Notice of Intent

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

[CA-920-06-1330-00]

Notice of Intent

AGENCIES: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management,

Alturas Resource Area; and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, Modoc National Forest.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

for a Plan of Operation (POO) for Development and Production; and for a

POO for Utilization and Disposal for a proposed geothermal development

project, including: a power plant, geothermal production and injection

wellfield, ancillary facilities, and transmission line on the Modoc

National Forest in Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, California. The

proposed project may require amending the Modoc National Forest Land

and Resource Management Plan if the proposed action is approved.

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SUMMARY: Notice is given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS); U.S. Department of

Energy, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA); and the Siskiyou County

Air Pollution Control District (APCD) will jointly prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR)

for a proposed 48 megawatt (MW)(gross) geothermal electric power plant

with associated facilities and operations, and an approximately 21-

mile, 230-kilovolt (kV), transmission line. This proposed action (known

as the Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project) would be located

on the Modoc National Forest in northeastern California. BPA will

participate in the EIS/EIR process as a cooperating agency to analyze

potential effects.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA), and 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the BLM, USFS, BPA, and

Siskiyou County APCD will be directing a third-party contractor in the

preparation of the EIS/EIR on the impacts of the proposed action.

Comments are being requested to help identify significant issues or

concerns related to the proposed action, determine the scope of issues,

and identify and refine alternatives to the proposed action.

DATES: Federal, state, and local agencies and the public are invited to

participate in the scoping process for the EIS/EIR. Scoping meetings to

encourage and facilitate public participation are proposed to be held

in Yreka (June 9, 1997), Dorris (June 10, 1997), Tulelake (June 11,

1997), and Fall River Mills (June 12, 1997), California. Times and

locations of the scoping meetings will be announced in the local news

media.

ADDRESS FOR COMMENTS: In addition to the public scoping meetings, the

BLM is inviting written comments and suggestions on the proposed action

and the scope of the analysis. Written comments or requests to be added

to the project mailing list should be submitted by June 30, 1997.

Written comments should be addressed to Mr. Randall M. Sharp, USFS/BLM,

Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project EIS/EIR Project Leader,

800 W. 12th Street, Alturas, CA 96101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Randall M. Sharp (916) 233-5811.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: California Energy General Corporation

submitted a POO for Development and Production and a POO for

Utilization and Disposal to the BLM for constructing, operating, and

maintaining a 48 MW (gross), dual flash, geothermal power plant,

cooling tower, associated geothermal production and injections wells,

well pads, roads, interconnected geothermal fluid pipelines, and

accompanying segments of a 230 kV transmission line. This project,

known as the Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project, would be

located within the Glass Mountain Unit of the Glass Mountain Known

Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) on the Modoc National Forest.

The proposed geothermal power plant, well pads, and fluid pipelines

would be located within Federal geothermal leases CA 12370, CA 12371

and CA 12372, all within the Glass Mountain Unit of the Glass Mountain

KGRA. The proposed power plant site would be located within Section 18

of the eight-section area known as the Telephone Flat project area,

located in Sections 7, 8, 16, 17, and 18 Township 43 North, Range 4

East and Sections 1, 12, and 13 Township 43 North, Range 3 East, Mount

Diablo Base and Meridian, Siskiyou County, California. The geothermal

fluid supplies and wellhead reserves are projected to be

[[Page 27620]]

sufficient for the life of the project which is expected to be 50

years.

The proposed action would involve production of geothermal fluids

(hot water, steam, and noncondensable gases) from an underground

reservoir. These fluids would be produced from 10 to 20 two-phase

production wells located on well pads selected from 22 alternative

production well pad sites. The fluids would be separated at the surface

in high and low pressure flash chambers located at each of the well

pads. The high pressure and low pressure steam would be transported via

parallel surface pipelines to the proposed power plant, where the steam

would be directed to a turbine-generator unit. The unflashed spent

geothermal fluid, cooling tower blowdown, and other fluids would be

transported through surface pipelines to from three to five proposed

injection wells for return of these fluids to the subsurface geothermal

reservoir.

Each of the production and injection well pads would occupy from

3.7 to 5.5 acres, for a total alternative well pad area of about 81 to

121 acres. The power plant site would occupy approximately 18.5 acres.

There would be a total of about four miles of surface pipeline

corridor, and about one mile of new road associated with the power

plant and wellfield. Approximately 16 miles of existing access roads in

the project area would also be subject to potential reconstruction or

surface improvement.

The proposed action would also include development of a

transmission line that would extend from the proposed power plant via

either a northern or southern route eastward for approximately 21 miles

to an existing BPA transmission line. Alternatively, a short segment

(about 1.5 miles) of transmission line from the power plant could tie

into a proposed 230 kV transmission line extending from a separately

proposed geothermal power plant project (i.e., the Fourmile Hill

Geothermal Development Project) if that project is developed. The

proposed transmission line would be constructed using H-frame wood

poles. The proposed transmission line would be located entirely within

the Modoc National Forest; however, transmission route alternatives may

cross other Forests or parcels of private land. An approximately 100-

foot wide right-of-way would exist along the constructed length of the

transmission line. Access roads would be required along the length of

the transmission line.

Alternatives thus far identified for evaluation in the EIS/EIR are:

(1) The proposed action, (2) the no action alternative (the

consequences of not developing the project), and (3) alternate

transmission line route alternatives. The principal issues identified

thus far for consideration in the EIS/EIR include Native American

concerns; cumulative impacts considering existing, proposed, and

potential other geothermal projects in the area; potential impacts on

cultural resources; potential effects on wildlife; potential land use

conflicts; potential visual impacts; and potential impacts on surface

water and groundwater resources. The EIS/EIR will also address other

issues such as geology, geothermal resources, vegetation, threatened or

endangered species, air quality, noise, recreation, transportation,

human health and safety, and socioeconomics as well as any issues

raised during the scoping process.

If the proposed action or a selected alternative is approved, and

if the proposed action or the selected alternative is inconsistent with

the management direction provided in the Modoc National Forest Land and

Resource Management Plan (LRMP), then the LRMP would be amended, as

necessary, to reconcile any inconsistency.

Federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or

organizations who may be interested in or affected by the BLM's

decision for the proposed action are invited to participate in the

scoping process. Input and comments received during this process will

be considered during preparation of the EIS/EIR.

Dated: May 9, 1997.

Rich Burns,

Alturas Resource Area Manager, USDI Bureau of Land Management.

Dated: May 9, 1997.

Diane Henderson-Bramlette,

Modoc National Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service.

[FR Doc. 97-13086 Filed 5-19-97; 8:45 am]

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