The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has published the final environmental impact statement and environmental impact report (EIS/EIR), as well as a California desert conservation area land use plan amendment, for the 450 MW Desert Quartzite Solar Project.
The project, to be located in eastern Riverside County, Calif., is being developed by First Solar. If approved, the project would generate up to 870 jobs at peak construction, says BLM.
The publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register opens a 30-day protest period and a 60-day governor’s consistency review.
The proposal includes a main generation area, an on-site substation, a switchyard, site security, a 230 kV generation-tie line, and an operations and maintenance facility. The BLM is the lead federal agency for the National Environmental Policy Act review, and Riverside County is the lead agency for the California Environmental Quality Act review.
The final EIS/EIR provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential environmental impacts for the proposed Desert Quartzite Solar Project and land use plan amendment. Pending the outcome of those processes, the BLM will issue a record of decision.
