News Release

For Release:  May 22, 2008                                                              
Contact:  Stephen Razo 951-697-5217; email: srazo@ca.blm.gov
CA-CDD-08-52
 

BLM Announces Intent to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for West Fry Wind Energy Project

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced its intent to publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed West Fry Mountains Wind Energy Project (West Fry Wind Project) on public lands in the California Desert. 
 
The West Fry Wind Project proposes to install approximately 34 wind turbines and ancillary electric facilities on approximately 3,100 acres of public lands in the West Fry Mountains, within the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area northeast of Lucerne Valley, in San Bernardino County.  The project will produce between 51 and 60 megawatts of power during normal operation.  West Fry Wind, LLC has applied for a right-of-way (ROW) from the BLM for the development and operation of the project.
 
BLM, as lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act, will prepare an EIS to analyze the site-specific impacts of the proposed grant of the ROW and a proposed amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan.
 
The NOI initiates the public participation for the EIS and a scoping period of 45 days.  Scoping meetings will be held and announced through the news media and the BLM’s website (http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow).  The public comments received in this scoping period will be used to prepare the draft EIS to be published for full public comment and review.
 
Comments must be submitted in writing to the BLM’s Barstow Field Office, attention Edy Seehafer, Environmental Coordinator, BLM, Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, CA 92311, or by fax at 760-252-6099, or e-mail at cabaeis@ca.blm.gov.
 
Documents pertinent to this proposal will be available for public review on the Barstow website or at the BLM Barstow Field Office during regular business hours of 7:45 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
 
For further project information contact: Project Manager Joan Patrovsky, Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, California 92311. (760-252-6032)

-BLM-

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