[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20811-20812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9632]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Big Sandy 
Project, Arizona

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Intent

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332, Western Area 
Power Administration (Western), and the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM), Kingman Field Office, intend to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) regarding the proposal by Caithness Big Sandy, LLC 
(Caithness), an energy development and operating company, to construct 
a 720 megawatt (MW) electric generating facility, including a 16-inch, 
high-pressure natural gas supply pipeline, permanent access road, and 
water supply wells and pipeline system. Caithness proposes to 
interconnect the generating facility with the existing Mead-Phoenix 
Project 500-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line near Wikieup, Arizona. The 
generating facility would be constructed on private land in Mohave 
County, Arizona. The natural gas supply pipeline and access road would 
be constructed on private and public lands. The Federal public lands 
are administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, BLM. Per 40 
CFR part 1501.5(b), Western and BLM will serve as joint lead agencies 
to prepare the EIS.
    This notice announces Western's and BLM's intention to prepare an 
EIS and hold a public scoping meeting for the proposed project. The 
scoping process will include notifying the general public and Federal, 
State, local, and tribal agencies of the proposed action. The purpose 
of scoping is to identify public and agency issues, and alternatives to 
be considered in the EIS.

[[Page 20812]]


DATES: The scoping meeting will be held on May 3, 2000, beginning at 7 
p.m., in Wikieup, Arizona. Written comments on the scope of the EIS for 
the proposed project should be received no later than June 2, 2000. 
Comments on the project will be accepted throughout the NEPA process.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at Owens Whitney School, 
14109 Chicken Springs Road, Wikieup, Arizona. Comments should be 
addressed to Mr. John Holt, Environment Manager, Desert Southwest 
Customer Service Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 
6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005, fax (602) 352-2630, e-mail [email protected]; or 
Mr. Don McClure, Planning and Environmental Specialist, Kingman Field 
Office, Bureau of Land Management, 2475 Beverly Avenue, Kingman, AZ 
86401, fax (520) 692-4414, e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Holt, Environment Manager, 
Western Area Power Administration at the address or fax above, 
telephone (602) 352-2592, or Ms. Sally Edwards, BLM Project Manager, 
2475 Beverly Avenue, Kingman, AZ 86401, telephone (970) 593-0501, fax 
(520) 692-4414, e-mail [email protected]. For general information on the 
U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) NEPA review procedures or status of a 
NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 
Policy and Assistance, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 586-4600 
or (800) 472-2756. For information related to BLM NEPA compliance, 
contact Mr. Don McClure, Planning and Environmental Specialist, at 
address or fax above, telephone (520) 692-4403.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Caithness proposes to construct the Big 
Sandy Project on private and public lands near Wikieup, Arizona. The 
project would be a ``merchant plant,'' meaning it would not be owned by 
a utility nor by a utility affiliate selling power to its utility, nor 
is it supported by a long-term power purchase agreement with a utility. 
Caithness would sell power on a short and mid-term basis to customers 
and the on-the-spot market. Power purchases by customers would be 
voluntary, and all economic costs would be borne by Caithness.
    The project would consist of two phases. The first phase would 
consist of a 500 MW natural gas-fired, combined cycle power plant and 
on-site supporting infrastructure including an administration building, 
warehouse storage, water treatment and storage facilities, cooling 
towers, water storage/evaporation pond, gas conditioning equipment, and 
a new access road; a new 500-kV switchyard with electrical equipment to 
accommodate an interconnection with the Mead-Phoenix Project 500-kV 
Transmission Line; a 16-inch, high-pressure natural gas supply pipeline 
between the generating facility and at least one natural gas supply 
line; and water supply wells and pipeline system. The second phase 
would consist of an additional 220 MW combined-cycle power plant that 
would be installed adjacent to the first phase power plant. The 
generating facility and infrastructure would be built on private 
property in Section 5, Township 15 North, Range 12 West, about 4 miles 
southeast of Wikieup, Arizona, and about 2 miles east of the U.S. 
Highway 93 crossing of the Big Sandy River. The water supply wells 
would provide potable and cooling water. The project's water 
requirements would be approximately 3,200 acre-feet annually. A new 
buried supply pipeline would bring high-pressure gas to the generating 
facility to fuel the gas-fired turbines from at least one of several 
natural gas transmission pipelines that are located about 36 miles 
north of the generating facility. The new gas pipeline would be 
constructed parallel, within and/or adjacent to rights-of-way for U.S. 
Highway 93, and Mohave County roads and utility easements. The pipeline 
would cross private and public lands administered by the BLM and the 
Arizona State Land Department.
    In accordance with DOE policy on open transmission access and 
Western's Open Access Transmission Tariff, Western proposes to enter 
into construction and interconnection agreements with Caithness to 
provide an interconnection with the Mead-Phoenix Project Transmission 
Line and transmission services to deliver power from the generating 
facility. The proposal would incorporate new generation into Western's 
transmission system.
    Construction of the project would take about 18 months, beginning 
in early 2001, with the first phase in commercial operation by summer 
2002. The Arizona Department of Transportation is currently conducting 
an Environmental Assessment on a proposal to widen U.S. Highway 93 
between Wikieup and Interstate 40. Caithness proposes to site the 
natural gas supply pipeline within and/or adjacent to the U.S. Highway 
93 rights-of-way. Initial highway widening construction is planned for 
2003. Therefore, the proposed natural gas supply pipeline would be 
installed prior to the highway widening.
    Caithness has selected the site for the generating facility on 
private land based on land and water availability, close proximity to 
Western's Mead-Phoenix Project 500-kV Transmission Line, and other 
considerations. State and local agencies are responsible for siting and 
permitting the proposed generating facility. If the project is 
approved, the location of the generating facility necessitates that the 
proposed natural gas supply pipeline, a permanent access road, and a 
portion of the water pipeline system use BLM-managed lands.
    The EIS will be prepared following the requirements of the Council 
on Environmental Quality's NEPA implementing regulations (40 CFR part 
1500-1508). The EIS will include the analysis of effects from 
constructing and operating of all components of the project. The no 
action alternative will be analyzed in the EIS. The EIS will address 
alternate routings for the natural gas supply pipeline, connection 
locations to existing natural gas supply pipelines, location of worker 
accommodations, long-term water supply and use, and other issues raised 
during the scoping process. Full public participation, disclosure, 
coordination, and involvement with appropriate Federal, State, local, 
and tribal government agencies are planned for the entire EIS process. 
The EIS process will include public information/scoping meetings (May 
2000), public review of the Draft EIS (September 2000), a public 
hearing on the Draft EIS (October 2000), distribution of the Final EIS 
(January 2001), and Western's and BLM's independent Records of Decision 
(February 2001).
    The licensing and permitting for the project is expected to be 
completed in March 2001 when construction of the first phase would 
begin. Commercial operation is scheduled to begin in August 2002. The 
second phase is planned to be completed in December 2003.

    Dated: April 6, 2000.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-9632 Filed 4-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P