[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 42488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17595]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Panoche Valley Solar Farm in San Benito County, CA, Corps 
Permit Application Number SPN-2009-00443S

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District 
(Corps) received a Department of the Army permit application to 
construct a solar photovoltaic energy plant in San Benito County, CA. 
The original permit application was received in April 2010 and an 
updated application was received in August 2010. The application was 
submitted by Solargen Energy, Incorporated and has since been assumed 
by Panoche Valley Solar LLC (Applicant). The Corps, as the lead agency 
responsible for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), determined that the proposed project may result in significant 
impacts on the environment, and that the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service is a cooperating agency for this action. The Corps may 
invite other Federal, State, local agencies, and tribes to be 
cooperating agencies.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically or by U.S. Mail. 
Written comments should be addressed to: Ms. Katerina Galacatos, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, Attn: Regulatory 
Division; 1455 Market Street, 16th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398. 
Comments may also be submitted electronically via email to: 
[email protected]. Please refer to identification number 
SPN-2009-00443S in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain additional information about 
this EIS, the public scoping process, or to receive a copy of the draft 
EIS when it is issued, please contact Ms. Katerina Galacatos by 
telephone: 415-503-6778; or electronic mail: 
[email protected]. Requests to be placed on the project 
mailing list may also be submitted by these means.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant has submitted an application 
for a Department of Army permit pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act to construct and operate a 399-MegawattAC (MWAC) 
solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generating facility known as the Panoche 
Valley Solar Farm (the Project). The Project would be located on 
private lands in San Benito County, CA. The 4,885-acre (7.6-square-
mile) project site is approximately three-quarters of a mile north of 
the intersection of Panoche Road and Little Panoche Road, approximately 
30 miles south of Los Banos and 60 miles west of Fresno. The project 
site is bordered by rangeland to the north and south, by the Gabilan 
Range to the west, and by the Panoche Hills to the east. The site 
elevation ranges from approximately 1,250 feet above mean sea level 
near the southeast end of the project to approximately 1,400 feet above 
mean sea level near the west end. Panoche Creek and Las Aguilas Creek 
flow through the project site. In addition, there are several stock 
ponds and stream segments in the northern portion of the project site. 
During the past forty years the project site has been used for grazing. 
Previously, crop production occurred over much of the project site.
    The proposed project would be constructed in five phases and would 
include a substation, on-site access roads, and buried electrical 
collection conduit. The construction of three of the road crossings 
would result in 427 cubic yards of fill into Panoche Creek and Las 
Aguilas Creek, jurisdictional waters of the U.S. Electricity generated 
from the project would be transmitted on-site to the state's electrical 
grid through two existing Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) 
transmission lines.
    Approximately 2,203 acres would be permanently disturbed by on-site 
facilities, and an additional 100 acres would be temporarily disturbed 
during construction. The proposed project would include development of 
the following components: Installation of approximately 3 million to 4 
million photovoltaic panels; photovoltaic module steel support 
structures; electrical inverters and transformers; an electrical 
substation with switchyard; buried electrical collection conduit; an 
operations and maintenance (O&M) building; a septic system and leach 
field; a wastewater treatment facility and demineralization pond; on-
site access roads; security fencing; and transmission support towers 
and line(s) to interconnect with the PG&E transmission lines that pass 
through the project site.
    The EIS will include an evaluation of a reasonable range of 
alternatives. Currently, the following alternatives are expected to be 
analyzed in detail: The no action alternative (no permit issued), and 
the Applicant's proposed project (proposed action). In addition to the 
proposed action, the Corps may consider additional alternatives for 
potential detailed analysis.
    Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in the EIS include, 
but are not limited to, impacts on biological resources (including 
threatened and endangered species), water resources (including 
wetlands), cultural resources, traffic and transportation, and air 
quality.
    Other environmental review and consultation requirements for the 
proposed action include water quality certification pursuant to Section 
401 of the Clean Water Act from the California Regional Water Quality 
Control Board; Section 7 consultation pursuant to the Endangered 
Species Act; and Section 106 consultation pursuant to the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    Scoping and Public Comment: All interested members of the public, 
including native communities and federally recognized Native American 
Tribes; federal, state, and local agencies; interest groups; and 
interested individuals, are invited to participate in the scoping 
process for the preparation of this EIS. Written comments identifying 
environmental issues, concerns, and opportunities to be analyzed in the 
EIS will be accepted for 30 days following publication of this Notice 
of Intent in the Federal Register.
    The Corps will hold two public scoping meetings for the EIS. Notice 
of these meetings will be provided in local news media and on the 
project Web site (http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/regulatory/actionsofinterest.html) at least 15 days prior to the date of the 
meeting. Members of the public and representatives of organizations and 
Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies are invited to attend. 
Interested parties may provide oral and written comments at the 
meetings.

Jane M. Hicks,
Chief, Regulatory Division, San Francisco District.
[FR Doc. 2012-17595 Filed 7-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P