The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in the US has released a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for 700 MW Chuckwalla Solar Project proposed for Clark County, Nevada by EDF Renewables Development, Inc (EDFR), opening it for public review.
The proposed capacity is planned to be realized in the form of 4 sub-projects—200 MW for 1A, 50 MW for 1B, 200 MW for 2 and 250 MW 3—along with battery storage facilities. It will be located on up to 6,500 acres of tribal trust land for which EDF has signed solar energy ground lease and associated agreements with Moapa Band of Paiute Indians.
Under these agreements, EDF will be able to construct, operate and maintain and decommission the 4 sub-projects.
As per the plan, projects 1A and 1B will be completed within 20 months as these will be built at the same time. Remaining projects 2 and 3 will also take another 20 months to build. Entire 700 MW project and associated storage facilities are expected to be operational for up to 35 years.
Project is aimed at providing a long-term, diverse and viable economic revenue base and jobs for the Moapa Band, assist Nevada to meet its renewable energy needs and allow the optimum use of the lease site.
The EIS will enable the BIA and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to take decisions on the land lease and right-of-way applications, while the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) will use it to decide on approval for interconnection agreement.
Published on March 4, 2022, the DEIS will be open for review at the BIA offices in Arizona, Utah and Nevada, as well as on a dedicated website for the project for 45 days after the publication of Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In January 2022, BLM approved a 500 MW solar PV with 200 MW storage project in California to be located on land it manages (see 500 MW US Solar & Storage Project Approved).