[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 198 (Thursday, October 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52974-52975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24858]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLID2100000 L16100000.DO0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
a Possible Land Use Plan Amendment to the Jarbidge Resource Management 
Plan for the Proposed China Mountain Wind Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Jarbidge Field Office, 
Twin Falls District, Idaho, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the proposed China Mountain Wind Project, which may 
include a land use plan amendment to the 1987 Jarbidge Resource 
Management Plan (RMP), and by this notice is announcing the beginning 
of the scoping process and soliciting input on the identification of 
issues. The China Mountain Wind Project is located on 30,700 acres of 
public, state, and private lands in the Jarbidge Foothills, southwest 
of the town of Rogerson in Twin Falls County, Idaho, and west of the 
town of Jackpot in Elko County, Nevada. The EIS will analyze the 
potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of a 
proposed wind power generation facility, associated electric 
transmission facilities and access roads, and a possible land use plan 
amendment associated with the project. This notice initiates a 30-day 
public scoping period to identify relevant issues associated with the 
proposed project and possible land use plan amendment.
    A prior notice dated April 21, 2008, initiated a 60-day public 
scoping process to identify relevant issues associated with the 
proposed project. That scoping process was subsequently extended for an 
additional 30 days, ending July 21, 2008.

DATES: The scoping period will commence with the publication of this 
notice. The formal scoping period will end on November 16, 2009. 
Comments regarding issues relative to the proposed project and possible 
plan amendment should be received on or before November 16, 2009 using 
one of the methods listed below.
    The BLM will announce public scoping meetings through local news 
media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site: http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/jarbidge.html at least 15 days prior to the first meeting. The BLM 
will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon 
publication of the Draft EIS, including a public comment period.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues related to the proposed 
project by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (208) 735-2076.
     Mail: Project Manager, China Mountain EIS, Jarbidge Field 
Office, 2536 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301.
    Comments can also be hand-delivered to the Jarbidge Field Office at 
the address above. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined 
at the Jarbidge Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: China Mountain Wind Project Manager, 
Jarbidge Field Office, 2536 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301, 
telephone (208) 235-2072.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS will be prepared in accordance with 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 
1701 et seq.), as amended; the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as amended; and the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). China 
Mountain Wind, LLC, has submitted a right-of-way application to BLM to 
build a commercial wind power generation facility capable of generating 
up to 425 megawatts (MW) of electricity. Up to 185 wind turbines, each 
having a generating capacity between 2.3 and 3.0 MW, would be installed 
on an area covering approximately 30,700 acres in the Jarbidge 
Foothills, southwest of Rogerson, Idaho, and west of Jackpot, Nevada. 
The proposed project area includes public land administered by the BLM 
Elko District, Wells Field Office in northeastern Nevada, public land 
administered by the BLM Twin Falls District, Jarbidge Field Office, 
State of Idaho lands, and private lands in south-central Idaho.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Acres
                  Administration ownership                     (rounded)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLM-Jarbidge Field Office, Twin Falls District, Idaho.......      15,300
BLM-Wells Field Office, Elko District, Nevada...............       4,700
State of Idaho..............................................       2,000
Private.....................................................       8,700
                                                             -----------
    Total...................................................      30,700
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The turbines proposed for the project would have tower heights 
ranging from 200 to 250 feet and rotor diameters ranging from 250 to 
300 feet. Each turbine would be set on a large concrete foundation. 
Turbines would be connected by underground electrical cable to one or 
two substations. Each substation would be sited on a two-acre area and 
would consist of a graveled, fenced area containing transformer and 
switching equipment and an area to park utility vehicles. Up to 25 
miles of new three-phase 138 kV or 345 kV overhead electric 
transmission line would be constructed from each substation to a 
switching station at the point of interconnection with an existing 
transmission line. The new transmission line would be supported by 
single steel or double wood poles with a distance of 400 to 500 feet 
between poles. Other required facilities would include one or two 
fenced, graveled switching stations of approximately two acres each; 
one or more Operations and Maintenance buildings; approximately 40 
miles of new access roads; approximately 30 miles of improved existing 
road; and a temporary concrete batch plant. This concrete batch plant 
would be centrally located on the site, occupying an area of 
approximately five acres, and would operate during project 
construction. The proposed project would disturb up to 540 acres on a 
temporary basis and up to 180 acres on a permanent basis, following 
reclamation of construction disturbance.
    Approximately 60% of both the temporary and permanent impacts would 
be on lands under the administration of the BLM and approximately 40% 
would be on State of Idaho and private lands. The proposed project 
would operate year round for a minimum of 30 years.
    The purpose of the China Mountain Wind project, if determined to be 
appropriate, is to construct a wind power generation facility that uses 
wind energy resources in an environmentally sound manner to meet 
existing and future electricity demands in Idaho and Nevada. The 
proposed project also provides for development of renewable energy 
resources as encouraged by the

[[Page 52975]]

Energy Policy Act of 2005 and is consistent with the BLM's Wind Energy 
Development Policy, as described in the Record of Decision for the 
Final Programmatic EIS on Wind Energy Development on BLM Administered 
Lands in the Western United States (December 2005).
    At this project's original inception the Jarbidge RMP revision 
process was already well underway (initiated January 10, 2006). The RMP 
revision process had identified the need to revise the previous land 
use planning guidance provided by the 1987 Jarbidge RMP--specifically 
with regards to rights-of-way, including wind energy and utility 
corridors. With the RMP revision and this project on two parallel yet 
staggered timelines, the BLM originally expected that the RMP revision 
(including new rights-of-way guidance) would be complete prior to 
issuance of a decision for this project (consistent with that 
guidance). Unforeseen delays in the RMP revision process have extended 
the timeline, including: wildfire and subsequent restoration planning 
and response, litigation, and other delays. The issuance of a specific 
amendment to the 1987 RMP for the project, consistent with analysis 
developed during the RMP revision process, will allow the BLM to 
process the China Mountain application, unimpeded by delays associated 
with the RMP revision. If the RMP revision is completed prior to 
issuance of a decision for this project, then a land use plan amendment 
for the project would not be necessary. However, any further delays in 
the RMP revision such as scheduling, protest response, or litigation 
would require continuing with the land use plan amendment for the 
project so as to minimize delays in processing China Wind's application 
for this project.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and 
EIS alternatives including a possible land use plan amendment for the 
project. General concerns in the following categories have been 
identified to date: Tribal concerns; wildlife (including birds and 
bats); vegetation (including noxious and invasive weeds); threatened, 
endangered and sensitive plants and animals, including sage grouse; 
public safety; public access; recreational opportunities; visual 
resources; cultural resources; rangeland resources; geology and soils; 
water quality; climate change and variability; hazardous materials; air 
quality; noise; fire management; and socioeconomics. You may submit 
comments on issues in writing to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, 
or you may submit them to the BLM using one of the methods listed in 
the ADDRESSES section above. E-mailed comments, including attachments, 
should be provided in .doc, .pdf, .html, or .txt format. Electronic 
submissions in other formats or containing viruses will be rejected. 
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 cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    The EIS process will be a collaborative effort that will consider 
local, regional, and national needs and concerns. The BLM will work 
closely with interested parties to identify the management decisions 
that are best suited to the needs of the public. After gathering public 
comments, the BLM will identify and provide rationale on those issues 
that will be addressed in the EIS or those issues beyond the scope of 
the EIS.

Peter J. Ditton,
Acting State Director, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho.
[FR Doc. E9-24858 Filed 10-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P