[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 230 (Thursday, December 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29602]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 1, 1994]
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Part II
Department of the Interior
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Bureau of Indian Affairs
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Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nordic Power Plant;
Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Nordic Power Plant and Associated Facilities Located on the Fort Mojave
Indian Reservation, Mohave County, Arizona Which Will Serve the Fort
Mojave Indian Reservation Within Mohave County, Arizona
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meetings.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, in cooperation with the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, intends to
gather information necessary for preparing an EIS for the proposal of a
long-term lease for the construction and operation of a two-phase
natural gas fired co-generation power plant and ancillary facilities on
the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation located within Mohave County,
Arizona.
DATES: Comments should be received by January 3, 1995. Public Scoping
Meetings will be held on Monday, December 19, 1994 at 7:30 P.M. (MST),
Fort Mojave Tribal Headquarters, 500 Merriman, Needles, CA; Tuesday,
December 20, 1994 at 7:00 P.M. (MST), Mojave Valley High School, at the
intersection of Hancock Boulevard and AZ State Route Highway 95,
Bullhead City, Arizona.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Walter Mills, Area
Director, Phoenix Area Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. Box 10,
Phoenix, Arizona 85001, or Mr. Allen Anspach, Superintendent, Colorado
River Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Route 1, Box 9-C, Parker,
Arizona 85344. Public Scoping Meetings will be held on Monday, December
19, 1994 at 7:30 P.M. (MST), Fort Mojave Tribal Headquarters, 500
Merriman, Needles, CA; Tuesday, December 20, 1994 at 7:00 P.M. (MST),
Mojave Valley High School, at the intersection of Hancock Boulevard and
AZ State Route 95, Bullhead City, Arizona.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy L. Heuslein, Area
Environmental Protection Officer, Phoenix Area Office, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Environmental Quality Services, P.O. Box 10, Phoenix, Arizona
85001, Telephone 602/379-6750 or Telefax 602/379-3833; or Ms. Goldie
Stroup, Realty Officer, Colorado River Agency, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Route 1, Box 9-C, Parker, Arizona 85344, Telephone 602/669-
7141.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),
Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the Fort Mojave Indian
Tribe, will prepare an EIS to address the environmental impacts of a
proposed ground lease encompassing approximately 320 acres for a term
of 25 years with a renewal option of 25 years; Nordic Power plans to
develop, construct and operate a 460 megawatt natural gas fired, two-
phase co-generation power plant and all other ancillary facilities.
These include but are not limited to pipelines, transmission lines,
structures necessary for the production, transmission and sale of
electric power and necessary infrastructure such as roads, utilities,
and easements. The proposed power plant will consist of two-combined
cycle units consisting of gas turbines coupled to steam turbines
driving individual 240 megawatt generators. Heat from the gas turbines
will be used to create the steam for the steam turbines which are then
reused as co-generator steam for the steam host(s). Auxiliary power use
in the production and operation cycle will result in a net turbine
power production of approximately 230 megawatts. A power grid
interconnection is proposed at the Arizona Power Company (APCO)
substation approximately two miles southwest of the plant, at
Vanderslice Road and AZ Highway 95 in Mohave County, Arizona. The
actual corridor is undetermined at this time, but will stay on tribal
land if possible. Connection of power distribution from the substation
will be the responsibility of APCO and Western Area Power
Administration.
This plant will service tribal entities and other locations within
Clark County, Nevada and San Bernadino County, California. The plant
may also provide services to San Diego, Orange, and San Bernadino
Counties in California, and non-tribal locations in Mohave County,
Arizona. The proposed plant's total production is rated at 460
megawatts. A description of the proposed project, location and
environmental considerations to be addressed in the EIS are provided
below.
The project may be developed as a ``qualifying facility'' as
defined by federal law. This business entity may provide ice, cold
storage, or other water based production services, such as a commercial
laundry facility or greenhouse; these entities would be negotiated
separately between the tribe and Nordic Power. The proposed plant may
use wells, water supply reservoirs, and water storage facilities to
meet the commercial and fire protection needs of the leased land. The
proposed plant will have the right to extract water from the leased
land which shall constitute a maximum of 7500 acre feet per year of
consumptive water rights of the Fort Mojave Tribe's Colorado River
allocation. Water discharge is unknown at this time; but, it is
designed to be a ``zero discharge'' facility.
The proposed facility or facilities will be located on the Fort
Mojave Indian Reservation within the East Half of Section 8, Township
17 North, Range 21 West, Mohave County, Arizona. Alternative locations
are being assessed in the EIS process.
We estimate the draft EIS will be made available to the public
within six to twelve months after the end of the comment period. The
purpose of the notice is to obtain suggestions and information from
other agencies and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in
the EIS. Significant issues to be covered during the scoping process
will include but not be limited to biotic resources, archeological,
cultural and historic sites, socioeconomic conditions, land use, air,
visual, resource use patterns, water quality and quantity conditions.
Comments and participation in this scoping process are requested and
encouraged.
This notice is published pursuant to Sec. 1503.1 of the Council of
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508)
implementing the procedural requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et. seq.), and
Department of the Interior Manual (DM) (516, 1-6) and 209 DM 8).
Dated: November 23, 1994.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-29602 Filed 11-30-94; 8:45 am]
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