BLM NEPA history and environmental analysis for the CCSM Project

The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project is partially located on checkerboard federal land that is managed for multiple use by the Bureau of Land Management, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. In January 2008, Power Company of Wyoming LLC applied to the BLM for a right-of-way grant for wind energy development. This began the federal environmental analysis process as required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Since 2008, the BLM has prepared and published extensive environmental analysis about the CCSM Project that is available on the agency's ePlanning website. Here is a brief summary of the analysis and where to find it on ePlanning.

Project-wide Environmental Impact Statement

The overall Environmental Impact Statement was prepared 2008-2012. A Record of Decision approving the wind project site was signed on October 9, 2012. The ROD identified the project area suitable to accommodate a 3,000 megawatt wind farm consisting of up to 1,000 wind turbines, and it described a NEPA framework for further site-specific analysis to follow.

ePlanning link for all BLM EIS documents and the ROD

Based on the project-wide EIS analysis, subsequent site-specific environmental analysis documents tiered to the EIS were prepared prior to issuing the rights-of-way. The site-specific analysis was divided into two phases.

Phase I Site-Specific Analysis

CCSM Project Phase I elements were analyzed in two site-specific Environmental Assessments that were prepared 2013-2017.

• Environmental Assessment 1 (EA1) Infrastructure Components analyzed the Phase I haul road and facilities, the road rock quarry and the West Sinclair rail facility. The Decision Record was signed by the Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary of Lands and Minerals on December 23, 2014. BLM issued the ROW for EA1 on August 25, 2016.
  ePlanning documents for BLM EA1
• Environmental Assessment 2 (EA2) Phase I Wind Turbine Development analyzed the 500 wind turbines located in the western portion of the Chokecherry Wind Development Area and the western portion of the Sierra Madre Wind Development Area, along with associated facilities. The Decision Record was signed by the Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary of Lands and Minerals on January 17, 2017. BLM issued the ROW for EA2 on August 1, 2017.
  ePlanning documents for BLM EA2

Phase II Site-Specific Analysis

CCSM Project Phase II elements were analyzed in two different site-specific environmental analysis documents that were prepared 2017-2019.

• Environmental analysis of the Phase II haul road and facilities was completed by BLM in a Determination of NEPA Adequacy. The Decision Record was signed by the BLM Rawlins Field Manager on March 9, 2018. BLM issued the ROW for these facilities on June 18, 2018.
  ePlanning documents for BLM DNA
• Environmental Assessment 3 (EA3) for Phase II Wind Turbine Development analyzed the 396 wind turbines located in the eastern portion of the Chokecherry Wind Development Area and the eastern portion of the Sierra Madre Wind Development Area, along with associated facilities. The Decision Record was signed by the BLM Rawlins Field Office Manager on Dec. 2, 2019. BLM issued the ROW for EA3 on Feb. 14, 2020.
  ePlanning documents for BLM EA3