[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61364-61365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28188]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVB02000.L51010000.ER0000.F0900080; NVN-86292; 09-08807; 
TAS:14X5017]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC Crescent Dunes Solar Energy 
Project, Nye County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Battle 
Mountain District Office, Tonopah Field Office, Nevada intends to 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Crescent Dunes 
Solar Energy Project located on public lands in Nye County, Nevada.

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 24, 2009. The BLM will 
announce public scoping meetings to identify relevant issues through 
local news media and the BLM Web site, http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field.html, at least 15 days prior to each meeting. 
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public participation 
upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues related to the proposed 
project by the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]
     Fax: (775) 482-7810 (attention: Tim Coward)
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Bureau of Land Management, Tonopah 
Field Office, Attn: Tim Coward, Project Manager, 1553 South Main 
Street, P.O. Box 911, Tonopah, NV 89049.
    Documents pertinent to this project may be examined at the Tonopah 
Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact Tim Coward, (775) 482-
7800, or e-mail [email protected].

[[Page 61365]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC has submitted a 
right-of-way application to the BLM to build a solar power generation 
facility, with a net generating capacity of up to 180 megawatts (MW) of 
electricity based on concentrating solar power technology (CSP). The 
proposed solar power plant, including the heliostat array, power tower, 
power block, and associated facilities would be built on about 1,600 
acres of public land, northwest of Tonopah, Nevada. The project is 
proposed to be built entirely on lands administered by the BLM Battle 
Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office.
    The solar facility would include a large field of heliostats or 
mirrors to reflect the sun's energy onto a central solar receiver or 
tower; a conventional steam turbine to generate electricity; thermal 
storage tanks to store hot and cold liquid salt; a hybrid cooling 
system; associated equipment such as pumps, transformers, heat 
exchangers, and buildings; and associated linear facilities including 
an eight-mile transmission line, access road and possible water supply 
pipeline.
    The heliostat array would be a circular field with a radius of 
approximately 4,400 feet. The proposed array would consist of 
approximately 17,350 heliostats, each approximately 670 square feet in 
size. The heliostats would be arranged in arcs around the central solar 
receiver or tower. The central solar receiver or tower would be a 
concrete structure, approximately 538 feet high, supporting a 
cylindrical receiver, approximately 95 feet tall. The total height of 
the receiver would be approximately 633 feet. A 20-foot tall 
maintenance crane would be mounted on top of the receiver. The primary 
components of the power block include a solar steam generator system; a 
solar preheater; an evaporator; a steam turbine; and feedwater heaters. 
A hybrid cooling system would be employed at the site. The hybrid 
cooling system would consist of an air-cooled condenser augmented with 
a wet cooling system designed to minimize water consumption. The 
proposal includes a thermal storage system using liquid salt held in 
tanks to store solar heat energy for later steam generation, as well as 
associated pumps and piping.
    The bulk of the electric power produced by the facility would be 
transmitted to the electric grid under the control of the Sierra 
Pacific Power Company, doing business as NV Energy, and delivered to 
the Anaconda 230-kilovolt (kV) Substation, located about 8 miles north 
of the site. A high voltage overhead transmission line would be 
constructed to deliver power from the plant switchyard to the Anaconda 
substation. It is proposed that the new transmission line would 
parallel an existing transmission line that crosses the northwest 
corner of the site. Access to the site would be provided from State 
Route 89. Buildings and enclosures planned for the project include a 
steam generator area building, a steam turbine enclosure building, an 
electrical building, an administration and maintenance building, and a 
heliostat assembly building with a warehouse. On-site storage for spare 
components would be required for maintenance uses. In addition, on-site 
storage facilities for water pretreatment chemicals, cooling water 
treatment chemicals, and boiler water treatment chemicals would be 
necessary. The proposed project would be designed for a life of 30 
years.
    The EIS will analyze the site-specific impacts of the proposed 
project on air quality, biological resources (including special status 
species) cultural resources, water resources, geological resources, 
paleontological resources, public health, socioeconomics, soils, 
traffic and transportation, and visual resources. It will also analyze 
the geological hazards, hazardous materials handling, land use, waste 
management, and worker safety and fire protection potentially 
associated with the proposed project. Native American Tribal 
consultations will be conducted and Tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration. The EIS will include the consideration of any impacts on 
Indian trust assets.
    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. Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as 
individuals or organizations that may be interested in 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.

    Authority: 43 CFR Part 2800.

Thomas J. Seley,
Field Manager, Tonopah Field Office.
[FR Doc. E9-28188 Filed 11-23-09; 8:45 am]
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