[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52966-52967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21570]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CACA 048880, LLCAD06000, L51010000.FX0000, LVRWB09B2520]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Genesis Solar, LLC Genesis Solar Energy Project and 
Proposed California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment

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, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Proposed California Desert Conservation Act Plan Amendment/
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Genesis Solar LLC's 
Genesis Solar Energy Project (GSEP) and by this notice is announcing 
its availability.

DATES: The publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 
Notice of Availability (NOA) of this Final EIS in the Federal Register 
initiates a 30-day public comment period. In addition, the BLM's 
planning regulations state that any person who meets the conditions as 
described in the regulations may protest the BLM's Proposed CDCA Plan 
Amendment. A person who meets the conditions and files a protest must 
file the protest within 30 days of the date that EPA publishes its NOA 
in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS for the GSEP 
have been sent to affected Federal, state, and local government 
agencies and to other stakeholders. Copies of the Proposed Plan 
Amendment/Final EIS are available for public inspection at the Palm 
Springs South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, 
California 92262. Interested persons may also review the document at 
the following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/Solar_Projects/Genesis_Ford_Dry_Lake.html. Submit comments on the 
Final EIS to the Palm Springs South Coast Field Office at the address 
above or e-mail them to [email protected].
    All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the following 
addresses:

Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 
66538, Washington, DC 20035.
Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L 
Street, NW., Suite 1075, Washington, DC 20036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Shaffer, BLM Project Manager, 
telephone (760) 833-7100; address (see ADDRESSES, above); or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Genesis Solar, LLC has submitted an 
application to the BLM for development of the proposed GSEP, which 
would consist of two independent solar electric generating facilities 
with a nominal net electrical output of 125 megawatts (MW) each, 
resulting in a total net electrical output of 250 MW. The Proposed 
Action would be designed to utilize solar parabolic trough technology 
to generate electricity.
    Genesis Solar, LLC is seeking a right-of-way (ROW) grant for 
approximately 4,640 acres of land. Construction and operation of the 
Proposed Action would disturb a total of about 1,800 acres within the 
site boundaries, and approximately 90 acres for linear facilities and 
drainage features outside the site boundaries.
    The proposed GSEP would be approximately 27 miles east of the 
unincorporated community of Desert Center and 25 miles west of the 
Arizona-California border city of Blythe in Riverside County, 
California.
    The Applicant proposes to construct the GSEP in two phases, which 
would

[[Page 52967]]

be designed to generate a combined total of approximately 250 MW of 
electricity. Phase 1 would consist of the Unit 1 (western) power block, 
access road, natural gas pipeline, and electric transmission line. 
Phase 2 would consist of the Unit 2 (eastern) power block. The project 
would also include above-ground and subsurface fiber optic lines.
    The overall site layout and generalized land uses are characterized 
as follows:
    1. 250-MW facility including solar generation facilities; on-site 
switchyard (substation); administration, operations, and maintenance 
facilities: approximately 1,800 acres.
    2. Two wastewater evaporation ponds: Up to 30 acres each (located 
within the 1,800-acre site).
    3. A new generation-tie line to route generated electrical power 
transmitted from the GSEP switchyard by way of a southeasterly ROW, 
that would connect to the Southern California Edison 500-230 kV 
Colorado River substation via the existing Blythe Energy Project 
Transmission Line between the Julian Hinds and Buck substations.
    4. Additional linear facilities off-site, including a 6.5-mile 
access road and natural gas pipeline.
    5. Surface water control facilities for storm water flow and 
discharge.
    6. Temporary construction laydown area(s) within the larger site 
footprint. No additional laydown areas outside the project footprint 
are contemplated.
    Access to the site would be via a new 6.5-mile long, 24-foot wide 
(approximately 18.9 acres) paved access road extending north and west 
from the existing Wiley's Well Road. Wiley's Well Road is accessible by 
both eastbound and westbound traffic off Interstate 10 at the Wiley's 
Well Road Interchange. The new access road would be constructed 
entirely on BLM-administered land.
    The BLM's purpose and need for the NEPA analysis of the GSEP 
project is to respond to Genesis Solar, LLC's application under Title V 
of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761) for a ROW grant to construct, operate, and 
decommission a solar thermal facility on public lands in compliance 
with FLPMA, BLM ROW regulations, and other applicable Federal laws. The 
BLM will decide whether to approve, approve with modification, or deny 
a ROW grant to Genesis Solar, LLC for the proposed GSEP project. The 
BLM will also consider amending the California Desert Conservation Act 
(CDCA) Plan of 1980, as amended, in this analysis. The CDCA Plan, while 
recognizing the potential compatibility of solar generation facilities 
on public lands, requires that all sites associated with power 
generation or transmission not identified in that Plan be considered 
through the plan amendment process. If the BLM decides to grant a ROW, 
the BLM would also amend the CDCA Plan.
    In the Final EIS, the BLM's Preferred Alternative is the direct dry 
cooling project alternative with a 250 nominal MW output which includes 
a CDCA Plan Amendment. In addition to the Preferred Alternative, the 
Final EIS analyzes the following alternatives: The proposed action with 
a 250 nominal MW output, wet-cooling technology and an amendment the 
CDCA Plan to make the area suitable for solar energy development; a 
reduced acreage alternative which includes a 150 nominal MW output, wet 
cooling technology, and an amendment to the CDCA Plan to make the area 
suitable for solar energy development; and an amendment to the CDCA 
Plan without approving any project. As required under NEPA, the Final 
EIS analyzes a no action alternative, which would not approve the GSEP 
or amend the CDCA Plan. The BLM also analyzes an alternative that 
denies the GSEP, but amends the CDCA Plan to designate the project area 
as suitable for other possible solar energy power generation projects, 
and an alternative to deny the project and amend the CDCA Plan to 
designate the project area as unsuitable for solar energy power 
generation projects. The BLM will take into consideration the 
provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Secretarial Orders 3283 
Enhancing Renewable Energy Development on the Public Lands and 3285A1 
Renewable Energy Development by the Department of the Interior in 
responding to the GSEP application.
    The Final EIS evaluates the potential impacts of the proposed GSEP 
on air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, water 
resources, geological resources and hazards, land use, noise, 
paleontological resources, public health, socioeconomics, soils, 
traffic and transportation, visual resources, wilderness 
characteristics, and other resources.
    A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS/Staff Assessment for the 
proposed GSEP and Possible Plan Amendment to the CDCA Plan was 
published in the Federal Register on April 9, 2010 (75 FR 18204). 
Comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS/Staff Assessment received 
from the public and internal BLM review were considered and 
incorporated as appropriate into the Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment/Final 
EIS. Public comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text and 
the change in the preferred alternative from wet cooling to dry cooling 
technology, but did not significantly change proposed land use plan 
decisions.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM 
regarding the Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment may be found in the ``Dear 
Reader'' Letter of the Proposed CDCA Plan Amendment/Final EIS and at 43 
CFR 1610.5-2. E-mailed and faxed protests will not be accepted as valid 
protests unless the protesting party also provides the original letter 
by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the 
protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the e-
mail or faxed protest as an advance copy and it will receive full 
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance 
notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of the BLM 
protest coordinator at (202) 912-7212, and e-mails to [email protected]. All protests, including the follow-up letter to e-
mails or faxes, must be in writing and mailed to the appropriate 
address, as set forth in the ADDRESSES section above.
    Before including your phone number, e-mail address, or other 
personal identifying information in your protest, you should be aware 
that your entire protest--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your protest to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10 and 43 CFR 1610.2 and 
1610.5.

Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-21570 Filed 8-27-10; 8:45 am]
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