[Federal Register: June 8, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 108)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 27176-27178]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jn09-83] =20
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CACA 49539, CACA 49537, LLCAD08000, L51030000]
=20
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Staff Assessment and Land Use Plan Amendment for the SES Solar One=20
Project, San Bernardino County, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of=20
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the California Environmental Quality Act=20
(CEQA), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management=20
(BLM), together with the California Energy Commission, (hereinafter=20
jointly referred to as the Agencies) intend to prepare an Environmental=20
Impact Statement/Staff Assessment (EIS/SA), and a Proposed Land Use=20
Plan Amendment for the Stirling Energy Systems (SES) Solar One Project=20
(Project), a Stirling engine systems solar dish project in San=20
Bernardino County, California. SES is seeking approval to construct and=20
operate an electrical generating facility with a nominal capacity of=20
850 megawatts (MW), using concentrated solar thermal power.=20
Approximately 8,230 acres of BLM administered public land are needed to=20
develop the Project. SES has submitted an application to the BLM=20
requesting a right-of-way (ROW) to construct the Project and related=20
facilities. Pursuant to BLM's California Desert Conservation Area=20
(CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended), sites associated with power generation=20
or transmission not identified in the CDCA Plan will be considered=20
through the plan amendment process.
Under Federal law, BLM is responsible for processing requests for=20
rights-of-way to authorize solar projects and associated transmission=20
lines and other appurtenant facilities on the land it manages. BLM must=20
comply with the requirements of NEPA to ensure that environmental=20
impacts associated with construction, operation, and decommissioning=20
will be identified, analyzed and considered in the application process.=20
This will be accomplished through preparation of Draft and Final=20
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) in coordination with the Energy=20
Commission.
Under California law, the Energy Commission is responsible for=20
reviewing the Application for Certification (AFC) filed for thermal=20
power plants over 50 MW, and also has the role of lead agency for the=20
environmental review of such projects under the CEQA (Pub. Res. Code,=20
sections 21000 et seq., 25500 et seq.) The Energy Commission conducts=20
this review in accordance with the administrative adjudication=20
provisions of California's Administrative Procedure Act (Government=20
Code section 11400 et seq.) and its own regulations governing site=20
certification proceedings (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 20, section 1701 et=20
seq.), which have been deemed CEQA equivalent by the Secretary of=20
Resources. SES Solar One, LLC, has submitted an AFC to the Energy=20
Commission. The AFC facilitates analysis and review by staff prior to=20
an Energy Commission decision on the proposed project.
DATES: Publication of this notice initiates a public scoping period of=20
at least 30 days. During the formal public scoping period, the Agencies=20
will solicit public comments on issues, concerns, potential impacts,=20
alternatives, and mitigation measures that should be considered in the=20
analysis of the proposed action. In addition, the Agencies expect to=20
hold one BLM public scoping meeting/Energy Commission information=20
hearing during the formal scoping period to encourage public input. The=20
public scoping meeting will be held in Barstow, California on June 22,=20
2009 with further details to be announced through the local news media,=20
newspapers, mailings, the BLM Web page [http:/=
/frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&l=
og=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow]=20
and the Energy Commission Web page [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dlea=
vingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcas=
es/solarone/] at least 15 days prior to the event. While you=20
may have the opportunity to make oral comments at the June 22nd BLM=20
public scoping meeting, written comments are strongly encouraged to be=20
submitted. In order to be included in the Draft EIS/Preliminary Staff=20
Assessment (DEIS/PSA), all comments must be received prior to the close=20
of the formal scoping period which will be July 7, 2009. Additional=20
opportunities for public participation and formal comment occur when=20
the DEIS/PSA is issued. BLM will also utilize and coordinate the NEPA=20
commenting process to satisfy the public involvement process for=20
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C.
[[Page 27177]]
470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).
ADDRESSES:=20
California Energy Commission: Christopher Meyer, Project=20
Manager, Siting, Transmission and Environmental Protection Division,=20
California Energy Commission, 1516 Ninth Street, MS-15, Sacramento, CA=20
95814 [cmeyer@energy.state.ca.us].=
Bureau of Land Management: Jim Stobaugh, P.O. Box 12000,=20
Reno, NV 89520 or by phone, (775) 861-6478, or email [Jim_
Stobaugh@blm.gov].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:=20
Jim Stobaugh, BLM project manager, at (775) 861-6478. See also=20
ADDRESSES, above.
Christopher Meyer, Energy Commission project manager, at (916) 653-
1639. See also ADDRESSES.
Information on participating in the Commission's review of the=20
project may be obtained through the Commission's Public Adviser's=20
Office, at (916) 654-4489 or toll free in California, (800) 822-6228,=20
or by email: [publicadviser@energy.sta=
te.ca.us]
News media inquiries should be directed to the Commission's media=20
office at (916) 654-4989, or via email at=20
[mediaoffice@energy.state.c=
a.us].
Status of the proposed project, copies of notices, an electronic=20
version of the AFC, and other relevant documents are also available on=20
the Commission's Internet Web site at [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dleav=
ingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcase=
s/solarone]. You can also subscribe to receive email=20
notification of all notices at [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.htm=
l&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.energy.ca.gov/listservers].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Stirling Energy Systems (SES) formed limited=20
liability corporations (LLC) for three applications to develop solar=20
energy facilities in three adjacent areas along Interstate 40 between=20
Newberry Springs and Hector, CA. Two of these adjacent applicants, SES=20
Solar Three, LLC and SES Solar Six, LLC, have applied to BLM for=20
rights-of-way (ROW) on public lands to construct a concentrated solar=20
thermal power plant facility (Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the proposed Solar=20
One project). The eastern portion of the proposed Solar One Project=20
Area was subsequently withdrawn from application because it was located=20
within the Pisgah Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The reduction=20
of this land from the Solar One project area and the recognition of the=20
value of development of the project adjacent to existing transmission=20
lines first, resulted in SES combining the Solar Three LLC and Solar=20
Six LLC application areas under one project area to meet its overall=20
goal of an 850 MW solar facility at this site. For purposes of the=20
filings, Solar Three, LLC and Solar Six, LLC are considered the=20
``Applicant.'' The name of the proposed project is the Solar One=20
Project.
The proposed Solar One Project would be constructed on an=20
approximate 8,230-acre site located in San Bernardino County,=20
California. The project site is approximately 37 miles east of Barstow,=20
17 miles east of Newberry Springs, 57 miles northeast of Victorville,=20
and approximately 115 miles east of Los Angeles. The proposed SES Solar=20
One Project would be a nominal 850-megawatt (MW) Stirling engine=20
project, with construction planned to begin in late 2010 if the project=20
is approved by the Energy Commission and rights-of way grants are=20
issued by the BLM. Although construction would take approximately 40=20
months to complete, renewable power would be available to the grid as=20
each 60-unit group is completed. The primary equipment for the=20
generating facility would include the 25-kilowatt Stirling solar dish=20
systems (referred to as SunCatchers), their associated equipment and=20
systems, and their support infrastructure. Each SunCatcher consists of=20
a solar receiver heat exchanger and a closed-cycle, high-efficiency=20
Solar Stirling Engine specifically designed to convert solar power to=20
rotary power then driving an electrical generator to produce grid-
quality electricity.
The facility would be built in two phases and would be expected to=20
operate for approximately 20 years based on the Purchase Power=20
Agreement signed by SES with Southern California Edison (SCE). The=20
first phase would consist of up to 20,000 SunCatchers configured in 334=20
units, with 1.5 MW solar groups of 60 SunCatchers per unit and have a=20
net nominal generating capacity of 500 MW on 5,838 acres of Federal=20
lands. The second phase would consist of approximately 14,000=20
SunCatchers configured in 233 units with a net generating capacity of=20
350 MW on 2,392 acres of Federal lands. Each SunCatcher system consists=20
of an approximate 38-foot high by 40-foot wide solar concentrator dish=20
that supports an array of curved glass mirror facets designed to=20
automatically track the sun and focus solar energy onto a power=20
conversion unit which generates electricity.
Related structures for the project would include the construction=20
of a new 230-kV substation located approximately in the center of the=20
project site. This new substation would be connected to the existing=20
SCE Pisgah Substation adjacent to the project site via approximately=20
two miles of single-circuit, 230-kV transmission line. Other than this=20
interconnection transmission line that will be constructed by SES, the=20
proposed project would require SCE to expand and upgrade the existing=20
230-kV SCE Pisgah Substation to support the increase in voltage to 500-
kV, loop the Eldorado-Lugo 500-kV line into the SCE Pisgah Substation=20
and demolish 65 miles of the existing Lugo-Pisgah No.2 230-kV=20
transmission and replace it with towers and conductor. In addition,=20
modifications within the SCE Eldorado and Lugo substations will be=20
required.
SCE proposes to construct the new Lugo-Pisgah No.2 500-kV=20
transmission line for 57 of the 67 miles needed for the upgrade from=20
the existing Pisgah substation to the Victorville substation within the=20
existing ROW of the 230-kV transmission line that would be replaced and=20
upgraded.
The last 10 miles of this new Lugo-Pisgah No. 2 500-kV line to the=20
Victorville substation, located south of Victorville would be=20
constructed within a new ROW area.
The EIS/SA will analyze the site-specific impacts on air quality,=20
biological resources, cultural resources, water resources, geological=20
resources and hazards, hazardous materials handling, land use, noise,=20
paleontological resources, public health, socioeconomics, soils,=20
traffic and transportation, visual resources, waste management and=20
worker safety and fire protection, as well as facility design=20
engineering, efficiency, reliability, transmission system engineering=20
and transmission line safety and nuisance. The BLM CDCA Plan of 1980,=20
as amended, while recognizing the potential compatibility of solar=20
generation facilities on public lands, requires that all sites=20
associated with power generation or transmission not identified in the=20
1980 Plan will be considered through the plan amendment process.
The following planning criteria will be utilized during the plan=20
amendment process:
The plan amendment process will be completed in compliance=20
with FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant Federal laws, Executive=20
orders, and management policies of the BLM;
The plan amendment process will include an EIS that will=20
comply with NEPA standards;
Where existing planning decisions are determined to be=20
valid, those decisions will remain unchanged and will be incorporated=20
into any new plan amendment;
[[Page 27178]]
The plan amendment will recognize valid existing rights;
Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted in=20
accordance with policy and Tribal concerns will be given due=20
consideration. The plan amendment process will include the=20
consideration of any impacts on Indian trust assets;
Consultation with the SHPO will be conducted throughout=20
the plan amendment process; and
Consultation with USFWS will be conducted throughout the=20
plan amendment process.
If the ROW and proposed land use plan amendment are approved by=20
BLM, the concentrated solar thermal power plant facility on public=20
lands would be authorized in accordance with Title V of the Federal=20
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the BLM's ROW Regulations at=20
43 CFR part 2800. A certificate designating approval of the Energy=20
Commission must be obtained by SES before it may construct a power=20
plant and/or electric transmission line and related facilities.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing=20
at the public scoping meeting, or you may submit them via e-mail (see=20
ADDRESSES section above). To be most helpful, you should submit=20
comments within 30 days after the public scoping meeting. Before=20
including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal=20
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your=20
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be=20
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your=20
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public=20
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Robert Doyel,
Acting Deputy State Director for Natural Resources, California State=20
Office.
[FR Doc. E9-13320 Filed 6-5-09; 8:45 am]
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