[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16806-16807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7012]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAC07000 L1310000 EJ0000 LXSIGEOT0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Casa Diablo IV Geothermal 
Development Project, Mammoth Lakes, Mono County, CA

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, as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Bishop Field Office, Bishop, California 
and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) (a 
California state agency) intend to prepare a joint Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to consider approval 
of the development of a proposed 33-megawatt (MW) geothermal power 
plant and associated well field, internal access roads, pipelines, and 
a transmission line on public and private lands near the Town of 
Mammoth Lakes, California, and by this notice, are announcing the 
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and 
identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping processes for the EIS/
EIR. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until April 25, 
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/bishop.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. We will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft 
EIS/EIR.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Casa Diablo IV 
Geothermal Development Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop.html
     E-mail: [email protected]
     Fax: 760-872-5050
     Mail: BLM Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, 
Bishop, California 93514, Attn: Casa Diablo IV Development Project, C/O 
Steven Nelson, Project Manager.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM Bishop 
Field Office and the Mono County Library at 400 Sierra Park Road, 
Mammoth Lakes, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Margie DeRose, Minerals 
and Geology Program Manager, Inyo National Forest, telephone (760) 873-
2424; or mail to: Steven Nelson, Project Manager, BLM

[[Page 16807]]

Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, Bishop, California 
93514; or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mammoth Pacific, L.P. (MPLP) has submitted 
an application to the BLM to build and operate the Casa Diablo IV 
Geothermal Development Project in the immediate vicinity of the 
existing MPLP geothermal projects near the intersection of California 
State Route 203 and U.S. Highway 395 approximately 3 miles east of 
Mammoth Lakes, California. The proposed project would be located on 
Inyo National Forest lands and adjacent private lands within portions 
of Federal geothermal leases CACA-11667, CACA-11672 and CACA-14408. The 
proposed project would include construction of a new 33-MW binary 
geothermal power plant, which would be the fourth geothermal plant in 
the vicinity; up to 16 wells for production and reinjection, drilled to 
an approximate 1,600 to 2,000-ft depth; and associated pipelines. A 
500-foot transmission line is proposed to interconnect the new power 
plant to the existing Southern California Edison (SCE) substation at 
Substation Road. The proposed Casa Diablo IV plant, access roads, well 
pads, pipelines and transmission line would occupy approximately 100 
acres. Of the 16 proposed production/injection well locations, 14 were 
previously analyzed and approved as slim holes and exploration wells in 
EA-170-02-15 (2001) and EA-170-05-04 (2005). Three of these exploration 
wells have already been drilled as of the time of the publication of 
this notice. The proposed well field area contains two existing 
production wells and associated pipelines that currently serve three 
existing power plants in the area.
    The leases being developed are already part of a geothermal unit, 
which is currently producing energy sufficient to operate three 
existing geothermal plants in the area: The 10-MW ``MP-1/G1 plant,'' 
the 15-MW ``MP-II/G2 plant,'' and the 15-MW ``PLES-I/G3 plant.''
    The BLM Bishop Field Office will be the lead Federal agency 
responsible for coordinating the environmental analysis for the Case 
Diablo IV project under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA). Authorization of the proposed project would require approval 
from the BLM as the lead Federal agency responsible for geothermal 
leasing and development on Federal lands, in coordination with the U.S. 
Forest Service (FS) as a cooperating agency responsible for surface 
management and uses on Inyo National Forest lands within the project 
area. If approved, permits and licenses to be issued by the BLM would 
include approval of the Plan of Utilization, Geothermal Sundry Notices, 
Geothermal Drilling Permits, a Commercial Use Permit, a Site License 
and a Facility Construction Permit. The BLM authorizations would 
include Conditions of Approval for surface use and occupancy based on 
recommendations from the FS to ensure consistency with the Inyo 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The FS would issue a 
special use permit for the transmission line. For the BLM, the Bishop 
Field Manager is the authorized officer. For the FS, the Inyo National 
Forest Supervisor is the authorized officer. The GBUAPCD will be the 
lead state agency responsible for coordinating the environmental 
analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act. The GBUAPCD 
would issue an Authority to Construct Permit and a Permit to Operate. 
The approving official is the Air Pollution Control Officer.
    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 EIS/
EIR. The BLM, FS and GBUAPCD have identified the following preliminary 
issues: air quality; social and economic impacts; groundwater quantity 
and quality; surface water quantity and quality; geology and soils; 
plants and animals; cultural resources; transportation; noise and 
vibration; lands with wilderness characteristics; and recreation.
    The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to 
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal consultations will be conducted in 
accordance with policy, and tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration, including impacts on any Indian trust assets. Federal, 
State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be 
interested 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.

Bernadette Lovato,
Bishop Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2011-7012 Filed 3-24-11; 8:45 am]
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