[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70205-70206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27531]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[AAK6006201 190A2100DD AOR3030.999900]


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Eagle 
Shadow Mountain Solar Project, Clark County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA), as the lead Federal agency, with the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), and 
the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians (Band) as Cooperating Agencies, 
intends to file a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) with the 
EPA for the proposed Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Project (ESM Solar 
Project) on the Moapa River Indian Reservation (Reservation) in Clark 
County, Nevada. This notice also announces that the FEIS is now 
available for public review.

DATES: The FEIS is available at the following website: 
www.esmsolareis.com. In order to be fully considered, written comments 
on the FEIS must arrive no later than 30 days after EPA publishes its 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may mail, email, hand carry or telefax written comments 
to Mr. Chip Lewis, Regional Environmental Protection Officer, BIA 
Western Regional Office, Branch of Environmental Quality Services, 2600 
North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mail Room, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-3008; 
fax (602) 379-3833; email: [email protected].

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

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 Band with 326MK 8me LLC 
(Applicant), to provide for construction, operation, maintenance, and 
eventual decommissioning of an up-to 300 megawatt (MW) alternating 
current solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation facility located 
entirely on the Moapa River Indian Reservation (Reservation) and 
specifically on lands held in trust by BIA for the Band. The proposed 
230 kilovolt (kV) generation-tie transmission line required for 
interconnection would be located on Reservation lands, Reservation 
lands within a designated utility corridor and federal lands 
administered and managed by BLM, and private lands. In addition, the 
Applicant would require the use of an existing access road also located 
both within the utility corridor and federal lands managed by the BLM. 
The Applicant has accordingly requested that the BIA and BLM 
additionally approve rights-of-way (ROWs) authorizing the construction 
and operation of the transmission line and use of the existing access 
road. Together, the proposed solar energy facility, transmission line, 
access road, and other associated facilities make up the proposed ESM 
Solar Project.
    The solar facility would generate electricity using PV panels. Also 
included would be inverters, a collection system, a potential battery 
storage system, an on-site substation to step-up the voltage to 
transmission level voltage at 230 kV, an operations and maintenance 
building, and other related facilities. An overhead 230 kV generation-
tie transmission line, approximately 12.5 miles long, would connect the 
solar project to NV Energy's Reid-Gardner 230 kV substation.
    Construction of the ESM Solar Project is expected to take 
approximately 16 to 18 months. The Applicant is expected to operate the 
energy facility for 30 years, with two options to renew the lease for 
an additional 5 years each, if mutually acceptable to the Band and 
Applicant. During construction, the PV panels would be placed on 
single-axis tracking mounting systems that are set on steel posts 
embedded in the ground. Other foundation design techniques may be used 
depending on the site topography and conditions. No water would be used 
to generate electricity during operations. Water would be needed during 
construction for dust control and a minimal amount would be needed 
during operations for panel washing and administrative and sanitary 
water use on site. The water supply required for the Project would be 
leased from the Band and would be provided via existing nearby wells. 
Access to the ESM Solar Project would be provided via the existing 
access road that connects to North Las Vegas Boulevard.
    The purposes of the ESM Solar Project are to: (1) Help to provide a 
long-term, diverse, and viable economic revenue base and job 
opportunities for the Band; (2) help the state of Nevada to meet its 
renewable energy needs; and (3) allow the Band, in partnership with the 
Applicant, to optimize the use of the lease site while maximizing the 
potential economic benefit to the Band.
    The BIA and BLM will use the EIS to make decisions on the land 
lease and ROW applications under their respective jurisdiction; the EPA 
may use the document to make decisions under its authorities; the Band 
may use the EIS to make decisions under its Environmental Policy 
Ordinance; and the USFWS may use the EIS to support its decision under 
the Endangered Species Act.
    Directions for Submitting Comments: Please include your name, 
return address and the caption: ``FEIS Comments, Proposed Eagle Shadow 
Mountain Solar Project'', on the first page of your written comments.
    Locations Where the FEIS is Available for Review: The FEIS will be 
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 the 
BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las 
Vegas, Nevada. The FEIS is also available on line at: 
www.esmsolareis.com.
    To obtain a compact disk copy of the FEIS, please provide your name 
and address in writing or by voicemail to Mr. Chip Lewis or Mr. Garry 
Cantley. Their contact information is listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. An individual paper copy of 
the FEIS will be provided only upon request.
    Public Comment Availability: Written comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents will be available for public review at the BIA 
Western Regional Office, 2600 North Central Avenue, 12th Floor, Suite 
210, Phoenix, Arizona during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Before including your 
address, telephone 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: This notice is published in accordance with section 
1503.1 of the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1500 
et seq.) and

[[Page 70206]]

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: December 17, 2019.
Tara Sweeney,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2019-27531 Filed 12-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P