[Federal Register: April 19, 2010 (Volume 75, Number =
74)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 20377-20378]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ap10-56] =20
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLAZP02000-10-L51010000.FX0000.LVRWA09A2400; AZA 034187]
=20
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact=20
Statement for the Proposed Sonoran Solar Energy Project, Maricopa=20
County, AZ
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of=20
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has=20
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed=20
Sonoran Solar Energy Project (SSEP) and by this notice is announcing=20
the opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive=20
written comments on the SSEP Draft EIS within 45 days following the=20
date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of=20
Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future=20
meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities at=20
least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or=20
mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Proposed Sonoran=20
Solar Energy Project by any of the following methods:
E-mail: sonoransolar@blm.gov; or
Mail: BLM Phoenix District Office, Lower Sonoran Field=20
Office, Sonoran Solar Energy Project, Attention: Joe Incardine,=20
National Project Manager, 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona=20
85027.
Copies of the Proposed Sonoran Solar Energy Project Draft EIS are=20
available in the Lower Sonoran Field Office at the above address.
The document may also be viewed at public libraries in Maricopa=20
County, Arizona:
Buckeye Public Library, 310 N. 6th Street, Buckeye,=20
Arizona 85236.
Gila Bend Public Library, 202 N. Euclid Avenue, Gila Bend,=20
Arizona 85337.
Goodyear Public Library, 250 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear,=20
Arizona 85338.
You may also access the document on the Internet at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leav=
ing.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.g=
ov/az/st/en/prog/energy/solar/sonoran_solar.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Incardine, BLM National Project
[[Page 20378]]
Manager, telephone: 801-524-3833; address: BLM Phoenix District Office,=20
Lower Sonoran Field Office, 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona=20
85027; e-mail: Joe_Incardine@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft EIS was prepared by the BLM in=20
response to Boulevard Associates, LLC's (Boulevard) right-of-way (ROW)=20
application to the BLM. Boulevard is proposing to construct up to a 375=20
megawatt (MW) concentrated solar thermal (CST) power plant and=20
ancillary facilities on approximately 3,688 acres (5.76 square miles)=20
on BLM-administered land. The proposed project area totals=20
approximately 3,702 acres and also includes land owned by the Arizona=20
State Land Department (approximately 5.3 acres) and private land owners=20
(approximately 9.4 acres). The proposed CST project would be sited in=20
the Little Rainbow Valley, east of State Route 85 and south of the=20
Buckeye Hills in Maricopa County, Arizona. The CST project is in the=20
BLM's Lower Gila South Planning Area and would be managed in accordance=20
with the Lower Gila South Resource Management Plan (1988) (RMP), as=20
amended (2005). Related facilities include road construction and=20
improvements, a gas pipeline, electric lines, and a water well field=20
and pipeline. Boulevard's ROW application only applies to BLM-
administered land.
The BLM completed a land use plan conformance analysis of the SSEP=20
and determined that the proposed land use is in conformance with the=20
Lower Gila South RMP, as amended. As part of its review of the=20
Boulevard's ROW application, the BLM will consider the Energy Policy=20
Act of 2005, and Secretarial Orders 3283 Enhancing Renewable Energy=20
Development on the Public Lands and 3285 Renewable Energy Development=20
by the Department of the Interior.
The proposed SSEP would consist of two independent, concentrated=20
solar electric generating facilities with expected outputs of 125 MW=20
and 250 MW. Both facilities would use parabolic trough solar thermal=20
technology to produce electrical power using steam turbine generators=20
fed from solar steam generators. The generators would connect to a new=20
SSEP 500-kilovolt onsite switchyard. Electricity from the new=20
switchyard would be transmitted through a generation tie-line to=20
connect to the existing Jojoba Substation. The proposed SSEP would use=20
a wet-cooling tower for power plant cooling with up to 3,003 acre-feet=20
per year of water being supplied from an onsite groundwater well field.=20
Three natural gas co-firing boilers would be constructed to augment=20
solar heating when less than optimal solar conditions existed (night=20
time, cloud cover, etc.), and would provide up to 25 percent of annual=20
total electric production. The boilers would be supplied with natural=20
gas via a new 5-mile, 8-inch pipeline. A thermal energy storage (TES)=20
system may also be installed to supplement electrical output during=20
reduced solar activity or to extend electrical output into the evening=20
hours. The TES would use molten salt as its energy storage medium.
The proposed SSEP would include a number of related facilities and=20
infrastructure, including power blocks and solar trough arrays (2,300=20
acres), evaporation ponds, access roads, administration buildings and=20
other support facilities, a land treatment unit, drainage collection=20
and discharge facilities, and open areas totaling 1,400 acres for a=20
total footprint of about 3,700 acres.
As required under NEPA, the EIS also analyzes a no action=20
alternative which would preclude development of the SSEP in any=20
configuration and maintain existing land uses in the project area. The=20
three action alternatives include: (1) The proposed action (as=20
described above); (2) Alternative A: Reduced Water Use (using a dry-
cooling technology); and (3) Alternative B: Reduced Footprint (a 250 MW=20
wet-cooled facility occupying 2,320 acres). Alternatives A and B were=20
developed in response to issues raised during the scoping process. A=20
Brine Concentrator Option is also analyzed as a component of the=20
proposed action and Alternative B.
The BLM's purpose and need for the Sonoran Solar Energy Project is=20
to respond to Boulevard's application for a ROW grant to construct,=20
operate, and decommission a solar thermal facility on public lands in=20
compliance with Title V of the Federal Land Policy Management Act (43=20
U.S.C. 1761), the BLM's ROW regulations, and other applicable Federal=20
laws. Upon completion and consideration of the Final EIS, the BLM will=20
decide whether to approve, approve with modification, or deny issuance=20
of a ROW grant to Boulevard for the proposed Sonoran Solar Energy=20
Project. If approved, the solar facility would be authorized by the BLM=20
for a period of 30 years.
The Draft EIS analyzes the anticipated effects of the proposed SSEP=20
and alternatives on air quality, noise, geology and minerals, soils,=20
surface and ground water resources, vegetation and special-status=20
species, wildlife and special-status species, cultural resources,=20
paleontology (fossils), land use and access, livestock grazing,=20
recreation, wilderness characteristics, visual resources, social and=20
economic conditions, special designation areas, transportation and=20
traffic, hazardous materials and hazardous and solid waste. The Draft=20
EIS also includes a discussion of the issue of climate change as it=20
relates to the proposed action.
Three agencies are serving as cooperating agencies in the=20
preparation of the Draft EIS because of their jurisdictional=20
responsibilities and/or special expertise: the Arizona Game and Fish=20
Department, the City of Goodyear, and the Town of Buckeye.
A Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the Proposed Sonoran Solar=20
Energy Project, Maricopa County, Arizona, was published in the Federal=20
Register on July 8, 2009 (74 FR 32641). The BLM held three public=20
scoping meetings in Phoenix, Buckeye, and Gila Bend, Arizona, on August=20
4, 5, and 6, 2009, respectively. The formal 30-day public scoping=20
period ended September 8, 2009.
All timely comments on the Draft EIS will be considered in the=20
preparation of the Final EIS, currently scheduled for release in the=20
fall of 2010. Please include the commenter's name and street address.=20
All substantive comments and information submitted will be summarized=20
and addressed in the Final EIS.
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
James G. Kenna,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-8909 Filed 4-16-10; 8:45 am]
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