[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 227 (Friday, November 26, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72836-72837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29782]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVB00000 L51010000.ER0000 LVRWF0900380 241A; 11-08807; 
MO4500018794; TAS: 14X5017]


Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Tonopah Solar Energy Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nye 
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

[[Page 72837]]

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 Crescent Dunes Solar 
Energy Project, Nye County, Nevada, and by this notice is announcing 
its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the Crescent Dunes 
Solar Energy Project for a minimum of 30 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of availability in 
the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the 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 upon request from the BLM 
Tonopah Field Office, 1553 So. Main Street, P.O. Box 911, Tonopah, 
Nevada 89049, phone: (775) 482-7800; and at the Battle Mountain 
District Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada 89820, phone: 
(775) 635-4000; or by e-mail request to: [email protected]. 
Interested persons may also view the Final EIS at the following Web 
site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_field.html. 
Copies of the Final EIS are available for public inspection at the 
following Nevada locations:
     BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, 
Nevada 89502
     BLM Battle Mountain District Office, 50 Bastian Road, 
Battle Mountain, Nevada 89820
     BLM Tonopah Field Office, 1553 South Main, Tonopah, Nevada 
89049

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Coward, phone: (775) 482-7830; 
address: BLM Tonopah Field Office, 1553 South Main Street, P.O. Box 
911, Tonopah, Nevada 89049; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC applied to the BLM 
for a 7,680-acre right-of-way (ROW) on public lands to construct a 
concentrated solar thermal power plant facility approximately 13 miles 
northwest of Tonopah in the southern portion of Big Smoky Valley, north 
of U.S. Highway 95/6 along the Gabbs Pole Line Road (State Highway 89). 
The facility is expected to operate for about 30 years and have a 
nominal capacity of 110 megawatts.
    The proposed solar power project will use concentrated solar 
thermal power technology, which uses heliostats with mirrors to direct 
sunlight on a tower erected in the center of the solar field. A heat 
transfer fluid is heated as it passes through the receiver tower and is 
then circulated through a series of heat exchangers to generate steam. 
The steam is used to power a conventional steam turbine to generate 
electricity. The exhaust steam from the turbine is condensed and 
returned via feedwater pumps to the heat exchangers where the steam is 
generated again. A combination of dry and wet (hybrid) cooling 
processes are to be used for this project to minimize water use while 
continuing to maintain efficient power generation.
    The project's proposed design includes the heliostat fields, a 653-
foot tall central receiver tower, the power block, buildings, parking 
and laydown areas, evaporating ponds, and an access road. A single 
overhead 230-kilovolt transmission line will connect the plant to the 
nearby Anaconda Moly substation.
    The Final EIS describes and analyzes the proposed project's site-
specific impacts on air quality, biological resources, cultural 
resources, visual resources, water resources, geological resources, 
paleontological resources, land use, noise, soils, public health, 
socioecononomics, traffic and transportation, waste management, 
hazardous materials handling, worker safety, fire protection, facility 
design engineering, transmission system engineering, and transmission 
line safety.
    Three action alternatives were analyzed in addition to the No 
Action Alternative.
    On September 3, 2010, the BLM published the Notice of Availability 
for the Draft EIS for this project in the Federal Register (75 FR 
54177). The BLM held two public meetings and accepted public comment 
through e-mail, mail, public meetings, and by telephone. A total of 23 
comments were received from individuals, organizations, and agencies. 
The nature of the comments did not necessitate major changes in the 
Draft EIS. Therefore, an abbreviated Final EIS was prepared addressing 
responses to the comments, including an errata section with specific 
modifications and corrections to the Draft EIS made in response to the 
comments following the standards of 40 CFR 1503.49(c).
    These comments addressed effects on air quality, ``Dark Sky'' 
attributes, and viewsheds; water use concerns; wildlife and kangaroo 
mouse mitigation; and social and economic issues, particulary job 
opportunities. Concerns raised during the review are addressed, and 
specific responses provided in the Final EIS.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Thomas J. Seley,
Manager, Tonopah Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-29782 Filed 11-22-10; 4:15 pm]
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