80 FR 47514 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Joint Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the West of Devers Upgrade Project, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, CA
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 152 (August 7, 2015)
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 152 (August 7, 2015)
| Page Range | 47514-47514 | |
| FR Document | 2015-19497 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 152 (Friday, August 7, 2015)] [Notices] [Page 47514] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-19497] [[Page 47514]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLCAD06000.L51010000. ER0000.15XL5017AP.LVRWB15B5410] Notice of Availability of the Draft Joint Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the West of Devers Upgrade Project, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, CA AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the West of Devers Upgrade Project (WOD UP) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. This document is also an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the West of Devers Upgrade Project Draft Joint EIR/ EIS within 45 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the WOD UP by any of the following methods:Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/transmission/WestOfDeversProject.html. Email: [email protected]. Fax: 760-833-7199. Mail: WOD Project Manager; BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Copies of the Draft Joint EIR/EIS for the WOD UP are available in the Palm Springs/South Coast Field Office at the above address and the BLM California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank McMenimen, Project Manager, telephone 760-833-7150; address 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262; email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Southern California Edison (SCE) proposes to upgrade and adjust the routes of the following existing 220 kV transmission lines within SCE's existing West of Devers right-of-way corridor in incorporated and unincorporated areas of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, including: Devers-El Casco, El Casco-San Bernardino, Devers-San Bernardino, Devers-Vista No. 1 and No. 2, Etiwanda-San Bernardino, and San Bernardino-Vista. Of the overall 48-mile length of the transmission corridor, approximately 6 miles would cross Trust Lands (Reservation) of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and approximately 1 mile is on BLM- administered public lands. The BLM lands are located east of the City of Banning and west of the City of Desert Hot Springs in Riverside County. In addition to the transmission line improvements, substation equipment at Devers, El Casco, Etiwanda, San Bernardino, Timoteo and Tennessee and Vista Substations would be upgraded to accommodate the project changes to transmission and subtransmission systems. Construction of the WOD UP would facilitate the full deliverability of new renewable energy generation resources now being developed in eastern Riverside County, including the BLM's Riverside East Solar Energy Zone, into the Los Angeles area. The WOD UP would facilitate progress towards meeting California's Renewable Portfolio Standard goals requiring utilities to produce 33 percent of their electricity sales from renewable energy sources by 2020. Utility-scale solar energy development in eastern Riverside County plays an important role in meeting California's renewable energy goals, allowing for immediate and sizeable deployment, driving costs down and taking advantage of the State's best renewable energy resources. Additionally, these upgrades are required to comply with transmission reliability standards and will support integration of small scale electricity generation. In addition to the Proposed Project, the WOD UP Draft Joint EIR/EIS considers three project alternatives and a No Action/No Project alternative, as well as connected actions enabled by the project. The first alternative moves towers away from residences. The second alternative would place portions of the line underground. The third alternative would use fewer towers, and would not remove all the old towers and poles, leaving future expansion opportunities. Based on the small amount of BLM lands involved, and because of the lack of apparent resource conflicts for the BLM among the alternatives, the BLM has not identified a preferred alternative. The BLM will identify a preferred alternative for the Final EIS based on feedback on the Draft EIS from the public and cooperating agencies. During the public scoping process, BLM personnel, Federal, State, local agencies, and other stakeholders identified issues for the EIR/ EIS, including aesthetics/visual effects; conflicts with existing land uses; social and economic effects, including property values; fire, electric and magnetic fields, and other hazards; construction-related impacts from dust and traffic; slope stability; effects on biological resources; and possible curtailment of electric generation during construction. Please note that public comments and information submitted including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10. Danielle Chi, Associate Deputy State Director. [FR Doc. 2015-19497 Filed 8-6-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
![47514 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 152 / Friday, August 7, 2015 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 92262; email fmcmenimen@blm.gov. considers three project alternatives and
Persons who use a telecommunications a No Action/No Project alternative, as
Bureau of Land Management device for the deaf (TDD) may call the well as connected actions enabled by
[LLCAD06000.L51010000. Federal Information Relay Service the project. The first alternative moves
ER0000.15XL5017AP.LVRWB15B5410] (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to contact the towers away from residences. The
above individual during normal second alternative would place portions
Notice of Availability of the Draft Joint business hours. The FIRS is available 24 of the line underground. The third
Environmental Impact Report and hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a alternative would use fewer towers, and
Environmental Impact Statement for message or question with the above would not remove all the old towers and
the West of Devers Upgrade Project, individual. You will receive a reply poles, leaving future expansion
Riverside and San Bernardino during normal business hours. opportunities. Based on the small
Counties, CA SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Southern amount of BLM lands involved, and
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, California Edison (SCE) proposes to because of the lack of apparent resource
Interior. upgrade and adjust the routes of the conflicts for the BLM among the
following existing 220 kV transmission alternatives, the BLM has not identified
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
lines within SCE’s existing West of a preferred alternative. The BLM will
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Devers right-of-way corridor in identify a preferred alternative for the
National Environmental Policy Act of incorporated and unincorporated areas
Final EIS based on feedback on the Draft
1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land of Riverside and San Bernardino
EIS from the public and cooperating
Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Counties, including: Devers-El Casco, El
Casco-San Bernardino, Devers-San agencies.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the West of Devers Upgrade Project Bernardino, Devers-Vista No. 1 and No. During the public scoping process,
(WOD UP) and by this notice is 2, Etiwanda-San Bernardino, and San BLM personnel, Federal, State, local
announcing the opening of the comment Bernardino-Vista. agencies, and other stakeholders
period. This document is also an Of the overall 48-mile length of the identified issues for the EIR/EIS,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) transmission corridor, approximately 6 including aesthetics/visual effects;
prepared by the California Public miles would cross Trust Lands conflicts with existing land uses; social
Utilities Commission (CPUC) under the (Reservation) of the Morongo Band of and economic effects, including
California Environmental Quality Act Mission Indians and approximately 1 property values; fire, electric and
(CEQA). mile is on BLM- administered public magnetic fields, and other hazards;
lands. The BLM lands are located east construction-related impacts from dust
DATES: To ensure comments will be of the City of Banning and west of the
considered, the BLM must receive and traffic; slope stability; effects on
City of Desert Hot Springs in Riverside biological resources; and possible
written comments on the West of Devers County.
Upgrade Project Draft Joint EIR/EIS curtailment of electric generation during
In addition to the transmission line construction.
within 45 days following the date the improvements, substation equipment at
Environmental Protection Agency Devers, El Casco, Etiwanda, San Please note that public comments and
publishes its Notice of Availability in Bernardino, Timoteo and Tennessee and information submitted including names,
the Federal Register. The BLM will Vista Substations would be upgraded to street addresses, and email addresses of
announce future meetings or hearings accommodate the project changes to persons who submit comments will be
and any other public involvement transmission and subtransmission available for public review and
activities at least 15 days in advance systems. Construction of the WOD UP disclosure at the above address during
through public notices, media releases, would facilitate the full deliverability of regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
and/or mailings. new renewable energy generation Monday through Friday, except
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments resources now being developed in holidays.
related to the WOD UP by any of the eastern Riverside County, including the Before including your address, phone
following methods: BLM’s Riverside East Solar Energy
• Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/ number, email address, or other
Zone, into the Los Angeles area.
en/fo/palmsprings/transmission/ personal identifying information in your
The WOD UP would facilitate
WestOfDeversProject.html. comment, you should be aware that
progress towards meeting California’s
• Email: blm_ca_west_of_devers@ your entire comment—including your
Renewable Portfolio Standard goals
blm.gov. requiring utilities to produce 33 percent personal identifying information—may
• Fax: 760–833–7199. of their electricity sales from renewable be made publicly available at any time.
• Mail: WOD Project Manager; BLM energy sources by 2020. Utility-scale While you can ask us in your comment
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, solar energy development in eastern to withhold your personal identifying
1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, Riverside County plays an important information from public review, we
CA 92262 role in meeting California’s renewable cannot guarantee that we will be able to
Copies of the Draft Joint EIR/EIS for energy goals, allowing for immediate do so.
the WOD UP are available in the Palm and sizeable deployment, driving costs Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR
Springs/South Coast Field Office at the down and taking advantage of the 1506.10.
above address and the BLM California State’s best renewable energy resources.
Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Danielle Chi,
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Additionally, these upgrades are
Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA required to comply with transmission Associate Deputy State Director.
92553. reliability standards and will support [FR Doc. 2015–19497 Filed 8–6–15; 8:45 am]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: integration of small scale electricity BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
Frank McMenimen, Project Manager, generation.
telephone 760–833–7150; address 1201 In addition to the Proposed Project,
Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA the WOD UP Draft Joint EIR/EIS
VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:24 Aug 06, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_47666/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-15 10:56:57
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 10:56:57
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of Availability. | |
| Dates | To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the West of Devers Upgrade Project Draft Joint EIR/ EIS within 45 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. | |
| Contact | Frank McMenimen, Project Manager, | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 47514 |
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