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Each year hundreds of individuals and companies apply to the BLM for rights-of-way, or ROW, on or across public lands. A ROW grant is an authorization to use a specific piece of public land for specific facilities for a specific period of time. Currently the vast majority of the ROWs granted are authorized by Title V of FLPMA and the Mineral Leasing Act. It is BLM policy to authorize all ROW applications at the discretion of the authorized officer in the most efficient and economical manner possible. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act, or FLPMA, authorizes BLM to issue ROW grants for electrical power generation, transmission and distribution systems, systems for the transmission and reception of electronic signals and other means of communications, highways, railroads, pipelines (other than oil and gas pipelines) and other facilities or systems which are in the public interest. The BLM Ely District is processing three coal-fired power generation facility proposals. They are: - The BLM on Feb. 26, 2007, concluded the 30-day public input period for the Ely Energy Center. The BLM received 9,374 responses, of which 378 were unique. A scoping report is being prepared and will be made available to the public. Sierra Pacific Resources is proposing in north Steptoe Valley, about 20 miles north of Ely, a power generation site and related facilities, rail line, and transmission lines connecting northern and southern Nevada. The power generating plant would consist initially of two coal-fired 750-megawatt (MW) units. Two 500 MW coal gasification units would also be constructed, when the technology becomes commercially viable.
- The BLM is scheduled April 20, 2007 to begin a 60-day public comment period for the White Pine Energy Center Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). White Pine Energy Associates, LLC, is proposing power generation and related facilities, rail line, and transmission lines connecting northern and southern Nevada. The up to 1,600 MW power-generating plant, which could be built in up to three units of 530 megawatts each, would be in north Steptoe Valley, about 30 miles north of Ely.
- The BLM is scheduled May 25, 2007 to begin a 60-day public comment period for the Toquop Energy Project DEIS. Sithe Global Power, LLC, is proposing to build a 750 MW coal-fired power plant near Toquop Wash, about 50 miles southwest of Caliente.
Other projects are: - Great Basin LLC is completing the comprehensive Construction, Operation and Maintenance Plan required before starting construction of the Southwest Inter-tie Project. Great Basin LLC would construct the 500 kV electrical transmission line with Idaho Power. The line would extend from near Burley, in Idaho, to Las Vegas. The BLM signed a Record of Decision and Land Use Plan amendment for the construction, operation and maintenance, and termination of the line in November 1994. An Environmental Assessment for deviations in rights of way near Robison Summit, Coyote Springs and the Harry Allen substation is being completed to address changes from the original permit.
- The BLM is processing a Holly Energy Partners, LP, application for a 12-inch pipeline that would extend about 400 miles, from near Salt Lake City, in Utah, to Las Vegas. The pipeline would generally follow the Kern River gas pipeline route, and accept gasoline, diesel and jet fuel with an initial capacity of 50,000 barrels, daily. Two refined products bulk-loading terminals would be constructed near St. George, in Utah, and North Las Vegas.
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