[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 97 (Thursday, May 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 28279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12138]



[[Page 28279]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZP02000.L51010000.FX0000.LVRWA09A2370; AZA 034425]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Hyder Valley Solar Energy Project, Maricopa County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona 
State Office, Phoenix, Arizona, 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.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until June 21, 2010. The 
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers, and the 
following BLM Web site: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html. 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. The BLM will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft 
EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Hyder Valley Solar 
Energy Project by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Office, 
Attention: Eddie Arreola, Supervisory Project Manager, Hyder Valley 
Solar EIS, One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Eddie Arreola, Supervisory 
Project Manager, telephone 602-417-9505; by mail or other delivery 
service Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Office, Attention: 
Eddie Arreola, Supervisory Project Manager, Hyder Valley Solar EIS, One 
North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004; or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, Pacific Solar Investments, 
Inc., has requested a right-of-way (ROW) authorization to construct and 
operate a 4,500 acre concentrated solar thermal (CST) power plant that 
could provide up to 350 megawatts (MW) of solar generation with options 
for wet or dry cooling and possibly with thermal storage capabilities. 
The project would include a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, water 
supply facilities, a natural gas pipeline, an access road, and other 
related facilities in the Hyder Valley, north of Interstate 8, east of 
the town of Hyder, and west of the Oatman Mountains in Maricopa County, 
AZ. The facility would be expected to operate for approximately 30 
years. A ROW grant for the construction, operation, and maintenance of 
this Project would be required from the BLM. Additional applicable 
permits from Federal, State, and local agencies will also be required.
    The solar facility would consist of solar fields made up of single-
axis-tracking parabolic trough solar collectors. Each collector 
contains a linear parabolic-shaped reflector to focus sun light on a 
heat collection element. The collectors would track the sun from east 
to west each day to ensure the sun is continuously focused on the 
collection element. A heat transfer fluid would be heated as it passes 
through the element and then circulated through a series of heat 
exchangers to generate high-pressure steam. The steam would power a 
generator to produce electricity. The plant would be made up of one or 
more power blocks. Each power block would be located near the center of 
its respective solar field and have its own generator.
    Both wet-cooled and dry-cooled options are being considered for 
this Project, and will be addressed in the EIS. Maximum water use for 
the Project is initially estimated to be 1,750 to 2,800 acre-feet per 
year. A mechanical draft cooling tower, cooling water circulating 
pumps, circulating water piping, valves, and instrumentation would also 
be located within the facility. Multiple evaporation ponds would be 
constructed to hold discharge from the cooling towers and steam cycle 
that could no longer be recycled back into the plant.
    Pacific Solar Investments is also considering the use of thermal 
energy storage. Thermal energy storage would provide the option of 
transferring some or all of the solar energy into molten salt contained 
in insulated tanks. Using heat exchangers and pumps designed for molten 
salt, the heat could subsequently be extracted to provide generation 
after sunset.
    The Project would be connected to the electrical grid using a newly 
constructed 230-kV transmission line of approximately 5 to 7 miles long 
with a point of interconnection at a proposed Hyder substation. The 
proposed Hyder substation would be owned and operated by Arizona Public 
Service (APS). The length of the transmission line will depend on the 
exact location of the Hyder substation, which has not yet been 
determined by APS. The transmission line and other related facilities 
that would be developed specifically for this Project would be included 
in the EIS analysis and included in the ROW grant as appropriate.
    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. 
At present, the BLM has identified water resources as a preliminary 
issue; however, the analysis will include the site-specific impacts on 
air quality, geologic resources, soils, water resources, biological 
resources, cultural resources, paleontological resources, visual 
resources, land use, transportation, noise, socioeconomics, public 
health and safety, and other resources and issues identified during 
scoping and project collaboration.
    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 
considered. 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.

Raymond Suazo,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-12138 Filed 5-19-10; 8:45 am]
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