[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41815-41816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17720]



[[Page 41815]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD0500, L51010000.LVRWB11B4500.FX0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the enXco Development Corporation's Tylerhorse Wind Project, Kern 
County, CA, and Possible Land Use Plan Amendment; CACA 51561

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, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest, California, intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which may include an amendment to 
the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended), 
related to Power Partners Southwest, LLC's (Applicant or Power 
Partners) right-of-way (ROW) authorization request for the Tylerhorse 
Wind Project (Project), a 60-megawatt (MW) wind farm. By this notice 
the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to identify 
issues and solicit public comments on the EIS and proposed plan 
amendment (PA). By this notice the BLM is also segregating, subject to 
valid existing rights, approximately 1,200 acres of public lands from 
appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law of 
1872, as amended, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws 
or disposal under the mineral material laws, for a period of 2 years 
from the date of publication of this notice for the purpose of 
processing Power Partner's ROW authorization request.

DATES: This notice initiates: (1) The public scoping process for the 
EIS and possible plan amendment, and (2) the 2 year segregation period 
for the public lands within the Project application area. Comments on 
issues related to the EIS and possible plan amendment may be submitted 
in writing until August 15, 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 considered in the Draft PA/EIS, 
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. The segregation of the public lands is 
effective as of July 15, 2011. The segregation will terminate when one 
of the following events occurs: (1) The BLM issues a decision granting, 
granting with modifications, or denying Power Partners' ROW 
authorization request; (2) publication of a Federal Register notice 
terminating this segregation; or (3) if no further administrative 
action occurs at the end of this segregation on July 15, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Tylerhorse Wind Project 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: Cedric Perry, 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 at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Cedric Perry, telephone 
(951) 697-5388; address BLM California Desert District Office, 22835 
Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California 92553-9046; e-
mail [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal 
business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to 
leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive 
a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EnXco, through its wholly owned subsidiary 
Power Partners, has submitted a ROW application requesting 
authorization to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission the 
Tylerhorse 60-MW wind farm facility. The proposed project is located on 
public lands in Kern County approximately 15 miles west of California 
State Highway 14, 12 miles south of California State Highway 58, and 8 
miles north of State Route 138. The proposed project would include 34 
wind turbines, access roads, and a 34.5 kV energy collection line on 
1,100 acres of BLM-administered lands. Ancillary facilities would be 
located on the adjacent PdV/Manzana (PdV) project that was approved on 
private lands by the Kern County Board of Supervisors on July 29, 2008, 
and is currently under construction. Additional roads, transmission 
lines, and other facilities including substations, operations and 
maintenance facilities, batch plants, and temporary laydown yards would 
be provided by the PdV project.
    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 PA/
EIS. At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary 
issues: Air quality and greenhouse gas emissions; biological resources, 
including special status species, Golden Eagles and California Condors; 
cultural resources; geology and soils; hazards and hazardous materials; 
hydrology and water quality; land use, noise; recreation; traffic; 
wilderness characteristics; visual resources; and areas with high 
potential for renewable energy development.
    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 to determine the suitability of the 
sites for renewable energy development. Since the Project site was not 
previously identified as suitable, authorization of the Tylerhorse 
project would require an amendment to 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, predicated on the 
findings in the EIS. If a land use plan amendment is necessary, the BLM 
would integrate the land use planning process with the NEPA process for 
the Project. A preliminary list of potential planning criteria that 
will be used to help guide and define the scope of the plan amendment 
process include:
     The plan amendments will be completed in compliance with 
FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant Federal laws, executive orders, and 
BLM policies;
     Existing, valid plan decisions will not be changed and any 
new plan decisions will not conflict with existing plan decisions; and
     The plan amendments will recognize valid existing rights.

The BLM will also 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. 470(f) as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted and 
tribal concerns will be given due consideration,

[[Page 41816]]

including impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal, State, and local 
agencies, along with Tribes and 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. In connection with its processing of Power Partners' 
application, the BLM is also segregating, under the authority contained 
in 43 CFR 2091.3-1(e) and 43 CFR 2804.25(e), subject to valid existing 
rights, the public lands within the Tylerhorse application area from 
appropriation under the public land laws including the Mining Law of 
1872, as amended, but not the Mineral Leasing or the Material Sales 
Acts, for a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this 
notice. The public lands contained within this segregation are 
described as follows:

San Bernardino Meridian

Township 10 North, Range 15 West,
    Section 24;
    Section 26, lots 1 to 8, inclusive; and
    Section 28, lot 1 and SW\1/4\; SE\1/4\.

    Containing 1,200.29 acres more or less, Kern County.

    The BLM has determined that this segregation is necessary to ensure 
the orderly administration of the public lands by maintaining the 
status quo while it processes Power Partners' ROW application for the 
above described lands. The segregation period will terminate and the 
lands will automatically reopen to appropriation under the public land 
laws, including the Mining Law, if one of the following events occurs: 
(1) The BLM issues a decision granting, granting with modifications, or 
denying Power Partners' ROW application request; (2) publication of a 
Federal Register notice terminating this segregation; or (3) if no 
further administrative action occurs at the end of this segregation. 
Any segregation made under this authority is effective only for a 
period of up to 2 years.
    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; 43 CFR 1610.2, 2091.3-1(e), and 
2804.25(e).

James W. Keeler,
Acting Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2011-17720 Filed 7-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P