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)

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).

[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]]

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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.

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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]
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