Notice2024-22982
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and Amend the Resource Management Plan for the Proposed Dodge Flat Solar II Project in Washoe County, Nevada
Primary source
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Published
October 4, 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) Nevada State Office intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Dodge Flat Solar II Project and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues, and is providing the planning criteria for public review.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 193 (Friday, October 4, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 193 (Friday, October 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80914-80916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22982]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO# 4500180403]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and Amend
the Resource Management Plan for the Proposed Dodge Flat Solar II
Project in Washoe County, Nevada
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) Nevada
State Office intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP)
amendment with an associated
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Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Dodge Flat Solar II
Project and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping
period to solicit public comments and identify issues, and is providing
the planning criteria for public review.
DATES: The BLM requests the public submit comments concerning the scope
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant
information and studies by November 4, 2024. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider issues raised by commenters in the Draft RMP
amendment and associated EA, 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 on issues and planning criteria
related to the Dodge Flat Solar II Project by any of the following
methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027081/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027081/510</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7e5ebeaf8e9f1f8e4e4e3e8f8e3c8c3c0c2f8e1cbc6d3f8f4c8cbc6d5e7c5cbca89c0c8d1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2a68666775647c7569696e65756e454e4d4f756c464b5e757945464b586a484647044d455c">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Mail: BLM, Carson City District Office, Attn: Dodge Flat
Solar II Project, 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV 89701.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027081/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027081/510</a> and at the
Carson City District Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Kalb, Realty Specialist,
telephone (775) 885-6033; address 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV
89701; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cf85a4aea3ad8fada3a2e1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cd87a6aca1af8dafa1a0e3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Jonathan Kalb 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 TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services for contacting Jonathan Kalb. 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: This document provides notice that the BLM
intends to prepare an RMP amendment with an associated EA for the
proposed Dodge Flat Solar II Project and announces the beginning of the
scoping process that seeks public input on issues and planning
criteria. The RMP amendment is being considered to allow the BLM to
evaluate modifying a portion of an energy corridor designated by BLM
under section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Section 368 energy
corridors) around the proposed Dodge Flat Solar II Project. This would
require removal of approximately 608 acres of the section 368 energy
corridor, as currently identified, and designating approximately 92
acres of new section 368 energy corridor to the southeast of the
proposed Dodge Flat Solar II Project. Section 368 energy corridors are
managed as the preferred locations for development of energy
transportation projects on lands managed by the BLM. Each corridor has
a defined centerline, width, and compatible uses (underground-only,
electric-only, or multi-modal). The rerouting of the section 368 energy
corridor would require amending the Carson City Field Office
Consolidated RMP, as amended by the 2009 West Wide Energy Corridor
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision. The
planning area is located in Washoe County, NV, and encompasses
approximately 990 acres of public land.
Purpose and Need
The BLM's purpose for this Federal action is to respond to the ROW
application submitted under Title V of FLPMA and to amend the section
368 energy corridor (15-17) direction in the Carson City Field Office
Consolidated RMP in compliance with the BLM ROW regulations (43 CFR
part 2800) and other applicable Federal and State laws and policies. In
accordance with FLPMA, there is a need to consider the long-term needs
of future generations for renewable and non-renewable resources in the
context of the multiple resource objectives in the Carson City Field
Office Consolidated RMP planning area.
A Notice of Intent for an amendment to the Carson City Field Office
Consolidated RMP for use of exclusion areas within the proposed Dodge
Flat Solar II Project was published on January 19, 2024. Since then, it
was determined that an amendment to the Carson City Field Office
Consolidated RMP is needed for the Section 368 energy corridor
rerouting as well.
Preliminary Alternatives
Under the No Action alternative, the BLM would not approve the
proposed Dodge Flat Solar II Project on public lands and would not
amend the corridor alignment in the Carson City Field Office
Consolidated RMP. Under the proposed action alternative, the BLM would
change the corridor alignment in the Carson City Field Office
Consolidated RMP to allow the Dodge Flat Solar II Project to be
developed as currently proposed. The BLM welcomes comments and
suggestions for additional alternatives.
Planning Criteria
The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the
groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues
and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning
area have been identified by BLM personnel and from early engagement
conducted for this planning effort with Federal, State, and local
agencies; Tribes; and stakeholders. The BLM has identified several
preliminary issues for this planning effort's analysis. The planning
criteria are available for public review and comment at the ePlanning
website (see ADDRESSES).
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public
review of the planning criteria, which guide the development and
analysis of the RMP amendment and associated EA. The BLM will hold one
virtual scoping meeting. The specific date and time of the scoping
meeting will be announced at least 15 days in advance through the
project ePlanning web page (See ADDRESSES).
Interdisciplinary Team
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan
amendment in order to consider the variety of resource issues and
concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following
disciplines will be involved in this planning effort: air quality,
archaeology, botany, climate change (greenhouse gases), environmental
justice, fire and fuels, geology/mineral resources and soils, hazardous
materials, hydrology, groundwater, invasive/non-native species,
jurisdictional delineations, lands and realty, paleontology, public
health and safety, rangelands, transportation, socioeconomics, soils,
visual resources, and wildlife.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed plan
amendment and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance
with 40 CFR 1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not
already included in the proposed plan amendment 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 and land use planning
processes for this planning effort to help
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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 plan amendment will assist the BLM in identifying and
evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribes 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 Tribes and other stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the proposed Dodge Flat Solar II 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 EA 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 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2, and 43 CFR 2800)
Jon K. Raby,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-22982 Filed 10-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-21-P
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