Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands - 2015 Award Number: DE-EE0000034 CX(s) Applied: A9, B5.16 Office of Indian Energy Date: 05/12/2016 Location(s): AK Office(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
May 19, 2016
Estimated Read Time min
Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands - 2015
Award Number: DE-EE0000034
CX(s) Applied: A9, B5.16
Office of Indian Energy
Date: 05/12/2016
Location(s): AK
Office(s): Golden Field Office
NANA Regional Corporation (NRC) would utilize DOE and cost share funds for a community scale solar deployment in the Northwest Arctic to lower electricity costs in the three Alaska Native Inupiat communities of Buckland (75 kW), Deering (50 kW), and Kotzebue (500 kW). Currently, each community operates its own diesel-based isolated micro-grid, along with wind turbines supplying supplemental power. Each solar photovoltaic (PV) installation would supplement the existing diesel and wind generation capacity at each community and would be tied into existing, permitted distribution and electrical facilities. Once installed, NRC would integrate the PV systems with each community’s existing power generation facility, commission the system, and train local operators on the use of the system.
All three sites where PV arrays would be installed are fully permitted wind generation sites that have previously undergone environmental review for impacts to resources of concern related to the installed wind turbines, transmission lines, and access roads. Any modifications to existing permits would be received before initiating project activities. Installation of the PV arrays would be consistent with current land use and activities. All land owners support the proposal and have provided letters of commitment and support to NRC. The project is in receipt of Tribal Resolutions from all three Tribal groups supporting this project. All three sites were previously reviewed for impacts to historic properties and for each site the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office concurred with determinations of no historic properties affected. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lists three species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act that could occur at each location: spectacled eider, Stellar’s eider, and polar bear. Discussion of threatened species for each site is found below. There are up to 14 species of migratory birds that could occur in the project areas but due to current human activity, existing use of each site, and nature of PV array installation and operation, no impacts to migratory birds are expected from project activities.