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Wind Energy in the San Gorgonio Pass Area TABLE OF CONTENTS Site Characteristics BLM Administration The Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office manages nineteen wind energy right-of-way grants in this area, issued under Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 2800.
Electrical power is generated by individual wind turbines that range in size from 80 to 309 feet tall and in generation capacity from 65 to 1,000kilowatts per hour. Technological advances over the past several years have greatly improved the capacity and efficiency of wind turbines with a clear trend toward larger and fewer turbines within each project. The trend is continuing as evidenced by a recent application to place 1,500 kilowatt per hour machines on public lands that would, if authorized, become the largest turbines to be installed in the San Gorgonio Pass area. As individual wind turnines become obsolete and are replaced, 6 to 12 of the older turbines can be replaced by one of the new generation 1,000 kilowatt per hour turbines. Over time, the 1,205 wind turbines presently on these public lands are expected to substantially decrease in number as they are replaced by a smaller number of larger machines.
Wind turbines require winds of 14 to 35 miles per hour in order to achieve the optimum efficiency and profitability. Each wind turbine has sensors and motors that constantly turn the turbine into the wind in order to optimize operating efficiency. These sensors also shut the machines down when winds are outside of these optimal operating thresholds.
Wind energy will not replace conventional electrical power plants but will continue to provide a renewable electric power generation alternative to help meet the nations energy needs. At the June, 1999 Windpower Conference, the U.S. Secretary of Energy launched the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Wind Powering America (WPS) initiative. The goals of the initiative are to meet 5% of the nations energy needs with wind enerby by 2020 (i.e. 80,000 megawatts). The wind energy facilities in the San Gorgonio Pass area are assisting in meeting this national wind energy production goal.
Wind energy rentals on these right-of-way grants are based on a formula that effectively captures 3% of the anticipated revenue from wind energy sales. Anticipated revenue is collected in order to reduce the administrative burden of verifying and collecting rental based on actual production. This appraisal process has been in effect since 1996, however, an updated appraisal is presently being completed.
Wind energy facilities provide a source of efficient renewable energy and assist in meeting national wind energy initiatives aimed at increasing wind energy generation. Agency decisions balance these benefits with the need to protect habitat for threatened and endangered species, scenic values, other varied resources and multiple land uses in the area. In addition, public input is sought as project proposals are analyzed and decisions are coordinated with other jurisdictions including state, county and city governments.
The BLM wind energy program in this area is managed under the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan of 1980, as amended. This plan allows for the consideration of wind energy proposals on all lands within the CDCA except those areas that are preliminarily recommended as suitable for wilderness designations. All public lands within the pass are available for wind energy proposals and most of the available lands are developed.
Riverside County processes permits for wind energy proposals on private lands under their Wind Energy Conversion System permitting requirements. These permits require full analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act and other applicable state laws. Proposed projects on both private and public lands involve a concurrent, and often joint analysis by both the BLM and County. In addition to state requirements, the County has established county ordinances pertaining to wind energy development including requirements for facility set-backs from property lines and highways as well as areas zoned against wind energy development. The BLM has adopted these county requirements such as a 2/3 mile development setback from State Highway 111 which is the primary route for entry to the City of Palm Springs. Impacts to visual resources are addressed using the bureaus visual resource management guidelines. The greatest concern to the public regarding these proposals involves the potential impacts of new facilities on the scenic qualities of the San Gorgonio Pass area.
Endangered Species Act issues are addressed through consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that carefully addresses impacts to listed species including the desert tortoise, Coachella Valley fringe toed lizard, flat tailed horned lizard, peninsular big horned sheep, Coachella Valley milkvetch and the triple ribbed milkvetch. As part of this consultation process, the FWS has issued Biological Opinions on each project proposal. Recent studies indicate that there is a minimal impact from wind turbines on birds residing in or migrating through this area. For the vast majority of birds, the height of the blades on the newer turbines is above the area used by birds residing in the area and well below the elevations used by migrating birds. The slower rotor speeds of the new turbines also provides a reduced potential for bird strikes. Nearly all of the new turbines installed on these public lands are using tubular shaped towers, in lieu of lattice towers, that also eliminates the potential of attracting birds to these turbines looking for perching sites.
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