[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5198-5199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1831]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVC0100000 L91310000.EJ0000.LXSIGEOT0000 241A;
MO4500018986; NVN 087795; 11-08807; TAS:14X5575]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Salt Wells Energy Projects, Churchill County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with of the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Salt
Wells Energy Projects and by this notice is announcing the opening of
the comment period.
DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Salt Wells Energy Projects Draft EIS within 60
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes
its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will
announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media
releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Salt Wells Energy
Projects by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: 775-885-6147.
Mail or other delivery service: BLM Carson City District,
Stillwater Field Office, Attn: Salt Wells Energy Projects, 5665 Morgan
Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada 89701.
Copies of the Salt Wells Energy Projects Draft EIS are available in the
BLM Carson City District, Stillwater Field Office at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Sievers, (775) 885-6000, or e-
mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Stillwater Field Office received
separate proposed geothermal utilization plans and applications for
facilities construction permits from Vulcan Power Company (Vulcan) and
Ormat Technologies, Inc. (Ormat), and an electric transmission right-
of-way (ROW) application from Sierra Pacific Power Company (SPPC), for
proposed geothermal energy projects covering a combined area of
approximately 24,152 acres in the Salt Wells area about 15 miles east
of Fallon, Nevada. Vulcan proposes the development of as many as four
geothermal power plants and associated facilities. Ormat proposes the
development of one geothermal power plant and associated facilities.
SPPC proposes 22 miles of above-ground electrical transmission lines,
electrical substations, and switching stations. Due to similar timing,
geographic area, and type of action, the BLM is analyzing the proposals
in one EIS. The BLM will issue a separate Record of Decision for each
proposed project.
The proposed facilities would be sited on a combination of private
property and public land; the public land is managed by the BLM and the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation).
The Vulcan project proposal is to construct as many as four 30- to
60-megawatt (MW) binary or dual-flash geothermal power plants and
associated facilities at five possible locations for a total net output
of 120 MW. Each site includes production and injection wells,
pipelines, a substation, interconnection lines to the proposed
substation, and access roads. The Vulcan project could require an
estimated 46 geothermal production and injection wells. Twenty of these
wells have been analyzed in two previous environmental assessments
(EA): Salt Wells Geothermal Drilling EA for Ten Drilling Wells, EA-NV-
030-07-05 (February 6, 2007), and Salt Wells Geothermal Exploratory
Drilling Program EA for Ten Wells, DOI- BLM-NV-C010-2009-0006-EA (April
24, 2009).
The Ormat project proposal includes the construction and operation
of a 40-MW binary combination wet- and air-cooled geothermal power
plant, a substation, a switching station, and an associated
transmission line between the power plant and switching station. These
facilities would be developed on an 80-acre private parcel. While Ormat
has not yet determined the total number of production and injection
wells needed, up to 13 well pads would be constructed in addition to
the 12 well pads previously analyzed in the Carson Lake Geothermal
Exploration Project EA-NV-030-07-006 and DOI-BLM-NV-C010-2010-0012--
Determination of NEPA Adequacy, and authorized by the BLM on July 25,
2008, and July 22, 2010, respectively up to five wells might be drilled
from each pad location. Associated pipelines and roads would also be
permitted and constructed.
The SPPC proposal includes construction of a new substation, 22
miles of single circuit 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, two 230-kV
switching stations, and two 60-kV electric lines.
The BLM's purpose for this EIS is to direct and control the use of
public lands for the orderly development of commercial-scale geothermal
power generation facilities, associated infrastructure, and a
transmission line in a manner that will protect natural resources and
prevent unnecessary or undue degradation to the public lands following
the NEPA regulations [40 CFR 2801.2]. In accordance with 43 CFR part
2800 and 43 CFR part 3200, the BLM needs to process the applications to
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed Salt Wells Energy
Projects. Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA)
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior (through the BLM) to grant
ROWs over, upon, under, or through public lands for the purposes of
generating and transmitting electric energy. These projects are
consistent with the BLM Carson City District Office Consolidated
Resource Management Plan (2001).
In addition to the proposed actions, the BLM is analyzing the
following action alternatives. For the Vulcan project, an alternative
switching station and interconnection 230-kV transmission line is
proposed should SPCC elect not to build its project. For the Ormat
project, the BLM developed an alternative to relocate specific well
sites and a portion of a pipeline to maintain consistency with lease
stipulations and land use plan decisions to protect riparian vegetation
and surface waters within canals. For the SPPC project, two alternative
routes for the proposed 230-kV transmission line and an alternative
examining the construction of an additional fiber optic line to connect
communications from Highway 50 are being considered to minimize impacts
to the nearby Fallon Naval Air Station (NAS) airspace. As required
under NEPA, the Draft EIS analyzes a no-action alternative for each of
the proposed projects.
The BLM took into consideration the provisions of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005, and Secretarial Orders 3283, Enhancing Renewable Energy
Development on the Public Lands, and 3285A1, Renewable Energy
Development by the Department of the Interior, in responding to the
applications.
The Draft EIS analyzes site-specific impacts of the proposed
projects on
[[Page 5199]]
land use authorizations, airspace, and access; air quality; minerals/
geology and soils; farm lands (prime or unique); water quality and
quantity; floodplains, wetlands, and riparian zones; vegetation
(including invasive, nonnative species); wildlife; migratory birds;
BLM-designated sensitive animal and plant species; cultural resources;
Native American religious concerns; paleontological resources; visual
resources; livestock grazing; recreation; special designations
(including areas of critical environmental concern and wilderness);
national scenic and historic trails; noise; public health and safety
and fire management; hazardous or solid wastes; social and economic
values; and environmental justice. Pursuant to Section 201[a] of FLPMA,
the 1979 wilderness characteristic inventory was updated for all lands
that could be impacted by the proposed action and alternatives. No
changes have occurred that would warrant a change of the 1979 finding
that wilderness characteristics were not present in the area.
Therefore, wilderness characteristics are not analyzed in the EIS. A
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the Salt Wells Energy Projects,
Churchill County, Nevada, was published in the Federal Register on
September 11, 2009 (74 FR 46787). The BLM held one public scoping
meeting in Fallon, Nevada, on October 21, 2009. The formal scoping
period ended November 10, 2009. Several issues were raised during
scoping including the proximity to Fallon NAS, the need to monitor
potential impacts to ground and surface water, impacts to wildlife
habitat and wildlife (migratory birds and golden eagles), and effects
of lighting on Dark Sky attributes of the area.
Please note that public comments and information submitted,
including names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses of persons who
submit comments, will be available for public review and disclosure
Bureau of Land Management Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill
Road, Carson City, Nevada during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Teresa J. Knutson,
Manager, Stillwater Field Office, BLM Carson City District.
Authority: 43 CFR part 2800 and 43 CFR part 3200.
[FR Doc. 2011-1831 Filed 1-27-11; 8:45 am]
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