81 FR 91187 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project and Approved Land Use Plan Amendments in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 242 (December 16, 2016)
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 242 (December 16, 2016)
| Page Range | 91187-91188 | |
| FR Document | 2016-30346 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 91187-91188] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-30346] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLWY920000.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWK09K1000.15X; WYW174597; COC72909; UTU87237] Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project and Approved Land Use Plan Amendments in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project (Project) and approved land use plan amendments of the Rawlins, Little Snake, Pony Express, Price, and Vernal Resource Management Plans (RMPs). The ROD constitutes the BLM's final decision regarding: granting a right-of-way to PacifiCorp (doing business as Rocky Mountain Power) to construct and operate an extra-high voltage alternating-current transmission system; and amending certain BLM land use plans. The decisions are effective immediately. ADDRESSES: The complete text of the ROD along with the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and supporting documents are available for public viewing on the BLM Web site: http://bit.ly/2eErxWA. Copies of the ROD text will be placed in all involved BLM offices for public viewing as well as at public libraries in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. For a list of these libraries, please see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamara Gertsch, National Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 21150, Cheyenne, WY 82003; by telephone at (307) 775-6115; or email to [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at (800) 877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS 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: Copies of the ROD text are available at the following public libraries:Carbon County Library, Rawlins, WY; Carbon County Library-Little Snake River Branch, Baggs, WY; Moffat County Library, Craig, CO; Rangely Regional Library District, Rangely, CO; Mesa County Library, Grand Junction, CO; Grand County Public Library, Moab, UT; Uintah County Library, Vernal, UT; Duchesne County Library, Duchesne, UT; Emery County Library, Castle Dale, UT; and Nephi Public Library, Nephi, UT. PacifiCorp (doing business as Rocky Mountain Power), a regulated public utility, filed an application for a right-of-way to construct, operate and maintain a 500-kilovolt (kV) overhead, alternating current transmission line across public and private lands for the Project on November 28, 2007. Pacificorp amended the application on December 17, 2008; October 11, 2010; January 15, 2013; and April 8, 2015. When completed, the Project will transmit about 1,500 megawatts of electricity generated from renewable sources at planned facilities in Wyoming, as well as from existing thermal sources. The Project will begin in south central Wyoming near Medicine Bow, at the permitted Aeolus Substation, and traverses from northeast to southwest across northwestern Colorado to the existing Clover Substation near Mona, Utah, a distance of approximately 416 miles. The facilities will include: Construction of a single-circuit, alternating current 500kV overhead transmission line (including associated structures, shield wires, conductors, and insulators) between the Aeolus Substation and Clover Substation; Construction of two series compensation stations, at points between the Aeolus and Clover substations, to improve the transport capacity and efficiency of the transmission line; Construction of communication regeneration stations associated with the transmission line (approximately every 55 miles); Rebuilding of two existing 345kV transmission lines between the Clover and Mona Substations (in the existing rights-of- way); Rerouting of the Mona to Huntington 345kV transmission line through the Clover Substation; and Relocation of an approximate 2-mile portion of an existing line (Bears Ears to Bonanza 345kV transmission line) to eliminate multiple line crossings in a short distance and avoid the BLM Raven Ridge Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The Selected Alternative is the Agency Preferred Alternative identified in the Final EIS. The EIS has been developed in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and plans, and discloses the impacts of the Project. The Selected Alternative was identified as the route that best meets the BLM's purpose and need, and the Applicant's objectives, and that avoids and minimizes minimized impacts to sensitive resources to the extent possible. The ROD addresses the mitigation and monitoring requirements applicable to the Project, including identifying and requiring compensatory mitigation where impacts to sensitive resources cannot be avoided, as further described in the ROD and its appendices. Based on the analysis in the Final EIS, the ROD also amends five BLM RMPs, as follows: Rawlins RMP (Wyoming)--modifies 21 acres of visual resource management (VRM) Class III to Class IV; [[Page 91188]] Little Snake RMP (Colorado)--modifies 18 acres of VRM Class III to Class IV; Pony Express RMP (Salt Lake Field Office, Utah)-- establishes the 1.3 miles of the Project right-of-way as a 250 foot wide utility corridor; Price Field Office, Utah--widens a portion of a utility corridor designated in a land use plan from 1 mile to 1.5 miles in width, to include the Project right-of-way; and Vernal Field Office, Utah--modifies 58 acres of VRM Class II to Class III. The approved land use plan amendments specifically amend the RMPs to allow for the development of the Project and ancillary facilities on land managed by the BLM. NEPA disclosure of these plan amendments has been integrated with the EIS process for the Project, including the scoping and public availability periods for the EIS. With these amendments, the Selected Alternative will conform with the applicable the BLM land use plan along the project's route (43 CFR 1610.5-3). On May 13, 2016, the Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Final EIS and Proposed Land use Plan Amendments for the Project was published in the Federal Register (81 FR 29912). The publication of the NOA initiated a 30-day protest period for the proposed land use planning decisions and a 60-day Governors' consistency review. At the close of the 30-day protest period, five protests were received and subsequently resolved as explained in the Director's Protest Resolution Report, available online at http://bit.ly/2eErxWA. The proposed land use plan amendments were not modified as a result of the protests. Individual protest response letters were sent to the protesting parties. Copies of the ROD are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the following locations. BLM, Wyoming State Office, Public Reading Room, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009; BLM, Colorado State Office, Public Reading Room, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80215-7093; and BLM, Utah State Office, Public Reading Room, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101-1345. Simultaneous with the protest period, the Governors of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah conducted consistency reviews for the proposed land use plan amendments to identify any inconsistencies with State or local plans, policies, or programs. No inconsistencies were identified. Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6. Mary Jo Rugwell, Wyoming State Director. [FR Doc. 2016-30346 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 242 / Friday, December 16, 2016 / Notices 91187
proposal to eliminate one section of business as Rocky Mountain Power) to electricity generated from renewable
snowmobile trail on Nulhegan Basin construct and operate an extra-high sources at planned facilities in
Division. We determined that voltage alternating-current transmission Wyoming, as well as from existing
recreational drone use is not system; and amending certain BLM land thermal sources.
appropriate. use plans. The decisions are effective The Project will begin in south central
• Habitat Management—We immediately. Wyoming near Medicine Bow, at the
emphasize our intent to develop refuge ADDRESSES: The complete text of the
permitted Aeolus Substation, and
division-specific habitat management ROD along with the Final traverses from northeast to southwest
plans with state agency and public Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) across northwestern Colorado to the
involvement. and supporting documents are available existing Clover Substation near Mona,
Alternative C, with these changes, is Utah, a distance of approximately 416
for public viewing on the BLM Web site:
still our preferred alternative in the final miles.
http://bit.ly/2eErxWA.
CCP/EIS for Conte NFWR for several Copies of the ROD text will be placed The facilities will include:
reasons. First, alternative C comprises a • Construction of a single-circuit,
in all involved BLM offices for public
mix of actions that, in our professional alternating current 500kV overhead
viewing as well as at public libraries in
judgment, work best towards achieving transmission line (including associated
Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. For a list
the refuge’s purposes, vision, and goals, structures, shield wires, conductors, and
of these libraries, please see the
NWRS policies, and the goals of other insulators) between the Aeolus
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
state and regional conservation plans. Substation and Clover Substation;
below. • Construction of two series
Second, we also believe that alternative
C most effectively addresses key issues FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: compensation stations, at points
raised during the planning process. Tamara Gertsch, National Project between the Aeolus and Clover
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, substations, to improve the transport
Public Availability of Documents Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 21150, capacity and efficiency of the
See ADDRESSES, above. Cheyenne, WY 82003; by telephone at transmission line;
(307) 775–6115; or email to • Construction of communication
Next Steps GatewaySouth_WYMail@blm.gov. regeneration stations associated with the
We will document the final decision Persons who use a telecommunications transmission line (approximately every
in a record of decision, which will be device for the deaf may call the Federal 55 miles);
published in the Federal Register after Relay Service (FRS) at (800) 877–8339 to • Rebuilding of two existing 345kV
the 30-day ‘‘wait period’’ that begins contact the above individual during transmission lines between the Clover
when EPA announces this final CCP/ normal business hours. The FRS is and Mona Substations (in the existing
EIS. For more information, see EPA’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, rights-of-way);
Role in the EIS Process. to leave a message or question with the • Rerouting of the Mona to
Dated: December 1, 2016. above individual. You will receive a Huntington 345kV transmission line
Deborah Rocque, reply during normal business hours. through the Clover Substation; and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of • Relocation of an approximate 2-
Deputy Regional Director, Northeast Region. mile portion of an existing line (Bears
[FR Doc. 2016–30420 Filed 12–15–16; 8:45 am]
the ROD text are available at the
following public libraries: Ears to Bonanza 345kV transmission
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
• Carbon County Library, Rawlins, line) to eliminate multiple line crossings
WY; in a short distance and avoid the BLM
• Carbon County Library-Little Snake Raven Ridge Area of Critical
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Environmental Concern.
River Branch, Baggs, WY;
• Moffat County Library, Craig, CO; The Selected Alternative is the
Bureau of Land Management
• Rangely Regional Library District, Agency Preferred Alternative identified
[LLWY920000.L51010000.ER0000. Rangely, CO; in the Final EIS. The EIS has been
LVRWK09K1000.15X; WYW174597; • Mesa County Library, Grand developed in accordance with
COC72909; UTU87237] applicable laws, regulations, policies,
Junction, CO;
Notice of Availability of the Record of • Grand County Public Library, Moab, and plans, and discloses the impacts of
UT; the Project. The Selected Alternative
Decision for the Energy Gateway
• Uintah County Library, Vernal, UT; was identified as the route that best
South Transmission Project and
• Duchesne County Library, meets the BLM’s purpose and need, and
Approved Land Use Plan Amendments
Duchesne, UT; the Applicant’s objectives, and that
in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming • Emery County Library, Castle Dale, avoids and minimizes minimized
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, UT; and impacts to sensitive resources to the
Interior. • Nephi Public Library, Nephi, UT. extent possible. The ROD addresses the
ACTION: Notice. PacifiCorp (doing business as Rocky mitigation and monitoring requirements
Mountain Power), a regulated public applicable to the Project, including
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land utility, filed an application for a right- identifying and requiring compensatory
Management (BLM) announces the of-way to construct, operate and mitigation where impacts to sensitive
availability of the Record of Decision maintain a 500-kilovolt (kV) overhead, resources cannot be avoided, as further
(ROD) for the Energy Gateway South alternating current transmission line
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
described in the ROD and its
Transmission Project (Project) and across public and private lands for the appendices.
approved land use plan amendments of Project on November 28, 2007. Based on the analysis in the Final EIS,
the Rawlins, Little Snake, Pony Express, Pacificorp amended the application on the ROD also amends five BLM RMPs,
Price, and Vernal Resource Management December 17, 2008; October 11, 2010; as follows:
Plans (RMPs). The ROD constitutes the January 15, 2013; and April 8, 2015. • Rawlins RMP (Wyoming)—modifies
BLM’s final decision regarding: granting When completed, the Project will 21 acres of visual resource management
a right-of-way to PacifiCorp (doing transmit about 1,500 megawatts of (VRM) Class III to Class IV;
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![91188 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 242 / Friday, December 16, 2016 / Notices
• Little Snake RMP (Colorado)— Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USFS
modifies 18 acres of VRM Class III to Mary Jo Rugwell,
has filed an application requesting that
Class IV; the Secretary of the Interior extend PLO
Wyoming State Director.
• Pony Express RMP (Salt Lake Field No. 1144, as modified by PLO No. 7325,
Office, Utah)—establishes the 1.3 miles [FR Doc. 2016–30346 Filed 12–15–16; 8:45 am]
for an additional 20-year term, subject to
of the Project right-of-way as a 250 foot BILLING CODE 4310–22–P valid existing rights. PLO No. 1144 (20
wide utility corridor; FR 3151 (1955)), as modified by PLO
• Price Field Office, Utah—widens a No. 7325 (63 FR 19744 (1998)),
portion of a utility corridor designated DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
withdrew 949.43 acres of National
in a land use plan from 1 mile to 1.5 Forest System Lands from location and
Bureau of Land Management
miles in width, to include the Project entry under the United States mining
right-of-way; and [LLOR936000.L14400000.ET0000. laws, but not from leasing under the
• Vernal Field Office, Utah—modifies 16XL1109AF; HAG 16–0075 ORE–03587] mineral leasing laws, to protect the
58 acres of VRM Class II to Class III. Miller Lake Recreational Area. The
The approved land use plan Notice of Application for Extension of withdrawal encompasses Digit Point
amendments specifically amend the Public Land Order No. 1144, as Campground and Miller Lake Trail. The
RMPs to allow for the development of Modified by PLO 7325, and USFS would not need to acquire water
the Project and ancillary facilities on Opportunity for Public Meeting; Miller rights to fulfill the purpose of the
land managed by the BLM. NEPA Lake Recreational Area, Oregon requested withdrawal extension.
disclosure of these plan amendments
has been integrated with the EIS process AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Willamette Meridian
for the Project, including the scoping Interior. Fremont-Winema National Forest
and public availability periods for the ACTION: Notice. T. 27 S., R. 61⁄2 E.,
EIS. With these amendments, the Sec. 11, those portions of Lots 1, 2,
Selected Alternative will conform with SUMMARY: The United States Forest NE1⁄4NW1⁄4 lying outside the Mt.
the applicable the BLM land use plan Service (USFS) has filed an application Thielsen Wilderness Area boundary,
along the project’s route (43 CFR with the Bureau of Land Management Lots 3 through 7, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, and all of
1610.5–3). (BLM) requesting that the Secretary of unsurveyed Miller Lake lying within the
On May 13, 2016, the Notice of the Interior extend the duration of section;
Availability (NOA) for the Final EIS and Public Land Order (PLO) No. 1144, as PB 37, SW1⁄4, SW1⁄4SE1⁄4 lying outside the
Proposed Land use Plan Amendments modified by PLO No. 7325, for an Mt. Thielsen Wilderness area boundary,
additional 20-year term subject to valid and all of unsurveyed Miller Lake lying
for the Project was published in the within aforementioned parts of PB 37;
Federal Register (81 FR 29912). The existing rights. PLO No. 1144, as
Sec. 13, Lots 1 through 7, NW1⁄4SW1⁄4;
publication of the NOA initiated a 30- modified by PLO 7325, withdrew 949.43 PB 38.
day protest period for the proposed land acres of Forest System Lands in the
The area described contains 949.43 acres in
use planning decisions and a 60-day Fremont-Winema National Forest from Klamath County.
Governors’ consistency review. At the location and entry under United States
close of the 30-day protest period, five mining laws, but not from leasing under This legal description is identical in
protests were received and subsequently the mineral leasing laws. The purpose of size, shape, and location as the
resolved as explained in the Director’s the proposed withdrawal extension is to description in PLO No. 7325, as
Protest Resolution Report, available protect the Miller Lake Recreational published in the Federal Register (63
online at http://bit.ly/2eErxWA. The Area. PLO No. 1144, as modified by FR 19745 (1998)).
proposed land use plan amendments PLO No. 7325 will expire on May 20, Records related to the application
were not modified as a result of the 2018, unless extended. This notice also may be examined by contacting Jacob
protests. Individual protest response gives the public an opportunity to Childers, Bureau of Land Management,
letters were sent to the protesting comment on the application and to at the address or phone number listed
parties. request a public meeting. above.
Copies of the ROD are available for DATES: Comments and public meeting
For a period until March 16, 2017, all
public inspection during normal requests must be received by March 16, persons who wish to submit comments,
business hours at the following 2017. suggestions, or objections in connection
locations. with the proposed withdrawal extension
ADDRESSES: Comments and public
• BLM, Wyoming State Office, Public meeting requests should be sent to the
may present their views in writing to
Reading Room, 5353 Yellowstone Road, the BLM Oregon/Washington State
BLM Oregon/Washington State Director, Office State Director at the address
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009; P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208–
• BLM, Colorado State Office, Public 2965.
indicated above.
Reading Room, 2850 Youngfield Street, Comments, including names and
Lakewood, Colorado 80215–7093; and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: street addresses of respondents, will be
• BLM, Utah State Office, Public Jacob Childers, BLM Oregon/ available for public review at the
Reading Room, 440 West 200 South, Washington State Office, 503–808–6225 address indicated above during regular
Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101– or Candice Polisky, USFS Pacific business hours. Be advised that your
1345. Northwest Region, 503–808–2479. entire comment, including your
Simultaneous with the protest period, Persons who use a telecommunications personal identifying information may be
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
the Governors of Wyoming, Colorado, device for the deaf (TDD) may call the made publicly available. While you can
and Utah conducted consistency Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877– ask us to withhold your personal
reviews for the proposed land use plan 8339 to contact either of the above identifying information from public
amendments to identify any individuals. The Service is available 24 review, we cannot guarantee that we
inconsistencies with State or local hours a day, 7 days a week. You will will be able to do so.
plans, policies, or programs. No receive a reply during normal business Notice is hereby given that an
inconsistencies were identified. hours. opportunity for a public meeting is
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Document Created: 2018-02-14 09:07:27
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 09:07:27
| 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. | |
| Contact | Tamara Gertsch, National Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 21150, Cheyenne, WY 82003; by telephone at (307) 775-6115; or email to [email protected] Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at (800) 877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS 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. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 91187 |
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