The Bureau of Indian Affairs provided a Final Environmental Impact Statement in June in response to the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians’ Southern Bighorn Solar Project proposal.
“The Moapa Band of Paiutes’ Southern Bighorn Solar Project has the potential to bring sustainable energy and jobs to their people,” Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at Indian Affairs, Bryan Newland said. “Renewable energy can be an important part of a Tribal economy that can raise the quality of life in Tribal communities while adding to the Nation’s clean energy supply.”
The organization will lease two new solar energy properties in an effort to better manage construction, operation, and maintenance costs. The initiative is expected to aid the local economy with its production of jobs, a related press release stated.
The initiative, intended to give Moapa partners a chance to further monetize their brand, takes up approximately 3,600 acres of land among the Moapa River Indian Reservation located in Clark County, Nevada, 40 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
The federal agency intends to file the project, as well as the Southern Bighorn Solar Project FEIS with the Environmental Protection Agency alongside the Bureau of Land Management, the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to the release, the project will take more than a year to complete with a 50-year operations guarantee.
The BIA recently released a Notice of Availability within the Federal Register. The document would be accessible for review for 45-days.
The organization, along with the BLM are tasked with determining the extent of operations regarding land leases in their respective area of jurisdiction. Contributions made by the FEIS will be supported by the Endangered Species Act.
