Bureau of Land Management publishes Environmental Impact Statement on proposed Yellow Pine Solar Project
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LAS VEGAS – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Yellow Pine Solar Project, which is proposed to be located on BLM-managed land 10 miles southeast of Pahrump and approximately 32 miles west of Las Vegas.
“The BLM actively supports this administration’s America First Energy Plan, an ‘all of the above’ strategy which supports energy development on public lands,” said Angelita Bulletts, BLM Southern Nevada District Manager. “This project could mean 200 to 400 construction jobs and economic development in surrounding communities, and the BLM is proud to play a part in these important economic benefits.”
This FEIS addresses two separate but connected applications submitted to the BLM Las Vegas Field Office. First, Yellow Pine Solar, LLC applied for a right-of-way on public land to construct, operate, and maintain a proposed solar energy generation station, with approximately 500 megawatts of generating capacity, and ancillary facilities including battery storage, known as the Yellow Pine Solar Facility. Second, GridLiance West, LLC applied for a right of way on public land to construct, operate, and maintain a GridLiance West 230-kilovolt Trout Canyon Substation and associated 230-kV transmission line. These two applications are collectively known as the Yellow Pine Solar Project.
The Yellow Pine Solar Project would be located on approximately 3,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands. Following a 30-day FEIS availability and review period of the FEIS, a Record of Decision will be issued.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Yellow Pine Solar Project was available for review during a 45-day comment period beginning March 20, 2020 (85 FR 16125). The BLM received a total of 90 submissions containing 512 individual comments. The comments received were submitted by individuals, governmental agencies, tribes, and other organizations.
Key issues raised during the public comment period included potential biological, cultural, tribal, soils, vegetation, hydrological, visual and recreational resource impacts, fire risk/hazard, project alternatives, project design features/mitigation, and cumulative effects. Comments on the DEIS were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the FEIS. The FEIS includes the revisions made to the DEIS to address the comments submitted, including incorporating recommendations from scientific literature and agency funded research to provide additional analysis and documentation on potential impacts and benefits to soils and vegetation.
The FEIS and other relevant documents are available at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/81665/510.
For more information, please contact, Whitney Wirthlin, Acting Energy & Infrastructure Project Manager, at 702-515-5284.
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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.