[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 20 (Monday, January 31, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 5396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2054]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD0500, L51010000.LVRWB10BXXX.FX0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Rising Tree Wind Farm, Kern County, CA and Possible Land
Use Plan Amendment.
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 Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest,
California, cooperating with Kern County, intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR),
which may include an amendment to the California Desert Conservation
Area (CDCA) Plan (1980 as amended) 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/EIR
and possible plan amendment (PA). Comments on issues may be submitted
in writing until March 2, 2011. 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 BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html. In order to be included in the Draft EIS/EIR, 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/EIR.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and alternatives related
to the Rising Tree Wind Farm Draft EIS/EIR and possible CDCA PA by any
of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (951) 697-5299.
Mail: Attn: Jeffery Childers, Project Manager, BLM
California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos,
Moreno Valley, California 92553-9046.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the
California Desert District Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Jeffery Childers;
telephone (951) 697-5308; address BLM California Desert District
Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California
92553-9046; e-mail [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, Horizon Wind Energy LLC, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of EDP Renewables, Inc., has requested a right-
of-way (ROW) authorization to construct, operate, maintain and
decommission the 234-megawatt Rising Tree Wind Farm. The proposed
project is approximately three miles west of the town of Mojave and
south of Highway 58 on private lands under the jurisdiction of Kern
County and public lands administered by the BLM. The proposed project
would include wind turbines, access roads, and energy collection lines
on 2,745 acres, of which 527 acres are on public land. Pursuant to the
CDCA Plan, sites associated with power generation or transmission not
identified in the CDCA Plan will be considered through the plan
amendment process.
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 Draft
EIS/EIR. At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary
issues: Air quality and greenhouse gas emissions; biological resources,
including special status species; cultural resources; geology and
soils; hazards and hazardous materials; hydrology and water quality;
land use, noise; recreation; traffic; visual resources; lands with
wilderness characteristics; cumulative effects and areas of high
potential for renewable energy development.
Authorization of this proposal will require amendment of the CDCA
Plan. By this notice, the BLM is complying with requirements in 43 CFR
1610.2(c) to notify the public of potential amendments to land use
plans.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to
provide for public involvement required by Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as described in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy, and tribal concerns including impacts on Indian
trust assets will be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with tribes and other stakeholders that may be
interested in 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 and 43 CFR 1610.2.
Karla Norris,
Associate Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2011-2054 Filed 1-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P