BLM, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Announce the Availability of the Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan and Informational Webinar
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) today published in the Federal Registe r a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS). Publication of the notice initiates the formal public comment period which runs through Jan. 9, 2015.The draft DRECP is an innovative renewable energy and conservation plan covering more than 22 million acres of lands in Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. The draft is the result of collaboration among the BLM, FWS and two state agencies--the California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) as well as other stakeholders.The draft DRECP proposes to protect areas in the California desert important for wildlife, recreation and other uses while streamlining permitting in areas appropriate for siting solar, wind and geothermal energy projects and associated transmission. The draft plan presents six alternative approaches for meeting renewable energy and conservation goals through 2040. Each alternative proposes a different conservation design and configuration of lands available for streamlined renewable energy permitting. The draft plan also includes an analysis of the potential environmental impacts of these alternatives.To facilitate public comments, a recorded informational webinar to help the public navigate the DRECP documents will be available beginning Sept. 29 at www.drecp.org . The webinar will include background information on the DRECP, including the plan's overall goals, the general content and structure of the plan and associated environmental analysis, and an orientation to the DRECP Gateway, a user-friendly map-based data sharing system. The webinar may be viewed online, and will be broadcast on Oct. 9 from 4:00-6:00 pm at the locations listed below.Following the informational webinar, a series of public meetings will be held in late October and early November throughout the DRECP planning area and surrounding population centers. The intent of these meetings is to help public and agency stakeholders understand the draft plan and facilitate public input. The dates, times and locations of the meetings will be posted on the DRECP website at www.drecp.org.The draft DRECP EIR/EIS is available for review and download at www.drecp.org , local libraries and agency offices, and a DVD will be provided upon request. To request a DVD, please send an email request to [drecp.info@energy.ca.gov] or call (916) 654-4818 with the mailing address. For a list of local area libraries and agency offices that have the document (most on DVD), please go to www.drecp.org/draftdrecp.Informational Webinar Viewing LocationsBakersfield: Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office, 3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308, (661) 391-6000Barstow: Bureau of Land Management Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, (760) 252-6000Bermuda Dunes: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bermuda Dunes Field Office, 78078 Country Club Drive, Suite 109, Bermuda Dunes, CA 92203, (760) 200-9158Bishop: Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office, 51 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, Bishop, CA 93514, (760) 872-5000Borrego Springs: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Anza-Borrego Visitor Center -- Discovery Room, 9200 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004-5005, (760) 767-5311Carlsbad: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Service Office, 2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250, Carlsbad, CA 92008, (760) 431-9440El Centro: Bureau of Land Management El Centro Field Office, 1661 So. 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243, (760) 337-4400Moreno Valley: Bureau of Land Management California Desert District, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553, (951) 697-5200Needles: Bureau of Land Management Needles Field Office, 1303 S. Hwy 95, Needles, CA 92363, (760) 326-7000Ontario: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Inland Deserts Region Office, 3602 Inland Empire Blvd, Suite C-220, Ontario, CA 91764, (909) 484-0167Palm Springs: Bureau of Land Management Palm Springs - South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 833-7100Ridgecrest: Bureau of Land Management Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S. Richmond Rd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555, (760) 384-5400Sacramento: California Energy Commission Library, 1516 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 654-4292
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.