News Release

For Release:  November 12, 2008                                                           
Contact:  David Briery; email: dbriery@ca.blm.gov
CA-CDD-09-13

BLM/Energy Commission Seek Public Input on Solar 2 Project in El Centro

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will conduct a public scoping meeting on Monday, Nov. 24, 2008, in El Centro on Stirling Energy Systems’ (SES) application to construct and operate its Solar Two project on public lands near Plaster City in Imperial County.  The California Energy Commission will jointly conduct a public informational hearing and public site visit on the proposal the same afternoon.

The scoping meeting/public informational hearing will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Imperial Council Administration Center Board Chambers, 940 West Main St., Suite 211, El Centro, Calif.  Following that session, at 3:30 p.m., members of the public are invited to join the commissioners and the BLM on a tour of the proposed site.  For tour reservations, contact the Energy Commission’s Public Adviser’s Office at (916) 654-4489 or (800) 822-6228, or by e-mail at publicadviser@energy.state.ca.us.  Reservations must be made prior to Monday, Nov. 17, to assure accommodation.

The proposed project would consist of approximately 30,000 25-kilowatt solar power dishes with a generating capacity of approximately 750 megawatts to be built in two phases just south of Plaster City between the Union Pacific tracks and Interstate 8.

Under federal law, the BLM is responsible for processing applications for rights-of-way to authorize the proposed project and associated transmission lines and other facilities to be constructed and operated on public land it manages.  The Energy Commission is responsible for reviewing and ultimately approving or denying all applications to construct and operate thermal electric power plants, 50 megawatts and greater, in California.  The Energy Commission facility-certification process carefully examines public health and safety, environmental impacts, and engineering aspects of proposed power plants and all related facilities such as electric transmission lines and natural gas and water pipelines.

For more information, contact the BLM's El Centro Field Office, 1661 So. 4th St., El Centro, Calif., attn: Lynda Kastoll, (760) 337-4421, lynda.kastoll@ca.blm.gov; or Christopher Meyer, California Energy Commission, 1516 Ninth St., MS-15, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 653-1639, cmeyer@energy.state.ca.us.

-BLM-

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