[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2657-2658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-917]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Southpoint Power Plant, Fort Mojave Indian
Reservation, Mohave County, AZ
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the
proposed approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of a lease of
approximately 320 acres of Indian trust lands on the Fort Mojave Indian
Reservation for the purpose of constructing and operating a natural gas
fired, 500 megawatt combined cycle power plant and ancillary facilities
is now available for final public review. The proposed lease is for a
term of 50 years, with an option to renew for an additional 15 years.
The proposed plant would provide electrical power for distribution
throughout the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) grid to meet
existing demands for electricity. The BIA as the lead agency, with the
WAPA and the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe (FMIT) as cooperating agencies,
are furnishing this notice pursuant to Sec. 1503.1 of the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508)
implementing the procedural requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the
Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6), and is in the exercise
of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by
209 DM 8.
DATES: Written comments will be accepted through February 1, 1999. The
Record of Decision will be issued on or after February 16, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Address comments to Mr. Wayne Nordwall, Area Director,
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Phoenix Area Office, Attn: Environmental
Quality Services, P.O. Box 10, Phoenix, Arizona 85001, telephone (602)
379-6750, Fax (602) 379-3833.
Copies of this FEIS may be obtained by contacting Mr. Allen Gross,
Hallock/Gross Inc., the environmental consultant, at (602) 967-4356;
Ms. Amy Heuslein, BIA Environmental Quality Services, Phoenix Area
Office (602) 379-6750; or Ms. Goldie Stroup, Realty Officer, BIA
Colorado River Agency (520) 669-7141. Copies of the FEIS have been sent
to all agencies and individuals who participated in the scoping
process, attended public hearings, commented on the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) or otherwise requested copies of the document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy Heuslein at the address
indicated above or by telephone at (602) 379-6750.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Calpine Southpoint, Inc. proposes to
construct and operate a natural gas fired, 500 megawatt, combined cycle
power plant on leased land located in the east half of Section 8,
Township 17 North, Range 21 West, Gila and Salt River Base and
Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona. In addition to the power plant, there
is a proposal for an administrative building and parking areas on a 15
acre compound, a 30 acre evaporation pond, and an approximately 30 acre
storm water retention area on the bluffs. A buffer area would be
provided around the development. The power plant would use
consumptively approximately 4,000 acre feet of water per year from the
FMIT's allocation of Colorado River water. Natural gas would be
supplied to the site in buried pipelines on rights-of-way across Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) land. The power generated by the plant could
potentially be wheeled and distributed by facilities of the multi-state
federal WAPA, and by local distribution facilities such as those of
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Needles Electric Company or Aha
Macav Power Services.
The FEIS describes the proposed action, alternatives and the
affected environment, and evaluates the anticipated impacts of the
proposed power plant lease development project. The proposed action is
the BIA, FMIT and WAPA's preferred alternative. It is also the least
environmentally damaging alternative, as documented in the FEIS.
Two alternatives to the preferred alternative plus the no action
alternative have been analyzed and evaluated in the DEIS (May 1998) and
FEIS. Under Alternative Two, the proposed power plant would be
constructed and operated on 160 acres in the east half of Section 30,
T. 18 N., R. 21 W., Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave
County, Arizona. The site is approximately two and one-half miles
northwest of the site of the preferred alternative. The size of the
power plant
[[Page 2658]]
for Alternative Two would be the same as that for the preferred
alternative. All plant facilities, except paved access roads, would be
located on top of the bluffs. Natural gas would be available to the
plant from the same sources as for the preferred alternative, and would
similarly require construction of buried lines across BLM land to the
reservation boundary.
Under Alternative Three, the power plant would be built on 160
acres in the western half of Section 16, T. 17 N., R. 21 W., Gila and
Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona. This is
immediately to the south of the site of the preferred alternative, and
is on the south side of the Davis Dam-Topock Highway. The power plant
for Alternative Three would also be the same size as that for the
preferred alternative, but all plant facilities would be located on the
valley floor. Natural gas would be available to the site from the same
sources as for the preferred alternative, and would again require the
construction of buried pipelines on rights-of-way across BLM land to
the reservation boundary.
The no action alternative would leave the undeveloped land in its
natural desert condition. No action would not, however, meet the need
for electrical power to supply existing demand locally and in the
region. It would also reduce the FMIT's options for economic
development.
The BIA has afforded other government agencies and the public ample
opportunity to participate in the preparation of this FEIS. In 1994,
Nordic Power South Point I Limited Partnership entered into an
agreement with FMIT for the proposed action. The BIA published a Notice
of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the December
1, 1994, Federal Register, then held public scoping meetings on
December 19, and 20, 1994, in Needles, California, and Bullhead City,
Arizona, respectively.
In early 1997, Nordic Power and FMIT reached an agreement to assign
the proposed lease to Calpine Southpoint, Inc. Further opportunity for
public participation began with publication in the June 15, 1998,
Federal Register of the Notice of Availability for the Southpoint Power
Plant DEIS. Public hearings followed on July 15, 1998, at FMIT tribal
headquarters, Needles, California, and July 16, 1998, at Mojave High
School, Bullhead City, Arizona, in order to obtain comments from
federal, state, and local agencies and from tribal members and the
interested public.
Dated: January 7, 1999.
Kevin Gover,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-917 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P
