[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 140 (Thursday, July 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36503-36505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17571]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CACA 49561, LLCAD08000L5101 ER0000LVRWB09B3220]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan for the 
Lucerne Valley Solar Project; San Bernardino County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
Barstow Field Office, Barstow, California intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing 
the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and 
identify issues. The EIS will analyze the impacts of the Lucerne Valley 
Solar Plant on public lands in San Bernardino County, California. The 
project is being proposed by Chevron Energy Solutions (the Applicant). 
The applicant has requested a right-of-way (ROW) authorization to 
construct and operate a 45 megawatt solar photovoltaic project and 
connect it to the existing Southern California Edison 33 kV 
distribution system. Within the 516-acre solar facility, the project 
would include a new switchyard, control/maintenance building, and 
parking area. The EIS will analyze the site-specific impacts to the 
environment from the proposed grant of the ROW.

DATES: This notice initiates a public participation and scoping period 
for the EIS of at least 30 days. This scoping period will also be 
announced through the local news media, newspapers, and BLM's Web page 
(http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow.html). During the public 
scoping period the BLM will solicit public comment on issues, concerns 
and opportunities that should be considered in the analysis of the 
proposed action. The BLM expects to hold two public meetings, one in 
Lucerne Valley and another in the city

[[Page 36504]]

of San Bernardino. The meeting in Lucerne Valley will take place on 
July 29, 2009 at the Lucerne Valley Community Center located at 33187 
Highway 247 East, Lucerne Valley, California from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 
p.m. The meeting in San Bernardino will take place on July 30, 2009 at 
the Family Life Public Enterprise Center, Conference Room 13, located 
at 1505 West Highland Ave., San Bernardino, California 92411 from 6:30 
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Information about the two meetings has been announced 
through the local news media, newspapers and BLM Web site (http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow.html). Comments on issues, potential 
impacts, or suggestions for additional alternatives may also be 
submitted in writing to the address listed below. In order to be 
included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the 
close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Lucerne Valley Solar 
Project by any of the following methods:
     Web Site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (760) 252-6098.
     Mail: BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, 
Barstow, California 92311.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM 
Barstow Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, send requests to: ATTN: Lucerne 
Valley Solar Project; contact Greg Thomsen, telephone (951) 697-5237; 
address BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, 
California 92311; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Title V of FLPMA, sites 
associated with power generation or transmission not identified in the 
BLM's California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as 
amended) will be considered through the plan amendment process.
    Under Federal law, the BLM is responsible for processing requests 
for rights-of-way to authorize solar projects and other appurtenant 
facilities on the land it manages. BLM must comply with the 
requirements of NEPA to ensure that environmental impacts associated 
with construction, operation, and decommissioning will be identified, 
analyzed and considered in the application process. This will be 
accomplished through preparation of a Draft and Final EIS. The BLM will 
utilize the NEPA commenting process to satisfy the public involvement 
process for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
(NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 800.2 (d)(3).
    This notice announces a period for public scoping of alternatives, 
issues, impacts and planning criteria associated with this project. In 
addition, the BLM is requesting the views of other agencies as to the 
scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to 
the statutory responsibilities or areas of expertise for those agencies 
in connection with the proposed project and the analysis of its 
impacts. Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as individuals or 
organizations that may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision 
on this project are invited to participate in the scoping process and, 
if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a 
cooperating agency.
    The Applicant has applied for a ROW authorization to construct and 
operate a solar photovoltaic project on public lands. The public lands 
are managed by the BLM in accordance with the CDCA Plan and the West 
Mojave Plan, an amendment to the CDCA Plan. The 516-acre project would 
be built approximately 8 miles east of Lucerne Valley, San Bernardino 
County, California, at T. 4 N., R. 2 E., Section 19 (NE \1/4\ SW \1/4\, 
S \1/2\ SW \1/4\, NW \1/4\ SE \1/4\, S \1/2\ SE \1/4\), section 20 (W 
\1/2\ W \1/2\), section 29 (NW \1/4\ NW \1/4\), section 30 (N \1/2\ NE 
\1/4\).
    The EIS will describe and analyze the proposed project and will 
include:
    (1) Measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts on the 
environment;
    (2) The ``No Action'' alternative (no project would be built); and
    (3) The ``no solar'' alternative (lands would be determined 
unsuitable for one or more types of solar generation).
    Through public scoping, BLM will identify various issues, potential 
impacts, and mitigation measures.
    The BLM has identified a potential list of issues that will need to 
be addressed in this analysis including, but not limited to, social and 
economic impacts, including impacts to the public from traffic; ground 
and surface water quantity and quality; plant and animal species 
including special status species; Tribal and cultural resources; and 
visual resources. If approved, the solar project on public lands would 
be authorized in accordance with the FLPMA and Federal regulations at 
Title 43 Code of Federal Regulations part 2800.
    The CDCA Plan (1980, as amended) requires that all power generating 
facilities be considered through the planning process. Planning 
criteria for consideration of a CDCA plan amendment to provide for 
power generation at this site include:
    a. The plan amendment will be completed in compliance with FLPMA, 
NEPA and all other applicable Federal and State laws, Executive orders, 
and management policies of the BLM;
    b. The plan amendment will recognize and conform to previous site-
specific planning decisions from BLM regional and bioregional plans;
    c. Where existing planning decisions are still valid, those 
decisions will remain unchanged;
    d. The plan amendment and any rights-of-way issued will recognize 
valid existing rights; and
    e. Interagency and Native American Tribal consultations will be 
conducted in accordance with policy, and will be given due 
consideration. The planning process will include the consideration of 
impacts on Indian trust assets, other jurisdictions, and agencies.
    You may submit written comments on issues and planning criteria at 
the public scoping meeting, or you may submit them via e-mail (see 
ADDRESSES section above). To be most helpful, you should submit 
comments within 15 days after the public scoping meeting. The BLM will 
identify issues and will place them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the plan as to why we placed 
an issue in category two or three. The public is also encouraged to 
help identify any management questions and concerns that should be 
addressed in the plan. The BLM will work collaboratively with 
interested parties to identify the management decisions that are best 
suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we

[[Page 36505]]

cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Tom Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director for Natural Resources, California State Office.
[FR Doc. E9-17571 Filed 7-22-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P