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Show finest EiS srelecaseci obi Moore iflooBi Leake power prefect 1 potential environmental conse-1 conse-1 ,eS of a proposed electric ' ting P,ant in nor,,lei,st Utah are vtred in a final environmental im-' im-' (statement IFEISI on the Moon :je project released to the public ' Viward L. Hastey, Bureau of Land ' Lement BLM associate direc-' direc-' said the FEIS analyzes en-- en-- "Omental consequences of a pro-' pro-' by Deseret Generation and Emission Cooperative to construct 1 Moon Lake Power Plant Project '" !s 1 and 2 northwest of Bonanza in fih County, Utah, and a proposal by lern Fuels-Utah, Inc., to develop -operate an underground coal mine k leastof Rangely, Colorado. Tbe two 400-megawatt electric M . M generating units of the power plant would need up to 17,740 acre feet of water which is proposed to be piped south approximately 19 miles to the Bonanza site from a collector well system beside the Green River. The proposed project would require up to 2.7 million tons of coal annually, delivered to the site by a 35 mile long electric railroad from the proposed Rangely mine. Electricity generated by Unit 1 of the proposed power plant would be distributed by. one 345-kilovolt kv alternating curent a.c transmission line to a proposed substation near Mona, Juab County, Utah, and by three 138-kv a.c. lines to existing substations near Upalco, Duchesne County and Vernal, Uintah County, in Utah and Rangely, Rio Blanco County, Colorado. With the proposed construction of Unit 2 in approximately 1990, a second 345-kv line would be built to the existing Utah Power and Light Company Ben Lomond Lo-mond substation near Ogden, Utah, andor to oil shale fields in Utah and Colorado, depending upon power demands. The FEIS is the result of more than a year of study by several agencies and consultants. It was prepared by BLM's Richfield District and the Rural Electrification Elec-trification Administration REA with the assistance of the Forest Service FSJ, Office of Surface Mining OSM, and other cooperating agencies. The document includes public and agency comments on a draft EIS circulated cir-culated earlier for review. The com- ments reflected strong interest from Utah and Colorado reviewers in the proposed pro-posed project and an alternative power plant site near Rangely. Officials in each state provided comments favoring a location in their respective states; Colorado interests want the plant near Rangely, while Utah people support Deseret's plan for the Bonanza site. Either location would necessitate the use of public land administered bv BLM. ' In addition to the two plant sites, several alternatives are analyzed in the FEIS: two sources of coal the Rangely underground mine and from the open market; five modes of coal transport electric railroad, conveyor, slurry pipeline, truck haul on regular highways, and truck haul on a special service road and alternative water sources from the Green and White rivers in Utah and Colorado. A "no action" ac-tion" alternative also was analyzed. The Federal agencies, in responding to Deseret's applications, will use the FEIS in making decisions on these actions: ac-tions: i BLM--lssuance of rights of way and other land use authorizations for a power plant site and linear facilities. REA-Providing financial assistance for Unit 1. FS-Issuance of rights of way and other land use authorizations for transmission lines. OSM--Approval of mine plan fo Deserado coal mine in Rio Blanco County. Notice of availability of the Moon Lake FEIS were published in the Federal Register May 1. Federal decisions deci-sions will not be made until at least 30 days after that date. During the 30 day waiting period, interested in-terested persons may submit comments com-ments regarding the project to the Utah State Director, Bureau of Land Management. |
