[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7474-7475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02545]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CACA 048811, LLCAD01500, L51010000.LVRWB13B5340.ER0000]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Right-of-Way Amendment for the Blythe Solar 
Power Project, California

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) Palm Springs--
South Coast Field Office, Palm Springs, California, has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed right-of-
way (ROW) grant amendment for the Blythe Solar Power Project (BSPP), 
Riverside County, California, and by this notice is announcing a 45-day 
public comment period on the EIS.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft EIS within 45 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, media releases, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the proposed ROW

[[Page 7475]]

amendment for the BSPP by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/solar_projects/Blythe_Solar_Power_Project.html
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 760-833-7199, Attn: Frank McMenimen.
     Mail: Frank McMenimen, Project Manager, BLM Palm Springs--
South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 
92262.
    Copies of the Draft EIS are available from the Palm Springs--South 
Coast Field Office at the above address and online at the project Web 
site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank McMenimen, BLM Project Manager, 
telephone 760-833-7150; address 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, 
CA 92262; 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 project area is located 8 miles west of 
Blythe and 3 miles north of Interstate 10 (I-10). The BSPP was 
permitted and approved by the BLM as a 1,000-megawatt (MW) solar 
thermal generating plant in 2010. NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, 
LLC (Grant Holder) purchased via bankruptcy the (un-built) project 
assets of the prior BSPP grant holder in 2012. In connection with that 
purchase, on August 22, 2012, the BLM approved the assignment of the 
BSPP ROW grant from the prior holder, Palo Verde Solar I, LLC, to the 
Grant Holder. The Grant Holder now proposes to modify the Project's 
energy generation technology and to reduce the overall size of the 
Project within the previously approved BSPP footprint.
    Specifically, the Grant Holder is proposing to construct, operate, 
maintain, and decommission the BSPP using photovoltaic (PV) technology 
with a 485 MW capacity on 4,138 acres of BLM-administered public land. 
Anticipating that a PV project would require a smaller footprint than 
the approved solar thermal trough project, the Grant Holder 
relinquished to the BLM approximately 35 percent of the previously 
approved ROW grant on March 7, 2013. In connection with its proposed 
modifications to the BSPP, the Grant Holder has submitted a Level 3 
variance request seeking an amendment to the existing ROW authorization 
to reduce the acreage of the project site and change the generating 
technology authorized under the ROW grant from concentrating solar 
trough to PV, which reduces the project's capacity from 1,000 to 485 
MWs (the Modified Project).
    The Draft EIS fully analyzes the Grant Holder's proposal to 
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a Modified Project 
(Alternative 1), as well as the BLM's denial of the variance request 
which would maintain the current ROW grant approvals on the site as 
modified by the Grant Holder's voluntary relinquishment (Alternative 2, 
No Action). Further, as part of the Draft EIS, Alternatives 1 and 2 are 
compared to the Approved Project and the No Project alternatives 
analyzed as part of the 2010 Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS for the 
previously approved BSPP. The Draft EIS does not supersede or replace 
the BLM's Proposed Plan Amendment/Final EIS or other consideration of 
the Approved Project, but rather tiers to that analysis to extent 
applicable for analysis of the Modified Project and alternative.
    The Draft EIS analyzes the use of PV technology in detail, 
including any additional site-specific impacts resulting from the 
change in technology and additional or relocated ancillary facilities. 
This includes impacts to air quality, biological resources, climate 
change, cultural resources, hazards and public health, lands and 
realty, mineral resources, noise, paleontological resources, recreation 
and special designations, socioeconomics and environmental justice, 
soil resources, traffic and travel management, visual resources, water 
resources, and wildland fire ecology.
    The BLM conducted Native American tribal consultations in 
accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
and Federal policy in connection with the previously approved BSPP, 
which resulted in the development of a Programmatic Agreement. During 
that process tribes expressed their views and concerns about the 
importance and sensitivity of specific cultural resources to which they 
attach religious and cultural significance. In connection with its 
review of the Modified Project and throughout the implementation of the 
PA, the BLM will continue to give tribal concerns due consideration, 
including impacts to historic properties to which tribes attach 
religious and cultural significance and Indian trust assets. The BLM 
will also carry out its responsibilities to consult with tribes on a 
government-to-government basis and other members of the public pursuant 
to Section 106, Executive Order 13175, other laws and policies, and the 
existing PA to the extent applicable to the consideration of the Grant 
Holder's proposed amendment to the BSPP ROW grant.
    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 comment process and, if 
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a 
cooperating agency. 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.

Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-02545 Filed 2-6-14; 8:45 am]
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