The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ukiah Field Office is seeking public input on the proposed Walker Ridge Wind Energy Project, in Lake and Colusa counties.

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Image: BLM is seeking public input for Walker Ridge wind energy project. Photo: courtesy of Bureau of Land Management.

The 30-day public comment period will end July 22. If approved, this project furthers Executive Order 13783, Promoting Energy and Economic Growth; and Secretarial Order 3349, American Energy Independence, by promoting energy independence and creating jobs and providing economic opportunities for local communities. The project is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power nearly 145,000 homes.

Colusa Wind LLC is requesting a right-of-way grant to build a Type III wind energy project and erect up to 42 wind turbines on approximately 2,270 acres of BLM-managed public land along Walker Ridge, within the Indian Valley Management Area, in northern California. The proponent is also requesting to widen Walker Ridge Road, construct a substation, and bury a collection line and tie-in to the existing Pacific Gas and Electric transmission line.

The BLM intends to prepare an environmental impact statement and a potential amendment to the 2006 Ukiah Resource Management Plan. The 2006 Ukiah Resource Management Plan identified the Indian Valley Management Area as suitable for wind development.

Some of the issues that will be analyzed through this effort include air and atmospheric values, water quality and quantity, special status species, geology and soils, cultural resources, noise, recreation, visual resources, transportation and travel management, socioeconomics and wildland fire ecology.

Public input will help the BLM determine the size and scope of analysis needed, additional issues to study and a range of alternative management strategies. To ensure your input is included in the assessment, please submit written comments timely by July 22. Only written comments are accepted and may be submitted at the project website at https://go.usa.gov/xmtGu, via hand-delivery, or by mail to the Ukiah Field Office, Attn: Walker Ridge Wind Energy Project, 2550 N. State Street, Suite 2, Ukiah, CA  95482.

Before including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, or other personal identifying information in a comment, be aware that the entire comment—including personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While someone may ask the BLM to withhold personal identifying information from public review, the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

Source: Company Press Release