BLM authorizes Swan Lake land use for pumped storage project near Klamath Falls
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Klamath Falls, Ore. -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a right-of-way grant (ROW) today that allows for the construction of various facilities on 711 acres east of Klamath Falls, Oregon.
In its entirety, the Swan Lake North Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project would occupy about 711 acres of land managed by the BLM; 19 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Reclamation; and 1,310 acres of state, county, and private lands.
A portion of the upper reservoir and adjacent, surrounding, fenced area is located on the western edge of Swan Lake Rim. Part of the penstock, some access roads, and approximately one half of the 32.8-mile-long transmission line will be located on BLM-administered lands along Swan Lake Rim, Horton Rim, and Bryant Mountain.
The ROW grant is part of the Swan Lake North Hydro LLC proposal to develop a 393.3-megawatt hydropower generating facility through a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for private development.
The BLM adopted and recirculated the FERC’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) dated July 5, 2019, and signed a Record of Decision (ROD) today authorizing public land use for the BLM portion of the project.
The BLM worked with FERC on the development of the Final EIS beginning in 2016.
The Final EIS and ROD are available at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/124016/510.
The BLM supports working landscapes across the West through its many programs.
For more information about the ROD, contact Aaron Haselby at 503-808-6562 or ahaselby@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.