same area as
Alternative 1. The No Action
Alternative would be a continuation of
existing conditions.
On May 27, 2020, the U.S. Treasury
Department and the Internal Revenue
Service issued Notice 2020–41,
providing an extension of the timeframe
to claim tax credits for the development
of renewable energy projects, which
includes wind generating facilities. On
June 22, 2020, the Proponent informed
the BLM it must use GE 2.3 MW
turbines instead of the GE 2.5 MW
turbines for the Project to obtain the full
tax incentive. As a result of these new
circumstances, Alternative 2A is a
modified version of Alternative 2 to
include the construction of 30 GE 3.0
MW and 4 GE 2.3 MW turbines instead
of the 4 GE 2.5 MW turbines.
Alternative 2A would not result in
significant effects outside the range of
effects already analyzed in the EIS
because use of the 4 GE 2.3 MW
turbines was already evaluated in both
the Proposed Action and Alternative 1.
The difference in potential impacts
between Alternative 2 and Alternative
2A would not be discernable because
PO 00000
Frm 00061
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the turbine generator model
characteristics are technically similar
with the exception of one physical
aspect, which is the hub height on the
GE 2.3 MW is 33 feet shorter than the
GE 2.5 MW turbine model. The
difference between the GE 2.3 MW and
GE 2.5 MW turbine models are shown
on Table 2–1 of the Final EIS. The
environmental consequences of using
the GE 2.3 MW turbines were discussed
as part of the Proposed Action and
Alternative 1. There are no other
modifications or changes in the
construction, maintenance, operation, or
decommissioning activities associated
with the modified Alternative 2 (known
as Alternative 2A). The difference in
potential impacts between the
Alternative 2 and Alternative 2A are not
substantial when taking two of the key
resources into consideration—risks to
eagles and visual resource impacts with
the 33 feet hub height reduction for four
turbines. Therefore, supplementation is
not necessary because Alternative 2A is
within the range of alternatives
evaluated in the EIS and will not
significantly alter the impacts from
Alternative 2 as analyzed.
A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS
for the proposed Project was published
in the Federal Register on November 9,
2018 (83 FR 56097). The public scoping
period closed on December 10, 2018.
The BLM held one public scoping
meeting on November 14, 2018. The
BLM received 51 public scoping
comments during the 45-day scoping
period. The scoping comments focused
on wildlife; visual and cultural
resources; light pollution, human
health, local economic benefits; and
property values.
A Notice of Availability (NOA) to
publish the Draft EIS and RMP
Amendment for the proposed Project
was published in the Federal Register
on August 9, 2019 (84 FR 39366). The
BLM held one public comment meeting.
The public comment period closed
November 7, 2019. The BLM received
39 letters/comment forms/emails and
247 individual comments during the 90day public comment period. The
comments focused on effects to
sensitive wildlife species specifically
avian and bats, change to Visual
Resource Management Class as a result
of the impacts to visual resources and
change to the existing rural landscape
character; groundwater level changes
during construction, lack of benefit to
the local area, and decreased property
value concerns. Comments on the Draft
EIS and RMP Amendment EIS were
considered and incorporated, as
appropriate, into the Final EIS and
Proposed RMP Amendment. Public
E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM
14AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 158 / Friday, August 14, 2020 / Notices
comments did not result in the addition
of substantive revisions to the Draft EIS
and RMP Amendment that was
published in August 2019. Responses to
all comments are in Appendix H of the
Final EIS.
On April 10, 2020, an NOA of the
Final EIS and Proposed RMP
Amendment for the Project published in
the Federal Register (84 FR 71455),
which initiated a 30-day public protest
period and a 60-day Governor’s
consistency review. The BLM received
six (6) protest letters; the BLM
considered each protest letter in its
decision. The Protest Resolution Report
was completed on July 21, 2020 and is
available for public inspection at the
addresses listed above. On May 14,
2020, the BLM received a written
response from the Governor’s office
with no inconsistencies identified. After
environmental analysis, consideration
of public comments, and application of
pertinent Federal laws, it is the decision
of the Department of the Interior to
authorize the Project in Catron County,
New Mexico, and amend the 2010
Socorro Field Office RMP by selecting
Alternative 2A, which was a
modification of the agency’s Preferred
Alternative. Approval of these decisions
constitutes the final decision of the
Department of the Interior and, in
accordance with the regulations at 43
CFR 4.410(a)(3), is not subject to appeal
under Departmental regulations at 43
CFR part 4. Any challenge to these
decisions, including the BLM
Authorized Officer’s issuance of the
right-of-way as approved by this
decision, must be brought to the Federal
district court.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
Timothy R. Spisak,
New Mexico State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020–17431 Filed 8–13–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[20X.LLAK930100 L510100000.ER0000]
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Notice of Availability of the Willow
Master Development Plan Final
Environmental Impact Statement,
Alaska
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared a
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:29 Aug 13, 2020
Jkt 250001
Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Willow Master
Development Plan, and by this notice is
announcing its publication.
DATES: The BLM will issue a Record of
Decision for the project no earlier than
30 days from the date of the Final EIS
Notice of Availability published by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
ADDRESSES: To access the Final EIS or
to request an electronic or paper copy,
please reach out to:
• Website: https://www.blm.gov/
alaska/WillowEIS.
• Email: rajones@blm.gov.
• Mail: Willow FEIS Comments, BLM
Alaska State Office, 222 W 7th Ave. #13,
Anchorage AK 99513.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Racheal Jones, Willow EIS Project
Manager, telephone: 907–290–0307;
address: 222 West 7th Avenue, #13,
Anchorage, Alaska 99513. 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
Willow Master Development Plan Final
EIS analyzes an oil and gas development
project proposed by ConocoPhillips
Alaska, Inc. on federal oil and gas leases
it holds in the northeast region of the
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
(NPR–A), as well as alternatives to the
proposed project and measures to avoid
and mitigate impacts to surface
resources and other uses including
subsistence use. The BLM has identified
Alternative B and Module Delivery
Option 3 as its preferred alternative. If
the Willow Master Development Plan is
approved, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.
may submit applications to build up to
five drill sites, a central processing
facility, an operations center pad, gravel
roads, ice roads and ice pads, 1 or 2
airstrips (varies by alternative), a
freshwater reservoir, an ice bridge
across the Colville River to transfer
facility modules into the NPR–A,
pipelines, and a gravel mine site. The
project would have a peak production in
excess of 160,000 barrels of oil per day
(with a processing capacity of 200,000
barrels of oil per day) over its
approximately 30-year life, producing
up to approximately 590 million total
barrels of oil. The project would help
offset declines in production from the
North Slope oil fields and contribute to
the local, state, and national economies.
PO 00000
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49677
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6(b).
Chad B. Padgett,
State Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2020–17722 Filed 8–13–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JA–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NRNHL–DTS#–30714;
PPWOCRADI0, PCU00RP14.R50000]
National Register of Historic Places;
Notification of Pending Nominations
and Related Actions
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The National Park Service is
soliciting electronic comments on the
significance of properties nominated
before August 1, 2020, for listing or
related actions in the National Register
of Historic Places.
DATES: Comments should be submitted
electronically by August 31, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Comments are encouraged
to be submitted electronically to
National_Register_Submissions@
nps.gov with the subject line ‘‘Public
Comment on <property or proposed
district name, (County) State>.’’ If you
have no access to email you may send
them via U.S. Postal Service and all
other carriers to the National Register of
Historic Places, National Park Service,
1849 C Street NW, MS 7228,
Washington, DC 20240.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
properties listed in this notice are being
considered for listing or related actions
in the National Register of Historic
Places. Nominations for their
consideration were received by the
National Park Service before August 1,
2020. Pursuant to Section 60.13 of 36
CFR part 60, comments are being
accepted concerning the significance of
the nominated properties under the
National Register criteria for evaluation.
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.
Nominations submitted by State or
Tribal Historic Preservation Officers:
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM
14AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 158 (Friday, August 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49676-49677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17431]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNMA02000.L51010000.ER0000.19X LVRWG19G1360; NMNM 136976]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final
Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment for
Borderlands Wind Project in Catron County, New Mexico
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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Record of Decision (ROD) to authorize a right-of-way (ROW)
and amend the 2010 Socorro Field Office Resource Management Plan (RMP)
for the Borderlands Wind Project (Project) and by this notice, is
announcing the availability of the ROD.
DATES: The Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior signed
the ROD on August 3, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available for public inspection at the
Socorro Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 901 S Hwy. 85,
Socorro, New Mexico 87801 or, via the internet at the project's
ePlanning page at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/new-mexico/proposed-borderlands-wind-project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Virginia Alguire, BLM Socorro Field
Office, 901 S Hwy. 85, Socorro, New Mexico 87801; phone (575) 838-1290,
or email to [email protected]. 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 Ms. Alguire 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: Borderlands Wind, LLC submitted an
application to the BLM requesting authorization to construct, operate,
maintain, and terminate an up-to-100 megawatt commercial wind energy
generation facility--Borderlands Wind Project (NMNM136976), in Catron
County, New Mexico, within a boundary that encompasses land managed by
the BLM, the New Mexico State Land Office (NMSLO), and private
landowners. The project would be located south of U.S. Route 60 in
Catron County near Quemado, New Mexico, and the Arizona-New Mexico
border. Authorization of this proposal requires amendments to the 2010
Socorro Field Office RMP to modify the visual resource management class
in the project area and to modify a ROW avoidance area.
The Final EIS analyzed the direct, indirect and cumulative
environmental impacts of the Proposed Action, Alternative 1 (optimize
the proposed wind facility components in order to minimize potential
environmental impacts), Alternative 2 (change in the turbine generation
types), and the No Action Alternative. Alternatives 1 and 2 would be
constructed and operating and maintained with the same project area.
The Proposed Action and Alternative 1 would construct 40 turbines.
However, because of the difference in the types of turbines,
Alternative 2, the BLM Preferred Alternative would only construct 36
turbines instead of 40 turbines within the same area as Alternative 1.
The No Action Alternative would be a continuation of existing
conditions.
On May 27, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal
Revenue Service issued Notice 2020-41, providing an extension of the
timeframe to claim tax credits for the development of renewable energy
projects, which includes wind generating facilities. On June 22, 2020,
the Proponent informed the BLM it must use GE 2.3 MW turbines instead
of the GE 2.5 MW turbines for the Project to obtain the full tax
incentive. As a result of these new circumstances, Alternative 2A is a
modified version of Alternative 2 to include the construction of 30 GE
3.0 MW and 4 GE 2.3 MW turbines instead of the 4 GE 2.5 MW turbines.
Alternative 2A would not result in significant effects outside the
range of effects already analyzed in the EIS because use of the 4 GE
2.3 MW turbines was already evaluated in both the Proposed Action and
Alternative 1. The difference in potential impacts between Alternative
2 and Alternative 2A would not be discernable because the turbine
generator model characteristics are technically similar with the
exception of one physical aspect, which is the hub height on the GE 2.3
MW is 33 feet shorter than the GE 2.5 MW turbine model. The difference
between the GE 2.3 MW and GE 2.5 MW turbine models are shown on Table
2-1 of the Final EIS. The environmental consequences of using the GE
2.3 MW turbines were discussed as part of the Proposed Action and
Alternative 1. There are no other modifications or changes in the
construction, maintenance, operation, or decommissioning activities
associated with the modified Alternative 2 (known as Alternative 2A).
The difference in potential impacts between the Alternative 2 and
Alternative 2A are not substantial when taking two of the key resources
into consideration--risks to eagles and visual resource impacts with
the 33 feet hub height reduction for four turbines. Therefore,
supplementation is not necessary because Alternative 2A is within the
range of alternatives evaluated in the EIS and will not significantly
alter the impacts from Alternative 2 as analyzed.
A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the proposed Project was
published in the Federal Register on November 9, 2018 (83 FR 56097).
The public scoping period closed on December 10, 2018. The BLM held one
public scoping meeting on November 14, 2018. The BLM received 51 public
scoping comments during the 45-day scoping period. The scoping comments
focused on wildlife; visual and cultural resources; light pollution,
human health, local economic benefits; and property values.
A Notice of Availability (NOA) to publish the Draft EIS and RMP
Amendment for the proposed Project was published in the Federal
Register on August 9, 2019 (84 FR 39366). The BLM held one public
comment meeting. The public comment period closed November 7, 2019. The
BLM received 39 letters/comment forms/emails and 247 individual
comments during the 90-day public comment period. The comments focused
on effects to sensitive wildlife species specifically avian and bats,
change to Visual Resource Management Class as a result of the impacts
to visual resources and change to the existing rural landscape
character; groundwater level changes during construction, lack of
benefit to the local area, and decreased property value concerns.
Comments on the Draft EIS and RMP Amendment EIS were considered and
incorporated, as appropriate, into the Final EIS and Proposed RMP
Amendment. Public
[[Page 49677]]
comments did not result in the addition of substantive revisions to the
Draft EIS and RMP Amendment that was published in August 2019.
Responses to all comments are in Appendix H of the Final EIS.
On April 10, 2020, an NOA of the Final EIS and Proposed RMP
Amendment for the Project published in the Federal Register (84 FR
71455), which initiated a 30-day public protest period and a 60-day
Governor's consistency review. The BLM received six (6) protest
letters; the BLM considered each protest letter in its decision. The
Protest Resolution Report was completed on July 21, 2020 and is
available for public inspection at the addresses listed above. On May
14, 2020, the BLM received a written response from the Governor's
office with no inconsistencies identified. After environmental
analysis, consideration of public comments, and application of
pertinent Federal laws, it is the decision of the Department of the
Interior to authorize the Project in Catron County, New Mexico, and
amend the 2010 Socorro Field Office RMP by selecting Alternative 2A,
which was a modification of the agency's Preferred Alternative.
Approval of these decisions constitutes the final decision of the
Department of the Interior and, in accordance with the regulations at
43 CFR 4.410(a)(3), is not subject to appeal under Departmental
regulations at 43 CFR part 4. Any challenge to these decisions,
including the BLM Authorized Officer's issuance of the right-of-way as
approved by this decision, must be brought to the Federal district
court.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
Timothy R. Spisak,
New Mexico State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-17431 Filed 8-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
