Bellefield Solar Project by 50LW 8ME (8Minute Energy) Response to Comments

Bellefield Solar Project by 50LW 8ME (8Minute Energy) Response to Comments

The Bellefield Solar Project by 50LW 8ME LLC (8Minute Energy - project proponent), is a proposed photovoltaic solar facility and energy storage system capable of producing up to 1,500 megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC) utility-scale solar power with an up to 1,500 MW-hour (MWh) energy storage capacity on approximately 8,371 acres of privately-owned land. The proposed project would be supported by a 230 kilovolt (kV) overhead and/or underground electrical transmission line(s) originating from one or more on-site substation(s)/switchyard(s) and terminating at the Southern California Edison (SCE) Windhub Substation. The proposed project’s permanent facilities would include service roads, a power collection system, communication cables, overhead and underground transmission lines, electrical switchyards, project substations, energy storage system(s), and operations and maintenance (O&M) facilities. The project proponent is requesting the following: Kern County (Lead Agency): a) GPA #2, Map 195 from the existing Map Code 1.1 (State or Federal Land) to 8.5 (Resource Management) for approximately 82.19 acres; b) ZCC # 2, Map 195 from existing Zone District A-1 (Limited Agriculture) to A (Exclusive Agriculture) for approximately 5,291.55 acres and from A-1 MH (Limited Agriculture - Mobile Home Combining) to A for approximately 146.71 acres.; c) ZCC #57, Map 196 from existing Zone District M-3 PD (Heavy Industrial - Precise Development Combining) to M-1 PD (Light Industrial - Precise Development Combining) for approximately 477.39 acres and M-2 PD (Medium Industrial – Precise Development Combining) to M-1 PD for approximately 141.43 acres; d) Issuance of CUP #1, Map 195 to allow for the construction and operation of a 5,438.26-acre PV solar facility with a total project generating capacity, in both Kern County and California City, of up to 1,500 MW of alternating current power and 1,500 MW hours of storage capacity within the A (Exclusive Agriculture) pursuant to Section 19.12.030.G of the Kern County Zoning Ordinance; e) Issuance of CUP #57, Map 196 to allow for the construction and operation of a 830.87-acre PV solar facility with a total project generating capacity, in both Kern County and California City, of up to 1,500 MW of alternating current power and 1,500 MW hours of storage capacity within the A (Exclusive Agriculture) District pursuant to Section 19.12.030.G, M-1 PD (Light Industrial - Precise Development Combining) District pursuant to Section 19.36.030.G, and M-3 PD (Heavy Industrial - Precise Development Combining) District pursuant to Section 19.40.030.G of the Kern County Zoning Ordinance; f) GPA #3, Map 195 to amend the Circulation Element of the Kern County General Plan to remove road reservations on section and mid-section lines within the Kern County project boundaries; g) SPA #31, Map 196 to amend the Circulation Element of the Mojave Specific Plan to remove road reservations on section and mid-section lines within the Kern County project boundaries; and h) Non-Summary Vacations of Public Access Easements within the Project Boundaries. California City (Responsible Agency): a) For the parcels within California City city-limits, a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) must be obtained from the City to allow for the construction and operation of a solar facility, in the O/RA (Open Space/Residential Agricultural) zone (CUP 19-03), of a 2,102.63-acre PV solar facility with a total project generating capacity, in both Kern County and California City, of up to 1,500 MW of alternating current power and 1,500 MW hours of storage capacity. The project proponent has requested to remove the future section and mid-section lines for the portion of the project within the City of California City’s jurisdiction. The City will determine during the CUP process (Sec. 9-2-2501 of the California City Municipal Code) what section lines will be required to be preserved and what ones will be removed. This document is Volume 7, Response to Comment of the Final EIR

California City, Mojave

Kern

Unincorporated

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Transportation, District 6 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, District 9 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lahontan Victorville Region 6 (RWQCB), Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Historic Preservation

Power:Solar (PV Solar)(Megawatts 1500), Power:Other Power Type (Battery Storage)(Megawatts 1500)

General Plan Amendment, Rezone, Use Permit, Specific Plan Amendment/Non-Summary Vacations of Public Access Easements

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Economics/Jobs, Energy, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Septic System, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire