Date: January 20, 2005

CONTACT: Jamie Thompson, Public Affairs Officer, (775) 623-1500

POWER PLANT RIGHTS OF WAY APPLIED FOR NEAR GERLACH

The Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca Field Office has received applications from Granite Fox Power LLC (a subsidiary of Sempra Generation of San Diego, California) for several rights-of-way across public lands in connection with Granite Fox Power's proposal to construct a 1450 megawatt coal-fired power plant on private property about 10 miles northwest of Gerlach, Nevada. The rights of way are as follows: 1.) A 6.8-mile railroad spur from the existing Union Pacific Railroad line north to the proposed power plant location; 2.) A 1.5-mile 500kv transmission line from the plant location to the existing power line to the east; 3.) A 26.2-mile main water line from a well field located on private property on the southwest edge of the Smoke Creek Desert northeast to the plant location; 4.) A 2.7-mile water line from Squaw Creek Reservoir on private property southeast to the plant site; and 5.) Approximately 1.1 miles of gathering lines (directing water from individual wells to the main water line at Smoke Creek). These ROWs and their ancillary facilities (access roads, control lines, etc.) would involve approximately 260 acres of public lands.

The proposed coal-fired power plant, which would produce enough electricity to supply the needs of an estimated 1.3 to 2.4 million homes each year, is located on private property, but because the plant could not operate without the rights-of-way requested on public lands, granting these rights-of-way would constitute a "major Federal action" and will require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

"In the near future, when the environmental analysis process begins, BLM will hold public meetings and there will be opportunities for public comment on all aspects of the proposal," said BLM Project Lead Barbara Kehrberg. "The EIS process is expected to start in late winter or early spring and the public will be notified of the dates and times of public meetings through news releases and newspaper advertisements at that time," she added. Further information is available by contacting Mrs. Kehrberg at the BLM Winnemucca Field Office at 775-623-1500.

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