SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare an RMP Amendment with an associated EIS for the Mosey Solar Project, announces the beginning of the scoping process, and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The BLM is evaluating permitting solar energy facilities—including photovoltaic panels and other solar array infrastructure—within two designated utility corridors, which would require amending the existing Las Vegas RMP to realign two undeveloped utility corridors in order to allow for the placement of photovoltaic panels and other project infrastructure. The planning area is located in Clark and Nye Counties, Nevada within the BLM Southern Nevada District, southeast of the Town of Pahrump and approximately 30 miles west of Las Vegas. The proposed project encompasses approximately 3,565 acres of public lands.

A designated Energy Policy Act of 2005 Section 368 energy corridor, Segment #224-225, North Pahrump/U.S. 95 to Las Vegas/Ivanpah Valley (referred to as the Section 368 energy corridor), along the Clark County/Nye County border intersects the southern portion of the Project site. A BLM ( printed page 47853) Southern Nevada District utility corridor, established by the 1998 Las Vegas RMP (referred to as the RMP-designated utility corridor), intersects the center of the Project site. An amendment to the 1998 Las Vegas RMP is being considered to modify the alignment of these two existing, undeveloped utility corridors so they avoid the Project site. The RMP Amendment, if approved, will realign the existing Section 368 energy corridor to be outside of the Project site boundary and remove the Amargosa—Roach section of the RMP-designated utility corridor, which is approximately 96 miles in length.

On January 17, 2025, the Mosey Solar Project was determined to be a covered project under Title 41 of Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and was added to the federal permitting dashboard: https://www.permits.performance.gov/​permitting-project/​fast-41-covered-projects/​mosey-solar-project.

Purpose and Need

The purpose and need for BLM's action is to respond to the application submitted by Renew Development HoldCo requesting a right-of-way (ROW) authorization to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission the Mosey Solar Project in accordance with its responsibilities under Title V of the FLPMA, 43 CFR part 2800, U.S. Department of the Interior NEPA regulations, and other applicable Federal and State laws and policies.

In accordance with FLPMA, public lands are to be managed for multiple uses that take into account the long-term needs of future generations for renewable and non-renewable resources. The BLM is authorized to grant rights-of-way on public lands for systems of generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy (FLPMA Section 501(a)(4)). The preliminary purpose and need also includes an amendment to the Las Vegas RMP to realign designated utility corridors that currently traverse the proposed project area.

Preliminary Alternatives

The Proposed Action is to consider the right-of-way application submitted by Renew Development HoldCo, LLC to construct, operate, and eventually decommission the proposed solar project and associated facilities with the potential to generate 500 megawatts of alternating current energy on 3,565 acres of BLM administered lands.

In December 2021, Renew Development HoldCo, LLC submitted a right-of-way application to the BLM Southern Nevada District Office for the Mosey Solar Project requesting authorization to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 500-megawatt photovoltaic solar electric generating facility, battery storage facilities, associated generation tie-line, and access road facilities. The electricity generated would be conveyed to the Trout Canyon Substation located east of the project site via a generation (gen-tie) transmission line. If approved, project construction is estimated to take approximately 24 months.

The Proposed Action also includes an amendment to the Las Vegas RMP to realign designated utility corridors that currently traverse the proposed project area. West-Wide Energy Corridor Segment #224-225, established under authority of Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, traverses the central portion of the project area from east to west. In addition, a BLM Southern Nevada District designated utility corridor, established by the RMP, also traverses the central portion of the project area. Per 43 CFR 1610.5-3, the project must be in conformance with the RMP; therefore, a plan amendment to modify both utility corridors by realigning them outside of the Mosey Solar Project area would be required.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action include the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the BLM would not issue a ROW grant, the Project would not be constructed, and existing land uses on the Project site would continue. The BLM would continue to manage the land consistent with the Las Vegas RMP. Additional action alternatives have not been identified to date but would be developed by taking into consideration comments and input submitted during the application evaluation determination process and scoping. The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for additional alternatives.

Planning Criteria

The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning area have been identified by BLM personnel and from early engagement conducted for this planning effort with Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and other stakeholders. The BLM has identified preliminary planning criteria for this planning effort's analysis, which are available for public review and comment at the ePlanning website (see ADDRESSES ).

Summary of Expected Impacts

The analysis in the EIS will be focused on the proposed solar project and associated facilities, including battery storage and transmission line construction. The BLM will evaluate the proposed Project application in accordance with the Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (2024 Solar PEIS). The Project is considered a “partially exempt” Project under the 2024 Solar PEIS.

Preliminary impacts on BLM-managed lands from the proposed project and RMP amendment include loss and disturbance of desert tortoise habitat, impacts to native vegetation, impacts to recreational access and experience, impacts to cultural resources and Native American concerns, impacts to basin groundwater resources, socioeconomic effects on local communities, air quality impacts, impacts to BLM special status species plants; impacts to wildlife and migratory birds including habitat loss and potential direct mortalities during construction and operation, impacts to paleontological resources, and visual effects.

Known resources to be addressed in the analysis include, but are not limited to: vegetation and soils, threatened mojave desert tortoise, BLM sensitive species, air quality, wildlife, migratory birds, cultural and historic resources, water resources, paleontological resources, access to public lands, recreation, socioeconomics, tribal concerns, mesquite habitat, and visual resources. Habitat for the federally listed desert tortoise is in this Project site.

Anticipated Permits and Authorizations

Along with a BLM ROW grant as required under 43 CFR 2801.9, Renew Development HoldCo, LLC anticipates needing the following authorizations and permits for the proposed Project: Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Wildlife Special Purpose permit from Nevada Department of Wildlife; Nevada Division of Environmental Protection Stormwater and Groundwater Discharge permits, Temporary in Waterways Work permit; Wastewater Discharge Permits; Nevada Public Utilities Commission Permit to Construct; Nevada Division of Water Resources water rights modification permits; Nevada State Fire Marshal Hazardous Materials Storage permit; and Clark County and Nye County permits, as necessary. Further details on these permitting requirements may be found in the Plan of ( printed page 47854) Development for the Mosey Solar Project.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public participation consistent with NEPA and land use planning processes, including a 90-day comment period on the Draft RMP Amendment and EIS, and a 30-day public protest period concurrent with a 60-day Governor's consistency review on the Final EIS and Proposed RMP Amendment. The Draft RMP Amendment and EIS is anticipated to be available for public review early 2027 and the Proposed RMP Amendment is anticipated to be available for public protest in late 2027 or early 2028 with an RMP Amendment (if approved) and Record of Decision in summer 2028.

Public Scoping Process

This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public review of the planning criteria, which guide the development and analysis of the RMP Amendment and Draft EIS. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including alternatives and mitigation measures, and to guide the process for developing the EIS. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision on this project, are invited to participate in the scoping process.

The BLM encourages comments concerning the proposed Mosey Solar Project and RMP Amendment, possible measures to minimize and/or avoid adverse environmental impacts, and any other information relevant to the Proposed Action. The BLM also requests assistance with identifying potential alternatives to the Proposed Action. As alternatives should resolve an issue with the Proposed Action, please indicate the purpose of the suggested alternative. In addition, the BLM requests the identification of potential issues that should be analyzed. Issues should be a result of the Proposed Action or Alternatives; therefore, please identify the activity along with the potential issues.

Responsible Official and Nature of Decision To Be Made

The BLM Nevada State Director is the deciding official for this planning effort. The Authorized Officer and decision maker for the project is the BLM Pahrump Field Office Manager. The nature of the decision to be made will be the State Director's selection of land use planning decisions pursuant to this RMP Amendment for managing BLM-administered lands under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield in a manner that best addresses the purpose and need. The BLM will decide whether to grant, grant with conditions, or deny the ROW application. The BLM will also decide whether to approve a proposed amendment to the 1998 Las Vegas RMP modifying existing undeveloped utility corridors that intersect the project site, if the BLM decides to grant the ROW. Pursuant to 43 CFR 2805.10, if the BLM issues a ROW grant(s), the BLM decision maker may include terms, conditions, and stipulations determined to be in the public interest, which may include modifying the proposed use or changing the location or route of the proposed facilities. The BLM's resource management goals, objectives, opportunities, and/or conflicts will be considered in the decision process for the proposed ROW application and RMP Amendment.

Interdisciplinary Team

The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the EIS and RMP Amendment in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be involved in this planning effort: air quality, archaeology, botany, fire and fuels, geology/mineral resources, hazardous materials, hydrology, invasive/non-native species, lands and realty, public health and safety, recreation/transportation, socioeconomics, noise, soils, paleontology, national trails, visual resources, and wildlife.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

The BLM Pahrump Field Office is the lead Federal agency for this RMP Amendment and EIS and the related National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 process. Federal, State, and local agencies, and Tribes interested in the scoping process may request or be requested by the BLM, if eligible, to participate in the development of the EIS as a Cooperating Agency. The BLM Pahrump Field Office will be providing invitations to potential Federal, State, and local agencies and Tribes with jurisdiction of special expertise to participate as cooperating agencies on the project.

The BLM, through the FAST-41 review process, invited agencies to participate in the project on February 7, 2025. The following agencies are considered cooperating or participating agencies for the project: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, US Army Corp of Engineers, Department of Agriculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Advisory Council on Historic Properties, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security-US Coast Guard, Department of Defense, and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Additional Information

The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA and land use planning processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public involvement requirements of Section 106. The information about historic and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the area potentially affected by the proposed RMP Amendment will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts on such resources.

In November of 2022, the BLM invited Indian Tribal Nations to government-to-government consultation in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual Section 1780 and other Departmental policies. The following tribes have been notified and invited to consult: the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of Owens Valley, Bishop Paiute Tribe, Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Fort Independence Indian Community, Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, Lone Pine Paiute Shoshone Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, and Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe. The BLM has requested that the tribes identify any issues or concerns regarding the proposed project, including places of religious and cultural significance that might be affected. The BLM will provide additional opportunities for government-to-government consultation during the NEPA process. Tribal concerns will be given due consideration.

Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that may be ( printed page 47855) interested in or affected by the Project, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

(Authority: 43 CFR 46, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 2800)

91 FR 47852