Notice2022-26589
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Jove Solar Project, La Paz County, AZ
Primary source
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Published
December 7, 2022
Effective
December 7, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Yuma Field Office, Yuma, Arizona, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of the Jove Solar Project (Jove Solar), an up to 600-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) project and battery storage system proposed on 3,495 acres of BLM-administered land in La Paz County, Arizona, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues. The BLM also announces the segregation of the 3,495 acres of public lands from appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law, but not the Mineral Leasing or Materials Acts, for a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this notice, subject to valid existing rights. This segregation will facilitate the orderly administration of the public lands while the BLM considers potential solar development on the described parcel.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75064-75065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26589]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLAZ920000.L51010000.FX0000.LVRWA20A3450]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Jove Solar Project, La Paz
County, AZ
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and segregation.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Yuma
Field Office, Yuma, Arizona, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of the Jove Solar Project (Jove
Solar), an up to 600-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) project and
battery storage system proposed on 3,495 acres of BLM-administered land
in La Paz County, Arizona, and by this notice is announcing the
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues. The BLM also announces the segregation of the 3,495
acres of public lands from appropriation under the public land laws,
including the Mining Law, but not the Mineral Leasing or Materials
Acts, for a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this
notice, subject to valid existing rights. This segregation will
facilitate the orderly administration of the public lands while the BLM
considers potential solar development on the described parcel.
DATES: This notice initiates the public-scoping process for the EIS.
The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant
information, and studies by January 6, 2023. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments in the Draft EIS, please ensure your
comments are received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period
or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. The BLM
will hold one virtual, and one in-person scoping meeting, 2 to 3 weeks
after publication of this notice. Meeting details will be posted on the
project website at least 15 days prior to the meetings. The segregation
for the public lands identified in this notice takes effect on December
7, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to Jove Solar by any of the
following methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR">https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bcfef0f1e3fde6e3ffeef8e3eff3f0fdeefcded0d192dbd3ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="246668697b657e7b6776607b776b686576644648490a434b52">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Fax: 928-317-3250.
<bullet> Mail: BLM Yuma Field Office, Attention: Jove Solar
Project, 7341 East 30th Street, Yuma, AZ 85365.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at the
project ePlanning website: <a href="https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR">https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR</a> and at the Yuma
Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Stewart, Project Manager,
telephone: (928) 317-3295; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dabfa9aebfadbba8ae9ab8b6b7f4bdb5ac"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="583d2b2c3d2f392a2c183a3435763f372e">[email protected]</span></a>; or at the Yuma
Field Office. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind,
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services for contacting
Ms. Stewart. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The BLM's purpose and need for action is to respond to the
Applicant's application under Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C 1761(a)(4))
for a right-of-way (ROW) grant for Jove Solar.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The Proposed Action is to construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission a solar PV facility and battery storage system on 3,495
acres of BLM-administered land in La Paz County, Arizona. The Jove
Solar proposal includes PV modules, battery energy storage facilities,
substations, electrical collector and connection lines, switch yards,
monitoring and maintenance facilities, access roads, and temporary use
areas. The Project may have a generating capacity of up to 600 megawatt
alternating current (MWac) net capacity. The Project would connect into
the authorized Ten West Link 500-kilovolt transmission line.
The Project is considering alternative PV module designs that would
trade longer rows with a shorter height of single panel modules for
shorter rows of taller dual panel modules.
The EIS will also evaluate the No Action Alternative. Under the No
Action Alternative, the BLM would deny the application and the lands
would remain open to multiple use and sustained yield as provided for
in the Yuma Field Office Resource Management Plan (BLM 2008). The BLM
welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as
suggestions for additional alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Anticipated impacts on BLM-managed lands include approximately
3,495 acres of ground disturbance for the solar facility, battery
storage systems, transmission lines, project buildings, construction
laydown areas, and access roads. Impacts may include reduction in
authorized grazing; vegetation removal; recreation, access, and land
use changes; wildlife and migratory bird impacts including habitat loss
and potential direct mortalities during construction; visual impacts
including glint and glare and an increase in nighttime brightness;
potential impacts to cultural resources and Native American concerns;
socioeconomic impacts--both positive and adverse. Known resources to be
addressed in the analysis include, but are not limited to: air quality,
visual resources, environmental justice, social and economic values,
land uses, Native American religious concerns, recreation, range,
cultural, wildlife, migratory birds, threatened, endangered and
sensitive species, soils, invasive species, and paleontology. The
impact analysis will also consider the cumulative impacts to natural
and cultural resources from reasonably foreseeable projects in the
area.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
In addition to the requested ROW grant, other Federal, State, and
local authorizations will be required for Jove Solar. These may include
authorizations determined through consultation under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1536), Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C.
1251), and other laws and regulations determined to be applicable to
Jove Solar.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public
participation consistent with the NEPA process, including a 45-day
comment period on
[[Page 75065]]
the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public
review in Summer 2023, the Final EIS is anticipated to be released in
early 2024, with a Record of Decision expected in Spring 2024.
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period. The BLM will
hold one virtual and one in-person scoping meeting. The meeting dates,
times, location, and information on how to attend will be announced at
least 15 days in advance on the project ePlanning website at <a href="https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR">https://go.usa.gov/xtGtR</a>. Project information and documents will also be posted
on that website. Persons needing assistance (assistive technology,
translators, or other assistance) should contact Project Manager Erica
Stewart at the address provided above.
Segregation
Regulations found at 43 CFR 2804.25(f) allow the BLM to segregate
public lands for potential rights-of-way for solar energy development
from the operation of the public land laws, including the Mining Law,
by publication of a Federal Register notice. The BLM uses this
authority to preserve its ability to approve, approve with
modifications, or deny proposed rights-of-way, and to facilitate the
orderly administration of the public lands. This segregation is subject
to valid existing rights, including existing mining claims located
before this segregation notice. Licenses, permits, cooperative
agreements, or discretionary land use authorizations of a temporary
nature which would not impact lands identified in this notice may be
allowed with the approval of a BLM authorized officer during the
segregation period. As provided in the regulations, the segregation of
lands in this notice will not exceed 2 years from the date of
publication unless extended for up to an additional 2 years through
publication of a new notice in the Federal Register. The segregation
period will terminate and the land will automatically reopen to
appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining law at
the earliest of the following dates: upon issuance of a decision by the
authorized officer granting, granting with modifications, or denying
the application for a right-of-way; without further administrative
action at the end of the segregation provided for in the Federal
Register notice initiating the segregation; or upon publication of a
Federal Register notice terminating the segregation. Upon termination
of the segregation of these lands, all lands subject to this
segregation would automatically reopen to appropriation under the
public land laws, including the mining law.
Legal Description for Parcel: The subject lands for the proposed
solar facility are legally described as follows--
Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona
T. 2 N., R. 12 W.,
Secs. 3 thru 6, partly unsurveyed.
T. 2 N., R. 13 W.,
Secs. 1 and 2, partly unsurveyed.
T. 3 N., R. 12 W.,
Sec. 32.
T. 3 N., R. 13 W.,
Sec. 34, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
Sec. 35;
Sec. 36, N\1/2\, SW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM Yuma Field Office is the lead agency for this EIS. The
following agencies have been invited to participate in the
environmental analysis of the Project as Cooperating Agencies under a
Memorandum of Understanding to Improve Public Land Renewable Energy
Project Permit Coordination: United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
Bureau of Reclamation, United States Department of Defense, United
States Department of Energy, and United States Environmental Protection
Agency. Various State and local agencies, including Arizona Game and
Fish Department, Arizona State Land Department, and La Paz County, AZ
have been invited to participate in the environmental analysis due to
their special expertise on resources and issues to be analyzed.
Responsible Official
The Authorized Officer and Decision Maker for the project is the
BLM Yuma Field Office Manager.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
In accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield
mandates, the BLM will decide whether to approve, approve with
modification(s), or deny issuance of a ROW grant to the Applicant for
the proposed Project.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed
action and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with
40 CFR 1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already
included in the proposed action or alternatives. Mitigation may include
avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over
time, and compensation; and may be considered at multiple scales,
including the landscape scale.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA process to help
support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36
CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public involvement requirements of Section
106. The information about historic and cultural resources and
threatened and endangered species within the area potentially affected
by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM MS 1780,
and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on
Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will
be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along
with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that may be
interested in or affected by the proposed project that the BLM is
evaluating, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the
development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency. The
BLM intends to hold a series of government-to-government consultation
meetings. The BLM will send invitations to potentially affected Tribal
Nations prior to the meetings. The BLM will provide additional
opportunities for government-to-government consultation during the NEPA
process.
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 1501.7).
Raymond Suazo,
Arizona State Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-26589 Filed 12-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 7, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.