Date: May 18, 2005

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

BLM HOLDS PUBLIC MEETINGS ON PROPOSED POWER PLANT NEAR GERLACH

The Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca Field Office is asking those interested to attend public meetings to discuss the proposal by Granite Fox Power LLC (a subsidiary of Sempra Generation of San Diego, Calif.) to construct a 1,450-megawatt coal-fired electric generating plant about 10 miles northwest of Gerlach, Nev. An environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared that will analyze potential effects from the proposed project on the natural and human environment, including air quality, water resources, and social and economic effects among others.

BLM will hold four public open-house meetings on the proposal. All meetings will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. as follows:

Gerlach, Nev. -- Monday, May 23, Gerlach Community Center, 410 Cottonwood St.;
Cedarville, Calif. -- Tuesday, May 24, Surprise Valley Senior Center, 502 Main St.;
Susanville, Calif. -- Wednesday, May 25, BLM Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 Riverside Dr.;
Reno, Nev. -- Thursday, May 26 at the BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd.

“We hope to have a good turnout at these meetings," said Gail Givens, Field Manager of the Winnemucca BLM Office. "The more public involvement there is, the better our environmental analysis will be.”

Comments may be submitted at these meetings or in writing through Wednesday, June 22, 2005 to: Granite Fox EIS, Bureau of Land Management, 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd, Winnemucca NV 89445-2921.

BLM will inform the public of further opportunities for involvement at later stages in the process through news releases and by other means. Additional information is available by contacting BLM Realty Specialist Barbara Kehrberg at the Winnemucca Field Office at 775-623-1504.

- BLM -