[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 73 (Friday, April 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19990-19991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8627]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVS03000 L51010000.ER0000 LVRWF0900290 241A; 10-08807; 
MO4500012626; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the NextLight Renewable Power, LLC, Silver State Solar 
Project, Primm, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Silver State Solar 
Project, Primm, Nevada, and by this Notice is announcing the opening of 
the comment period.

DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Silver State Solar Project Draft EIS within 45 
days

[[Page 19991]]

following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its 
Notice of Availability of this Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The 
BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public 
involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public 
notices, local news media, and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/prog/energy/fast-track_renewable.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Mail: Gregory Helseth, Renewable Energy Project Manager, 
BLM Pahrump Field Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, 
Nevada 89130-2301.
    Copies of the Draft EIS for the Silver State Solar Project are 
available in the Southern Nevada District Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Helseth, phone: 702-515-5173, 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextLight Renewable Power, LLC applied to 
the BLM for a right-of-way on public lands to construct a solar 
photovoltaic (PV) plant facility approximately two miles southeast of 
Primm, Clark County, Nevada. The facility is expected to operate for 
approximately 50 years. The proposed project would produce 400 
megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.
    The solar field and infrastructure would consist of single-axis 
tracker systems or fixed panels, an underground and overhead electrical 
power collection system, two step-up transformers, 230 kilovolt (kV) 
and 220 kV transmission lines, an operation and maintenance area, a 
switchyard, paved access and maintenance roads, flood and drainage 
controls, and a fire break.
    The Draft EIS describes and analyzes site-specific impacts of the 
proposed project on air quality; biological, cultural, water, soil, 
visual, paleontological, and geological resources; recreation; land 
use; noise; public health; socioeconomics; and traffic and 
transportation. The Draft EIS also addresses hazardous materials 
handling, waste management, worker safety, fire protection, facility 
design engineering, efficiency, reliability, transmission system 
engineering, transmission line safety, and nuisance.
    The EIS analyzes three alternatives, including the no action 
alternative (Alternative 1) and two action alternatives. Alternative 
2--the proposed action--would disturb up to 2,996 acres of land and 
would include the use of berms to reduce erosion. Alternative 3 would 
disturb up to 3,669 acres of land and would employ an alternate 
drainage and flood control design to control erosion. Both action 
alternatives would use solar PV technology, although the specific types 
of arrays and trackers have not been determined at this time. The Draft 
EIS describes the different types of solar arrays and trackers and 
their respective impacts.
    Formal scoping for the project occurred from June 30, 2009 to July 
31, 2009 (74 FR 31306). On September 17, 2009, the reopening of the 
comment period published with a new closing date of October 19, 2009 
(74 FR 47820). A total of 33 comments were submitted during the scoping 
period. The comments identified concerns in a broad range of 
categories: surface water/storm runoff; off-highway vehicle access for 
recreation; federally-listed species and their habitat, including 
desert tortoise habitat and rare plants; alternatives for analysis.
    Maps of the proposed project area and the alternatives being 
analyzed in the Draft EIS are available at the BLM Southern Nevada 
District Office.
    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; therefore, 
personal identifying information such as addresses, phone numbers, and 
e-mail address, may be withheld.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Robert B. Ross, Jr.,
Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2010-8627 Filed 4-15-10; 8:45 am]
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