[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 113 (Friday, June 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32239-32240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15629]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed
Southpoint Power Plant Project on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation,
Mohave County, AZ
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of DEIS and public hearing dates.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that a Draft Environmental
Statement (DEIS) is available for public review and that public
hearings will be held on this document. A lease between the Fort Mojave
Indian Tribe (FMIT) and Calpine Corporation was executed on April 28,
1998. Approval of the pending lease by the Bureau of Indian Affairs is
a major federal action. Calpine Corporation proposes to construct and
operate a natural gas fired, 500 megawatt combined cycle power plant
and associated ancillary facilities on leased tribal trust land. The
proposed lease is for a term of 50 years, with an option to renew for
an additional 15 years. The proposed power plant would provide
electrical power for distribution through the Western Area Power
Administration grid to meet existing demand. By entering into the
proposed lease the FMIT will enhance its tribal sovereignty and self-
determination.
This notice is published pursuant to Section 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 4321 et seq.), and the
Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6), and is in the exercise
of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs by 209
DM 8.
DATES: Public hearings on the DEIS will be held on July 15, 1998 at
10:00 AM MST and 7:00 PM MST at the FMIT tribal headquarters, 500
Merriman Street, Needles, California, and on July 16, 1998 at 7:00 PM
MST at Mohave High School auditorium, 2251 Highway 95, Bullhead City,
Arizona. Written comments must be received on or before August 15,
1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments and participation at the public hearings are
solicited. Please direct written comments to Mr. Allen J. Anspach,
Superintendent, Colorado River Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rt. 1,
Box 9-C, Parker, Arizona 85344, or to Mr. Wayne Nordwall, Phoenix Area
Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Phoenix Area Office, P.O. Box 10,
Phoenix, AZ 85001.
Persons wishing copies of this DEIS should immediately contact Ms.
Goldie Stroup, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Colorado River Agency, Rt. 1,
Box 9-C, Parker, Arizona 85344, Telephone (520) 669-7121 or Ms. Amy
Heuslein, Area Environmental Protection Officer, Phoenix Area Office,
Bureau of Indian Affairs, 400 North 5th Street, 2 Arizona Center--14th
Floor, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. Telephone (602) 379-6750. Copies of the
DEIS have been sent to all agencies and individuals who participated in
the scoping process from December 1994 through January 1995, and to all
others who have already requested copies of the document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy L. Heuslein, 602-379-6750.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of
the Interior, in cooperation with the FMIT, has prepared a DEIS on the
proposed construction and operation of a natural gas fired 500 megawatt
combined cycle power plant on leased land of approximately 320 acres on
the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation in Mohave County, Arizona. In
addition to the power plant, there is a proposal for an administrative
building and parking areas on a 15 acre compound, a 30 acre evaporation
pond, and a storm water retention area of approximately 30 acres. A
buffer area would be provided around the development. The power plant
would use consumptively approximately 4,000 acre feet of water per year
from the FMIT's allocation of Colorado River water. Natural gas would
be supplied to the site in buried lines on new right-of-way across
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The power generated by the
proposed plant could potentially be wheeled and distributed by
facilities of the multi-state federal Western Area Power
Administration, and by local distribution facilities such those of
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Needles Electric Company, Aha Macav
Power Services, and others.
The purpose and need for this action is to support tribal economic
development on the reservation and augment current power supply sources
in the region. By entering into the proposed lease, the FMIT would
enhance its tribal sovereignty and self-determination and obtain
revenues from this activity.
Under the Preferred Alternative, the proposed natural gas combined
cycle 500 megawatt power plant with ancillary facilities would be
constructed and operated on 320 acres in the east half Section 8, T17N
R21W, Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona, on
the north side of the Davis Dam-Topock Highway. The power plant
buildings and equipment, and the retention basins, would be located on
the valley floor. The evaporation pond would be located on top of the
bluffs. Natural gas would be supplied by new lines in rights-of-way
across BLM land.
Under Alternative Two, the proposed power plant would be
constructed and operated on 160 acres in the west half of Section 30,
T18N, R21W, Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave County
Arizona. This site is approximately two and one-half miles northwest of
the Preferred Alternative site. The power plant proposed to be built on
the Alternative Two site would be identical in size to that proposed
for the Preferred Alternative. All plant facilities, except paved
access roads, would be located on top of the bluffs. Natural gas would
be available to the plant from the same sources as for the Preferred
Alternative and would require construction of two branch lines across
BLM land to the reservation boundary.
Under Alternative Three, the proposed power plant would be built on
160 acres in the west half of Section 16, T17N, R21W, Gila and Salt
River Base and Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona. This site is
immediately to the south of the Preferred Alternative site, on the
south side of the Davis Dam-Topock Highway. The power plant proposed to
be built on the Alternative Three site would be identical in size to
that proposed for the Preferred Alternative.
[[Page 32240]]
All plant facilities would be located on the valley floor. Natural gas
would be available to the site from the same sources as for the
Preferred Alternative and would require construction of two branch
lines on right-of-way across BLM land to the reservation boundary.
Agencies and individuals are urged to provide comments on this DEIS
as soon as possible. All comments received by August 15, 1998 will be
considered in preparation of the Final EIS.
Dated: June 4, 1998.
Kevin Gover,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-15629 Filed 6-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P