[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1768-1769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-157]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-350-1430-PN]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Wind 
Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) 
and Associated Land Use Plan Amendments

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Record of Decision (ROD).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) procedures, the BLM announces the availability 
of the ROD to implement a Wind Energy Development Program and amend BLM 
land use plans. The decision is hereby made to implement a 
comprehensive Wind Energy Development Program to administer the 
development of wind energy resources on BLM-administered public lands 
in 11 western states, excluding Alaska. In addition, this decision 
amends 52 BLM land use plans in 9 states to adopt the new program. The 
Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and Resource Protection and the 
Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning jointly signed the 
ROD on December 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Wind Energy Development Program ROD are 
available upon request from Scott Powers, Montana State Office, Bureau 
of Land Management, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings, Montana 59107 or via 
the Internet at http://windeis.anl.gov. Copies will also be available 
at each of the following BLM offices: Arizona State Office, 222 N. 
Central Ave., Phoenix; California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite 
W-1834, Sacramento; Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield St., 
Lakewood; Idaho State Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise; Montana State 
Office, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings; Nevada State Office, 1340 
Financial Blvd., Reno; New Mexico State Office, 1474 Rodeo Rd., Santa 
Fe; Oregon State Office, 333 SW. 1st Ave., Portland; Utah State Office, 
440 West 200 South, Salt Lake City; Wyoming State Office, 5353 
Yellowstone Rd., Cheyenne; andBLM Washington Office, Public Affairs 
Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Powers, at 406-896-5319, (or e-
mail at [email protected]), Montana State Office, Bureau of Land 
Management, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings, Montana 59107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wind Energy Development Program ROD was 
developed through preparation of the Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands 
in the Western United States. The elements of the Wind Energy 
Development Program and the associated land use plan amendments were 
evaluated through this PEIS, which was prepared in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the FLPMA. The U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE) cooperated in the preparation of the PEIS in 
support of the BLM's proposed action.
    The Wind Energy Development Program will be implemented in 11 
western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, 
New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Program 
establishes policies and best management practices (BMPs) for the 
administration of wind energy development activities and establishes 
minimum requirements for mitigation measures. The policies and BMPs, 
included in Attachment A of the ROD, address the mitigation of 
potential impacts to all natural and cultural resources that could 
occur during any phase of development. These include impacts such as 
the use of geologic and water resources; creation or increase of 
geologic hazards or soil erosion; water quality degradation; localized 
generation of airborne dust; generation of noise; alteration or 
degradation of wildlife habitat or sensitive or unique habitat; 
interference with resident or migratory fish or wildlife species, 
including protected species; alteration or degradation of plant 
communities, including the occurrence of invasive vegetation; land use 
changes; alteration of visual resources; release of hazardous materials 
or wastes; increased traffic; increased human health and safety 
hazards; and destruction or loss of paleontological or cultural 
resources.
    With the decision to implement the Wind Energy Development Program, 
the BLM Interim Wind Energy Policy, dated October 16, 2002, will be 
replaced by a new policy that incorporates the programmatic policies 
and BMPs evaluated in the PEIS. Elements of the Interim Policy 
addressing applications, authorizations, competitive interests, and due 
diligence will not be changed by the new program requirements.
    In addition, this decision amends 52 BLM land use plans in 9 of the 
states in the study area: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, 
Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The land use plan amendments, 
identified in Attachment B of the ROD, include the adoption of the Wind 
Energy Development Program policies and BMPs and, in a few instances, 
the identification of specific areas where wind energy development will 
be excluded.
    Public involvement in preparation of the Wind Energy Development 
PEIS was extensive, as documented in the PEIS and the ROD. The 30-day 
public protest period resulted in no protests. In addition, results of 
the 90-day Governors Consistency Review of the PEIS, required by BLM 
planning regulations, were favorable in that none of the Governors 
objected to the proposed plan amendments.
    On May 18, 2001, the President issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13212, 
``Actions to Expedite Energy-Related Projects,'' which established a 
policy that federal agencies should take appropriate actions, to the 
extent consistent with applicable law, to expedite projects to

[[Page 1769]]

increase the production, transmission, or conservation of energy. In 
that same month, the President's National Energy Policy Development 
Group recommended to the President, as part of the National Energy 
Policy, that the Departments of the Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and 
Defense work together to increase renewable energy production. On 
August 8, 2005, the President signed into law the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (Pub. L. 109-58). Section 211 of the Act states, ``It is the sense 
of the Congress that the Secretary of the Interior should, before the 
end of the 10-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
Act, seek to have approved non-hydropower renewable energy projects 
located on the public lands with a generation capacity of at least 
10,000 megawatts of electricity.'' Implementation of the Wind Energy 
Development Program and the amendment of multiple land use plans to 
adopt the program will effectively support the directives of E.O. 
13212, the recommendations of the 2001 National Energy Policy, and 
congressional direction provided in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
regarding renewable energy development on public lands.

    Dated: December 19, 2005.
Ray Brady,
Team Lead, Energy Policy Act Implementation Team.
 [FR Doc. E6-157 Filed 1-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P