Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Jove Solar Project, La Paz County, AZ, 75064-75065 [2022-26589]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75064-75065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26589]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZ920000.L51010000.FX0000.LVRWA20A3450]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Jove Solar Project, La Paz 
County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent and segregation.

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SUMMARY: In compliance 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) Yuma 
Field Office, Yuma, Arizona, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of the Jove Solar Project (Jove 
Solar), an up to 600-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) project and 
battery storage system proposed on 3,495 acres of BLM-administered land 
in La Paz County, Arizona, and by this notice is announcing the 
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and 
identify issues. The BLM also announces the segregation of the 3,495 
acres of public lands from appropriation under the public land laws, 
including the Mining Law, but not the Mineral Leasing or Materials 
Acts, for a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this 
notice, subject to valid existing rights. This segregation will 
facilitate the orderly administration of the public lands while the BLM 
considers potential solar development on the described parcel.

DATES: This notice initiates the public-scoping process for the EIS. 
The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope 
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant 
information, and studies by January 6, 2023. To afford the BLM the 
opportunity to consider comments in the Draft EIS, please ensure your 
comments are received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period 
or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. The BLM 
will hold one virtual, and one in-person scoping meeting, 2 to 3 weeks 
after publication of this notice. Meeting details will be posted on the 
project website at least 15 days prior to the meetings. The segregation 
for the public lands identified in this notice takes effect on December 
7, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to Jove Solar by any of the 
following methods:
     Website: https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 928-317-3250.
     Mail: BLM Yuma Field Office, Attention: Jove Solar 
Project, 7341 East 30th Street, Yuma, AZ 85365.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at the 
project ePlanning website: https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR and at the Yuma 
Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Stewart, Project Manager, 
telephone: (928) 317-3295; email: [email protected]; or at the Yuma 
Field Office. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, 
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services for contacting 
Ms. Stewart. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    The BLM's purpose and need for action is to respond to the 
Applicant's application under Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C 1761(a)(4)) 
for a right-of-way (ROW) grant for Jove Solar.

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

    The Proposed Action is to construct, operate, maintain, and 
decommission a solar PV facility and battery storage system on 3,495 
acres of BLM-administered land in La Paz County, Arizona. The Jove 
Solar proposal includes PV modules, battery energy storage facilities, 
substations, electrical collector and connection lines, switch yards, 
monitoring and maintenance facilities, access roads, and temporary use 
areas. The Project may have a generating capacity of up to 600 megawatt 
alternating current (MWac) net capacity. The Project would connect into 
the authorized Ten West Link 500-kilovolt transmission line.
    The Project is considering alternative PV module designs that would 
trade longer rows with a shorter height of single panel modules for 
shorter rows of taller dual panel modules.
    The EIS will also evaluate the No Action Alternative. Under the No 
Action Alternative, the BLM would deny the application and the lands 
would remain open to multiple use and sustained yield as provided for 
in the Yuma Field Office Resource Management Plan (BLM 2008). The BLM 
welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as 
suggestions for additional alternatives.

Summary of Expected Impacts

    Anticipated impacts on BLM-managed lands include approximately 
3,495 acres of ground disturbance for the solar facility, battery 
storage systems, transmission lines, project buildings, construction 
laydown areas, and access roads. Impacts may include reduction in 
authorized grazing; vegetation removal; recreation, access, and land 
use changes; wildlife and migratory bird impacts including habitat loss 
and potential direct mortalities during construction; visual impacts 
including glint and glare and an increase in nighttime brightness; 
potential impacts to cultural resources and Native American concerns; 
socioeconomic impacts--both positive and adverse. Known resources to be 
addressed in the analysis include, but are not limited to: air quality, 
visual resources, environmental justice, social and economic values, 
land uses, Native American religious concerns, recreation, range, 
cultural, wildlife, migratory birds, threatened, endangered and 
sensitive species, soils, invasive species, and paleontology. The 
impact analysis will also consider the cumulative impacts to natural 
and cultural resources from reasonably foreseeable projects in the 
area.

Anticipated Permits and Authorizations

    In addition to the requested ROW grant, other Federal, State, and 
local authorizations will be required for Jove Solar. These may include 
authorizations determined through consultation under the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1536), Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 
1251), and other laws and regulations determined to be applicable to 
Jove Solar.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

    The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation consistent with the NEPA process, including a 45-day 
comment period on

[[Page 75065]]

the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public 
review in Summer 2023, the Final EIS is anticipated to be released in 
early 2024, with a Record of Decision expected in Spring 2024.

Public Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping period. The BLM will 
hold one virtual and one in-person scoping meeting. The meeting dates, 
times, location, and information on how to attend will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance on the project ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR. Project information and documents will also be posted 
on that website. Persons needing assistance (assistive technology, 
translators, or other assistance) should contact Project Manager Erica 
Stewart at the address provided above.

Segregation

    Regulations found at 43 CFR 2804.25(f) allow the BLM to segregate 
public lands for potential rights-of-way for solar energy development 
from the operation of the public land laws, including the Mining Law, 
by publication of a Federal Register notice. The BLM uses this 
authority to preserve its ability to approve, approve with 
modifications, or deny proposed rights-of-way, and to facilitate the 
orderly administration of the public lands. This segregation is subject 
to valid existing rights, including 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 a BLM authorized officer during the 
segregation period. As provided in the regulations, the segregation of 
lands in this notice will not exceed 2 years from the date of 
publication unless extended for up to an additional 2 years through 
publication of a new notice in the Federal Register. The segregation 
period will terminate and the land will automatically reopen to 
appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining law at 
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 right-of-way; without further administrative 
action at the end of the segregation provided for in the Federal 
Register notice initiating the segregation; or upon publication of a 
Federal Register notice terminating the segregation. Upon termination 
of the segregation of these lands, all lands subject to this 
segregation would automatically reopen to appropriation under the 
public land laws, including the mining law.
    Legal Description for Parcel: The subject lands for the proposed 
solar facility are legally described as follows--

Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona

T. 2 N., R. 12 W.,
    Secs. 3 thru 6, partly unsurveyed.
T. 2 N., R. 13 W.,
    Secs. 1 and 2, partly unsurveyed.
T. 3 N., R. 12 W.,
    Sec. 32.
T. 3 N., R. 13 W.,
    Sec. 34, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35;
Sec. 36, N\1/2\, SW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The BLM Yuma Field Office is the lead agency for this EIS. The 
following agencies have been invited to participate in the 
environmental analysis of the Project as Cooperating Agencies under a 
Memorandum of Understanding to Improve Public Land Renewable Energy 
Project Permit Coordination: United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Bureau of Reclamation, United States Department of Defense, United 
States Department of Energy, and United States Environmental Protection 
Agency. Various State and local agencies, including Arizona Game and 
Fish Department, Arizona State Land Department, and La Paz County, AZ 
have been invited to participate in the environmental analysis due to 
their special expertise on resources and issues to be analyzed.

Responsible Official

    The Authorized Officer and Decision Maker for the project is the 
BLM Yuma Field Office Manager.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    In accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield 
mandates, the BLM will decide whether to approve, approve with 
modification(s), or deny issuance of a ROW grant to the Applicant for 
the proposed Project.

Additional Information

    The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address 
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed 
action and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with 
40 CFR 1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already 
included in the proposed action or alternatives. Mitigation may include 
avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over 
time, and compensation; and may be considered at multiple scales, 
including the landscape scale.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA process to help 
support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 
CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public involvement requirements of Section 
106. The information about historic and cultural resources and 
threatened and endangered species within the area potentially affected 
by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating 
impacts to such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM MS 1780, 
and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on 
Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will 
be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along 
with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed project that the BLM is 
evaluating, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if 
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the 
development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency. The 
BLM intends to hold a series of government-to-government consultation 
meetings. The BLM will send invitations to potentially affected Tribal 
Nations prior to the meetings. The BLM will provide additional 
opportunities for government-to-government consultation during the NEPA 
process.
    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 1501.7).

Raymond Suazo,
Arizona State Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-26589 Filed 12-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P