BLM to Review Solar Project Near Desert Center

Comments Due by February 12

By Robert WINKLER
The Desert Independent

January 16, 2010

DESERT CENTER, Calif – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to conduct an environmental review on the impacts of a proposed solar photovoltaic generating facility near Desert Center, California on BLM administered lands.

The operator, First Solar Inc., has requested a right-of-way to develop the 550 megawatts generating facility on 4,410 acres. The plant’s 230 kilovolt transmission line will be located on BLM land. First Solar’s project will include the generating facility, an on-site substation, and the transmission line within the transmission corridor. Additionally, a planned 230- to 500-kV “Red Bluff” substation is planned to connect the project to Southern California Edison’s regional transmission grid.

In order to grant a permit under the National Environmental Policy Act, the BLM may need to include an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan. In the environmental impact statement (EIS), as required as part of the permitting process, a large number of controversial site-specific impacts including air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, water resources, geological resources and hazards, hazardous materials handling, land use, noise, visual resources and transmission system engineering and transmission line safety will analyzed.

THE BLM ENCOURAGES YOU TO SUBMIT COMMENTS & IT IS EASY:

• The BLM Website/Palm Springs

• Email Them

• Fax:  (760) 833-7199

• Mail: Allison Shaffer, Project Manager, Palm Springs South Coast Field Office, BLM, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

REMEMBER – Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until Friday, February 12, 2010.

The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including alternatives, and guide the process to develop the EIS.

A public scoping meeting will be held on January 28 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the University of California Riverside – Palm Springs Campus in the Heckman Building located at 75-0800 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211.