[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1485-1486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00899]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[190A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900253G]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Project on the Moapa River Indian 
Reservation, Clark County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as lead agency in 
cooperation with the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians (Moapa Band), the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and other agencies, intend to prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will evaluate a 
photovoltaic (PV) solar energy generation project on the Moapa River 
Indian Reservation and a transmission line located on Tribal lands, 
Federal lands administered and managed by BLM, and land owned by NV 
Energy in Clark County, Nevada. This notice announces the beginning of 
the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify potential 
issues related to the EIS. It also announces that two public scoping 
meetings will be held in Nevada to identify potential issues, 
alternatives, and mitigation to be considered in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS or implementation of 
the proposal must arrive by March 6, 2019. The dates and locations of 
the public scoping meetings will be published in the Las Vegas Sun, Las 
Vegas Review-Journal, and Moapa Valley Progress 15 days before the 
scoping meetings.

ADDRESSES: You may mail, email, or hand carry written comments to Mr. 
Chip Lewis, BIA Western Regional Office, 2600 North Central Avenue, 4th 
Floor Mailroom, Phoenix, Arizona 85004; telephone: (602) 379-6750; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Federal action, taken under 25 
U.S.C. 415, is BIA's approval of a solar energy ground lease and 
associated agreements entered into by the Moapa Band with 325MK 8me LLC 
(Applicant), a subsidiary of 8minutenergy. The agreements provide for 
construction, operation and maintenance (O&M), and decommissioning of a 
300-megawatt (MW) alternating current solar photovoltaic (PV) 
electricity generation facility located entirely on the Moapa River 
Indian Reservation and specifically on lands held in trust by BIA for 
the Moapa Band. A proposed 230 kilovolt (kV) generation-tie 
transmission line required for interconnection of the solar project 
would be located on Tribal lands, Federal lands administered and 
managed by BLM, and private lands.

[[Page 1486]]

The BIA and BLM would approve rights-of-way (ROWs) authorizing the 
construction and operation of the transmission line. Together, the 
proposed solar energy facility, transmission line, and other associated 
facilities will make up the proposed solar project (Project).
    The Project would be constructed on up to 2,300 acres located 
within a 4,770-acre lease area in Township 16 South, Range 64 East that 
includes all or parts of Sections 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 21, and 22 
Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada. Access to the Project would be provided 
by I-15, US-93, and North Las Vegas Boulevard. The overhead 230kV 
generation-tie transmission line would be approximately 10 miles long 
and would connect the solar project to NV Energy's Reid-Gardner 230kV 
substation.
    Construction of the Project is expected to take approximately 16 to 
18 months. The Applicant is expected to operate the energy facility for 
up to 50 years under the terms of the lease. The Project is expected to 
be built in one phase of 300 MW to meet an existing Power Purchase 
Agreement (PPA) for the output of the Project. Major onsite facilities 
include multiple blocks of solar PV panels mounted on fixed tilt or 
tracking systems, pad mounted inverters and transformers, collection 
lines, battery storage facilities, project substation, access roads, 
and O&M facilities. Water will be needed during construction for dust 
control and a minimal amount will be needed during operations for 
administrative and sanitary water use and possibly for panel washing. 
The water supply required for the Project would be leased from the 
Moapa Band.
    The purposes of the proposed Project are, among other things, to: 
(1) Help to provide a long-term, diverse, and viable economic revenue 
base and job opportunities for the Moapa Band; (2) help Nevada and 
neighboring states to meet their State renewable energy needs; and (3) 
allow the Moapa Band, in partnership with the Applicant, to optimize 
the use of the lease site while maximizing the potential economic 
benefit to the Tribe.
    BIA will prepare the EIS in cooperation with the Moapa Band, BLM, 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Air Force (USAF), and Nevada 
Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and possibly the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and 
National Park Service (NPS) will provide input on the analysis. The 
resulting EIS will aim to (1) provide agency decision makers, the Moapa 
Band, and the general public with a comprehensive understanding of the 
impacts of the proposed Project and alternatives on the Reservation; 
(2) describe the cumulative impacts of increased development on the 
Reservation; and (3) identify and propose mitigation measures that 
would minimize or prevent significant adverse impacts. Consistent with 
these objectives, the EIS will analyze the proposed Project and 
appurtenant features, viable alternatives including generation-tie 
routing options, modified footprint alternatives, alternate routing for 
other Project ROWs, and the No Action alternative. Other alternatives 
may be identified in response to issues raised during the scoping 
process.
    The EIS will provide a framework for BIA and BLM to make 
determinations and to decide whether to take the aforementioned Federal 
actions. In addition, BIA will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting 
process to satisfy its obligations under Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 
CFR 800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted 
in accordance with policy, and Tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets. Other Federal 
agencies may rely on the EIS to make decisions under their authority 
and the Moapa Band may also use the EIS to make decisions under their 
Tribal Environmental Policy Ordinance. USFWS will review the EIS for 
consistency with the Endangered Species Act, as amended, and other 
implementing acts, and may rely on the EIS to support its decisions and 
opinions regarding the Project.
    Issues to be addressed in the EIS analysis may include, but would 
not be limited to, Project impacts on water resources, biological 
resources, threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, 
Native American religious concerns, and aesthetics. In addition to 
those resource topics identified above, Federal, State, and local 
agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be interested or 
affected by the BIA's decision on the proposed Project, are invited to 
participate in the scoping process to identify additional issues to be 
addressed.

Submission of Public Comments

    Please include your name, return address, and the caption ``EIS, 
Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Project,'' on the first page of any written 
comments. You may also submit comments at the public scoping meetings.
    The public scoping meetings will be held to further describe the 
Project and identify potential issues and alternatives to be considered 
in the EIS. The first public scoping meeting will be held on the 
Reservation and the other public scoping meeting will be held in Las 
Vegas, Nevada. The dates of the public scoping meetings will be 
included in notices to be posted in the Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas 
Review-Journal, and Moapa Valley Progress 15 days before the meetings.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 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.

Authority

    This notice is published in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7 of the 
Council of Environmental Quality regulations and 43 CFR 46.235 of the 
Department of the Interior Regulations implementing the procedural 
requirements of the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and in accordance 
with the exercise of authority delegated to the Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by part 209 of the Department 
Manual.

    Dated: December 21, 2018.
Tara Sweeney,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2019-00899 Filed 2-1-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P