Notice2024-05618
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Jackalope Wind Energy Project, Sweetwater County, Wyoming
Primary source
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Published
March 18, 2024
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) Rock Springs Field Office, Sweetwater County, Wyoming intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of the proposed Jackalope Wind Energy Project and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 53 (Monday, March 18, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19348-19350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05618]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500177404]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Jackalope Wind Energy Project, Sweetwater County, Wyoming
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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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) Rock
Springs Field Office, Sweetwater County, Wyoming intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of the
proposed Jackalope Wind Energy Project and by this notice is announcing
the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues.
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 30 days after the date of publication of
this notice in the Federal Register. 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.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Jackalope Wind Energy
Project by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026735/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026735/510</a>.
<bullet> Mail: BLM Rock Springs Field Office, Attn: Jackalope Wind
Energy Project Team, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901-
3447.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026735/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026735/510</a> and at the
BLM Rock Springs Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberlee Foster, the BLM Rock Springs
Field Office Manager, telephone (307) 352-0201; address 280 US-191 N,
Rock Springs, WY 82901; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b3d8d5dcc0c7d6c1f3d1dfde9dd4dcc5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="711a171e0205140331131d1c5f161e07">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Ms. Foster to
have your name added to our mailing list. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or Tele Braille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Ms. Foster.
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: Jackalope Wind, LLC, a wholly owned indirect
subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, is proposing to develop
the Jackalope Wind Energy Project, a commercial wind energy project in
Sweetwater County, Wyoming, on lands managed by the BLM, the Wyoming
Office of State Lands and Investment, and private landowners. The
proposed project includes approximately 213 wind turbine generators and
associated infrastructure to deliver approximately 600 megawatts (MW)
of electricity to the transmission grid. The point of interconnection
would be the Jim Bridger Substation, which is located adjacent to the
Jim Bridger Power Plant near Point of Rocks, Wyoming. The project area
encompasses approximately 293,100 acres of land, approximately 166,100
acres of which are public lands managed by the BLM. The majority of the
project is located within the BLM Rock Springs Field Office, and a
portion of the project is within the Rawlins Field Office. The Rock
Springs Field Office will serve as the lead office and will coordinate
with the Rawlins Field Office as appropriate during the NEPA process.
Purpose and Need: The BLM's purpose is to respond to Jackalope
Wind, LLC application for a right-of-way (ROW) grant to construct,
operate, maintain, and decommission a wind
[[Page 19349]]
energy facility on public lands in compliance with FLPMA, BLM ROW
regulations, and other applicable federal laws and policies. The need
for this action arises from FLPMA, which requires the BLM to manage
public lands for multiple use and sustained yield and authorizes the
BLM to issue ROW grants on public lands for systems of generation,
transmission, and distribution of electric energy (FLPMA Title V). The
BLM will review the proposed action and other alternatives and decide
whether to approve, approve with modifications, or deny Jackalope Wind
LLC's application. The BLM's ROW grant for the project would include
any terms, conditions, and stipulations it determines to be in the
public interest.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives: Jackalope Wind, LLC,
has submitted a plan of development to accompany a Type III ROW grant
application to the BLM Rock Springs Field Office. As currently
proposed, the project would comprise approximately 213 wind turbine
generators and associated infrastructure to deliver approximately 600
MW of electricity to the transmission grid. The project would be
constructed in two phases, with each phase totaling approximately 300
MW.
The BLM Rock Springs Field Office has identified the following
preliminary considerations for the development of alternatives:
<bullet> Input from cooperators and other stakeholders;
<bullet> Input from the public scoping process;
<bullet> Potential resource concerns;
<bullet> Alternative gen-tie line and interconnection options; and
<bullet> Alternative turbine layouts.
The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well
as suggestions for additional alternatives.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Preliminary issues, either beneficial or adverse and of varying
intensity, for the project have been identified by BLM personnel and in
consultation with Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribes, and other
Cooperating Agencies. These preliminary issues include:
<bullet> Wildlife, including big game;
<bullet> Special status wildlife and fish species, including BLM
Sensitive Species and Threatened and Endangered Species;
<bullet> Cultural resources and historic trails;
<bullet> Visual resources;
<bullet> Recreation;
<bullet> Impacts to surface resources from project-related surface
disturbance; and
<bullet> Greater Sage-grouse. The State of Wyoming has proposed
expansion of the State's Core Area for Sage-grouse in a portion of the
project area. This may cause some turbine locations to be relocated
within the project area.
The public scoping process will guide the NEPA process in
determining relevant issues that will influence the scope of the
environmental analysis, including alternatives and mitigation measures.
The EIS will identify and describe the effects of the proposed action
on the human environment. The BLM also requests the identification of
potential impacts that should be analyzed. Impacts should be a result
of the action; therefore, please identify the activity along with the
potential impact. Information that reviewers have that would assist in
the development of alternatives or analysis of resources issues is also
helpful.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
In addition to the requested right-of-way grant, other Federal,
State, and local authorizations will be required for the project. These
include authorizations under the Bald and Golden Eagle Act, the
Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, 14 Code of Federal Regulations
part 77, and other laws and regulations determined to be applicable to
the project.
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 the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be
available for public review between Winter 2024 and early Spring 2025
and the Final EIS is anticipated to be released in Summer 2025 with a
Record of Decision in Summer 2025.
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period.
The BLM will hold two public scoping meetings in the following
locations: Rock Springs and Rawlins, WY. The specific date(s) and
location(s) of these scoping meetings will be announced in advance
through local media, social media and the ePlanning project page (see
ADDRESSES).
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM Rock Springs Field Office is the lead office for the NEPA
effort. The BLM Rock Spring Field Office has invited the following
agencies to participate as cooperating agencies:
Federal: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Energy,
U.S. EPA Region 8, U.S. EPA Region 9, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services,
USDA Forest Service, U.S. National Park Service.
State: State of Wyoming Office of Governor Gordan, Office of
Senator Cynthia Lummis, Office of Senator John Barrasso, Wyoming County
Commissioners Association, WY Department of Agriculture, WY Department
of Environmental Quality, WY Game & Fish, WY Geological Survey.
Local: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Carbon County,
Sweetwater County.
Responsible Official
The BLM Wyoming's High Desert District Manager, Jason Gay, is the
responsible official who will make the decisions below.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Bureau of Land Management will use the analysis in the EIS to
inform the following: whether to grant, grant with conditions, or deny
the application for a right-of-way. Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 2805.10, if the BLM issues a grant, the decision may
include terms, conditions, and stipulations determined to be in the
public interest.
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 (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 project will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources.
[[Page 19350]]
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations including the
Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Northern Arapaho
Tribe, the Ute Indian Tribe of Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Shoshone-
Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservations, and Northern Cheyenne
Tribal Council on a government-to-government basis in accordance with
Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual Section 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.
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 1501.9)
Andrew S. Archuleta,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-05618 Filed 3-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-26-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 18, 2024.
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