Purpose: The staff of the California Energy Commission (Commission) will hold a workshop for the proposed Salton Sea Unit #6 (SSU6) geothermal energy project. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the applicant's data responses and resolve outstanding issues. Discussion topics include Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geological Resources, Hazardous Material Management, Land Use, Noise, Project Description, Public Health, Socioeconomics, Soil and Water Resources, Traffic and Transportation, Transmission System Engineering, Visual Resources, and Waste Management. Please note that the Thursday morning session will address the potential impacts on threatened and endangered species from construction, operation, and maintenance of the project, and will consider various mitigation and monitoring options related to these impacts. Other governmental entities have been invited to attend in order to coordinate their evaluation of the proposed project.

Project Summary: On July 29, 2002, CE Obsidian Energy LLC (CEOE) filed the Salton Sea Unit 6 Application for Certification with the Commission seeking approval to construct and operate a 185-megawatt (MW), geothermal electric generating facility. The project was accepted for review under the 12-month process on September 25, 2002. The plant would be owned and operated by CEOE, an affiliated company of CalEnergy Operating Corporation and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company.

The proposed project would be located on an 80-acre site currently in agricultural production, 1000 feet southeast of the Salton Sea in Imperial County California. The site is adjacent to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. Seventeen geothermal production and injection wells, and associated brine pipelines, would be located on eight well pads within an approximate 1.5 mile radius from the project site. The area of the proposed project is zoned as Agricultural, with a Geothermal Overlay (AG-3) by the County of Imperial.

Public Participation: The public is encouraged to participate and provide comments. For information on how to participate in the Commission's review of the proposed project, please contact Roberta Mendonca, the Commission's Public Adviser, at (916) 654-4489, toll free in California at (800) 822-6228, or by e-mail at: PAO@energy.state.ca.us If you require special accommodations, contact Lourdes Quiroz at least five days prior to the workshop at (916) 654-5146.

Questions: General information and documents on the proposed project are available on the Energy Commission's website at: http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/saltonsea Inquiries about the project should be directed to Robert Worl, Energy Commission Project Manager, at (916) 651-8853, or e-mail at: rworl@energy.state.ca.us News media inquiries should be directed to Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director, at (916) 654-4989, or e-mail at: energia@energy.state.ca.us

Mailed to lists 7156, 7157, 7158, and POS List