[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 230 (Thursday, December 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29602]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 1, 1994]


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Part II





Department of the Interior





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Bureau of Indian Affairs



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Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nordic Power Plant; 
Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Nordic Power Plant and Associated Facilities Located on the Fort Mojave 
Indian Reservation, Mohave County, Arizona Which Will Serve the Fort 
Mojave Indian Reservation Within Mohave County, Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, in cooperation with the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, intends to 
gather information necessary for preparing an EIS for the proposal of a 
long-term lease for the construction and operation of a two-phase 
natural gas fired co-generation power plant and ancillary facilities on 
the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation located within Mohave County, 
Arizona.

DATES: Comments should be received by January 3, 1995. Public Scoping 
Meetings will be held on Monday, December 19, 1994 at 7:30 P.M. (MST), 
Fort Mojave Tribal Headquarters, 500 Merriman, Needles, CA; Tuesday, 
December 20, 1994 at 7:00 P.M. (MST), Mojave Valley High School, at the 
intersection of Hancock Boulevard and AZ State Route Highway 95, 
Bullhead City, Arizona.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Walter Mills, Area 
Director, Phoenix Area Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. Box 10, 
Phoenix, Arizona 85001, or Mr. Allen Anspach, Superintendent, Colorado 
River Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Route 1, Box 9-C, Parker, 
Arizona 85344. Public Scoping Meetings will be held on Monday, December 
19, 1994 at 7:30 P.M. (MST), Fort Mojave Tribal Headquarters, 500 
Merriman, Needles, CA; Tuesday, December 20, 1994 at 7:00 P.M. (MST), 
Mojave Valley High School, at the intersection of Hancock Boulevard and 
AZ State Route 95, Bullhead City, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy L. Heuslein, Area 
Environmental Protection Officer, Phoenix Area Office, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Environmental Quality Services, P.O. Box 10, Phoenix, Arizona 
85001, Telephone 602/379-6750 or Telefax 602/379-3833; or Ms. Goldie 
Stroup, Realty Officer, Colorado River Agency, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Route 1, Box 9-C, Parker, Arizona 85344, Telephone 602/669-
7141.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), 
Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the Fort Mojave Indian 
Tribe, will prepare an EIS to address the environmental impacts of a 
proposed ground lease encompassing approximately 320 acres for a term 
of 25 years with a renewal option of 25 years; Nordic Power plans to 
develop, construct and operate a 460 megawatt natural gas fired, two-
phase co-generation power plant and all other ancillary facilities. 
These include but are not limited to pipelines, transmission lines, 
structures necessary for the production, transmission and sale of 
electric power and necessary infrastructure such as roads, utilities, 
and easements. The proposed power plant will consist of two-combined 
cycle units consisting of gas turbines coupled to steam turbines 
driving individual 240 megawatt generators. Heat from the gas turbines 
will be used to create the steam for the steam turbines which are then 
reused as co-generator steam for the steam host(s). Auxiliary power use 
in the production and operation cycle will result in a net turbine 
power production of approximately 230 megawatts. A power grid 
interconnection is proposed at the Arizona Power Company (APCO) 
substation approximately two miles southwest of the plant, at 
Vanderslice Road and AZ Highway 95 in Mohave County, Arizona. The 
actual corridor is undetermined at this time, but will stay on tribal 
land if possible. Connection of power distribution from the substation 
will be the responsibility of APCO and Western Area Power 
Administration.
    This plant will service tribal entities and other locations within 
Clark County, Nevada and San Bernadino County, California. The plant 
may also provide services to San Diego, Orange, and San Bernadino 
Counties in California, and non-tribal locations in Mohave County, 
Arizona. The proposed plant's total production is rated at 460 
megawatts. A description of the proposed project, location and 
environmental considerations to be addressed in the EIS are provided 
below.
    The project may be developed as a ``qualifying facility'' as 
defined by federal law. This business entity may provide ice, cold 
storage, or other water based production services, such as a commercial 
laundry facility or greenhouse; these entities would be negotiated 
separately between the tribe and Nordic Power. The proposed plant may 
use wells, water supply reservoirs, and water storage facilities to 
meet the commercial and fire protection needs of the leased land. The 
proposed plant will have the right to extract water from the leased 
land which shall constitute a maximum of 7500 acre feet per year of 
consumptive water rights of the Fort Mojave Tribe's Colorado River 
allocation. Water discharge is unknown at this time; but, it is 
designed to be a ``zero discharge'' facility.
    The proposed facility or facilities will be located on the Fort 
Mojave Indian Reservation within the East Half of Section 8, Township 
17 North, Range 21 West, Mohave County, Arizona. Alternative locations 
are being assessed in the EIS process.
    We estimate the draft EIS will be made available to the public 
within six to twelve months after the end of the comment period. The 
purpose of the notice is to obtain suggestions and information from 
other agencies and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in 
the EIS. Significant issues to be covered during the scoping process 
will include but not be limited to biotic resources, archeological, 
cultural and historic sites, socioeconomic conditions, land use, air, 
visual, resource use patterns, water quality and quantity conditions. 
Comments and participation in this scoping process are requested and 
encouraged.
    This notice is published pursuant to Sec. 1503.1 of the Council of 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508) 
implementing the procedural requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et. seq.), and 
Department of the Interior Manual (DM) (516, 1-6) and 209 DM 8).

    Dated: November 23, 1994.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-29602 Filed 11-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P