[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17668-17669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7413]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[L51010000-FX0000-LVRWA09A2590-LLAZC02000; AZA34666]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Possible Land Use Plan Amendment in
Conjunction With the Proposed Quartzsite Solar Energy Project, La Paz
County, AZ
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Yuma Field
Office, Yuma, Arizona, proposes to amend the Yuma Resource Management
Plan (RMP), in conjunction with the Quartzsite Solar Energy Project
(QSEP), and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping
process to solicit public comments and identify issues associated with
the proposed RMP amendment.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the
proposed amendment. To be fully considered in the planning process,
comments must be submitted in writing by April 29, 2011. The date(s)
and location(s) of all scoping meetings will be announced at least 15
days in advance of the meeting(s) through local media and the following
BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html. The BLM will provide
additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of
the draft planning document.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the plan amendment
proposal by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: 928-317-3250.
Mail: Quartzsite Solar Energy Project, BLM, Yuma Field
Office, Attention: Eddie Arreola, Supervisory Project Manager, 2555
East Gila Ridge Road, Yuma, Arizona 85365.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eddie Arreola, Supervisory Project
Manager, telephone 602-417-9505; e-mail [email protected]; address
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Quartzsite Solar Energy LLC (QSE), a wholly
owned subsidiary of Solar Reserve LLC, has requested a right-of-way
authorization from the BLM to construct, operate, and maintain a 100-
megawatt solar energy generation facility on 1,450 acres using
concentrated solar power tower technology and has also applied for the
approval of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) to
interconnect the facility's electric grid system into WAPA's existing
230 kilovolt transmission line paralleling State Route 95. QSE's
proposed project is approximately 10 miles north of the Town of
Quartzsite and approximately 1 mile to the east of State Route 95.
WAPA, as the lead agency under NEPA for the project, published a Notice
of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the
proposed project in the Federal Register on January 14, 2010 (75 FR
2133). Public scoping meetings on the QSE project EIS were held on
January 26, 2010, in Yuma, Arizona; January 27, 2010, in Parker,
Arizona; and January 28, 2010, in Quartzsite, Arizona. The BLM is a
cooperating agency for this EIS.
Preliminary environmental analysis by the BLM has determined that
QSE's proposed project tower is in non-conformance with the Yuma RMP's
Visual Resources Management (VRM) Class III management objectives.
Authorization of the solar facility may therefore require an amendment
to the Yuma RMP.
By this notice, the BLM is complying with requirements in 43 CFR
1610.2(c) to notify the public of potential amendments to land use
plans, predicated on the findings of the NEPA analysis. The BLM will
coordinate the RMP commenting process to satisfy the public involvement
process under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16
U.S.C. 470(f)), as provided for in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Native American
tribal consultations will be conducted in accordance with policy, and
tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets, will be
given due consideration.
The purpose of this public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis as
it relates to the potential RMP amendment, including alternatives, and
guide the process for developing the relevant NEPA analyses. At
present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues, among
others: Air quality, geologic resources, soils, water resources,
threatened and endangered species, wildlife habitats, cultural and
historical resources, paleontological resources, visual resources, land
use, recreational resources, and public health and safety. Federal,
State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be
interested or affected by the BLM's decision on this project, are
invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may
request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a cooperating
agency for the development of the RMP amendment.
The NEPA document analyzing the RMP amendment will consider the
impacts of the proposed action, alternatives, and the no action
alternative. The BLM, as a cooperating agency for the project EIS, will
work to coordinate the analysis associated with the RMP amendment with
the project EIS. The public is invited to submit comments on the
possible amendment
[[Page 17669]]
of the Yuma RMP to address VRM issues. Previously submitted comments,
issues and concerns related to QSE's proposed solar facility do not
need to be resubmitted. Public comments will aid the BLM in identifying
planning alternatives and mitigating measures and will help assure all
relevant issues associated with the proposed RMP amendment are
considered in the NEPA document for the RMP. This document may be the
on-going project EIS or a stand-alone NEPA document, as appropriate.
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 at
the above address 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 public at any time. While you may request that
your personal identifying information be withheld from public review,
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to withhold such information.
Authority: 43 CFR 1610.2; 43 CFR 2800; 40 CFR 1501.7.
Raymond Suazo,
Arizona Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-7413 Filed 3-29-11; 8:45 am]
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