[Federal Register: March 31, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 62)]
[Notices]
[Page 16338-16339]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31mr06-87]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[ID-220-5101-ER-D025; IDI-33676]
Notice of Availability (NOA), Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Cotterel Wind Power Project and Proposed
Resource Management Plan Amendment, Burley Field Office, Cassia County,
ID
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Burley
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Proposed Cotterel
Mountain Wind Power Project and Proposed Resource Management Plan
Amendment.
DATES: No decision on the Proposed Plan Amendment will be made for at
least 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes
the NOA of this FEIS/Proposed Plan Amendment in the Federal Register.
BLM 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 proposed decision that would be
implemented on BLM administered land. The proposed decision which may
be protested under this notice is the Proposed Plan Amendment. The
protest must be filed within 30 days of the date that the EPA publishes
its NOA. Instructions for filing protests are included in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.
ADDRESSES: The FEIS/Proposed Plan Amendment has been mailed in hard
copy to those who participated in the planning process by providing
comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)/Draft Plan
Amendment. Additional copies in both paper and digital format are
available in limited numbers. To receive a copy, refer to the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below. The FEIS/Proposed Plan
Amendment is also posted to the Internet at http://www.id.blm.gov/planning/cotterel
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Barker, Project Manager, BLM
Burley Field Office, 15 East, 200 South, Burley, Idaho 83318, phone
208-677-6678, fax (209) 677-6699; or e-mail: scott_barker@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Windland, Inc. in partnership with Shell
Wind Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Dutch/Shell
Group of Companies, is proposing to construct, operate, and maintain a
wind-powered electric generation facility on the ridgeline of Cotterel
Mountain, near the towns of Albion, Malta, and Burley, Idaho. The FEIS/
Proposed Plan Amendment presents comments received on the DEIS/Draft
Plan Amendment and associated responses to those comments. Four
alternatives are analyzed in this FEIS/Proposed Plan Amendment and the
effects disclosed. Alternative A, the No Action Alternative, reflects
existing Resource Management Plan direction. Alternative B is the
proponent's Proposed Action as submitted in their right-of-way
application. Alternative C, is a modification of the Proposed Action
which includes fewer but larger output wind turbines, alternative
access, alternative transmission line locations, and alternative
turbine types. Alternative D is a modified version of Alternative C
with a reduced number of wind turbines.
Alternatives B, C, and D are not consistent with the Cassia RMP,
which does not allow for the granting of rights-of-way in the proposed
project area. The Proposed Plan Amendment would allow the decision
maker to grant a right-of-way should that person decide to do so. The
proposed decision is to amend the Cassia RMP by implementing
Alternative C. Protests must address the proposed decision to amend the
Cassia RMP.
Protests regarding proposed decisions affecting BLM administered
lands must be in writing and filed with the BLM Director. Protests may
raise only those issues that were submitted for the record during the
planning process. Email 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 BLM will consider the
email or faxed protest as an advance copy, and it will receive full
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with 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 letters to the
appropriate address provided below. To be considered complete, your
protest must contain at minimum, the following information: (1) The
name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the person
filing the protest; (2) a statement of the issue or issues being
protested; (3) a statement of the part or parts of the Proposed Plan
Amendment being protested; (4) a copy of all documents addressing the
issue or issues that were submitted during the planning process by the
protesting party or an indication of the date the issue or issues were
discussed for the record; and (5) a concise statement explaining why
the Director's proposed decision is believed to be wrong. A protest
merely expressing disagreement with the Director's proposed decision
without providing any supporting data will not be considered a valid
protest. All written protests must be sent to one of the following
addresses: Regular Mail, Director, WO-210/LS-1075, Bureau of Land
Management, Attn: Brenda Hudgens-Williams, Department of the Interior,
P.O. Box 66538, Washington, DC 20035, or Overnight Mail, Director, WO-
210/LS-1075, Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Brenda Hudgens-Williams,
Department of the Interior, 1620 L Street, NW., Suite 1075, Washington,
DC 20036.
To be considered timely, your protest must be postmarked no later
than the last day of the protest period. Though not a requirement, it
is suggested that protests be sent by certified mail, return receipt
requested. You are also encouraged, but not required, to forward a copy
of your protest to the project manager at the address listed above
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. This may allow the BLM to
resolve the protest through clarification of intent or discussion with
the protestor.
Please note that protests, including names and street addresses are
available for public review and/or release under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA). Individual respondents may request
confidentiality. Respondents who wish to withhold their name and/or
street address from public review or from disclosure under FOIA must
state so prominently at the beginning of the written correspondence.
Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representing organizations or businesses,
will be made available for public inspection in their entirety.
Following resolution of any protests of the proposed decision, a record
of decision (ROD) will be signed by the Assistant Director of the
Bureau of Land Management. A NOA of the ROD will be published in the
Federal Register and through local news media.
Cooperating Agencies: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior;
Bureau of Reclamation, Interior; Bonneville Power Administration,
Energy; Idaho Department of Lands; Cassia County Commissioners.
Participating Agency Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Dated: February 9, 2006.
Kenneth E. Miller,
Burley Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. E6-4663 Filed 3-30-06; 8:45 am]
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