[Federal Register: January 11, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 7)]
[Notices]
[Page 1768-1769]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11ja06-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-350-1430-PN]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Wind
Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)
and Associated Land Use Plan Amendments
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Record of Decision (ROD).
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) procedures, the BLM announces the availability
of the ROD to implement a Wind Energy Development Program and amend BLM
land use plans. The decision is hereby made to implement a
comprehensive Wind Energy Development Program to administer the
development of wind energy resources on BLM-administered public lands
in 11 western states, excluding Alaska. In addition, this decision
amends 52 BLM land use plans in 9 states to adopt the new program. The
Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and Resource Protection and the
Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning jointly signed the
ROD on December 15, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Wind Energy Development Program ROD are
available upon request from Scott Powers, Montana State Office, Bureau
of Land Management, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings, Montana 59107 or via
the Internet at http://windeis.anl.gov. Copies will also be available
at each of the following BLM offices: Arizona State Office, 222 N.
Central Ave., Phoenix; California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite
W-1834, Sacramento; Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield St.,
Lakewood; Idaho State Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise; Montana State
Office, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings; Nevada State Office, 1340
Financial Blvd., Reno; New Mexico State Office, 1474 Rodeo Rd., Santa
Fe; Oregon State Office, 333 SW. 1st Ave., Portland; Utah State Office,
440 West 200 South, Salt Lake City; Wyoming State Office, 5353
Yellowstone Rd., Cheyenne; and BLM Washington Office, Public Affairs
Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Powers, at 406-896-5319, (or e-
mail at scott_powers@blm.gov), Montana State Office, Bureau of Land
Management, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings, Montana 59107.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wind Energy Development Program ROD was
developed through preparation of the Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands
in the Western United States. The elements of the Wind Energy
Development Program and the associated land use plan amendments were
evaluated through this PEIS, which was prepared in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the FLPMA. The U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) cooperated in the preparation of the PEIS in
support of the BLM's proposed action.
The Wind Energy Development Program will be implemented in 11
western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Program
establishes policies and best management practices (BMPs) for the
administration of wind energy development activities and establishes
minimum requirements for mitigation measures. The policies and BMPs,
included in Attachment A of the ROD, address the mitigation of
potential impacts to all natural and cultural resources that could
occur during any phase of development. These include impacts such as
the use of geologic and water resources; creation or increase of
geologic hazards or soil erosion; water quality degradation; localized
generation of airborne dust; generation of noise; alteration or
degradation of wildlife habitat or sensitive or unique habitat;
interference with resident or migratory fish or wildlife species,
including protected species; alteration or degradation of plant
communities, including the occurrence of invasive vegetation; land use
changes; alteration of visual resources; release of hazardous materials
or wastes; increased traffic; increased human health and safety
hazards; and destruction or loss of paleontological or cultural
resources.
With the decision to implement the Wind Energy Development Program,
the BLM Interim Wind Energy Policy, dated October 16, 2002, will be
replaced by a new policy that incorporates the programmatic policies
and BMPs evaluated in the PEIS. Elements of the Interim Policy
addressing applications, authorizations, competitive interests, and due
diligence will not be changed by the new program requirements.
In addition, this decision amends 52 BLM land use plans in 9 of the
states in the study area: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The land use plan amendments,
identified in Attachment B of the ROD, include the adoption of the Wind
Energy Development Program policies and BMPs and, in a few instances,
the identification of specific areas where wind energy development will
be excluded.
Public involvement in preparation of the Wind Energy Development
PEIS was extensive, as documented in the PEIS and the ROD. The 30-day
public protest period resulted in no protests. In addition, results of
the 90-day Governors Consistency Review of the PEIS, required by BLM
planning regulations, were favorable in that none of the Governors
objected to the proposed plan amendments.
On May 18, 2001, the President issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13212,
``Actions to Expedite Energy-Related Projects,'' which established a
policy that federal agencies should take appropriate actions, to the
extent consistent with applicable law, to expedite projects to
[[Page 1769]]
increase the production, transmission, or conservation of energy. In
that same month, the President's National Energy Policy Development
Group recommended to the President, as part of the National Energy
Policy, that the Departments of the Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and
Defense work together to increase renewable energy production. On
August 8, 2005, the President signed into law the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (Pub. L. 109-58). Section 211 of the Act states, ``It is the sense
of the Congress that the Secretary of the Interior should, before the
end of the 10-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this
Act, seek to have approved non-hydropower renewable energy projects
located on the public lands with a generation capacity of at least
10,000 megawatts of electricity.'' Implementation of the Wind Energy
Development Program and the amendment of multiple land use plans to
adopt the program will effectively support the directives of E.O.
13212, the recommendations of the 2001 National Energy Policy, and
congressional direction provided in the Energy Policy Act of 2005
regarding renewable energy development on public lands.
Dated: December 19, 2005.
Ray Brady,
Team Lead, Energy Policy Act Implementation Team.
[FR Doc. E6-157 Filed 1-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P