[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 48943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18401]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-050-02-5101-ER-F323; NVN66472, NVN73726, N-66150, N-61191]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Table Mountain Wind Generating Facility

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) to (1) announce the 30-day waiting 
period per 40 CFR 1506.10 after publication of this Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Table Mountain Wind Generating Facility 
(WGF); and (2) announce locations where copies of the FEIS can be 
obtained for reading.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, a FEIS has been prepared by the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas Field Office for the Table Mountain 
WGF. The FEIS was prepared to analyze the impacts of issuing rights-of-
way for arrays of wind turbines and ancillary facilities located on 300 
acres of public land within the Table Mountain WGF study area 
administered by the BLM.

DATES: The FEIS 30-day waiting period will start with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) publication in the Federal Register of the 
Notice of Availability for the FEIS on July 26, 2002. Copies of the 
FEIS will be mailed to individuals, agencies, or companies who 
previously requested copies.

ADDRESSES: Public reading copies of the FEIS will be available for 
reading at public libraries located at the following addresses:

 650 West Quartz Avenue, Sandy Valley, NV
 365 West San Pedro, Goodsprings, NV
 4280 South Jones Blvd., Las Vegas, NV

    A limited number of copies of the document will be available at the 
following BLM offices:

 Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial 
Blvd., Reno, NV
 Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 Torrey 
Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Crockford, Project Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301. Bureau of Land Management, Farmington 
Field Office, 1235 La Plata Highway, Suite A, Farmington, NM 87401; 
telephone (505) 599-6333, cellular telephone (505) 486-4299, or 
electronic mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS addresses alternatives to resolve 
the following major issues: air quality, increased recreation, mining 
claims, birds and bats, big horn sheep, threatened or endangered 
species, cultural resources and traditional cultural properties, 
transportation, visual resources, noise, and socioeconomics. The 
proposed action and alternatives can be summarized as: Proposed 
Action--Construct arrays containing a total of 153 wind turbine 
generators (WTGs) consisting of a combination of the two sizes of 
turbines identified in Alternatives A and B, and ancillary facilities; 
Alternative A--Construct arrays containing a total of 187 NEG Micon 
Model 900/52 WTGs and ancillary facilities; Alternative B--Construct 
arrays containing a total of 135 NEG Micon Model 1500 C WTGs and 
ancillary facilities; and Alternative C--No Action.
    The proposed action is the Agency Preferred Alternative. It is to 
construct, operate, and maintain a WGF producing 205-megawatts (MWs) 
and ancillary facilities on approximately 300 acres of public land 
within the Table Mountain WGF study area. The fully constructed WGF 
would consist of arrays containing a total of 153 WTGs. The WTGs 
installed would be a combination of the NEG Micon Model 900/52 (each 
producing 800 kilowatts) and NEG Micon 1500 C (each producing 1.5 MWs) 
turbines. Ancillary facilities consist of access roads, underground and 
overhead 34.5 kilovolt (kV) distribution lines, 230 kV electric 
transmission lines, an electric sub-station, a control building, and 
various temporary use areas. The WGF would operate 24 hours per day, 
365 days a year, and produce in excess of 460 million kilowatt-hours 
annually. The anticipated life of the facility would be longer than 20 
years. The rights-of way would be granted for 20 years with the right 
to renew.
    Alternative A would essentially be the same as the Proposed Action 
but would consist of arrays containing a total of 187 NEG Micon Model 
900/52 WTGs and ancillary facilities. Under Alternative A, there would 
be 22 percent more towers, turbines, and transformers. This would cause 
an increase in total of land disturbance as compared to the Proposed 
Action.
    Alternative B would essentially be the same as the Proposed Action 
but would consist of arrays containing a total of 135 NEG Micon Model 
1500 C WTGs and ancillary facilities. Under Alternative B, there would 
be 12 percent fewer towers, turbines, and transformers. This would 
cause a reduction in total acres of land disturbance as compared to the 
Proposed Action.
    Under the No Action Alternative, BLM would not issue right-of-way 
grants for the WGF and ancillary facilities. The WTGs, access roads, 
underground and overhead 34.5 kV distribution lines, 230 kV electric 
transmission lines, electric sub-station, control building, and various 
temporary use areas would not be constructed/utilized. Wind resources 
at Table Mountain would remain undeveloped.
    Public participation is occurring throughout the processing of this 
project. A Notice of Intent was filed in the Federal Register on 
December 29, 2000. Two rounds of public meetings consisting of three 
meetings each were held. Comments presented throughout the process have 
been considered.

    Dated: May 31, 2002.
Angie C. Lara,
Acting Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 02-18401 Filed 7-25-02; 8:45 am]
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