[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5198-5199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1831]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVC0100000 L91310000.EJ0000.LXSIGEOT0000 241A; 
MO4500018986; NVN 087795; 11-08807; TAS:14X5575]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Salt Wells Energy Projects, Churchill County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Salt 
Wells Energy Projects 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 Salt Wells Energy Projects Draft EIS within 60 
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
its Notice of Availability 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, media 
releases, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Salt Wells Energy 
Projects by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 775-885-6147.
     Mail or other delivery service: BLM Carson City District, 
Stillwater Field Office, Attn: Salt Wells Energy Projects, 5665 Morgan 
Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada 89701.

Copies of the Salt Wells Energy Projects Draft EIS are available in the 
BLM Carson City District, Stillwater Field Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Sievers, (775) 885-6000, or e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Stillwater Field Office received 
separate proposed geothermal utilization plans and applications for 
facilities construction permits from Vulcan Power Company (Vulcan) and 
Ormat Technologies, Inc. (Ormat), and an electric transmission right-
of-way (ROW) application from Sierra Pacific Power Company (SPPC), for 
proposed geothermal energy projects covering a combined area of 
approximately 24,152 acres in the Salt Wells area about 15 miles east 
of Fallon, Nevada. Vulcan proposes the development of as many as four 
geothermal power plants and associated facilities. Ormat proposes the 
development of one geothermal power plant and associated facilities. 
SPPC proposes 22 miles of above-ground electrical transmission lines, 
electrical substations, and switching stations. Due to similar timing, 
geographic area, and type of action, the BLM is analyzing the proposals 
in one EIS. The BLM will issue a separate Record of Decision for each 
proposed project.
    The proposed facilities would be sited on a combination of private 
property and public land; the public land is managed by the BLM and the 
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation).
    The Vulcan project proposal is to construct as many as four 30- to 
60-megawatt (MW) binary or dual-flash geothermal power plants and 
associated facilities at five possible locations for a total net output 
of 120 MW. Each site includes production and injection wells, 
pipelines, a substation, interconnection lines to the proposed 
substation, and access roads. The Vulcan project could require an 
estimated 46 geothermal production and injection wells. Twenty of these 
wells have been analyzed in two previous environmental assessments 
(EA): Salt Wells Geothermal Drilling EA for Ten Drilling Wells, EA-NV-
030-07-05 (February 6, 2007), and Salt Wells Geothermal Exploratory 
Drilling Program EA for Ten Wells, DOI- BLM-NV-C010-2009-0006-EA (April 
24, 2009).
    The Ormat project proposal includes the construction and operation 
of a 40-MW binary combination wet- and air-cooled geothermal power 
plant, a substation, a switching station, and an associated 
transmission line between the power plant and switching station. These 
facilities would be developed on an 80-acre private parcel. While Ormat 
has not yet determined the total number of production and injection 
wells needed, up to 13 well pads would be constructed in addition to 
the 12 well pads previously analyzed in the Carson Lake Geothermal 
Exploration Project EA-NV-030-07-006 and DOI-BLM-NV-C010-2010-0012--
Determination of NEPA Adequacy, and authorized by the BLM on July 25, 
2008, and July 22, 2010, respectively up to five wells might be drilled 
from each pad location. Associated pipelines and roads would also be 
permitted and constructed.
    The SPPC proposal includes construction of a new substation, 22 
miles of single circuit 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, two 230-kV 
switching stations, and two 60-kV electric lines.
    The BLM's purpose for this EIS is to direct and control the use of 
public lands for the orderly development of commercial-scale geothermal 
power generation facilities, associated infrastructure, and a 
transmission line in a manner that will protect natural resources and 
prevent unnecessary or undue degradation to the public lands following 
the NEPA regulations [40 CFR 2801.2]. In accordance with 43 CFR part 
2800 and 43 CFR part 3200, the BLM needs to process the applications to 
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed Salt Wells Energy 
Projects. Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior (through the BLM) to grant 
ROWs over, upon, under, or through public lands for the purposes of 
generating and transmitting electric energy. These projects are 
consistent with the BLM Carson City District Office Consolidated 
Resource Management Plan (2001).
    In addition to the proposed actions, the BLM is analyzing the 
following action alternatives. For the Vulcan project, an alternative 
switching station and interconnection 230-kV transmission line is 
proposed should SPCC elect not to build its project. For the Ormat 
project, the BLM developed an alternative to relocate specific well 
sites and a portion of a pipeline to maintain consistency with lease 
stipulations and land use plan decisions to protect riparian vegetation 
and surface waters within canals. For the SPPC project, two alternative 
routes for the proposed 230-kV transmission line and an alternative 
examining the construction of an additional fiber optic line to connect 
communications from Highway 50 are being considered to minimize impacts 
to the nearby Fallon Naval Air Station (NAS) airspace. As required 
under NEPA, the Draft EIS analyzes a no-action alternative for each of 
the proposed projects.
    The BLM took 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 
applications.
    The Draft EIS analyzes site-specific impacts of the proposed 
projects on

[[Page 5199]]

land use authorizations, airspace, and access; air quality; minerals/
geology and soils; farm lands (prime or unique); water quality and 
quantity; floodplains, wetlands, and riparian zones; vegetation 
(including invasive, nonnative species); wildlife; migratory birds; 
BLM-designated sensitive animal and plant species; cultural resources; 
Native American religious concerns; paleontological resources; visual 
resources; livestock grazing; recreation; special designations 
(including areas of critical environmental concern and wilderness); 
national scenic and historic trails; noise; public health and safety 
and fire management; hazardous or solid wastes; social and economic 
values; and environmental justice. Pursuant to Section 201[a] of FLPMA, 
the 1979 wilderness characteristic inventory was updated for all lands 
that could be impacted by the proposed action and alternatives. No 
changes have occurred that would warrant a change of the 1979 finding 
that wilderness characteristics were not present in the area. 
Therefore, wilderness characteristics are not analyzed in the EIS. A 
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the Salt Wells Energy Projects, 
Churchill County, Nevada, was published in the Federal Register on 
September 11, 2009 (74 FR 46787). The BLM held one public scoping 
meeting in Fallon, Nevada, on October 21, 2009. The formal scoping 
period ended November 10, 2009. Several issues were raised during 
scoping including the proximity to Fallon NAS, the need to monitor 
potential impacts to ground and surface water, impacts to wildlife 
habitat and wildlife (migratory birds and golden eagles), and effects 
of lighting on Dark Sky attributes of the area.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted, 
including names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses of persons who 
submit comments, will be available for public review and disclosure 
Bureau of Land Management Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill 
Road, Carson City, Nevada during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    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.

Teresa J. Knutson,
Manager, Stillwater Field Office, BLM Carson City District.

    Authority: 43 CFR part 2800 and 43 CFR part 3200.

[FR Doc. 2011-1831 Filed 1-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P