News Release

For Release:  December 5, 2008                                                       
Contact:  Stephen Razo 951-697-5217; email: srazo@ca.blm.gov 
CA-CDD-09-16

Revised COSO-Hay Ranch Project EA Available for Public Review

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the revised environmental assessment (EA) for the COSO-Hay Ranch water extraction and delivery system project for public review.

The EA analyzes the impacts of the proposed action and alternatives to supply supplemental injection waters from the Hay Ranch water well to the Coso geothermal reservoir. This project entails construction of a groundwater extraction and pipeline delivery system from the Hay Ranch to the water distribution station and an existing injection system located at the Coso geothermal field on withdrawn land managed by the Navy as part of the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (CLNAWS).

The project site affects private land, Navy withdrawn land and public land managed by the BLM within Inyo County, CA. The proposed pipeline and tanks includes an approximately nine miles long by 50 feet wide right-of-way encompassing a total area of approximately 55 acres. The pipeline primarily follows an existing roadway. Most of the pipeline will be buried except where geologic features force the pipeline above ground.

Inyo County has completed a draft environmental impact report (EIR) and is currently assessing the proposed project, analyzing responses to comments relative to the EIR, and will soon release the final EIR and conditional use permit approving the project. 

The original EA was published for a 30-day public comment period on May 30, 2006 ending on June 15, 2006, with an extension to July 28, 2006. The revised EA reflects public comments received. Due to the upcoming holidays, the comment period for the revised EA has been extended to 45 days. The comment period will run from December 8, 2008 through January 23, 2009. 

Documents related to the entire project can be accessed  on-line at the Ridgecrest BLM’s web site at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest.html.  Comments on the BLM's revised EA should be sent to Linn Gum at jgum@ca.blm.gov, or in writing to The Bureau of Land Management, attn: Linn Gum, 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555.

-BLM-

California Desert District Office – 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553- (951) 697-5217