[Federal Register: April 16, 2010 (Volume 75, Number =
73)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 19990-19991]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap10-104] =20
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVS03000 L51010000.ER0000 LVRWF0900290 241A; 10-08807;=20
MO4500012626; TAS: 14X5017]
=20
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact=20
Statement for the NextLight Renewable Power, LLC, Silver State Solar=20
Project, Primm, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of=20
1969, (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft=20
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Silver State Solar=20
Project, Primm, Nevada, and by this Notice is announcing the opening of=20
the comment period.
DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive=20
written comments on the Silver State Solar Project Draft EIS within 45=20
days
[[Page 19991]]
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its=20
Notice of Availability of this Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The=20
BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public=20
involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public=20
notices, local news media, and the BLM Web site at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR=
.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html=
.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/lea=
ving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.=
gov/nv/st/en/prog/energy/fast-track_renewable.html.
E-mail: nextlight_primm_nv_sep@blm=
.gov.
Mail: Gregory Helseth, Renewable Energy Project Manager,=20
BLM Pahrump Field Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas,=20
Nevada 89130-2301.
Copies of the Draft EIS for the Silver State Solar Project are=20
available in the Southern Nevada District Office at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Helseth, phone: 702-515-5173,=20
e-mail: Gregory_Helseth@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextLight Renewable Power, LLC applied to=20
the BLM for a right-of-way on public lands to construct a solar=20
photovoltaic (PV) plant facility approximately two miles southeast of=20
Primm, Clark County, Nevada. The facility is expected to operate for=20
approximately 50 years. The proposed project would produce 400=20
megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.
The solar field and infrastructure would consist of single-axis=20
tracker systems or fixed panels, an underground and overhead electrical=20
power collection system, two step-up transformers, 230 kilovolt (kV)=20
and 220 kV transmission lines, an operation and maintenance area, a=20
switchyard, paved access and maintenance roads, flood and drainage=20
controls, and a fire break.
The Draft EIS describes and analyzes site-specific impacts of the=20
proposed project on air quality; biological, cultural, water, soil,=20
visual, paleontological, and geological resources; recreation; land=20
use; noise; public health; socioeconomics; and traffic and=20
transportation. The Draft EIS also addresses hazardous materials=20
handling, waste management, worker safety, fire protection, facility=20
design engineering, efficiency, reliability, transmission system=20
engineering, transmission line safety, and nuisance.
The EIS analyzes three alternatives, including the no action=20
alternative (Alternative 1) and two action alternatives. Alternative=20
2--the proposed action--would disturb up to 2,996 acres of land and=20
would include the use of berms to reduce erosion. Alternative 3 would=20
disturb up to 3,669 acres of land and would employ an alternate=20
drainage and flood control design to control erosion. Both action=20
alternatives would use solar PV technology, although the specific types=20
of arrays and trackers have not been determined at this time. The Draft=20
EIS describes the different types of solar arrays and trackers and=20
their respective impacts.
Formal scoping for the project occurred from June 30, 2009 to July=20
31, 2009 (74 FR 31306). On September 17, 2009, the reopening of the=20
comment period published with a new closing date of October 19, 2009=20
(74 FR 47820). A total of 33 comments were submitted during the scoping=20
period. The comments identified concerns in a broad range of=20
categories: surface water/storm runoff; off-highway vehicle access for=20
recreation; federally-listed species and their habitat, including=20
desert tortoise habitat and rare plants; alternatives for analysis.
Maps of the proposed project area and the alternatives being=20
analyzed in the Draft EIS are available at the BLM Southern Nevada=20
District Office.
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; therefore,=20
personal identifying information such as addresses, phone numbers, and=20
e-mail address, may be withheld.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.
Robert B. Ross, Jr.,
Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2010-8627 Filed 4-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P