BLM Publishes Final Environmental Impact Statement for Chokecherry and …

DENVER, Jul 02, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE –
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management has
announced its Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre
Wind Energy Project, a 2,000-3,000 megawatt wind farm proposed by Power
Company of Wyoming LLC in Carbon County, Wyoming.

The Notice of Availability of the Final EIS will be in the July 3
edition of the Federal Register, the official daily publication
of the federal government, and begins a 30-day availability period. The
Record of Decision is anticipated to be signed later this summer.

PCW submitted an application to the BLM in January 2008 for wind energy
development on the federal lands that comprise approximately 50% of the
Chokecherry and Sierra Madre project area. The remainder of the project
is located on private lands owned by The Overland Trail Cattle Company
LLC.

The BLM held public scoping in late summer 2008 and released the Draft
EIS on July 22, 2011. The Final EIS therefore reflects more than four
years of environmental data-gathering, analysis, public input and
collaboration among federal, state and local cooperating agencies — with
BLM serving as the lead agency responsible for preparing the EIS in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

To proactively address input and environmental issues that arose during
the multi-year analysis, PCW significantly overhauled its original
proposed action. In 2010, PCW submitted a modified wind development plan
to BLM that included avoidance of Wyoming’s designated sage-grouse core
areas, greater-than-required turbine setbacks from the North Platte
River, and other revisions to further respond to stakeholders and reduce
potential impacts — even fully excluding development in some of the
nation’s strongest Class 6 and 7 wind resource areas.

The Final EIS identifies Alternative 1R with modifications as BLM’s
Preferred Alternative. The document also outlines factors associated
with the wind project including its ecological, cultural, economic and
social effects as well as measures to avoid, minimize or mitigate
potential impacts.

«We believe Alternative 1R reflects a balanced approach that will
provide the best opportunity to develop an environmentally responsible,
economically viable wind project and to provide the country with
millions of megawatt-hours of cost-effective
clean energy,» said Bill Miller, PCW president and CEO. «We’re committed
to continuing to move forward through the remaining federal, state and
local permitting processes, and we appreciate the widespread support we
have received for the project and its economic and environmental
benefits.»

The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project will be located
within TOTCO’s 320,000-acre privately operated cattle ranch south of
Sinclair and Rawlins, Wyoming. The ranch’s superb wind resources coupled
with smart turbine siting will allow PCW to install up to 3,000
megawatts of renewable energy generating capacity yet permanently use
less than 2,000 acres of land.

Once built, the wind project is estimated to generate enough renewable
energy to power nearly 1 million homes. Among
other benefits: the wind project will advance federal and state
renewable energy goals, provide hundreds of millions of dollars in local
and state tax revenue, and create and sustain thousands of construction,
manufacturing, services and operations jobs.

PCW also has been implementing a comprehensive,
science-based conservation plan designed to minimize the project’s
potential impacts on sage-grouse, raptors, big game and other wildlife.
PCW’s plan includes:

–
A sage-grouse
monitoring program that uses GPS technology to better understand
the birds’ activities and habitat use. Now in its third year, the
program and its unprecedented volume of data will help guide PCW’s
conservation measures and strategies.

–
An avian
monitoring program, also in its third year, that combines
traditional survey techniques with advanced radar tracking technology
to collect insights into where raptors may or may not fly in relation
to the project site. PCW is using the data to develop its
science-based Eagle Conservation Strategy, and the data also will
inform turbine micrositing.

–
Collaboration with Wyoming Game and Fish Department on ongoing
programs and studies related to pronghorn antelope, mule deer and elk,
as well as collaborating with other
agencies on sage-grouse research.

«PCW’s wildlife studies not only go above and beyond what was required
for the EIS but also reflect an unprecedented level of pre-construction
data-gathering and analysis,» Miller said. «We have and continue to work
closely with BLM and other federal, state and local authorizing agencies
to effectively and responsibly combine wind energy development with
ranching operations.»

In November 2011, PCW’s wind project was named by BLM to its list of 2012
Renewable Energy Priority Projects. Because the project is located
on a unique combination of federal and private «checkerboard» land, it
will help the federal government move closer toward achieving renewable
energy and land use goals; specifically, the goal outlined in the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 to have at least 10,000 MW of renewable energy
located on public lands by 2015. In addition, the project furthers the
purpose of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Secretarial Order 3285
that «establishes the development of environmentally responsible
renewable energy as a priority. »

The Final EIS may be reviewed on BLM’s website at
http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rfo/Chokecherry.html . Information
about BLM’s programs and commitments to advance renewable energy
generation and transmission development on federal land are at
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/renewable_energy.html .

For more information about PCW and the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind
Energy Project, visit
www.powercompanyofwyoming.com .

SOURCE: Power Company of Wyoming LLC

  
        PCW
          Kara Choquette, 303-299-1395
          kara.choquette@tac-denver.
  
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