NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (Draft EIR & EA) prepared for the Bottle Rock Power Steam, steamfield expansion project is available for public review and comment.

The project is located within the Binkley Leasehold, at 6743, 6825, 7358, 7385 and 7500 High Valley Road, Cobb, CA. (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 011-012-97; 013-002-01, 03, 04 & 05) The 45-day public comment period begins on Friday, September 17, 2010, and ends on Monday, November 1, 2010, at 5:00P.M.

The County of Lake is the lead CEQA agency on this project and the Bureau of Land Management, Ukiah Field Office, is the lead NEPA agency. The Draft EIR and EA is available for review on the Community Development Department’s link on the County Website: www.co.lake.ca.us.

Paper copies of this document are also available at the Middletown County Library, and at the Lake County Community Development Department, 255 North Forbes Street, 3rd Floor of the County Courthouse, Lakeport, California. The Planner processing this application is Richard Coel, who may be reached at (707) 263-2221 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please forward all written comments to Richard Coel.

The proposed Project would expand the existing geothermal steamfield of the Bottle Rock Power Plant in order to supply additional steam and increase the amount of power generated from approximately 18 megawatts, up to as much as 55megawatts.

Two new well pads are proposed within the Binkley Leasehold, along with a new access road connecting both new pads to High Valley Road via Rabbit Valley Road; a clear span bridge crossing over High Valley creek; and approximately 1.3 miles of additional steam pipeline. Up to 22 production and injection wells are proposed to be drilled within the project area over the life of the project. For a more detailed project description, please refer to Chapter 3 of the Draft EIR.

An additional legal notification will be provided prior to this project being scheduled for a public hearing before the Lake County Planning Commission.

The significant environmental effects anticipated as a result of the proposed project are: short-term exposure of sensitive receptors to toxic air contaminants from well venting during drilling and flow testing; impacts to special-status plant species; and conflict with local policies associated with the protection of biological resources.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Richard Coel

By: _______________________________________

Danae Bowen, Office Assistant III