[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6698-6699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2841]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD070000, L91310000.EI0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed West Chocolate Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation Area, 
Imperial County, CA, and Possible Land Use Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) El Centro 
Field Office, El Centro, California, intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider an amendment to the 
California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan to identify whether 
lands within the West Chocolate Mountains area should be made available 
for geothermal, solar, or wind energy development. By this notice the 
BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit 
public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS and 
possible plan amendment. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing 
until March 12, 2010. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping 
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local 
media and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html. 
In order to be considered 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 on issues and planning criteria 
related to the West Chocolate Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation by 
any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (951) 697-5299.
     Mail: ATTN: John Dalton, BLM California Desert District 
Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California 
92553-9046.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
California Desert District Office or the BLM's California State Office, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact John Dalton, telephone 
(951) 697-5311; address BLM California Desert District Office, 22835 
Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553-9046; e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The focus of the EIS is to assess whether 
the 21,300 acres of BLM-managed lands within the West Chocolate 
Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation Area should be made available for 
renewable energy development, including

[[Page 6699]]

geothermal leasing, solar energy rights-of-way (ROWs), and wind energy 
ROWs. Through the analysis contained within the EIS, the BLM will 
consider whether all, a portion of, or no lands within the area should 
be leased for geothermal exploration and development, solar energy 
development through ROWs, or wind energy development through ROWs.
    The approximately 21,300 acres of Federal lands that are the 
subject of this analysis are located in an area bordered by the 
Imperial/Riverside County line on the north, the Chocolate Mountains 
Aerial Bombing and Gunnery Range on the east, the Imperial Sand Dunes 
Recreation Area on the south, and the Imperial Valley agricultural belt 
on the west. The area is also east of the community of Niland and 
northeast of El Centro, California.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. 
The BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: Threatened and 
endangered species, special status species, vegetation communities, 
special area designations, visual resources, water quality and 
quantity, and areas of high potential for renewable energy development. 
By this notice, the BLM is complying with requirements in 43 CFR 
1610.2(c) to notify the public of potential amendments to land use 
plans, predicated on the findings of the EIS.
    The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to 
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted, 
and Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets, will be 
given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with 
other stakeholders 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.
    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.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2010-2841 Filed 2-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P