1• The BLM-administered public lands that are excluded from application for
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solar energy development are generally described in Section 5.3; the final |
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detailed list of exclusions is included in Table 2.2-2 in Chapter 2 of this Final |
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Solar PEIS. |
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6• The description in Section 5.3.1 regarding lands with wilderness
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characteristics is generally accurate; however, after the Draft Solar PEIS was |
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published, guidance on how these lands will be addressed and managed has |
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been formalized in Secretarial Order 3310 (Secretary of the Interior 2010) and |
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in BLM Manuals 6302 and 6303 (BLM 2011a,b). |
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• The NPS provided comments on the Draft Solar PEIS indicating that there are |
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52 NPS units, not including 5 national trails, in the six-state area that are |
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within 25 mi (40 km) of the program alternative lands identified in the Draft |
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Solar PEIS. For the Final Solar PEIS, the program alternative lands (those |
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available for solar energy ROW application under the variance process) have |
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been reduced by about 1 million acres (4,047 km2). The removal of many of |
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the lands from the program alternative lands was in response to NPS |
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comments requesting that lands close to NPS units be removed. |
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5.4 RANGELAND RESOURCES |
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5.4.1 Livestock Grazing |
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27Livestock grazing activities would be excluded from areas developed for utility-scale
28solar energy production. Because grazing is the main source of livelihood for many public land
29ranchers, significant reductions in permitted grazing would adversely affect the economic value
30of ranches and could threaten their continued viability. Indirect impacts on livestock grazing,
31such as loss of forage due to spread of noxious weeds, increased operating costs, and increases in
32occurrence of wildland fire, could also occur. In addition, cultural or social impacts may also
33result from the modification or loss of grazing privileges, since for many permittees and their
34families having grazing allotments on public lands has been a longstanding and important
35tradition.
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Information provided in the Draft Solar PEIS remains valid, with the following update: |
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• General information included in Section 5.4.4.1.1 of the Draft Solar PEIS |
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indicated that reductions in BLM-authorized grazing on public land grazing |
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allotments would adversely affect the economic value of ranches and could |
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threaten their continued viability. Comments on the Draft Solar PEIS |
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suggested that additional information on these impacts should be noted. The |
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following updates address these comments: |
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While most public land ranches are largely made up of BLM-administered |
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public lands, there can also be private lands and water rights tied to these |
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Final Solar PEIS |
5-3 |
July 2012 |