COMMITTEE ORDER REQUESTING STATUS UPDATE
[California Energy Commission Letterhead]


STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission


In the Matter of:                   )      Docket No. 01-AFC-22
                                    )
Application for Certification       )      APPLICATION COMPLETE
for CENTRAL VALLEY ENERGY CENTER    )
IN FRESNO COUNTY                    )         (DATA ADEQUATE)
(CENTRAL VALLEY ENERGY CENTER LLC   )         JANUARY 9, 2002
____________________________________)

COMMITTEE ORDER REQUESTING STATUS UPDATE

On February 21, 2002, The Committee issued a Scheduling Order based on a six-month certification review period. The Order noted that the schedule was subject to modification due to delays in receipt of information and/or the timing of reviews to be conducted by other agencies. On March 22, 2002, Energy Commission staff (Staff) filed a Status Report indicating that the Preliminary Staff Assessment (PSA) would not be complete by March 25, 2002, when it was due to be released, because there were several pending issues that would not be resolved by the scheduled release date. More specifically, the Commission staff's Status Report advised that additional information regarding air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, noise, public health/hazardous materials handling, soil and water resources, transmission system engineering, visual resources and waste management, which was necessary for analyzing the proposed project, was not presently available. However, the Status Report also indicated that Staff anticipated the necessary information would be received prior to and/or discussed at a scheduled April 9, 2002, workshop. The April 9 workshop was subsequently cancelled and rescheduled for April 16, 2002. The April 16 workshop has also been cancelled.

In order to determine the current status of the project and whether outstanding issues are likely to impact the six-month certification review period, the parties are directed to answer the following questions:

  1. When is the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District expected to issue its Preliminary Determination of Compliance? What issues are outstanding? How will this impact the current schedule?

  2. When is receipt of the letter confirming that Applicant is not required to engage in a formal consultation process to resolve any issue of listed species/habitat take expected from the US Fish & Wildlife Service? Will the delay in receipt of the letter impact the current schedule?

  3. Has Applicant submitted its responses to Staff's data requests regarding Cultural Resources? How will Applicant's delay in submitting this information impact the current schedule?

  4. When will Applicant submit its Noise Mitigation package? How much time will Staff require for review of the package? How will this impact the current schedule?

  5. When will Staff complete its review of Applicant's corrected modeling runs? What is the status of the discussions regarding the possibility of Applicant using aqueous rather than anhydrous ammonia and/or potential Environmental Justice issues? How will this impact the current schedule?

  6. Has Applicant submitted its responses to Staff's data requests regarding Applicant's proposed Erosion and Sediment Control Plan? How will Applicant's delay in submitting this information impact the current schedule?

  7. Has Applicant submitted its Transmission System Mitigation Plan to Cal-ISO and Staff? When is a response for Cal-ISO expected? How will this impact the current schedule?

  8. Has Applicant submitted additional visual resource analysis and mitigation information? What issues are outstanding? How will this impact the current schedule?

  9. What is the status of Applicant's Environmental Site Assessment? How will receipt of this document impact the current schedule?

  10. Are there any other scheduling matters pertinent to this proceeding of which the Committee should be aware?

In order to establish a realistic timetable for resolution of the pending issues, the parties are directed to submit proposed schedules which include, at a minimum, dates for submission of the items mentioned above, as well as any other information necessary to complete the analyses for the areas of air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, noise, public health/hazardous materials handling, soil and water resources, transmission system engineering, visual resources and waste management. The proposed schedules should suggest a date for publication of the PSA, and specify a due date for the Final Staff Assessment (FSA). The Status Update reports, including the proposed schedules, shall be filed and served on all other parties and the Commission Docket Unit, MS-4, 1516 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 29, 2002. Identify all filings with "Docket No. 01-AFC-22."

For information on public participation, please contact the Commission's Public Adviser, Roberta Mendonca at (916) 654-4489 or toll free at (800) 822-6228 or by e-mail at: [pao@energy.state.ca.us]

Technical questions concerning the project should be addressed to the Commission's Project Manager Mathew Trask, at (916) 654-4067 or e-mail at: [mtrask@energy.state.ca.us]

Questions of a legal or procedural nature should be directed to Cheryl Tompkin, the Hearing Officer, at (916) 654-3893 or e-mail at: [ctompkin@energy.state.ca.us]

If you require special accommodation to participate in this proceeding please contact Betty LaFranchi at (916) 654-5204, at least five days prior to the hearing.

Media inquiries should be directed to Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director for Media and Public Communications, at (916) 654-4989 or e-mail at: [energia@energy.ca.gov]

Information concerning the status of the project, as well as notices and other relevant documents, is also available on the Energy Commission's Internet home page at: [http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/sanjoaquin/index.html]

Dated: April 16, 2002, at Sacramento, California.

ARTHUR H. ROSENFELD
Commissioner and Presiding Member
San Joaquin Valley Energy Center Committee

ROBERT A. LAURIE
Commissioner and Associate Member
San Joaquin Valley Energy Center Committee





| Back to Main Page | Homepage | Calendar | Directory/Index | Search | Contact Us |