[Federal Register: September 11, 2009 (Volume 74, Number = 175)] [Notices] =20 [Page 46787-46788] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr11se09-69] =20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNVC0100000.L91310000.EJ0000.LXSIGEOT0000; MO4500008734; NVN 087795;=20 09-08807; TAS: 14X5575] =20 Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for=20 the Salt Wells Energy Projects, Churchill County, NE AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Stillwater Field Office,=20 Carson City, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact=20 Statement (EIS) for the Salt Wells Energy Projects proposed by Sierra=20 Pacific Power Company (Sierra), Ormat Technologies, Inc. (Ormat), and=20 Vulcan Power Company (Vulcan) that are located in Churchill County,=20 Nevada. Three separate projects are proposed that could result in seven=20 30-60 megawatt (MW) geothermal power plants with 47 associated wells,=20 pipelines and other facilities near Fallon, Nevada, and a 22-mile,=20 fifty-foot-wide Right-of-Way (ROW) for a new transmission line with=20 substations to support the existing and new Fallon geothermal power=20 plants. The study area encompassed by the three projects together=20 covers approximately 537 total acres. This notice announces the=20 beginning of the scoping process and solicits input on the=20 identification of issues. DATES: The public scoping period will close November 10, 2009. Any=20 public meetings associated with the public scoping will be announced=20 through the local news media and the BLM Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?fro= m=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en= /fo/carson_city_field.html at least 15 days prior to each event.=20 Additional formal opportunities for public participation in the EIS=20 process will be provided through comment upon publication of the draft=20 document. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by any of the following=20 methods:Mail: BLM Stillwater Field Office, Attn: Salt Wells Energy=20 Projects, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701. Fax: (775) 885-6147. E-mail: saltwells_eis@blm.gov. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Carson City=20 District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Desna Young (775) 885-6078; or e-mail=20 saltwells_eis@blm.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Stillwater Field Office received=20 separate proposed geothermal utilization plans and applications for=20 facilities construction permits from Ormat and Vulcan, and an electric=20 transmission right-of-way (ROW) application from Sierra, for proposed=20 energy projects covering a combined area of approximately 537 acres in=20 the Salt Wells area about 15 miles east of Fallon, Nevada. Vulcan=20 proposes the development of up to six geothermal power plants and=20 facilities. Ormat proposes the development of one geothermal power=20 plant and associated facilities. Sierra proposes 22 miles of above- ground electrical transmission lines, electrical substations, and=20 switching facilities. The BLM determined that because of similar=20 timing, geographic area, and type of action, the BLM will analyze the=20 three proposals in one EIS. The BLM will issue a separate record of=20 decision at the end of the process for each proposed project. The BLM=20 will use information from this scoping process with the utilization=20 plans and ROW proposals to facilitate public involvement and to=20 identify the alternatives to be studied. All lands within the project=20 area are already under lease. The proposed facilities would be sited on=20 a combination of private property and public land managed by the BLM=20 and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). Several proposed well sites=20 are located on Federal geothermal leases in the Carson Lake and Pasture=20 area, currently open to leasing and managed by the BOR, although these=20 lands have been proposed to be transferred to the Nevada State=20 Department of Wildlife. These activities are consistent with the=20 applicable 2001 Carson City Consolidated Resource Management Plan as=20 amended by the 2008 Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan=20 Amendments for Geothermal Resource Leasing in the Western United=20 States. The Fallon Naval Air Station is adjacent to the leased areas in=20 Salt Wells. The Navy has concerns both related to its own geothermal=20 resource program and also related to preserving its airspace for=20 training, and community encroachment issues. The Ormat project proposal=20 includes the construction and operation of a 40 MW binary air-cooled=20 geothermal power plant, 20 geothermal production and injections wells,=20 pipelines, a substation, connection lines to the proposed Sierra=20 transmission line, and access roads on approximately 90 acres of land.=20 BLM has already completed a July 2008 Environmental Assessment in the=20 Ormat Carson Lake Geothermal Exploration Project EA (EA-NV-030-07-006)=20 and has approved 11 of the wells estimated to be necessary for Ormat's=20 project. The Vulcan project proposal is to construct up to six 30-60 MW=20 binary or double-flash geothermal power plants and associated=20 facilities on approximately 160 acres of land, which could require an=20 estimated 27 geothermal production and injection wells. Each site=20 includes production and injection wells, pipelines, a substation,=20 connection lines to the proposed Sierra transmission line, and access=20 roads. Twenty of these wells have already been approved via two=20 Environmental Assessments for ten [[Page 46788]] wells each in the Salt Wells Geothermal Drilling EA, EA-NV-030-07-05 of=20 February 2007, and in the Salt Wells Geothermal Drilling Program EA,=20 DOI-BLM-NV-C010-2009-0006-EA of April 2009. The Sierra fifty-foot-wide=20 ROW proposal covers approximately 287 acres and includes construction=20 of a new substation, 22 miles of single-circuit 230 kV transmission=20 line, four 230 kV switching stations, and two 60 kV transmission lines=20 connecting the proposed new substation to the existing Fallon=20 substation. The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts=20 of the three proposed projects, alternatives, and a no action=20 alternative. The EIS will also identify specific mitigation. The EIS=20 will address issues brought forth through scoping and will be evaluated=20 by an interdisciplinary team of specialists. This EIS is also intended=20 to cover the impacts of operation of the plants and facilities, and=20 thus should be able to support issuance of the site license required=20 under 43 CFR subpart 3273 as well as remaining drilling approvals under=20 43 CFR subpart 3261, and the utilization plans and facility=20 construction permits under 43 CFR subpart 3272. Key issues likely to be=20 considered in analyzing each proposal and alternatives include: Water=20 resources (including surface and ground water quality, floodplains,=20 wetlands and riparian areas); geology and minerals; air quality; soils;=20 vegetation; wildlife and wildlife habitat (especially related to=20 migratory shorebirds utilizing Carson Lake to the west of the project=20 area); special-status species; range resources; land use and access;=20 recreation; aesthetics (noise and visual; especially in areas of high=20 cultural sensitivity such as the Grimes Point Archeological Site to the=20 north and the Pony Express Trail to the south of the project area);=20 social and economic values; cultural resources; Native American=20 religious concerns (consultation with the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe=20 has been ongoing to avoid cultural sites that have been identified by=20 the tribe); hazardous materials; and noxious weeds. Native American=20 tribal consultations will be conducted in accordance with policy.=20 Evaluation of cumulative impacts will take into consideration the=20 recently-constructed Enel North America geothermal power plant adjacent=20 to the project area to the south. Federal, state, and local agencies and other entities that may be=20 affected by the decisions to be made on the proposed projects are=20 invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may=20 request, or be requested by the BLM, to participate as a cooperating=20 agency. Written comments may be provided to the BLM at public scoping=20 meetings or may be submitted to the BLM using one of the methods listed=20 in the ADDRESSES section. Before including your address, phone number,=20 e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your=20 comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your=20 personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any=20 time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal=20 identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we=20 will be able to do so. (Authority: 43 CFR 3200 and 43 CFR 2800). Teresa J. Knutson, Manager, Stillwater Field Office, BLM Carson City District. [FR Doc. E9-21925 Filed 9-10-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P