The following was originally posted by me on the HeartBurners tribe:

If you care at all about the Black Rock Desert PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help save it by writing a letter to stop a COAL POWERED POWER PLANT from being built it the area!!!!! Its beauty will never be the same if it starts spewing its waste all over!!!
Heres how:
1) Write a letter similar the ones I have pasted below and sign it!
2) Send 9 (yes nine) copies to the following address:

Nevada Public Utilities Commission
1150 E. Williams Street
Carson City, NV 89701-3109

3) Again You must sign the document and make 9 copies of it. Include the docket number 04-5027.
THE LETTER MUST BE THERE BY 9-22-04
THIS IS SERIOUS PEOPLE!!!!!
PLEASE HELP ME SAVE THIS AMAZING PLACE FROM RUIN!!!!!!!!!

Letter# 1__________________

The North West Great Basin Association
P.O. Box 556
Cedarville, California 96104
September 20, 2004

Nevada Public Utilities Commission
1150 E. Williams Street
Carson City, NV 89701-3109

Dear Members of the Commission:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on docket number 04-5027, the Granite Fox Power LLC Application under the Nevada Utility Environmental Protection Act. As you may be aware, our group has been active in issues that pertain to the economic and environmental well being of the North West Great Basin area. We have members in three states who live in this tri-state area as well as many members who visit the area regularly.

We are concerned because Granite Fox Power LLC has conducted no public feasibility studies or environmental analyses to date. We believe strongly that to permit this project prior to assessing air quality, water quantity and quality and impacts to the local area is to put the cart before the horse. We believe the following issues should be thoroughly analyzed before any permits are granted.

Air Quality:
·Wilderness areas, refuges and areas of critical environmental concern are located in close proximity to the proposed site.
·The plume from the plant will impact potentially hundreds of square miles of an area that is known for its high air quality.
·We see no analysis of the potential for toxic chemicals and heavy metals to impact air quality, yet this industry has widely varying pollutant potential depending on the technology used. There is no discussion of the rationale for what technology will be employed here.
·Drawdown of the aquifer by pumping the amounts of water necessary to run a plant of this size will impact phreatophyte growth in the basin. This will cause additional particulate matter to become airborne and further degrade air quality.
·Tourist values are dependent in part on the pristine air quality that allows visibility for vast distances. The impacts to air quality will impact the tourist economy of a very large region.
Water quality:
·Coal and the chemicals associated with coal power production, can leach into the groundwater basin and contaminate the aquifer. There is no discussion of mitigation to prevent damage water, to a very limited resource in Nevada.
Water quantity:
·There is no discussion of the availability of groundwater in amounts great enough to supply such a venture. We find this to be a fatal flaw in this application. In an arid state like Nevada, water availability must be determined prior to the issuance of any permits. As there is no evidence of a power shortage in Nevada at this time, we feel the squandering of Nevada ’s most important resource, water, to build an un-needed power plant would be both negligent and criminal.
·Nevada has a high incidence of unique aquatic life that has evolved in isolated springs. No studies have been conducted by Granite Fox Power LLC to determine the presence of rare aquatic species in springs that would be impacted by the amount of water needed.
Hazardous waste:
·There is no discussion of the mitigation that would be necessary to safely handle, ship, and store the hazardous wastes that would be needed and generated by such a facility. Again, to issue a permit prior to this important consideration would be negligent.
·There is no provision for the costs incurred by local and regional government in providing emergency and/or hazardous waste clean-up assistance.
Fire protection:
·Gerlach has an all volunteer fire department. There is no worst-case analysis of fire occurrence, or provisions for containment and control should an industrial fire occur, such as happened in recent memory at the Steamboat plant south of Reno. To expect an all volunteer fire department to protect the area from industrial fires is ludicrous.
·There is no provision for the costs incurred by local and regional government in providing emergency assistance in case of industrial fire.
Failure of the Application to Summarize the Environmental Studies:
·N.R.S. 704.870(2)(a) requires the applicant to provide a summary of the environmental studies that will be conducted in conjunction with the planning for the plant. The applicant has failed to include any such summaries but relies on environmental evaluation that will be accomplished by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in conjunction with a right of way grant the applicant is seeking. This does not provide sufficient notice of the type and level of environmental analysis the applicant will provide.
Alternatives:
·The applicant has not provided project alternatives as required for informed decision making.
View-shed:
·The applicant has failed to account for the impacts to the viewshed of both federal and state lands, as required.
Economy:
·The applicant has not discussed or analyzed impacts, either negative or positive to the economy of the area.

We respectfully request that you require the applicant to remedy these oversights in the permitting process before proceeding with the permit. We request that these comments be placed in the permanent record of these proceedings and that our group be advised of any proceedings in time to make informed comments.

Thank you for your time and attention

Sincerely,


Sophie Sheppard, Local Issues Chair

Letter # 2
Here we go.......

(e-mail from Dave Rumsey)
Sempra Granite Fox Power has completed filing their application with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (see www.puc.state.nv.us/electric.....-5027.htm). The application is for the connection facilities to tie the Power Plant to the DC Transmission line. We have until September 22 to send comments to the Commission on the application. Please see the comments below that I will be making through my attorney, Mike Van Zandt, for an outline of some of the important issues. I hope that many of you will be able to send in comments.

David Rumsey


COMMENT POINTS RE: GRANITE FOX POWER LLC APPLICATION-- NEVADA UTILITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT —DOCKET NO. 04-5027



Air Quality. The area of Washoe County is in attainment for all of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. In the past Washoe County has experienced non attainment for ozone, particulates and carbon monoxide. The contributions of a coal fired electric power generating plant in Washoe County has the potential to cause increased non attainment days and potentially no attainment status for air quality standards in several categories. Since Washoe County is now in attainment status, the requirements of the Clean Air Act with regard to prevention of significant degradation ( “PSD ”) of the current air quality status must be addressed. Finally, there are some extremely sensitive areas in close proximity to the proposed plant location that will be affected by air pollutants. Among these are wilderness areas, refuges and sensitive habitat enclaves. It is vitally important that any potential impacts from the plant on these sensitive areas be carefully evaluated.
Water Quality. Coal fired power plants can contribute to water quality degradation in several ways. First, the storage of the coal itself has the potential to contaminate groundwater and surface water through the leaching of metals, sulfuric acid and other contaminants if they are not controlled. Second, the plant itself must capture pollutants from its smoke stacks by using air pollution control technology, including the use of scrubbers that use large amounts of water. This water contains pollutants, is acidic and has the potential, if not managed properly to infiltrate to the groundwater, contaminating the underlying aquifers. Third, the use of water within the facility for equipment maintenance will generate wastewater that will have to be captured and treated or it too could escape into the aquifers.
Water Resources. Water resources in Nevada are scarce and precious. The amount of water that will be required to operate this plant is unknown but it may require tens of thousands of acre feet of water annually. It is unknown at this time what source or sources of water have been or will be procured for this plant. More importantly, it is unknown what impacts the use of water by the plant will have on prior appropriators, surface water, groundwater, and the ability to recharge the aquifers. All of these issues must be carefully analyzed.
Biological Resources. The plant will be located near areas where there are sensitive biological resources, including those within refuges, wilderness areas, National Forest and other sensitive habitats. Because of the potential degradation of the surrounding environment caused by air pollution, water pollution, reduction of groundwater, generation of solid and hazardous waste, the impact on these biological resources could be devastating.
Waste Generation. The construction and operation of the plant will generate large amounts of solid and hazardous waste, which must be managed. The capacity of Washoe County to manage the significant increase in waste from this plant must be carefully evaluated. Moreover, the ability of the county to oversee this waste generation and to ensure it is properly managed, stored, treated and disposed is crucial.
Hazardous Materials Management. The construction and operation of this plant will require the onsite storage and use of a variety of hazardous chemicals and materials. The existence of these materials will require a sophisticated hazardous materials management plan and associated emergency and contingency plans. The County will have a significant role in ensuring that the plant properly manages its hazardous materials and has prepared appropriate emergency and contingency plans. Training plans for plant workers and county personnel must be developed to deal with both normal management and emergency situations. The cost to the county taxpayers for these increased responsibilities must be weighed as well.
Noise. The existing ambient noise environment will be impacted from both the construction and operation of the plant. Noise has a fatiguing effect on humans and the wildlife that exists near the plant may be adversely impacted by loud noises. Truck traffic will also add to the ambient noise environment. Noise generation from the plant itself must be mitigated and controlled and hours of operation for truck traffic should be set.
Transportation. The existence of an industrial facility near Highway 447 will generate a significant amount a traffic near the site. The impacts of this traffic, especially during construction, must be evaluated to ensure that the existing road bed and handle the traffic and that congestion and inordinate delays are not caused by the existence of the plant.
Power Needs. Since the plant will be intertied to an existing power transmission line and the power will be exported from Nevada, it is important that the needs of the citizens of Nevada be considered first. If this power plant is not needed for Nevada, then the question must be asked is this the appropriate place for a new power plant. Do the benefits of this new plant outweigh the detriments it will cause on the Washoe County environment? Should the citizens of Nevada bear the burden of the plant without any of its benefits? Are the jobs the plant creates worth the other impacts on environmental quality, quality of life and increased costs to the County?
Local Economy Impacts. There are positive and negative impacts from the plant on the local economy. First, there will be impacts from construction jobs. Some of these may be local hires but other workers will be brought from out of the local area. The purchase of supplies from local merchants during construction may also help the local economy. Second, there will be longer-term jobs for the operation and maintenance of the plant. These jobs will contribute to the local economy. On the other hand, the use of the natural resources, air and water will be committed to this plant for an indefinite time. The taxpayers will be required to provide police and fire protections for the plant and the county will be required to inspect and oversee the hazardous activities inside the plant. Generation of waste water and solid and hazardous waste may create and issue of the county ’s ability to store, treat and dispose of such wastes.
Failure of the Application to Summarize the Environmental Studies. N.R.S. 704.870(2)(a) requires the applicant to provide a summary of the environmental studies that will be conducted in conjunction with the planning for the plant. The applicant has failed to include any such summaries. Instead, the applicant relies on environmental evaluation that will be accomplished by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in conjunction with a right of way grant the applicant is seeking. This does not provide sufficient notice of the type and level of environmental analysis the applicant will provide.
Alternatives. The applicant is required to address to some extent the alternatives it has investigated and not leave that analysis to the federal agency. The alternatives should include evaluation of renewable energy source, wind, solar and water, as well as the no action alternative. The analysis should also look at geothermal, natural gas, and petroleum powered plants. The alternative analysis should also consider other approaches within the plant for management of waste and water, as well as advanced technologies for air pollution.


THE following was posted by Metric on the same tribe:

Wow... you guys win the award for early radar detection of this issue!!

The opposition movement is progressing under the guise of the Nevada Clean Energy Coalition--please visit the website, learn more about the perils posed by the Sempra coal plant, and sign the petition:

nevadacleanenergy.org

Then, please consider writing a letter to the BLM before June 21 regarding the Sempra/Granite Fox Environmental Impact Study (EIS):

Sempra/Granite Fox EIS
Winnemucca BLM Field Office
attn: Fred Holzel
5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd.
Winnemucca NV 89445

For some pointers on what the issues are, and the locations of public scoping meetings in Nevada, please visit my website:

metric.cc/NCEC/Sempra.html

I will be adding my letter to the site when it is done. Thank you for your support!!

--Metric