Agency Milestone Date of 06/05/2025 for Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action) has passed by 1 business days
Description:
Bonanza Solar, LLC submitted a right-of-way application for the Bonanza Solar Project to the Bureau of Land Management on December 4, 2020. The application indicated that a plan of development, required for right-of-way applications, would be submitted within 60 days of the application filing. A preliminary plan of development for the Bonanza Solar Project was submitted on March 5, 2021 and an updated version was provided on August 22, 2022.
On April 26, 2023 the BLM determined that it is appropriate to continue processing the right-of-way application, and it will be processed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), and all other relevant laws, regulations, and policies.
Milestones:
Public scoping is the first formal public participation opportunity for the Bonanza Solar Project. The 45-day public scoping period was initiated when the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on June 5, 2023. The scoping period ended on July 20, 2023.
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Non-conformance Explanation:The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) missed the June 5, 2025 milestone to publish the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Per 42 U.S.C.§ 4370m-2(c)(2)(F), BLM is required to provide an alternative completion date and an initial explanation for the missed completion date by June 13, 2025. BLM has provided the initial explanation for the missed date, but has not yet provided the required alternative completion date. The Executive Director is working directly with BLM leadership to ensure an alternative completion date is determined and represented on the permitting timetable as soon as possible. The DOI-BLM internal review and briefing process is occurring during a transition period for new Bureau and Department leadership. As such, the review of the project is requiring enhanced coordination that has affected the timeline for this project.
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Non-conformance Explanation:The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) missed the June 5, 2025 milestone to publish the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Per 42 U.S.C.§ 4370m-2(c)(2)(F), BLM is required to provide an alternative completion date and an initial explanation for the missed completion date by June 13, 2025. BLM has provided the initial explanation for the missed date, but has not yet provided the required alternative completion date. The Executive Director is working directly with BLM leadership to ensure an alternative completion date is determined and represented on the permitting timetable as soon as possible. The DOI-BLM internal review and briefing process is occurring during a transition period for new Bureau and Department leadership. As such, the review of the project is requiring enhanced coordination that has affected the timeline for this project.
PROJECT WEBSITE: Bonanza Solar Project
All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
IN PROGRESS
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
01/07/2026
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED
SECTOR
Renewable Energy Production
CATEGORY
Project Category
FAST-41 Covered Projects
LEAD AGENCY
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
View FAST-41 Postings by Agencies
Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Description:
Bonanza Solar, LLC proposes to construct, operate, and decommission a 300 MW solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system electrical generation plant and associated facilities on approximately half of the 5,133 acre "application area". The proposed project site is entirely on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Southern Nevada District. The proposed project would be on Solar Variance lands as identified in the 2012 Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Solar Energy Development in Six Southwestern States (Solar PEIS).
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Per 42 U.S.C.§ 4370m-2(c)(2)(F), BLM is required to provide an alternative completion date and an initial explanation for the missed completion date by June 13, 2025. BLM has provided the initial explanation for the missed date, but has not yet provided the required alternative completion date. <br />
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The Executive Director is working directly with BLM leadership to ensure an alternative completion date is determined and represented on the permitting timetable as soon as possible.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif">The DOI-BLM internal review and briefing process is occurring during a transition period for new Bureau and Department leadership. As such, the review of the project is requiring enhanced coordination that has affected the timeline for this project.</span></span></span></span></p>
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Non-conformance Explanation:The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) missed the June 5, 2025 milestone to publish the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Per 42 U.S.C.§ 4370m-2(c)(2)(F), BLM is required to provide an alternative completion date and an initial explanation for the missed completion date by June 13, 2025. BLM has provided the initial explanation for the missed date, but has not yet provided the required alternative completion date. The Executive Director is working directly with BLM leadership to ensure an alternative completion date is determined and represented on the permitting timetable as soon as possible. The DOI-BLM internal review and briefing process is occurring during a transition period for new Bureau and Department leadership. As such, the review of the project is requiring enhanced coordination that has affected the timeline for this project.