[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7474-7475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02545]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CACA 048811, LLCAD01500, L51010000.LVRWB13B5340.ER0000]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Right-of-Way Amendment for the Blythe Solar
Power Project, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Palm Springs--
South Coast Field Office, Palm Springs, California, has prepared a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed right-of-
way (ROW) grant amendment for the Blythe Solar Power Project (BSPP),
Riverside County, California, and by this notice is announcing a 45-day
public comment period on the EIS.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft EIS within 45 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings
and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the proposed ROW
[[Page 7475]]
amendment for the BSPP by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/solar_projects/Blythe_Solar_Power_Project.html
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 760-833-7199, Attn: Frank McMenimen.
Mail: Frank McMenimen, Project Manager, BLM Palm Springs--
South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA
92262.
Copies of the Draft EIS are available from the Palm Springs--South
Coast Field Office at the above address and online at the project Web
site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank McMenimen, BLM Project Manager,
telephone 760-833-7150; address 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs,
CA 92262; email [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 the above
individual 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: The project area is located 8 miles west of
Blythe and 3 miles north of Interstate 10 (I-10). The BSPP was
permitted and approved by the BLM as a 1,000-megawatt (MW) solar
thermal generating plant in 2010. NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center,
LLC (Grant Holder) purchased via bankruptcy the (un-built) project
assets of the prior BSPP grant holder in 2012. In connection with that
purchase, on August 22, 2012, the BLM approved the assignment of the
BSPP ROW grant from the prior holder, Palo Verde Solar I, LLC, to the
Grant Holder. The Grant Holder now proposes to modify the Project's
energy generation technology and to reduce the overall size of the
Project within the previously approved BSPP footprint.
Specifically, the Grant Holder is proposing to construct, operate,
maintain, and decommission the BSPP using photovoltaic (PV) technology
with a 485 MW capacity on 4,138 acres of BLM-administered public land.
Anticipating that a PV project would require a smaller footprint than
the approved solar thermal trough project, the Grant Holder
relinquished to the BLM approximately 35 percent of the previously
approved ROW grant on March 7, 2013. In connection with its proposed
modifications to the BSPP, the Grant Holder has submitted a Level 3
variance request seeking an amendment to the existing ROW authorization
to reduce the acreage of the project site and change the generating
technology authorized under the ROW grant from concentrating solar
trough to PV, which reduces the project's capacity from 1,000 to 485
MWs (the Modified Project).
The Draft EIS fully analyzes the Grant Holder's proposal to
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a Modified Project
(Alternative 1), as well as the BLM's denial of the variance request
which would maintain the current ROW grant approvals on the site as
modified by the Grant Holder's voluntary relinquishment (Alternative 2,
No Action). Further, as part of the Draft EIS, Alternatives 1 and 2 are
compared to the Approved Project and the No Project alternatives
analyzed as part of the 2010 Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS for the
previously approved BSPP. The Draft EIS does not supersede or replace
the BLM's Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS or other consideration of
the Approved Project, but rather tiers to that analysis to extent
applicable for analysis of the Modified Project and alternative.
The Draft EIS analyzes the use of PV technology in detail,
including any additional site-specific impacts resulting from the
change in technology and additional or relocated ancillary facilities.
This includes impacts to air quality, biological resources, climate
change, cultural resources, hazards and public health, lands and
realty, mineral resources, noise, paleontological resources, recreation
and special designations, socioeconomics and environmental justice,
soil resources, traffic and travel management, visual resources, water
resources, and wildland fire ecology.
The BLM conducted Native American tribal consultations in
accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act
and Federal policy in connection with the previously approved BSPP,
which resulted in the development of a Programmatic Agreement. During
that process tribes expressed their views and concerns about the
importance and sensitivity of specific cultural resources to which they
attach religious and cultural significance. In connection with its
review of the Modified Project and throughout the implementation of the
PA, the BLM will continue to give tribal concerns due consideration,
including impacts to historic properties to which tribes attach
religious and cultural significance and Indian trust assets. The BLM
will also carry out its responsibilities to consult with tribes on a
government-to-government basis and other members of the public pursuant
to Section 106, Executive Order 13175, other laws and policies, and the
existing PA to the extent applicable to the consideration of the Grant
Holder's proposed amendment to the BSPP ROW grant.
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 comment process and, if
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a
cooperating agency. Please note that public comments and information
submitted including names, street addresses, and email addresses of
persons who submit comments will be available for public review and
disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m.
to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
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 1506.6 & 1506.10.
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-02545 Filed 2-6-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P