[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 194 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-25035]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 7, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NM-030-04-5101-10-G013]

 

Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a 
Proposed 345kV Transmission Line in Texas and New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an EIS and notice of scoping 
meetings.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and 42 U.S.C. 4321, the 
Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), the 
BLM, Las Cruces District, will be directing the preparation of an EIS 
to be prepared by a third-party contractor on the impacts of the 
proposed 345kV transmission line project, the Newman to Port-of-Entry 
project. The proposed project could affect public and private lands in 
El Paso County in western Texas, and Dona Ana County in southwestern 
New Mexico. BLM's scoping process for the EIS will include: (1) 
Identification of issues to be addressed; (2) Identification of viable 
alternatives; and (3) Notifying interested groups, individuals and 
agencies so that additional information concerning these issues can be 
obtained. The scoping process will consist of a news release announcing 
the start of the EIS process; letters of invitation to participate in 
the scoping process; and a scoping document which further clarifies the 
proposed action, alternatives and significant issues being considered 
to be distributed to selected parties and available upon request. In 
this notice, the BLM announces public scoping meetings for the proposed 
project. Maps and other information will be available at these meetings 
and the public will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the 
proposed project. The public scoping meetings will be held at the 
following times and locations: 

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            Date/time                             Location              
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Oct. 26, 1994, 7:00 PM...........  Gadsden High School, 6301 Highway 28 
                                    & West Washington, Anthony, New     
                                    Mexico.                             
Oct. 27, 1994, 7:00 PM...........  Border Patrol Museum, Memorial       
                                    Library, 4315 Trans Mountain Road,  
                                    El Paso, Texas.                     
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DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS for the proposed Newman 
to Port-of-Entry should be received no later than November 7, 1994. 
Comments on the project will be accepted throughout the NEPA process.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Juan Padilla, Project Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, Las Cruces District Office, 1800 Marquess, 
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005, ATTN: Newman to Port-of-Entry Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Juan Padilla, BLM Project Manager at 
(505) 525-4376.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The El Paso Electric Company is proposing to 
build approximately 45 miles of 345kV transmission line from the Newman 
Power Plant in western Texas, north of El Paso, to the planned Port-of-
Entry Substation in southwestern New Mexico in Santa Teresa, 
approximately 4 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
    A regional environmental study was conducted in 1992. As a result 
of this study, approximately 100 miles of alternative corridors were 
identified as being environmentally and technically satisfactory for 
transmission line development. Potential issues include, but may not be 
limited to, residential and agricultural impacts, sensitive wildlife 
and plant species, historical or traditional cultural properties, 
visual impacts, and electric and magnetic effects.
    Lands crossed by the alternative study corridors include those 
under the jurisdiction of the BLM, Fort Bliss Military Reservation, 
State of New Mexico, and the counties of El Paso (Texas) and Dona Ana 
(New Mexico).
    As part of El Paso Electric's 10-year plan, the proposed project is 
intended to improve the reliability of the electrical system. 
Construction of the proposed transmission line is anticipated to begin 
in January 1998 and be in operation by June 1998.
    The objectives of the EIS and related activities will be to study 
and assess the potential impacts of the proposed project to various 
environmental resources including biological (e.g., threatened or 
endangered species), cultural, land use, visual, socioeconomic, 
geology, soils, and surface water. Alternatives that will be considered 
in the EIS include routing/siting locations, no action, and others that 
are identified through the scoping process.
    Because the project study area includes the Fort Bliss Military 
Reservation, the BLM has invited the Department of Defense (Fort Bliss) 
to be a cooperating agency. A memorandum of agreement is anticipated 
between El Paso Electric, BLM, and Department of the Army (Fort Bliss).
    It is anticipated that the EIS process will take 18 months and will 
include public information/scoping meetings; coordination and 
involvement with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies; public 
review and public hearings on the published draft EIS; a published 
final EIS and a review period; and publication of a record of decision 
(ROD). Public information and scoping meetings will begin in October 
1994. Publication of the ROD is anticipated in April 1996.

    Dated: September 28, 1994.
Linda S.C. Rundell,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 94-25035 Filed 10-6-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P