BLM seeks comments on proposed Copper Rays Solar Project
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LAS VEGAS – The Bureau of Land Management Pahrump Field Office is seeking public comments on the proposed Copper Rays Solar Project in Nye County, Nevada. The Copper Rays Solar Project would consist of the construction, operation, and eventual decommissioning of photovoltaic solar modules and associated facilities necessary to generate up to 700 megawatts of electricity on 5,127 acres of public land southeast of Pahrump, Nevada.
The 45-day scoping comment period will open November 14, 2022 with publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of Intent to amend the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. The scoping period will close December 29, 2022.
The BLM will hold two virtual scoping meetings for the Copper Rays Solar Project on December 6 and December 7, 2022, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time. More information on the meetings is available on the project ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2019523/510.
“Public comments are critical as we continue to evaluate the proposed project,” said Nicholas Pay, BLM’s Pahrump Field Office Manager. “The type of comments that would be most helpful during the scoping period include potential local concerns and issues related to the Proposed Action, identification of potential alternatives and issues to be analyzed, possible measures to minimize or avoid adverse environmental impacts, information about historic and cultural resources within the area that may potentially be affected, and any other information relevant to the Proposed Action.”
The expected life of the project is 30 years. The public land for the proposed project area is southeast of Pahrump, Nevada, approximately 40 miles west of Las Vegas, Nevada, and located adjacent and to the south of State Route 160. Project construction would take six years over multiple phases. More information about the proposed project can be found on BLM’s ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2019523/510.
The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands with the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio and provides sites for environmentally sound renewable energy projects. Efficient deployment of renewable energy from our nation’s public lands is crucial in achieving President Biden’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, as well as Congressional direction in the Energy Act of 2020 to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025.
Written comments may be mailed to the BLM, Pahrump Field Office, Attn: Copper Rays Solar Project, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89130, or emailed to BLM_NV_SND_EnergyProjects@blm.gov. Comments may also be submitted utilizing the “Participate Now” function at the Project ePlanning page at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2019523/510. For more information, please contact Whitney Wirthlin at 725-249-3318 or via email at BLM_NV_SND_EnergyProjects@blm.gov.
Before including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, or other personal identifying information in comments, be aware that entire comments-including personal identifying information-may be made publicly available at any time. While commenters can request that personal identifying information be withheld from public review, the BLM cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
-BLM-
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.