[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8986-8987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03147]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[AAK6006201 145A2100DD AOR3B3030.999900]


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed RES 
Americas Moapa Solar Energy Center, Clark County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs, as the lead Federal agency, 
intends to file a final environmental impact statement for the proposed 
RES Americas Moapa Solar Energy Center on the Moapa River Indian 
Reservation in Clark County, Nevada. Cooperating Agencies in this 
filing are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), the National Park Service (NPS), and the Moapa 
Band of Paiute Indians (Tribe). The final environmental impact 
statement is now available for public review.

DATES: The Record of Decision on the proposed action will be issued no

[[Page 8987]]

sooner than 30 days after EPA publishes its Notice of Availability in 
the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may request a hard copy or compact disk copy of the 
final environmental impact statement (FEIS) by writing or contacting 
Mr. Garry Cantley, BIA Western Regional Office, 2600 North Central 
Avenue, 4th Floor Mail Room, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-3008; fax (602) 
379-3833; email: [email protected]. The FEIS is available on line 
at: www.MoapaSolarEnergyCenterEIS.com. Hard copies of the FEIS are also 
available for review at:
     BIA Western Regional Office, 2600 North Central Avenue, 
12th Floor, Suite 210, Phoenix, Arizona;
     BIA Southern Paiute Agency, 180 North 200 East, Suite 111, 
St. George, Utah; and
     BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Garry Cantley, BIA Western 
Regional Office, Branch of Environmental Quality Services, 2600 North 
Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-3008, telephone (602) 379-6750 
Ext. 1256.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed project is to 
construct a 200 megawatt (MW) solar electric generation facility, water 
line, and associated infrastructure on the Reservation, and obtain 
grants of right-of-way (ROW) on BLM lands for 230 kV and 500 kV 
transmission lines and associated access roads. The proposed project is 
needed to:
     Provide land lease income, sustainable renewable 
resources, new jobs, and other benefits for the Tribe by using solar 
resources on Reservation lands where there is high potential for solar 
electric generation (the primary need).
     Assist utilities in meeting their renewable energy goals 
by providing electricity generated from solar resources from Tribal 
lands (the secondary need).
    The proposed Federal action consists of:
     BIA approval of a solar energy ground lease and agreements 
entered into by the Tribe with Moapa Solar LLC (Applicant);
     BIA approval of ROWs and easements for the Applicant to 
construct, operate, and maintain an up to 200 MW solar photovoltaic 
electricity generating facility and water pipeline on the Reservation;
     BLM approval of ROWs for the 230 kV and 500 kV 
transmission lines and access roads on BLM-administered Federal lands; 
and
     BLM approval of ROWs for the portions of the 500 kV 
transmission line and water pipeline located within an existing utility 
corridor located on the Reservation.
    BIA and BLM will use the FEIS to make decisions on the land lease 
and ROW applications under their respective jurisdictions; EPA and NPS 
may use the documentation under their authorities; the Tribe may use 
the FEIS to make decisions under their Tribal Environmental Policy 
Ordinance; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may use the FEIS to 
support its decision under the Endangered Species Act.
    Authority: This notice is published in accordance with the Council 
on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR part 1500 et seq.) and the 
Department of the Interior Regulations (43 CFR part 46) implementing 
the procedural requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and in accordance with the exercise of 
authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by part 
209 of the Department Manual.

    Dated: January 30, 2014.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-03147 Filed 2-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P