[Federal Register: November 23, 2009 (Volume 74, Number = 224)] [Notices] =20 [Page 61167-61168] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr23no09-80] =20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CACA 048880, LLCAD06000, L51010000, ER0000, LVRWB09B2510] =20 Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/ Staff Assessment for the NextEra Ford Dry Lake Solar Power Plant,=20 Riverside County, CA and Possible Land Use Plan Amendment AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of=20 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act=20 of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Palm Springs- South Coast Field Office, together with the California Energy=20 Commission (CEC), intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement=20 (EIS) and Staff Assessment (SA), which may also include an amendment to=20 the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended),=20 and by this notice are announcing the beginning of the scoping process=20 to solicit public comments and identify issues. DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS/SA=20 and possible plan amendment. Comments on issues may be submitted in=20 writing until December 23, 2009. The date(s) and location(s) of any=20 scoping meetings, information hearings, and site visits will be=20 announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers=20 and the BLM Web site at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dle= avingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/pa= lmsprings.html and the CEC's Web site at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi= ?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://energy.ca.gov/si= tingcases/genesis_solar/index.html. In order to be considered in the = Draft EIS/SA, all comments must be received prior to the close of the=20 scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is=20 later. We will provide additional opportunities for public=20 participation upon publication of the Draft EIS/SA. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria=20 related to the NextEra Ford Dry Lake Solar Power Plant Draft EIS/SA by=20 any of the following methods:Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dle= avingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/pa= lmsprings.html=20 or http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi= ?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://energy.ca.gov/si= tingcases/genesis_solar/index.html. E-mail: CAPSSolarNextEraFPL@blm.gov or=20 mmonasmi@energy.state.ca.us. Fax: (760) 251-4899. Mail or hand delivery: Mike Monasmith, Project Manager=20 Siting, Transmission and Environmental Protection Division, CEC, 1516=20 Ninth Street, MS-15, Sacramento, California 95814 or Allison Shaffer,=20 Project Manager, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, BLM, 1201 Bird=20 Center Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have=20 your name added to our mailing list, contact Allison Shaffer, BLM=20 Project Manager, telephone (760) 833-7100; address 1201 Bird Center=20 Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262; e-mail CAPSSolarNextEraFPL@blm.gov or=20 Mike Monasmith, CEC Project Manager, telephone (916) 653-8236; address=20 1516 9th Street, MS-15, Sacramento, CA 95814; e-mail=20 mmonasmi@energy.state.ca.us. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, NextEra, LLC has requested a=20 right-of-way authorization to develop an 1,800-acre, 250-megawatt (MW)=20 solar generation facility, including a substation, administration=20 facilities, operations and maintenance facilities, evaporation ponds,=20 surface storm water control facilities, and temporary construction lay- down areas. The project is located approximately 25 miles west of the city of=20 Blythe, California, on BLM-managed lands. The project area is south of=20 the Palen/McCoy Wilderness Area and north of Ford Dry [[Page 61168]] Lake and Interstate 10. The project consists of two independent solar=20 electric generating facilities with a combined electrical output of 250=20 MW. Electrical power would be produced using steam turbine generators=20 fed from solar steam generators. The solar steam generators receive=20 heated transfer fluid from arrays of parabolic mirrors that collect=20 energy from the sun. The project would use a wet cooling tower for=20 power plant cooling. Water for cooling tower makeup, process water=20 makeup, and other industrial uses such as mirror washing would be=20 supplied from on-site groundwater wells. Project cooling waste water=20 would be piped to lined, on-site evaporation ponds. If approved,=20 project construction would begin in late 2010. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant=20 issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis,=20 including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS/ SA. The BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: special=20 area designations, air quality, biological resources, recreation,=20 cultural resources, special status species, water resources, geological=20 resources, land use, noise, paleontological resources, public health,=20 socioeconomics, soils, traffic and transportation, visual resources,=20 and other issues. Authorization of this proposal may require amendment of the CDCA=20 Plan. By this notice, the BLM is complying with 43 CFR 1610.2(c) to=20 notify the public of potential amendments to land use plans, predicated=20 on the findings of the EIS. If a land use plan amendment is necessary,=20 the BLM will integrate the land use planning process with the NEPA=20 process for this project. The BLM will use the NEPA commenting process=20 to satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the=20 National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in=20 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be=20 conducted in accordance with BLM policy, and Tribal concerns will be=20 given due consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets.=20 Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes and other=20 stakeholders that may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision=20 on this project, are invited to participate in the scoping process and,=20 if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a=20 cooperating agency. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or=20 other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be=20 aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying=20 information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can=20 ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying=20 information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be=20 able to do so. Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2. Tom Pogacnik, Deputy State Director, Natural Resources, BLM California State Office. [FR Doc. E9-27982 Filed 11-20-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-40-P