Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 199 / Friday, October 15, 2010 / Notices 63503 

with the original Refuge lands covered 

by the waters of the Salton Sea, 

management activities are focused on 

about 2,000 acres of primarily leased 

land. Approximately 920 acres consist 

of managed wetlands that support 

resident and migratory birds, and 

another 940 acres are farmed to provide 

forage for wintering geese and other 

migratory birds. Existing public uses 

include wildlife observation, 

photography, interpretation, 

environmental education, waterfowl 

hunting, and scientific research. 

The Coachella Valley NWR was 

established in 1985 under the 

authorities of the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1534), ‘‘to 

conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are 

listed as endangered species or 

threatened species or (B) plants.’’ The 

3,709-acre Refuge, which is part of the 

larger Coachella Valley Preserve, 

protects the Federally listed endangered 

Coachella Valley milk-vetch (Astragalus 

lentiginosus var. coachellae) and 

threatened Coachella Valley fringe-toed 

lizard (Uma inornata), as well as other 

desert-dwelling species adapted to 

living in the sand dune habitat of the 

Coachella Valley. Access onto the 

Refuge is limited to a designated 

corridor for hiking and equestrian use. 

Scoping: Preliminary Issues, Concerns, 

and Opportunities 

We have identified preliminary 

issues, concerns, and opportunities for 

each Refuge that we may address in the 

CCP. Additional issues, concerns, and 

opportunities may be identified as a 

result of public scoping. For the Sonny 

Bono Salton Sea NWR, preliminary 

issues include: Increasing the 

productivity of existing managed 

wetlands to support migratory 

waterfowl; adapting to changing 

conditions associated with a shrinking 

Salton Sea (e.g., conversion of habitat 

types, dust management, degraded 

water quality); predation in seabird 

nesting areas; availability of adequate 

nesting habitat for seabirds, particularly 

gull-billed terns (Gelochelidon nilotica 

vanrossemi); and the effects of climate 

change on Refuge resources. 

For the Coachella Valley NWR, these 

issues include: Habitat and species 

management; control of invasive weedy 

species; effects of windblown sand on 

adjacent properties; public use; and 

impacts to Refuge resources as a result 

of illegal motorized vehicle activity. 

Public Meetings 

We will give the public an 

opportunity to provide input at a public 

meeting (or meetings). You can obtain 

the schedule from the Refuge Planner or 

Project Leader (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT). You may also 

submit comments or request a meeting 

during the planning process by mail, email, or fax (see ADDRESSES). There will 

be additional opportunities to provide 

public input once we have prepared a 

draft CCP. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail 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. 

Dated: October 5, 2010. 

Alexandra Pitts, 

Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest 

Region, Sacramento, California. 

[FR Doc. 2010–25923 Filed 10–14–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLNVS03100 L51010000.ER0000 

LVRWF09–F8590; 10–08807; 4500013732; 

TAS: 14X5017] 

Notice of Availability of Final 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Solar Millennium, Amargosa Farm 

Road Solar Power Project, Nye County, 

NV 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended, and the Federal Land 

Policy and Management Act of 1976, as 

amended, the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) has prepared a 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) for the Amargosa Farm Road Solar 

Power Project, Nye County, Nevada, and 

by this notice is announcing its 

availability. 

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final 

decision on the Amargosa Farm Road 

Solar Power Project for a minimum of 

30 days from the date the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its notice in the Federal 

Register. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS will 

be mailed to individuals, agencies, 

organizations, or companies who 

previously requested copies or who 

responded to the BLM on the Draft EIS. 

Printed copies or a compact disc of the 

Final EIS are available upon request 

from the BLM Southern Nevada District 

Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las 

Vegas, Nevada 89130; phone (702) 515– 

5000; or e-mail at 

solar_millennium@blm.gov. Interested 

persons may also view the Final EIS at 

the following Web site: http:// 

www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/prog/energy/fasttrack_renewable.html. Copies of the 

Final EIS are available for public 

inspection at the following locations in 

Nevada: 

• BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 

Financial Boulevard, Reno. 

• BLM Southern Nevada District 

Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las 

Vegas. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Gregory Helseth, Renewable Energy 

Project Manager, by phone (702) 515– 

5173; in writing at the Bureau of Land 

Management, Southern Nevada District 

Office, Attn: Gregory Helseth, 4701 N. 

Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 

89130; or e-mail 

Gregory_Helseth@blm.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Solar 

Millennium applied to the BLM for a 

right-of-way on public lands to 

construct a concentrated solar thermal 

parabolic trough power plant facility 

approximately 80 miles northwest of 

Las Vegas, Nevada, in Nye County. The 

project site is located in Amargosa 

Valley south of Highway 95. The 

proposed project would encompass 

4,350 acres of BLM-managed public 

lands, and is expected to operate for 

about 30 years. The proposed project 

would consist of two 242 megawatt drycooled power plants and solar fields 

equipped with solar thermal storage 

tanks capable of producing additional 

energy for 3.5 hours after sundown. 

The solar field is highly modular and 

consists of ‘‘loops,’’ each consisting of 

four curved glass mirror collectors. A 

loop is 22 meters wide by 850 meters 

long. A solar field consists of 200 to 400 

loops. The orientation of the collectors 

is north-south and the collectors track 

the sun from east to west during the 

day. The collector focuses the sun’s 

direct beam radiation on a receiver tube. 

The row of collectors has a hydraulic 

drive unit with sensors to track the 

sun’s path throughout the day. The solar 

energy heats a transfer fluid which 

cycles through a series of exchangers, 

ultimately generating electricity. 

The project’s proposed facility design 

includes the solar fields, power blocks, 

buildings, parking area, laydown area, 

stormwater retention pond, and 

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63504 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 199 / Friday, October 15, 2010 / Notices 

evaporating ponds. A single overhead 

230 kilovolt transmission line will 

connect the plant to the nearby Valley 

Electric substation. Additional elements 

of the project include access roads, a 

water pipeline, and a bioremediation 

area. 

The Final EIS describes and analyzes 

the project’s site-specific impacts on air 

quality, biological resources, cultural 

resources, visual resources, water 

resources, geological resources, 

paleontological resources, land use, 

noise, soils, nuisance, public health, 

socioeconomics, traffic and 

transportation, waste management, 

hazardous materials handling, worker 

safety, fire protection, facility design 

engineering, transmission system 

engineering, and transmission line 

safety. 

Three alternatives were analyzed: (A) 

Wet-cooling technology; (B) Dry-cooling 

technology; and (C) No action 

alternative. Alternative A uses 

circulating water to condense lowpressure turbine generator exhaust 

steam in a shell and tube heat exchanger 

(condenser). Alternative B uses an aircooled condenser that cools and 

condenses the low-pressure turbine 

generator exhaust steam using a large 

array of fans that force air over finnedtube heat exchangers arranged in an Aframe bundle configuration. Alternative 

B is the BLM’s preferred alternative and 

Solar Millennium’s proposed action. 

Alternative C is the no action 

alternative. 

On March 19, 2010, the BLM 

published the Notice of Availability for 

the Draft EIS for this project in the 

Federal Register (75 FR 13301). The 

BLM held four public meetings and 

allowed the public to comment through 

email, mail, public meetings, and by 

phone. A total of 461 comments were 

received from individuals, 

organizations, and agencies. 

These comments addressed concerns 

with water use mitigation, visual 

resource management, noise levels, and 

social/economic issues, particularly job 

opportunities. Concerns raised during 

the review are addressed and specific 

responses provided in the Final EIS. 

Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10. 

Gayle Marrs-Smith, 

Acting Manager Pahrump Field Office. 

[FR Doc. 2010–25859 Filed 10–14–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 

Regulation and Enforcement 

Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska OCS 

Region, Chukchi Sea Planning Area, 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement (BOEMRE), Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement (SEIS) and Notice of Public 

Hearings. 

SUMMARY: The purpose of this SEIS 

(OCS EIS/EA BOEMRE 2010–034) is to 

provide new analysis in accordance 

with the United States (U.S.) District 

Court for the District of Alaska Order 

remanding the BOEMRE’s Chukchi Sea 

Lease Sale 193 Final EIS (FEIS) (OCS 

EIS/EA MMS 2007–0026). The District 

Court’s Order instructs the BOEMRE to 

address three concerns: (1) Analyze the 

environmental impact of natural gas 

development; (2) determine whether 

missing information identified by 

BOEMRE in the 193 FEIS was essential 

or relevant under 40 CFR 1502.22; and 

(3) ‘‘determine whether the cost of 

obtaining the missing information was 

exorbitant, or the means of doing so 

unknown.’’ 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS 

for Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193 (OCS 

EIS/EA MMS 2007–0026) evaluated the 

potential effects of the proposed sale 

and three alternatives: a no action 

alternative and two alternatives that 

incorporate deferral areas of varying size 

along the coastward edge of the 

proposed sale area. 

Sale 193 was held in February of 

2008. The BOEMRE received high bids 

totaling approximately $2.7 billion and 

issued 487 leases. Although the leasesale decision was challenged in the U.S. 

District Court for the District of Alaska, 

the litigants did not request a 

preliminary injunction to halt the sale. 

Accordingly, the sale was conducted 

and 487 leases were issued. In July 

2010, the District Court remanded the 

matter for further National 

Environmental Policy Act analysis of 

certain concerns. The BOEMRE is to 

address three concerns: (1) Analyze the 

environmental impact of natural gas 

development; (2) determine whether 

missing information identified by 

BOEMRE in the FEIS for Chukchi Sea 

Lease Sale 193 was essential or relevant 

under 40 CFR 1502.22; and (3) 

determine whether the cost of obtaining 

the missing information was exorbitant, 

or the means of doing so unknown. 

The SEIS will provide the Secretary 

with sufficient information and analysis 

to make an informed decision amongst 

the alternatives. In effect, the Secretary 

will decide whether to affirm, modify, 

or cancel Sale 193. This notice relates 

solely to the Supplemental Draft EIS for 

Chukchi Sale 193. It does not preclude 

possible additional environmental 

analysis with regard to future leasing or 

permitting actions. 

Draft Supplemental EIS Availability: 

To obtain a copy of the Draft SEIS, you 

may contact the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 

Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503–5820, 

telephone 907–334–5200. You may also 

view the Draft SEIS at the above 

address, on the BOEMRE Web site at 

http://alaska.boemre.gov, or at the 

Alaska Resources Library and 

Information Service, 3211 Providence 

Drive, Suite 111, Anchorage. 

Written Comments: Interested parties 

may submit their written comments on 

the Draft SEIS until November 29, 2010 

to the Regional Director, Alaska OCS 

Region, Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, 

Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503– 

5820. You may also hand deliver 

comments to this address. Comments 

should be labeled ‘‘Attn: Chukchi Sea 

Draft SEIS.’’ Comments may be 

submitted via e-mail at 

BOEMREAKPublicCommen@boemre.gov 

(Note: please use e-mail address exactly 

as it appears. Do not add the letter ‘‘t’’ 

or anything else to the address.). Please 

include ‘‘Attn: Chukchi Sea Draft SEIS’’ 

in the subject line, and your name and 

return address in the message. BOEMRE 

will not accept anonymous comments. 

Be advised that your entire 

comment—including your personal 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you may request us to withhold from 

public review your personal identifying 

information, we cannot guarantee that 

we will be able to do so. 

Public Hearings: Public hearings on 

the Draft SEIS will be held as follows: 

Monday, November 1, 2011, Kotzebue 

Middle/High School, Kotzebue, 

Alaska; 

Tuesday, November 2, 2010, Oalgi 

Community Center, Point Hope, Alaska; 

Wednesday, November 3, 2010, Point 

Lay Community Center, Point Lay, 

Alaska; 

Thursday, November 4, 2010, Robert 

James Community Center, 

Wainwright, Alaska; 

Friday, November 5, 2010, Inupiat 

Heritage Center, Barrow, Alaska; 

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