[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2657-2658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-917]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Proposed Southpoint Power Plant, Fort Mojave Indian 
Reservation, Mohave County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the 
proposed approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of a lease of 
approximately 320 acres of Indian trust lands on the Fort Mojave Indian 
Reservation for the purpose of constructing and operating a natural gas 
fired, 500 megawatt combined cycle power plant and ancillary facilities 
is now available for final public review. The proposed lease is for a 
term of 50 years, with an option to renew for an additional 15 years. 
The proposed plant would provide electrical power for distribution 
throughout the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) grid to meet 
existing demands for electricity. The BIA as the lead agency, with the 
WAPA and the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe (FMIT) as cooperating agencies, 
are furnishing this notice pursuant to Sec. 1503.1 of the Council on 
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: Written comments will be accepted through February 1, 1999. The 
Record of Decision will be issued on or after February 16, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to Mr. Wayne Nordwall, Area Director, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Phoenix Area Office, Attn: Environmental 
Quality Services, P.O. Box 10, Phoenix, Arizona 85001, telephone (602) 
379-6750, Fax (602) 379-3833.
    Copies of this FEIS may be obtained by contacting Mr. Allen Gross, 
Hallock/Gross Inc., the environmental consultant, at (602) 967-4356; 
Ms. Amy Heuslein, BIA Environmental Quality Services, Phoenix Area 
Office (602) 379-6750; or Ms. Goldie Stroup, Realty Officer, BIA 
Colorado River Agency (520) 669-7141. Copies of the FEIS have been sent 
to all agencies and individuals who participated in the scoping 
process, attended public hearings, commented on the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) or otherwise requested copies of the document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy Heuslein at the address 
indicated above or by telephone at (602) 379-6750.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Calpine Southpoint, Inc. proposes to 
construct and operate a natural gas fired, 500 megawatt, combined cycle 
power plant on leased land located in the east half of Section 8, 
Township 17 North, Range 21 West, Gila and Salt River Base and 
Meridian, 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 an approximately 30 acre 
storm water retention area on the bluffs. 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 pipelines on rights-of-way across Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) land. The power generated by the plant could 
potentially be wheeled and distributed by facilities of the multi-state 
federal WAPA, and by local distribution facilities such as those of 
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Needles Electric Company or Aha 
Macav Power Services.
    The FEIS describes the proposed action, alternatives and the 
affected environment, and evaluates the anticipated impacts of the 
proposed power plant lease development project. The proposed action is 
the BIA, FMIT and WAPA's preferred alternative. It is also the least 
environmentally damaging alternative, as documented in the FEIS.
    Two alternatives to the preferred alternative plus the no action 
alternative have been analyzed and evaluated in the DEIS (May 1998) and 
FEIS. Under Alternative Two, the proposed power plant would be 
constructed and operated on 160 acres in the east half of Section 30, 
T. 18 N., R. 21 W., Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave 
County, Arizona. The site is approximately two and one-half miles 
northwest of the site of the preferred alternative. The size of the 
power plant

[[Page 2658]]

for Alternative Two would be the same as that 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 
similarly require construction of buried lines across BLM land to the 
reservation boundary.
    Under Alternative Three, the power plant would be built on 160 
acres in the western half of Section 16, T. 17 N., R. 21 W., Gila and 
Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona. This is 
immediately to the south of the site of the preferred alternative, and 
is on the south side of the Davis Dam-Topock Highway. The power plant 
for Alternative Three would also be the same size as that for the 
preferred alternative, but 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 again require the 
construction of buried pipelines on rights-of-way across BLM land to 
the reservation boundary.
    The no action alternative would leave the undeveloped land in its 
natural desert condition. No action would not, however, meet the need 
for electrical power to supply existing demand locally and in the 
region. It would also reduce the FMIT's options for economic 
development.
    The BIA has afforded other government agencies and the public ample 
opportunity to participate in the preparation of this FEIS. In 1994, 
Nordic Power South Point I Limited Partnership entered into an 
agreement with FMIT for the proposed action. The BIA published a Notice 
of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the December 
1, 1994, Federal Register, then held public scoping meetings on 
December 19, and 20, 1994, in Needles, California, and Bullhead City, 
Arizona, respectively.
    In early 1997, Nordic Power and FMIT reached an agreement to assign 
the proposed lease to Calpine Southpoint, Inc. Further opportunity for 
public participation began with publication in the June 15, 1998, 
Federal Register of the Notice of Availability for the Southpoint Power 
Plant DEIS. Public hearings followed on July 15, 1998, at FMIT tribal 
headquarters, Needles, California, and July 16, 1998, at Mojave High 
School, Bullhead City, Arizona, in order to obtain comments from 
federal, state, and local agencies and from tribal members and the 
interested public.

    Dated: January 7, 1999.
Kevin Gover,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-917 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P