BLM Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Solar Project in Kern County

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Ridgecrest Field Office, has scheduled a public scoping meeting to solicit comments from public agencies and the public on concerns and interests for the Camino Solar Project proposed by Aurora Solar, LCC, on variance lands identified in the BLM Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).

Variance lands are areas that would be potentially available for renewable energy development but require an extensive pre-application process to collect additional information before the BLM makes a determination on an application. The public scoping meeting will provide the public and other interested parties an opportunity to participate in the variance process determination prior to acceptance of the application.

The public scoping meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2016 at the Mojave Veterans Memorial Building, 15580 O Street, Mojave, CA from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Representatives from Aurora Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables, Inc., will be present to answer questions.

The proposed project would use photovoltaic panel technology to produce up to 44 megawatts of power. The project would also use an existing substation, operation & maintenance facilities and an overhead generation transmission line previously constructed for their Manzana Wind Power Project which will negate the need for additional construction. If approved, the project will incorporate 360 acres of BLM public lands approximately 10 miles west of Rosamond, California, Kern County, west of 180th street and West Rosamond Boulevard.

Should the application be accepted and forwarded for processing, BLM will develop an Environmental Impact Statement to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act that would include public scoping meetings and in-depth environmental analysis to address the following but not limited to; visual resources, air quality, recreation, biological and cultural resources.

In accordance with the BLM Solar PEIS Record of Decision, the BLM California State Director will determine if the application is appropriate for processing on the proposed variance lands.

Comments should be submitted within 30 days following the public scoping meeting by email or U.S. Mail. Send your comments to: Carl Symons, BLM Ridgecrest Field Manager, 300 South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555 or by email at BLM_ca_camino_solar@blm.gov. For further information contact: Paul Rodriquez, BLM Realty Specialist at: (760) 384-5455.