[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 110 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28887-28888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14216]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-920-06-1330-00]
Klamath and Modoc National Forests, CA; Environmental Impact
Statement
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alturas
Resource Area.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for a Plan of Utilization for a proposed geothermal power plant,
ancillary facilities, and transmission line on the Klamath and Modoc
National Forests in Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, California.
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[[Page 28888]]
SUMMARY: Notice is given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Department of
Energy, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and Siskiyou County Air
Pollution Control District (APCD) will jointly prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for a proposed a
49.9 megawatt (MW) (gross) geothermal electric power plant with
associated facilities and operations, and a 24-mile 230-kilovolt (kV)
transmission line. This proposed action (known as the Fourmile Hill
Geothermal Development Project) would be located on the Klamath and
Modoc National Forests in northeastern California. BPA will participate
in the EIS/EIR process as a cooperating agency to analyze potential
effects.
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), and 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the BLM, USFS, BPA, and
Siskiyou County APCD will be directing a third-party contractor in the
preparation of the EIS/EIR on the impacts of the proposed action.
Comments are being requested to help identify significant issues or
concerns related to the proposed action, determine the scope of issues,
identify and refine alternatives to the proposed action.
DATES: Federal, state, and local agencies and the public are invited to
participate in the scoping process for the EIS/EIR. Scoping meetings to
encourage and facilitate public participation will be held in Yreka
(June 25, 1996), Klamath Falls (June 26), and Alturas (June 27). Times
and locations of the scoping meetings will be announced in the local
news media.
ADDRESS FOR COMMENTS: In addition to the public scoping meetings, the
BLM is inviting written comments and suggestions on the proposed action
and the scope of the analysis. Written comments or requests to be added
to the project mailing list should be submitted by July 8, 1996.
Written comments should be addressed to Mr. Randall Sharp, USFS/BLM,
Fourmile Hill Geothermal Development Project EIS/EIR Coordinator, 800
W. 12th Street, Alturas, CA 96101.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact: Mr. Randy Sharp (916) 233-5811.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Calpine Corporation submitted a Plan of
Utilization (POU) to the BLM for constructing, operating, and
maintaining a 49.9 MW (gross), dual flash geothermal power plant, with
associated geothermal production and injection wells, well pads, roads,
interconnected geothermal fluid pipelines, and an accompanying 24-mile
230 kV transmission line. This project, known as the Fourmile Hill
Geothermal Development Project, would be located at the Glass Mountain
Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) on the Klamath and Modoc National
Forests.
The proposed geothermal power plant, well pads, and fluid pipelines
would be located within Federal geothermal leases CA21924, CA21925, and
CA21926, all within the Glass Mountain KGRA. Leases CA21924 and CA21926
are located on the Klamath National Forest, while lease CA21925 is
located on the Modoc National Forest. The proposed power plant site
would be located in Section 28 within a six-section area known as the
Fourmile Hill project area, located in Sections 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and
30, Township 44 North, Range 3 East, MDB&M, Siskiyou County,
California. The planned period of commercial operation for the proposed
action is 45 years.
The proposed action would involve production of geothermal fluids
(hot water and steam) from an underground reservoir. These fluids would
be produced from 9 to 11 two-phase production wells located at five
proposed production well pad sites (well pads 88-28, 84-28, 56-28, 26-
28, and 18-28). The fluids would be transported via surface pipelines
to the proposed dual flash geothermal power plant, where the steam
would be directed to two steam turbine-driven generators. Spent brine
and condensate would be pumped through surface pipelines to the three
proposed injection well pads (well pads 87-29, 13-28, and 67-21) for
injection to the subsurface geothermal reservoir. There would be one
injection well located at each injection well pad.
Each of the production and injection well pads would occupy
approximately 2.5 acres, for a total well pad area of about 20 acres.
The power plant site would occupy approximately 3.0 acres. There would
be a total of 4.25 miles of surface pipelines (1.5 miles of production
lines, and 2.75 miles of injection lines), and about 2.5 miles of new
roads associated with the power plant and well pads.
The proposed action would also include development of a
transmission line that would extend from the proposed geothermal power
plant in an easterly direction for approximately 24 miles to a proposed
intertie station along the BPA Malin-Warner transmission line. The
Malin-Warner line is a 230-kV system that parallels Highway 139. The
proposed transmission line would be constructed using H-frame wood
poles with steel structures used at certain locations. The transmission
line would be located primarily on the Modoc National Forest, with only
a small portion of the line near the power plant site being located on
the Klamath National Forest. Right-of-way width would be approximately
125 feet along the constructed length of the transmission line.
Construction of access roads for installation of structures and
maintenance would be required along portions of the right-of-way.
Alternatives thus far identified for evaluation in the EIS/EIR are:
(1) the proposed action, (2) the no action (the consequences of not
developing the project), and (3) alternate transmission line route
alternatives. The principal issues identified thus far for
consideration in the EIS/EIR include potential effects to listed
wildlife species, Tribal concerns, potential recreation conflicts, and
potential visual impacts. The EIS/EIR will also address other issues
such as geology, geothermal resources, hydrology, cultural resources,
vegetation, air quality, noise, land use, plans and policies,
transportation, human health and safety, socioeconomics, cumulative
impacts, as well as any issues raised during the scoping process.
Federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the BLM's
decision for the proposed action are invited to participate in the
scoping process. Input and comments received during this process will
be considered during preparation of the EIS/EIR.
Dated: May 29, 1996.
Rich Burns,
Alturas Resource Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-14216 Filed 6-5-96; 8:45 am]
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