[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 181 (Monday, September 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57286-57287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23334]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVS03000 L51010000.ER0000 LVRWF09 F8770 241A; 10-08807; MO 
4500014131; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the NextLight Renewable Power, LLC, Silver State Solar 
Project, Clark County, 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, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Silver State Solar 
Project, Clark County, Nevada, and by this notice is announcing its 
availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the Silver State 
Solar Project for a minimum of 30 days after the date that the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of availability in 
the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Silver State Solar Project Final EIS will be 
mailed to individuals, agencies, organizations, or companies who 
previously requested copies or who responded to the BLM on the Draft 
EIS. Printed copies or a compact disc of the Final EIS are available on 
request from the BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 N. Torrey 
Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130, phone (702) 515-5000, or e-mail: 
[email protected]. Interested persons may also review 
the Final EIS at the following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/energy.html. Copies of the Final EIS are 
available for public inspection at the following locations:
     BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, 
Nevada.
     BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Helseth, Renewable Energy 
Project Manager, phone: (702) 515-5173; address: BLM Southern Nevada 
District Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130; 
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) facility approximately 2 miles southeast of Primm, 
Nevada, in Clark County. As originally proposed, the project included 
6,320 acres of BLM managed lands and was expected to operate for 
approximately 50 years. The proposed project would be capable of 
producing 400 megawatts of electricity.
    The solar field and infrastructure would consist of 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 Final 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 Final EIS analyzes three alternatives, including the no action 
alternative (Alternative 1) and 2 action alternatives. Alternative 2, 
the proposed action and the BLM's preferred alternative, would disturb 
up to 2,967 acres of BLM managed land and would include the use of 
berms to reduce erosion. Alternative 3 would disturb up to 4,818 acres 
of BLM managed land and would employ an alternate drainage and flood 
control design to control erosion. The Final EIS describes the 
different types of solar arrays and trackers that were considered and 
their respective impacts.
    On April 16, 2010, the BLM published the Notice of Availability for 
the Draft EIS for this project in the Federal Register [75 FR19990]. 
The BLM held 3 public meetings and accepted written comments during a 
45-day comment

[[Page 57287]]

period. Comments primarily addressed concerns with tortoise mitigation, 
groundwater drawdown, visual resource management, and air quality/dust 
control during construction.
    Comments on the Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM 
review were considered and are incorporated as appropriate into the 
Final EIS.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Robert B. Ross, Jr.,
Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2010-23334 Filed 9-14-10; 4:15 pm]
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