[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 227 (Friday, November 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59456-59457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29985]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Proposed El Rancho Electric Substation, Santa Fe County, New 
Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the 
proposed approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of a one acre 
easement on Indian trust land of the Pueblo of San Ildefonso for the 
Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Cooperative) is now 
available for public review. The FEIS also covers the proposed approval 
by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Department of Agriculture, for 
the advance of loan funds to the Cooperative for the construction of 
electrical distribution facilities on the site. The BIA as the lead 
agency, and the RUS as a cooperating agency are furnishing this notice 
in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, 40 CFR 
1503 and 1506.9.

DATES: The Record of Decision will be issued on or after December 16, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be addressed to Mr. Curtis Canard, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Albuquerque Area Office, Branch of Natural Resources, 
P.O. Box 26567, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87125-6567. Copies of the FEIS 
are also available at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Curtis Canard at the above 
address, or at (505) 766-3374.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action would permit the 
Cooperative to construct a new 69/12.47 kV electric distribution 
substation and related facilities on 1.0 acre of land in the community 
of El Rancho, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The substation includes 
terminal and switching equipment for a 69 kV transmission line. The 
related facilities consist of the 69 kV transmission line and four 
underground distribution tie lines.
    The action is needed in order to meet the increasing demand for 
electrical power in the El Rancho service area. Service is now being 
supplied by a temporary substation, located approximately one and one-
half miles from the proposed project site, whose capacity is no longer 
sufficient to deliver reliable electric power. Moreover, a higher 
capacity substation is needed in the El Rancho area to serve

[[Page 59457]]

as a backup source of power for a wider region.
    The FEIS includes seven alternatives to the proposed action: no 
action, upgrading either the existing temporary substation or the Nambe 
substation feeder, or constructing a new substation at one of five 
alternate locations. The no action alternative would deny approval of 
the easement. This would not necessarily prevent the Cooperative from 
upgrading its service, but would certainly result in higher costs to 
consumers. The proposed substation site is optimal for the distribution 
of power within its load area. For all of the other alternatives, 
operating costs increase according to distance from this central point.
    The significant issues identified and analyzed in the FEIS include 
cultural resources, aesthetic qualities, and land use.
    The BIA has afforded the public the opportunity to participate in 
the preparation of this FEIS. The Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS 
was published in the Federal Register on March 25, 1993. One public 
scoping meeting was held on April 22, 1993, at the Pojoaque High School 
gymnasium in Pojoaque, New Mexico. Additional information for scoping 
was drawn from a public meeting held during the environmental 
assessment process, and from written comments submitted on the 
Environmental Assessment.
    The Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS was published in the 
Federal Register on March 8, 1996, with a 60 day public comment period 
ending on May 7, 1996. On April 11, 1996, a public meeting was held to 
inform the public about the Draft EIS and provide an opportunity for 
public comment. As a result of comments received at this meeting, the 
public comment period was officially extended to May 31, 1996. 
Additional notices to the public were published in the Santa Fe New 
Mexican and the Rio Grande Sun.

    Dated: November 19, 1996.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-29985 Filed 11-21-96; 8:45 am]
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