[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 110 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28887-28888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14216]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-920-06-1330-00]


Klamath and Modoc National Forests, CA; Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alturas 
Resource Area.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
for a Plan of Utilization for a proposed geothermal power plant, 
ancillary facilities, and transmission line on the Klamath and Modoc 
National Forests in Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, California.

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[[Page 28888]]

SUMMARY: Notice is given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Department of 
Energy, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and Siskiyou County Air 
Pollution Control District (APCD) will jointly prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for a proposed a 
49.9 megawatt (MW) (gross) geothermal electric power plant with 
associated facilities and operations, and a 24-mile 230-kilovolt (kV) 
transmission line. This proposed action (known as the Fourmile Hill 
Geothermal Development Project) would be located on the Klamath and 
Modoc National Forests in northeastern California. BPA will participate 
in the EIS/EIR process as a cooperating agency to analyze potential 
effects.
    Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA), and 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the BLM, USFS, BPA, and 
Siskiyou County APCD will be directing a third-party contractor in the 
preparation of the EIS/EIR on the impacts of the proposed action. 
Comments are being requested to help identify significant issues or 
concerns related to the proposed action, determine the scope of issues, 
identify and refine alternatives to the proposed action.

DATES: Federal, state, and local agencies and the public are invited to 
participate in the scoping process for the EIS/EIR. Scoping meetings to 
encourage and facilitate public participation will be held in Yreka 
(June 25, 1996), Klamath Falls (June 26), and Alturas (June 27). Times 
and locations of the scoping meetings will be announced in the local 
news media.

ADDRESS FOR COMMENTS: In addition to the public scoping meetings, the 
BLM is inviting written comments and suggestions on the proposed action 
and the scope of the analysis. Written comments or requests to be added 
to the project mailing list should be submitted by July 8, 1996. 
Written comments should be addressed to Mr. Randall Sharp, USFS/BLM, 
Fourmile Hill Geothermal Development Project EIS/EIR Coordinator, 800 
W. 12th Street, Alturas, CA 96101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact: Mr. Randy Sharp (916) 233-5811.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Calpine Corporation submitted a Plan of 
Utilization (POU) to the BLM for constructing, operating, and 
maintaining a 49.9 MW (gross), dual flash geothermal power plant, with 
associated geothermal production and injection wells, well pads, roads, 
interconnected geothermal fluid pipelines, and an accompanying 24-mile 
230 kV transmission line. This project, known as the Fourmile Hill 
Geothermal Development Project, would be located at the Glass Mountain 
Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) on the Klamath and Modoc National 
Forests.
    The proposed geothermal power plant, well pads, and fluid pipelines 
would be located within Federal geothermal leases CA21924, CA21925, and 
CA21926, all within the Glass Mountain KGRA. Leases CA21924 and CA21926 
are located on the Klamath National Forest, while lease CA21925 is 
located on the Modoc National Forest. The proposed power plant site 
would be located in Section 28 within a six-section area known as the 
Fourmile Hill project area, located in Sections 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 
30, Township 44 North, Range 3 East, MDB&M, Siskiyou County, 
California. The planned period of commercial operation for the proposed 
action is 45 years.
    The proposed action would involve production of geothermal fluids 
(hot water and steam) from an underground reservoir. These fluids would 
be produced from 9 to 11 two-phase production wells located at five 
proposed production well pad sites (well pads 88-28, 84-28, 56-28, 26-
28, and 18-28). The fluids would be transported via surface pipelines 
to the proposed dual flash geothermal power plant, where the steam 
would be directed to two steam turbine-driven generators. Spent brine 
and condensate would be pumped through surface pipelines to the three 
proposed injection well pads (well pads 87-29, 13-28, and 67-21) for 
injection to the subsurface geothermal reservoir. There would be one 
injection well located at each injection well pad.
    Each of the production and injection well pads would occupy 
approximately 2.5 acres, for a total well pad area of about 20 acres. 
The power plant site would occupy approximately 3.0 acres. There would 
be a total of 4.25 miles of surface pipelines (1.5 miles of production 
lines, and 2.75 miles of injection lines), and about 2.5 miles of new 
roads associated with the power plant and well pads.
    The proposed action would also include development of a 
transmission line that would extend from the proposed geothermal power 
plant in an easterly direction for approximately 24 miles to a proposed 
intertie station along the BPA Malin-Warner transmission line. The 
Malin-Warner line is a 230-kV system that parallels Highway 139. The 
proposed transmission line would be constructed using H-frame wood 
poles with steel structures used at certain locations. The transmission 
line would be located primarily on the Modoc National Forest, with only 
a small portion of the line near the power plant site being located on 
the Klamath National Forest. Right-of-way width would be approximately 
125 feet along the constructed length of the transmission line. 
Construction of access roads for installation of structures and 
maintenance would be required along portions of the right-of-way.
    Alternatives thus far identified for evaluation in the EIS/EIR are: 
(1) the proposed action, (2) the no action (the consequences of not 
developing the project), and (3) alternate transmission line route 
alternatives. The principal issues identified thus far for 
consideration in the EIS/EIR include potential effects to listed 
wildlife species, Tribal concerns, potential recreation conflicts, and 
potential visual impacts. The EIS/EIR will also address other issues 
such as geology, geothermal resources, hydrology, cultural resources, 
vegetation, air quality, noise, land use, plans and policies, 
transportation, human health and safety, socioeconomics, cumulative 
impacts, as well as any issues raised during the scoping process.
    Federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the BLM's 
decision for the proposed action are invited to participate in the 
scoping process. Input and comments received during this process will 
be considered during preparation of the EIS/EIR.

    Dated: May 29, 1996.
Rich Burns,
Alturas Resource Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-14216 Filed 6-5-96; 8:45 am]
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