[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70617-70618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29866]



[[Page 70617]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-050-02-5101-ER-F331; N-75493, N-75471, N-75472, N-75474, N-75475, 
N-75476, N-75477]


Notice of Availability to Announce the 60-Day Public Review and 
Comment Period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Ivanpah Energy Center

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) to announce the 60-day public 
review period for the Ivanpah Energy Center (Ivanpah) Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102 (2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, a DEIS has been prepared by the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas Field Office for the Ivanpah Energy 
Center. The DEIS was prepared to analyze the impacts of issuing rights-
of-way for a gas-fired electric power plant and ancillary facilities 
(consisting of electric transmission lines, electric substations, water 
pipeline, access road, and telephone line). Western Area Power 
Administration is a cooperating agency.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS must be postmarked or otherwise 
delivered by 4:30 p.m., 60 days following the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the NOA and filing of the DEIS in the 
Federal Register. Written comments on the document should be addressed 
to Jerry Crockford, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Las 
Vegas Field Office, 4701 Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301. 
Oral and/or written comments may also be presented at public meetings. 
Public reading copies of the DEIS will be available for reading at 
public libraries located at the following addresses:
    [sbull] 650 West Quartz Avenue, Sandy Valley, NV
    [sbull] 365 West San Pedro, Goodsprings, NV
    [sbull] 4280 South Jones Blvd., Las Vegas, NV
    A limited number of copies of the document will be available at the 
following BLM offices:
    [sbull] X BLM, Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV
    [sbull] X BLM, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 Torrey Pines Drive, Las 
Vegas, NV

DATES: Three scheduled public meetings commencing at 7 p.m. and 
continuing until all those present have an opportunity to speak but 
closing no later than 9 p.m. will be held at the following dates and 
locations:
    Tuesday, December 10, 2002--BLM, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 North 
Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada
    Wednesday, December 11, 2002--Community Center, West Quartz Avenue, 
Sandy Valley, Nevada
    Thursday, December 12, 2002--Community Center, 375 West San Pedro 
Avenue, Goodsprings, Nevada
    Individuals making written comments at public meetings may request 
confidentiality. If they wish to withhold their name or street address 
from public review or disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 
this must be definitively stated at the beginning of written comments. 
Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All 
submissions from organizations and businesses, and for individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses will be available for public inspection in their 
entirety.
    Copies of the DEIS will be mailed to individuals, agencies, or 
companies who previously requested copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Crockford, Project Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301 or Bureau of Land Management, 
Farmington Field Office, 1235 La Plata Highway, Suite A, Farmington, NM 
87401; telephone (505) 599-6333, cellular telephone (505) 486-4255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS addresses the proposed action and 
two alternatives. The proposed action can be summarized as follows: 
constructing, operating, and maintaining a 500 megawatt gas-turbine 
combined-cycle power plant in the Ivanpah Valley, approximately 20 
miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada. Except for a related electric 
transmission line, the proposed generating facility and most ancillary 
facilities are located on 30-acres of public land administered by the 
BLM, in the MDBM, T. 25 S., R. 58 E., sec. 1, and T. 25 S., R. 59 E., 
sec. 6. The facility would use a refrigerated air system to reduce 
cooling water requirements normally associated with combined-cycle 
power plants. Power generated from Ivanpah would enter the southern 
Nevada power grid through Western Area Power Administration's Mead 
Substation, in Eldorado Valley. The proposed plant site is located 2.5-
miles southeast of the town of Goodsprings, Nevada. The proposed action 
includes the following ancillary facilities: a 12-inch diameter gas 
pipeline interconnection to the adjacent Kern River Gas Transmission 
gas pipeline; a four-inch diameter water pipeline originating from the 
Southern Nevada Correctional Center (SNCC) in Jean, Nevada, to supply 
water processed through a planned water treatment facility for air 
emissions control; a telecommunications line; a 230 kilovolt (kV) 
substation; the following 230 kV transmission lines: (1) Two 230 kV 
lines from the proposed Ivanpah Substation to the Pahrump-Mead 230 kV 
line corridor; (2) a 43-mile 230 kV line from the Ivanpah Substation to 
the Western Area Power Administration Mead Substation, in Eldorado 
Valley, Nevada; and (3) two 230 kV lines from the Ivanpah Substation to 
the Table Mountain Substation and Valley Electric Association's 
Pahrump-Mead Transmission Line; and the following fiber optic lines: 
(1) An optical-fiber ground wire (OPGW) shield wire as an integral part 
of the Ivanpah-Mead 2 transmission line; and (2) an OPGW as an 
integral part of the Table Mountain-Ivanpah 1 transmission 
line. Access to Ivanpah would be via an existing, unimproved road 
connected to State Highway 161.
    An alternative plant site, located in Primm, Nevada, would be co-
located with the Reliant Bighorn Power Plant, on a 30-acre parcel on 
private property. Ancillary facilities to the alternative plant site 
include a 10 to 11-mile long water supply pipeline from SNCC to the 
power plant; a 40-mile long transmission line to interconnect the plant 
to the Mead Substation; approximately 30-miles of transmission lines to 
interconnect the facility to the proposed Table Mountain Substation and 
the Valley Electric Association's Pahrump-Mead transmission line; a 
3.2-mile natural gas pipeline connecting to Kern River Gas Transmission 
Company natural gas pipeline; use of existing access roads; and 
telecommunications facilities.
    The plant will require approximately 22 months for construction. 
The plant will be built to operate continuously, except for semi-annual 
maintenance shutdowns, with a projected 40-year life. Power will be 
sold into the commercial power markets of Nevada, California, and 
Arizona.
    Under the No Action Alternative, BLM would not issue right-of-way 
grants for Ivanpah and ancillary facilities. The project including the 
power plant, transmission lines, water pipeline, gas pipeline, access 
road, telecommunication facilities, and temporary use areas would not 
be constructed. The areas proposed for Ivanpah would remain 
undeveloped. An

[[Page 70618]]

energy need would not be met by the proposed plant's generated power. 
Public participation is encouraged throughout processing of this 
project. Comments presented throughout the process will be considered.

    Dated: August 15, 2002.
Angie C. Lara,
Acting Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 02-29866 Filed 11-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P