Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wanapa Energy Center, Umatilla County, Oregon

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This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), with the cooperation of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), intends to gather the information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed lease to Wanapa Energy Center of up to 195 acres of land held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the CTUIR in Umatilla County, Oregon. The Williams Energy Marketing and Trading Company, CTUIR, the Eugene Water and Electric Board, the City of Hermiston and the Port of Umatilla intend to jointly build and operate the Wanapa Energy Center, an approximately 1,300 megawatt electric generation plant, on the property. The purpose of the proposed project is to conjointly help provide for the economic development of the CTUIR and for the power needs of the Pacific northwest. Details on the proposed project and its location are provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. This notice also announces public scoping meetings to identify potential issues for inclusion in the EIS, distinguish those to be analyzed in depth, and eliminate from consideration those that are not significant.