Draft EIS/EIR for the San Luis Reservoir SRA Resource ...

3. Planning Influences
Use Area. Reclamation will determine the location for a second renewable energy
site in coordination with CSP and DWR.
3.3.15.2 Quinto Solar Photovoltaic Project
The proposed Quinto Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project includes the construction
and operation of a 110-megawatt (MW) solar PV electrical generating facility and
associated infrastructure on approximately 1,012 acres. The project would be
constructed on unincorporated land directly north and northeast of O’Neill
Forebay and adjacent to San Luis Creek Use Area and San Luis Creek
Campground. The project site and much of the surrounding land is designated as
Agricultural in the Merced County General Plan. The project development
footprint would be approximately 528 acres, and the rest of the site would remain
as open space.
The proposed project would construct approximately 306,720 solar PV panels
mounted on trackers that rotate to follow the sun. In addition to the solar panels,
the proposed project would include an electrical substation that would be owned
by SunPower, a PG&E switch station, overhead and underground utility lines, a
5,000 square-foot operations and maintenance building, unpaved access roads,
security fencing, and a temporary staging area. The project includes a commercial
sheep grazing plan for 829 acres of the project site, primarily for food and fiber
production and secondarily for vegetation reduction.
The proposed project would require approval of a conditional use permit and
removal of the project site from the county’s Agricultural Preserve. Construction
would generally occur during daylight hours with some limited night and
weekend construction. Project construction is proposed to begin in mid-2013 and
conclude in late 2014 over a period of approximately 16 months.
The County of Merced is the lead agency for the project’s EIR. A Notice of
Preparation of an EIR was released in December 2010 and requested agencies,
organizations and individuals to provide input on the scope and content of the
EIR. A Draft EIR for the project was issued in March 2012.
3.3.15.3 Other Projects
Several other renewable energy projects are proposed within 10 miles of the San
Luis Reservoir SRA. Those projects include SPG Solar/Ingomar Project (1 MW
solar PV power generation facility located approximately 6 miles east); Leo/Vega
Solar Project (150 MW solar PV generating facility located approximately 10
miles south); and SR Solis in the City of Gustine (located approximately 8 miles
northeast of the Plan Area) (California Energy Commission 2011).
Just west of the Plan Area, wind turbines have been operating on ridgelines on the
eastern side of Pacheco State Park since 1980. The original owner of the lands
that are now Pacheco State Park, Paula Fatjo, established a land lease with a wind
turbine company. Upon her passing in 1995, the land was willed to CSP for the
purposes of establishing Pacheco State Park. Today, International Turbine
Research owns and operates 167 wind turbines that now generate approximately
San Luis Reservoir SRA 3-21
Draft RMP/GP and Draft EIS/EIR