[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 146 (Friday, July 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 46453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19091]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Notice of Floodplain Involvement for the Blythe Energy Project

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Floodplain Involvement.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (Western) has been 
approached by Wisvest Corporation, a non-regulated subsidiary of 
Wisconsin Energy Corporation, to interconnect the power to be generated 
by the Blythe Energy Project (Project) to Western's transmission 
system. The Project, as proposed, is a 520-megawatt (MW) natural gas-
fired thermal power plant that is intended to serve competitive 
regional markets in southern California and Arizona. The Project is 
intended as a ``merchant plant,'' which means that the Project would be 
independent of other generators and that the power generated would 
serve the open market rather than any particular utility or load.
    The Project would occupy approximately 15 acres of a 76-acre parcel 
of private land located just east of the Blythe Airport. Water for 
cooling and steam generation would be obtained from groundwater wells 
at approximately 2,200 gallons per minute. The plant would be a ``zero 
discharge'' facility, meaning that there would be no wastewater 
discharge from the plant. Instead, wastewater would be handled by 
evaporation ponds on site. Natural gas would be fed to the plant by new 
pipelines that would tap existing major interstate gas pipelines in the 
vicinity. One option is to pipe gas from the Arizona side of the 
Colorado River through a new 11.5-mile pipeline. A review of the flood 
hazard maps for Riverside County, California, indicates that the plant 
site would reside outside the 100-year floodplain of the Colorado River 
and McCoy Wash, a nearby intermittent drainage. However, the proposed 
pipeline route would cross the Colorado River and the Palo Verde Valley 
just south of the City of Blythe. The crossing of the Colorado River 
would involve horizontal directional, or microbore drilling, which 
would place the pipeline under the River. This technique would be used 
for any crossings of irrigation canals and drains as the pipeline 
crosses the Valley.
    In accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Floodplain/
Wetland Review Requirements (10 CFR part 1022), Western will prepare a 
floodplain assessment and will perform the proposed actions in a manner 
so as to avoid or minimize potential harm to or within the affected 
floodplain. The floodplain assessment will be included in the 
Environmental Assessment/Staff Assessment being prepared jointly by 
Western and the California Energy Commission on the project, in 
accordance with the provisions of the DOE National Environmental Policy 
Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021).

DATES: Comments on the proposed floodplain action are due to the 
address below no later than August 25, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Nick Chevance, 
Environmental Project Manager, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. 
Box 281213, Lakewood, CO, 80228-8213, FAX: 720-962-2630, email 
[email protected]; or Mr. John Holt, Environment Manager, Desert 
Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area Power Administration, 
P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457, FAX: 602-352-2630, email 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Project information contact: Mr. 
Nick Chevance, telephone 720-962-7254, or Mr. John Holt, telephone 602-
352-2592, at the addresses and faxes listed above. For further 
information on DOE Floodplain/Wetlands Environmental Review Requirement 
contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, NEPA Policy and Compliance, 
EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, telephone 202-586-4600 or 800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Blythe Energy Project would 
involve construction activities within the floodplain of the Colorado 
River, including the construction of the natural gas pipeline and the 
microbore drilling. The floodplain assessment would examine the impacts 
of this construction on the Colorado River floodplain. The Blythe 
Energy Project would involve the floodplain in both Riverside County, 
California, Townships 6 and 7 South, Ranges 22 and 23 East, and La Paz 
County, Arizona, Township 3 North, Range 22 West. Maps and further 
information are available from the contacts above.

    Dated: July 19, 2000.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-19091 Filed 7-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P