[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28618-28619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11667]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD07000, L51010000.FX0000.LVRWB10B4050]


Notice of Availability of the San Diego Gas & Electric Ocotillo 
Sol Solar Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft 
California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment, Imperial County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Draft California Desert 
Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment for the San Diego Gas & 
Electric (SDG&E) Ocotillo Sol Solar Project in Imperial County, 
California, and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment 
period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft EIS and Draft CDCA Plan Amendment within 
90 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, news media releases, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the SDG&E Ocotillo Sol 
Solar Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 951-697-5299, Attn: Noel Ludwig.
     Mail: California Desert District Office, Attn: Noel 
Ludwig, 22835 Calle San Juan de los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California 
92553.
    Copies of the SDG&E Ocotillo Sol Solar Project Draft EIS and Draft 
CDCA Plan Amendment are available in the California Desert District 
Office at the above address and at the El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 
4th Street, El Centro, California 92243.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noel Ludwig, Project Manager, 
telephone 951-697-5368; address 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, 
Moreno Valley, California 92553; or email [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: The BLM has received a right-of-way (ROW) 
application from SDG&E to construct, operate, maintain, and 
decommission the Ocotillo Sol project, a solar photovoltaic (PV) power 
plant facility, on approximately 115 acres of BLM-administered public 
lands in Imperial County, California. The site for the solar facility 
would be adjacent to the existing Imperial Valley Substation (IVS), 4 
miles south of Interstate 8, approximately 5 miles north of the United 
States-Mexico border, 5 miles south of Seeley, 9 miles southwest of El 
Centro, and 82 miles east of San Diego. The proposed project site is 
located within the BLM's CDCA, the BLM's Yuha Basin Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern, and the Yuha Desert Management Area for flat-
tailed horned lizard. A portion of the Juan Bautista de Anza National 
Historic Trail lies approximately 5 miles southwest of the project site 
at its closest point, and runs approximately north-south. The Jacumba 
Mountains Wilderness lies 11.7 miles to the west of the project site.
    All proposed project components, including a temporary 15-acre 
construction lay-down area, would be located on BLM-administered lands 
subject to a ROW grant. The proposed Ocotillo Sol project components 
would include the PV modules and mounting structures, a maintenance 
building with an associated parking area, internal roads, inverters, 
transformers, and the combining switchgear. An existing road to the IVS 
would provide access to the proposed project site. New minor internal 
roads would be constructed between the module rows. The interconnection 
to the IVS would be via underground trench. Once approved and 
operational, the proposed Ocotillo Sol project is expected to have a 15 
to 20 megawatt generating capacity, depending on the specific 
technology chosen.
    In connection with its decision on the proposed Ocotillo Sol 
project, the BLM will also include consideration of potential 
amendments to the CDCA land use plan, as analyzed in the Draft EIS 
alternatives. The CDCA plan, while recognizing the potential 
compatibility of solar energy facilities on public lands, requires that 
all sites associated with power generation or transmission not 
identified in the Plan be considered through the land use plan 
amendment process. The BLM is deciding whether to amend the CDCA Plan 
to identify the Ocotillo Sol project site as available or unavailable 
for solar development. The Draft EIS describes the following five 
alternatives: (1) No Action/No CDCA Plan Amendment; (2) the Applicant's 
Proposed Project to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 
100-acre solar PV facility on BLM-managed lands under an authorized 
ROW, plus use of a 15-acre temporary ROW for construction laydown; (3) 
a Reduced Footprint Alternative which would retain the 100-acre 
facility but reduce the laydown area from 15 acres to 2 acres; (4) No 
Action/Amend the CDCA Plan to identify the area as suitable for solar 
development; and (5) No Action/Amend the CDCA Plan to identify the area 
as unsuitable for solar development. All of the alternatives except the 
No Action/No CDCA Plan Amendment would include an amendment to the CDCA 
Plan. The BLM has identified the Reduced Footprint Alternative as the 
Preferred Alternative. The issues evaluated in the Draft EIS include 
the physical, biological, cultural, socioeconomic, and other resources 
that have the potential to be affected by the proposed project and 
alternatives. The issues are air quality, greenhouse gases and climate 
change, geology and soil resources, water resources, biological 
resources, cultural resources, paleontological resources, fire and 
fuels, lands and realty, special designations, recreation, visual 
resources, transportation and public access, noise and vibration, 
public health and safety, hazardous materials, socioeconomics, and 
environmental justice.
    The BLM hosted two public scoping meetings in El Centro, 
California, on August 10, 2011. Both the afternoon and evening meetings 
were held at the Imperial County Executive Office. A news media release 
to introduce the project to the public and provide information about 
scoping meetings was issued on July 15, 2011 to local and regional 
newspapers, television and

[[Page 28619]]

radio stations, and via the BLM Web site. During the public scoping 
period, two Federal agencies, eight special interest groups, and three 
individuals provided comments.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted--
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who 
submit comments--will be available for public review and disclosure at 
the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), 
Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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 1506.6, 1506.10, and 43 CFR 1610.2

Cynthia Staszak,
Acting Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2012-11667 Filed 5-9-12; 4:15 pm]
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