Purple Sage public meeting held

The Bureau of Land Management hosted two public meetings this week on the proposed Purple Sage Energy Center project, a 4,445-acre solar-generation facility planned for land south of Highway 160 bordering Nye County.

The first of the meetings took place in-person on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Pahrump Nugget Events Center, kicking off with an informal open house. There were a variety of information boards placed on easels around the room, providing details on various aspects of the Purple Sage proposal. Project representatives and BLM staff were on hand to discuss the details in-depth before calling the meeting to order for the formal presentation.

BLM Las Vegas Field Office Field Manager Bruce Sillitoe and BLM Project Manager Jessica Headen headed the presentation.

“It’s been quite a road to get to where we are today,” Sillitoe remarked, noting that the public scoping meetings on the project, which was originally coined Golden Currant Solar, were held many months ago in 2023.

Nobel Solar LLC, the developers hoping to build the Purple Sage Energy Center, have applied for the ability to construct a 400 MW photovoltaic solar farm, including solar arrays, interconnection to the regional transmission system and battery storage. Approximately 900 acre-feet of water is anticipated to be used over the 18-month construction period. After the facility is operational, the water use would drop to around 28 acre-feet per year, according to the Purple Sage development plan.

“The notice of availability for the draft EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) and RMPA (Resource Management Plan Amendment) was published in the Federal Registry on Nov. 15, 2024, beginning the 90-day public review and comment period, which ends Feb. 13, 2025. The final EIS and RMPA is anticipated in summer 2025 and the publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register begins the 30-day protest period and 60-day governor’s consistency review,” Headen detailed of the project timeline. “A record of decision is anticipated in fall of 2025.”

The focus of the presentation centered on the project alternatives that the BLM has analyzed, which include an action alternation and a no-action alternative.

“Key differences between the proposed action as described by the applicant’s plan of development and action alternative include construction methods for security fencing, salvage and restoration requirements and grading limitations,” Headen informed.

The no-action alternative would, of course, mean no impact on the land as it is currently managed today.

The action alternative was designated as the preferred alternative, with the information board on this alternative listing the changes that would be incorporated.

“Requires Access Management Plan approval demonstrating limited internal travel within the arrays during construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning to ensure disturbance is minimized,” the information explained. “Intent is to minimize long-term disturbance to vegetation and soils within the solar facility by setting restoration standards. Areas graded, or disced and rolled, within the solar panel arrays that are not for permanent facilities and exceed 20 percent of the development area, would be subject to additional restoration stipulations.

“Some of the development areas would be fenced for larger development sub-areas, instead of each individual sub-area being fenced,” the alternative information continued. “Mojave desert tortoise may be allowed to passively reoccupy the site through modification of the wildlife openings. Alternatively, the security fence would be installed leaving a gap of 8 inches between the bottom of the fence and the ground, with temporary tortoise exclusion fence installed to cover the gap of the fence until reoccupation is determined to be allowable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and BLM.”

Each of these changes is intended to lessen, although not eliminate, the negative impacts that could come with the construction and operation of the facility, such as dust generation, view-shed interruption, public lands recreation access and more.

Following the presentation, a public comment period was opened to allow attendees the opportunity to voice their thoughts on the project, after which the meeting shifted back to the informal open house for questions and answers.

The public comment period on the Purple Sage Energy Center EIS and RMPA closes on Thursday, Feb. 13. Written comments can be submitted three ways, although the online method is preferred.

To submit comments, visit EPlanning.blm.gov and search for Purple Sage Energy Center, then click on the “Participate Now” link on the left side of the webpage. Comments can also be emailed to BLM_NV_SND_EnergyProjects@blm.gov or delivered to the BLM Southern Nevada District Office, Attn: Purple Sage Energy Center Project, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130.

For more information on the project visit eplanning.BLM.gov

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com