Department of the Navy May 5, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section (102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the Department of the Navy NEPA regulation (32 CFR part 775), the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for a proposed geothermal development program, which would include potential development and utilization of geothermal resources located beneath approximately 3,110 acres of Navy lands at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, California in the Superstition Mountain area in western Imperial County, California (the ``Project Area''). The Project Area incorporates a very small portion of the Target 101 Shade Tree area which is located 8 miles northwest of NAF El Centro. The geothermal development program would potentially include field exploration, field development, resource utilization, and field closure. The study will encompass a 2,830-acre parcel of adjacent Department of Interior; Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managed land as necessary to support the proposed Navy action. The BLM will be a cooperating agency in preparing this PEIS. Development of geothermal resources beneath Navy lands in the Project Area would be accomplished by means of a public-private venture capital arrangement between the Navy and an energy developer. Geothermal development will occur after completion of additional site-specific environmental analysis under NEPA. The Navy will hold public scoping meetings for the purpose of further identifying the scope of issues to be addressed in the PEIS. Federal, State, and local agencies and the public that may be interested in or affected by the Navy's decision for the proposed action are invited to participate in the scoping process for the PEIS. Comments are being solicited to help identify significant issues or concerns related to the proposed action, determine the scope of issues to be addressed in the PEIS, and identify and refine alternatives to the proposed action.