[Federal Register: June 24, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 121)]
[Notices]
[Page 36651-36653]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jn05-107]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-350-1430-PN]
Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands
in the Western United States, Including Proposed Amendments to Selected
Land Use Plans
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
[[Page 36652]]
prepared a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for
wind energy development in eleven western states, excluding Alaska,
that also proposes to amend 52 land use plans.
DATES: BLM land use planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2) state that
any person who participated in the planning process, and has an
interest that may be adversely affected, may protest. The protest must
be filed within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes this notice in the Federal Register. Instructions for
filing of protests are described in the ``Dear Reader'' letter in the
front of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Wind
Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands in the Western United
States and are included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Brady, Group Manager, Lands and
Realty (WO-350), Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C St., NW., Mail Stop
1000 LS, Washington, DC 20240. Ph: 202-452-7773.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Final Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development on BLM-
Administered Lands in the Western United States to (1) assess the
environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with wind energy
development on public lands in eleven western states (excluding Alaska)
and (2) evaluate a number of alternatives to determine the best
management approach to mitigating potential impacts and facilitating
wind energy development. The Final PEIS analyzes three alternatives for
managing wind energy development on BLM-administered lands. The
alternatives are: (1) The proposed action, which would implement a Wind
Energy Development Program, establish policies and best management
practices (BMPs) for wind energy right-of-way (ROW) authorizations, and
amend 52 BLM land use plans; (2) the no action alternative, which would
allow continued wind energy development under the terms and conditions
of the BLM Interim Wind Energy Development Policy, and (3) a limited
wind energy development alternative, which would allow wind energy
development only in selected locations. The proposed action to
implement a Wind Energy Development Program is the BLM's preferred
alternative.
As stated above, the proposed action would establish a
comprehensive program to address wind energy development on BLM-
administered lands. The policies and BMPs developed under the proposed
Wind Energy Development Program would establish minimum requirements
for management of individual wind energy projects. The proposed
policies identify management objectives and address the administration
of wind energy development activities. The proposed BMPs identify
required mitigation measures that would need to be incorporated into
project-specific wind energy development proposals. In addition, the
proposed action would amend 52 BLM land use plans. The proposed land
use plan amendments include: (1) the adoption of programmatic wind
energy development policies and BMPs and (2) identification of specific
areas where wind energy development would not be allowed. The purpose
of the proposed land use plan amendments is to facilitate preparation
and consideration of potential wind energy development ROW applications
on BLM-administered lands, but not to eliminate the need for site-
specific analysis of individual development proposals.
The following Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Management
Framework Plan (MFP) land use plans, itemized in Appendix C of the
Final PEIS, are proposed for amendment: Colorado: Royal Gorge RMP and
San Luis RMP; Idaho: Cascade RMP, Challis RMP, Jarbridge RMP, Kuna MFP,
Lemhi RMP, Owyhee RMP, and Twin Falls MFP; Montana: Billings RMP,
Garnet RMP, Headwaters RMP, Judith-Valley-Phillips RMP, and West HiLine
RMP; Nevada: Elko RMP, Las Vegas RMP, Paradise-Denio MFP, Shoshone-
Eureka RMP, Sonoma-Gerlach MFP, Tonopah RMP, and Wells RMP; New Mexico:
Carlsbad RMP, Mimbres RMP, Roswell RMP, and White Sands RMP; Oregon:
Andrews/Steens RMP (currently being revised to replace the Andrews MFP
and revise part of the Three Rivers RMP), Brothers/La Pine RMP, Coos
Bay RMP, Eugene RMP, John Day RMP, Medford RMP, Salem RMP, Southeast
Oregon RMP, Three Rivers RMP, Two Rivers RMP, and Upper Deschutes RMP
(currently being revised to replace a portion of the Brothers/LaPine
RMP); Utah: Cedar-Beaver-Garfield-Antimony RMP, Escalante MFP, Paria
MFP, Pinyon MFP, Randolf MFP, St. George RMP, Vermillion MFP, and Zion
MFP; Washington: Spokane RMP; Wyoming: Buffalo RMP, Cody RMP, Grass
Creek RMP, Green River RMP, Lander RMP, New Castle RMP, and Washakie
RMP. No land use plans are proposed for amendment in Arizona or
California as part of the Final PEIS; ongoing and future land use plan
amendments in these states will address wind energy development where
developable wind resources are present.
The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Wind
Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands in the Western United
States was made available for public review and comment from September
10, 2004, to December 10, 2004. The Draft PEIS was posted on the
project Web site at http://windeis.anl.gov and provided on request as a
CD or printed document. More than 120 individuals and organizations
participated in the public comment process, including more than 60
recognized organizations (public and private). About 77% of the
documents were received via the project Web site and 23% were received
via regular mail. On the basis of comment categorization, approximately
718 individual comments were identified.
Volume 3 of the Final PEIS contains the public comments on the
Draft PEIS and the BLM's responses. Public comments addressed a broad
range of issues. About 31% of the comments were categorized as
addressing ecological issues, including monitoring and mitigation; 21%
addressed policy issues; 17% addressed avian issues, 10% addressed bat
issues; 8% addressed issues related to the scope of the PEIS and the
alternatives evaluated; 6% addressed sage-grouse issues; 6% addressed
transmission issues; and 4% of the comments addressed land use issues.
The remainder of the issues were divided across a number of topics
(each comprising less than 3% of the total), including engineering,
cumulative impacts, cultural resources, economics, visual impacts, wind
resource modeling approach, noise, regulatory issues, water, waste, air
quality, geology, and transportation issues. (The percentages total
more than 100% because many of the comments can be categorized under
more than one key issue). Public comments on the Draft PEIS, including
the proposed land use plan amendments, and internal BLM review comments
were incorporated into the Final PEIS. Public comments resulted in the
addition of clarifying text, but did not significantly change the
proposed action or proposed land use plan amendments.
Government-to-Government consultation regarding potential wind
energy development and land use plan amendments on BLM-administered
lands was conducted with Tribal entities whose interests might be
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directly and substantially affected. The Tribal entities contacted are
listed in Chapter 7 in the Final PEIS.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cooperated with the BLM in
preparation of the PEIS. In addition, the BLM consulted with other
federal agencies during preparation of the Draft and Final PEIS,
including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Air Force,
and agency representatives to the Federal Energy Resources Network. In
accordance with a memorandum of agreement between the BLM and the
USFWS, the BLM is consulting with the USFWS regarding the proposed land
use plan amendments. These consultations will be conducted in
accordance with the requirements of Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and are expected to result in the issuance of a
programmatic biological assessment and biological opinion.
In addition, the BLM initiated activities to coordinate and consult
with the governors of each of the eleven western states addressed in
the PEIS and with state agencies. Prior to the issuance of a record of
decision and approval of proposed land use plan amendments, the
governor of each state will be given the opportunity to identify any
inconsistencies between the proposed land use plan amendments and state
or local plans and to provide recommendations in writing during the 60-
day consistency review period required by the BLM land use planning
regulations (43 CFR 1610.3-2).
Copies of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on
Wind Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands in the Western United
States, including the proposed land use plan amendments (Appendix C),
have been sent to the Environmental Protection Agency, DOI Office of
Environmental Policy and Compliance, DOI Library, and the governors
office in each of the eleven western states. Copies of the Final PEIS
are available at the BLM State Offices in the eleven western states and
the BLM Washington Office, Public Affairs Office. Interested persons
may also review the Final PEIS and proposed land use plan amendments on
the Internet at http://windeis.anl.gov.
Instructions for filing a protest regarding the proposed land use
plan amendments may be found at 43 CFR 1610.5. A protest may only raise
those issues which were submitted for the record during the NEPA/
planning process. E-mail and faxed protests will not be accepted as
valid protests unless the protesting party also provides the original
letter by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of
the protest period. Under these conditions, the e-mail or faxed protest
will be considered as an advance copy and it will receive full
consideration. If you wish to provide such advance notification, please
direct faxed protests to the attention of the BLM protest coordinator
at 202-452-5112, and e-mails to Brenda_Hudgens-Williams@blm.gov.
Please direct the follow-up letter to the appropriate address
provided below.
The protest must contain:
a. The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the
person filing the protest.
b. A statement of the specific land use plan(s) by name and the
amendment(s) being protested.
c. A copy of all documents addressing the issue(s) that the
protesting party submitted during the NEPA/planning process or a
statement of the date they were discussed for the record.
d. A concise statement explaining why the protestor believes the
proposed land use plan amendment(s) is wrong.
All protests must be in writing and mailed to the following
address:
Regular Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Director (210), Attention:
Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 66538, Washington, DC 20035.
Overnight Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L Street, NW., Suite 1075, Washington,
DC 20036.
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to
withhold your name or street address from public review or from
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests
will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from
organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.
A decision shall be rendered promptly on the protest. The decision
will be in writing and will be sent to the protesting party by
certified mail, return receipt requested.
Dated: May 13, 2005.
Ray Brady,
Group Manager, Lands and Realty.
[FR Doc. 05-12475 Filed 6-23-05; 8:45 am]