[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 175 (Monday, September 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55838-55839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19586]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[2231A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Yahthumb 
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), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS), Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), Clark 
County, and the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians (Moapa Band) as 
cooperating agencies, intends to file a draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) with the EPA for the proposed Yahthumb Solar Project 
(Project). The DEIS evaluates a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy 
generation and storage project on the Moapa River Indian Reservation 
(Reservation) and a generation interconnection (gen-tie) line along 
with the use of existing access roads located on the Reservation, 
Reservation lands managed by BLM, BLM lands, and private land. This 
notice also announces that the DEIS is now available for public review 
and that public meetings will be held to solicit comments on the DEIS.

DATES: The dates and times of the virtual public meetings will be 
published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Moapa Valley Progress and 
on the following website 15 days before the public meetings: 
www.YahthumbSolarProjectEIS.com. In order to be fully considered, 
written comments on the DEIS must arrive no later than 45 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. 
Comment may also be sent via email to: [email protected] or on the 
Projects website at www.YahthumbSolarProjectEIS.com. Please see the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for directions on 
submitting comments. The public meetings can be joined online through 
the Projects website at www.YahthumbSolarProjectEIS.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chip Lewis, BIA Western Regional 
Office, Branch of Environmental Quality Services at (602) 379-6750 or 
Mr. Garry Cantley at (602) 379-6750. Individuals in the United States 
who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability 
may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications 
relay services.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Federal action, taken under 25 
U.S.C. 415, is the BIA's approval of a solar energy ground lease and 
associated agreements entered into by the Moapa Band with Yahthumb 
Solar Project, LLC (Applicant). The agreements provide for 
construction, operation and maintenance (O&M), and eventual 
decommissioning of a PV electricity generation and battery storage 
facilities located entirely on the Reservation and specifically on 
lands held in trust for the Moapa Band, in Clark County Nevada.
    The PV electricity generation and battery storage facilities would 
be located on up to 1,400 acres within a 1,695-acre lease area on 
tribal trust land and would have a capacity of up to 138 megawatts 
(MW). The solar field and associated facilities would be in parts of 
Sections 29, 30, 31, and 32 in Township 15 South, Range 65 East; 
Section 1 in Township 16 South, Range 64 East; and Section 6 in 
Township 16 South, Range 65, East Mount Diablo Base Meridian.
    Construction of the Project would take up to 14 months. The 
electricity generation and storage facilities are expected to be 
operated for up to 56.5 years under the terms of the lease, with time 
for construction and decommissioning.
    Major onsite facilities include multiple blocks of solar PV panels 
mounted on fixed tilt or tracking systems, pad mounted inverters and 
transformers, battery storage, access roads, and O&M facilities. A gen-
tie line approximately 8.5 to 10 miles long would interconnect the 
Project to the regional electrical grid at the existing Reid-Gardner 
Substation. This line would be built within the designated utility 
corridor on the Reservation that is managed by BLM, on BLM-managed 
federal land, and on private land near the existing substation. 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 for panel washing. The water supply required for the 
Project would be leased from the Moapa Band, drawn from the Band's 
existing water rights, and delivered to the site via temporary water 
pipeline or by truck. Access to the Project will be provided via I-15 
to the existing Ute Road on the Reservation that would be upgraded as 
needed. Secondary access would be provided via an existing road within 
the designated utility corridor that would also be upgraded as needed.
    The purposes of the proposed Project are, among other things, to: 
(1) provide a long-term, diverse, and viable economic revenue base and 
job opportunities for the Moapa Band; (2) assist Nevada 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 Band.
    The BIA and BLM will use the EIS to make decisions on the land 
lease and right-of-way applications under their respective 
jurisdiction; the EPA may use the document to make decisions under its 
authorities; the Moapa Band may use the DEIS to make decisions under 
its

[[Page 55839]]

Environmental Policy Ordinance; and the USFWS may use the DEIS to 
support its decision under the Endangered Species Act.
    Directions for Submitting Comments: Please include your name, 
return address and the caption: ``DEIS Comments, Proposed Yahthumb 
Solar Project'' on the first page of your written comments. You may 
also submit comments verbally during one of the virtual public meeting 
presentations or provide written comments to the address listed above 
in the ADDRESSES section.
    To help protect the public and limit the spread of the COVID-19 
virus, virtual public meetings will be held, where team members will 
provide a short presentation and remain available to discuss and answer 
questions. The PowerPoint presentation will be posted to the project 
website prior to the virtual meetings. Those who cannot live stream the 
presentation would be able to access the meeting presentation on the 
website and could join by telephone. Additionally, the live 
presentation will be recorded and made accessible for viewing 
throughout the comment period. The first public meeting will be held in 
the afternoon and the second public meeting will be held in the evening 
both by video and telephone conference. The dates, times, and access 
information for the virtual meetings will be included in notices to be 
published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Moapa Valley Progress and 
on the project website at www.YahthumbSolarProjectEIS.com 15 days 
before the meetings.
    Locations Where the DEIS is Available for Review: The DEIS 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 DEIS is also available online at: 
www.YahthumbSolarProjectEIS.com.
    To obtain an electronic copy of the DEIS, 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. Individual paper copies of 
the DEIS 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, at the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section during regular business hours, 8:00 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 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.

Bryan Newland,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2022-19586 Filed 9-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P