JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO
Gary Peacock, promoter and owner of Imperial Valley Racing, staples
orange markers on stakes to guide motorcycle racers during a race at
the Superstition Mountain area west of Imperial while Mark Sigmon (also
shown below) tests his motorcycle.
Thursday, May 1, 2008 10:41 PM PDT
A proposed geothermal plant in the Superstition Mountain area could reduce available off-roading land if built.
San
Luis Obispo-based Layman Energy Associates Inc. has proposed creating a
20-megawatt geothermal facility on more than 3,000 acres of land.
“The
stage of development is very early,” Layman Energy president Erik
Layman said Thursday. “And what we’ve done is the company has filed
federal geothermal lease applications on a fairly good-sized area.”
Steve
Razo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management,
confirmed Thursday that Layman Energy is in the application process and
has applied to lease land from the BLM.
Razo said BLM has not yet gone forward with the project.
A portion of the proposed Layman project overlaps land that is owned by
the U.S. Navy and utilized by Naval Air Facility El Centro.
THE NAVY’S IMPACT
NAF El Centro Public Affairs Officer Michelle Dee said NAF El Centro
has been in contact with members of the off-highway vehicle community
and have taken them on tours of the Navy’s study sites.
She
said any development of geothermal resources by the Navy will take
place on land that is not for public use and would not impact OHV open
area.
The Navy Geothermal Program Office is preparing to conduct
a programmatic environmental impact statement for a geothermal
development program at the NAF El Centro range, Dee said.
In
2007 President Bush signed an executive order with one of the goals
asking that at least 50 percent of current renewable energy purchases
come from new renewable sources, Dee said.
The
PEIS conducted by the Navy covers 3,110 acres of the 218,000 that make
up the range complex. The Navy is also studying an adjacent BLM parcel
that covers 2,830 acres for cumulative impact, but not for development,
Dee said.
Before BLM can make a decision on leasing the property
to Layman an environmental impact statement must be conducted. BLM is
cooperating in preparation of the Navy’s PEIS and may incorporate it in
any future determinations of leasing land for the purposes of
geothermal development, Dee said.
The Navy’s PEIS, Dee said,
focuses only on Navy development and Navy land only. Before a
determination is made on leasing the land, additional studies may be
necessary.
OFF-ROADERS IMPACTED MOST
Layman said he thinks BLM is supportive of the project, but said studies need to be conducted to identify any impacts.
“The off-roaders tend to be concerned of their loss of their vehicular playground,” Layman said.
“But the main thing is we want to make sure we address any off-road concerns and use concerns.
“We’re ready to work with the off-road folks to make sure they have continued access,” Layman said.
“They’ve provided some maps to us and it’s pretty compatible use.”
Gary
Peacock, owner of Imperial Valley Racing and local off-road race
promoter, said the creation of the plant would add to the continued
loss of OHV land.
He said off-road recreationists have had
trouble with the BLM in securing extra land to utilize. But he said he
believed there are few issues with the BLM when it comes to projects
like the geothermal plant proposed by Layman.
“It’s like a
double standard,” he said. “It’s OK for geothermal to come in and take
this precious land, but if we want to race a motorcycle, forget about
it.”
He did say there is a reasonable solution.
“They
keep pinching us and pinching us,” he said. “But if they’re going to
take this (land) and do something else with it then open some more for
us.
“If they’re going to take more of it away, then give us a new area,” he said.
>> Staff Writer
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