10-27-2010 Parump Valley Times

No deal breakers in solar project's final impact statement

The final environmental impact statement for the Solar Millennium project in Amargosa Valley was released by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management last week.

It is the second major solar project in Nevada to get to this stage, behind the First Light project near Primm. This is also the first such project in Nye County. As such, it is expected to become the example for other solar projects.

Jason Paul Higgins, Solar Millennium director of project development and permitting, said he expects the BLM to issue the record of decision on their request for a right-of-way to use 6,320 acres of public land in another month. The company is planning to build two, 250-megawatt solar power plants.

Nevada is under a mandate to acquire 25 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2025; in California, the mandate is for acquiring 33 percent from renewable energy by 2020.

The impact statement discusses a construction date for the first plant sometime in 2011, or immediately after all the permits are approved. Construction is expected to take 39 months. The first plant will be operational a year before the second plant comes on line, according to the statement.

"We worked through the process with the agencies and came to agreement with their concerns," Higgins said at the Valley Electric Association annual symposium earlier this month. "We feel we really paid attention to what the citizens wanted, the neighbors and the environmental agencies."

Higgins said he had hoped the final impact statement would be completed by July, but was happy the company ironed out its agreements with interested parties.

The final statement had a few changes from an earlier draft. One change, for example, was the conclusion that only one well is required, which produces 603 acre-feet of water per year. The company plans to drill a new well 300 feet west of there for redundancy, should one of them fail.

The company will acquire another 236 acre feet per year of water rights — at this time it is unknown where those will be obtained — to reduce impacts to sensitive species at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Devil's Hole. That is to address the change in use of the purchased water rights from agricultural to industrial.

Solar Millennium will be required to build four, four-acre evaporation ponds. The ponds will be double lined and covered with narrow mesh netting to prevent access by ravens and migratory birds. A reverse osmosis system will recover 70 percent of the waste water limiting the size of the ponds that will be needed.

The solar power can be stored for up to 4.5 hours in molten salt tanks.

Here are some of the environmental impact statement's major findings:

WATER

Solar Millennium decided to use a dry cooling system, which will require 400 acre feet of water per year, which equates to 248 gallons per minute. Half of that will be needed to wash the mirrors.

To address National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerns the project may impact the Devil's Hole and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Solar Millennium has agreed to purchase an additional 236 acre feet per year of water rights to offset the change of use from agricultural to industrial. The BLM said it's unsure where the additional water rights will be obtained.

The purchase of existing water rights means some farmlands will be fallow that were previously irrigated.

AIR

There will be some effects on air quality from earth moving activity during construction.

GEOLOGY

The project won't impact geological resources, there are no active mining claims, mines or quarries.

SOIL

Up to 4,350 acres of mostly creosote, desert brush will be completely cleared and graded, which could expose the soil to increased erosion. The company will use dust suppressants.

FLOODING

A section of Forty Mile Wash will be re-channeled to intercept a 100-year storm event.

WILDLIFE

Four, old, desert tortoise burrows were located in the project area but no actual tortoises. The BLM found it to be low quality desert tortoise habitat. Pre-construction surveys will be conducted to prevent any deaths to tortoises that might appear.

The project could result in the loss of habitat for the burrowing owl, a sensitive species and Le Conte's Thrasher. The loss of vegetation would impact at least 12 snake and lizard species, including the desert iguana, which is on a watch list and the Nevada shovel-nosed snake, a conservation priority species.

CULTURAL

There were no paleontological ruins found and only one site that could be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places for prehistoric value.

SOCIOECONOMIC

Construction is expected to take 39 months with a peak monthly employment of 1,300 full-time employees. Operation of the plant is expected to employ 170 to 200 employees.

Construction payroll is estimated at $58.6 million, capital expenditures on material $50 million to $75 million. The construction would generate $30 million in property taxes and $35 million in state sales tax revenues.

TRANSPORTATION

Construction traffic on unimproved roads may contribute to deterioration and require mitigation. Construction could delay commute times in Amargosa Valley.

There would be long-term, cumulative impacts on traffic flow when combined with other solar energy projects.

Amargosa Farm Road will be realigned 1,320 feet south of the existing roadway.

VIEWING

Construction would create dust and night light to neighboring residences on Sandy Lane and adjacent to Valley View Estates. Long term impacts are rated low to moderate due to the low profile and use of landscaping that would screen the project from local neighborhoods.

There would be high impacts to Sandy Lane and Valley View Estates residences with an unobstructed view of the project during plant operation. Night operations could affect the night skyviewing for those neighbors. But the development agreement with Nye County mandates a landscape buffer between the perimeter fencing and Sandy Lane.

SAFETY

Fire flow storage tanks would be located near power blocks, furnished with water by the company well. Personnel will be trained in fire prevention. Fire hydrants would be placed at various intervals. The Amargosa Valley Volunteer Fire Department will be contacted if additional fire support is needed.

The solar field and support facilities will be surrounded by a combination of chain-link and wind fencing.

TRANSMISSION

Valley Electric Association said it would have to build a new 230-kilovolt power line and a switch yard.