[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 62 (Thursday, April 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15744-15746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8057]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Record of Decision and Floodplain Statement for the 
Interconnection of the Southpoint Power Plant With the Western Area 
Power Administration's Parker-Davis No. 1 and No. 2, 230-kilovolt 
Transmission Lines (DOE/EIS-0308)

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: Calpine Corporation (Calpine) applied for transmission service 
from the Western Area Power Administration (Western) for the Southpoint 
Power Plant Project. To accommodate the request, Western proposed to 
upgrade its transmission system in order to accommodate the 
incorporation of new generation into the system. This Record of 
Decision (ROD) and Statement of Findings has been prepared in 
accordance with Council on Environmental Quality regulations for 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR parts 
1500-1508) and Department of Energy (DOE) Procedures for Implementing 
NEPA (10 CFR part 1021), and DOE's Floodplain/Wetland Review 
Requirements (10 CFR 1022). Western's decision for its action 
considered the environmental ramifications of the Southpoint Power 
Plant Project. Western has determined that no significant environmental 
impacts will result from construction, operation and maintenance of 
Calpine Corporation's Southpoint Power Plant, the two natural gas 
pipelines, or the approximately 7 miles of high voltage transmission 
lines, or from the upgrade of the Parker-Davis No. 1 230-kilovolt (kV) 
transmission line. Therefore, Western has decided to provide an 
interconnection with the plant and Western's transmission system in 
west central Arizona. However, Calpine has yet to obtain a permit from 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the construction of the two 
natural gas pipelines. Western will reconsider this decision if Calpine 
fails to obtain the permit from the BLM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Holt, Environment Manager, 
Desert Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005, telephone (602) 352-
2592, email [email protected]. Copies of the Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs ROD are available from Ms. Amy 
Heuslein,

[[Page 15745]]

Area Environmental Protection Officer, Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. 
Box 10, Phoenix, AZ 85001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western based its decision on the 
information contained in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Southpoint 
Power Plant Project EIS (BIA EIS 98-25; Final dated November 1998), the 
BLM's Topock Substation Environmental Assessment (EA) 1997 and South 
Point Natural Gas Pipeline draft EA. The Phoenix Area Office of the BIA 
prepared the Southpoint Power Plant Project EIS in considering the 
approval of a lease between Calpine and the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe 
(Tribe) for the project site. Western was designated a cooperating 
agency for the Southpoint Power Plant Project EIS by the BIA on 
November 24, 1998. After an independent review of the Final EIS, 
Western concluded that its comments and suggestions have been satisfied 
and adopted the BIA EIS for its participation in the Southpoint Power 
Plant Project. However, following the preparation of the Final EIS and 
based on system studies conducted for the proposed interconnection, 
Western identified a need to upgrade its existing Parker-Davis No. 1 
230-kV transmission line between the Topock Substation and the Parker 
Substation. To determine whether a Supplemental EIS was required for 
the proposed upgrade, Western prepared a Supplement Analysis (DOE/EIS-
0308-SA-1) pursuant to 10 CFR part 1021. Based on the Supplement 
Analysis, Western determined that no further NEPA documentation is 
required for the proposed upgrade. Therefore, Western has decided to 
provide an interconnection for the power plant with Western's Parker-
Davis transmission system in west-central Arizona and enter into 
construction agreements with Calpine Corporation for new transmission 
lines described in the EIS.
    The Southpoint Power Plant Project EIS addresses the effects of 
constructing and operating a 540-megawatt, natural gas-fired, combined 
cycle, electrical generation station on the Fort Mojave Indian 
Reservation in Mojave County, Arizona. Calpine proposes to lease the 
site from the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe (Tribe) to build the project. 
The project will include the construction of a natural gas transmission 
system for supplying fuel to the plant site, a water transmission 
system for cooling and on-site use, and an electric transmission system 
for delivering the power. The BIA ROD (March 1999) for the Southpoint 
Power Plant Project indicated that the environmentally preferred 
alternative was selected, and concluded that no significant, 
unmitigated impacts will occur.
    The gas transmission system will include two pipelines, one 
connected to an El Paso Natural Gas pipeline and one to a Transwestern 
Gas Company pipeline. The second pipeline will ensure reliability. The 
BLM, Lake Havasu Field Office, is the lead Federal agency for the gas 
pipeline. A draft EA has been prepared for the grant of right-of-way 
for the gas pipeline. A review of the draft EA has shown that the 
pipeline will have no significant impacts. BLM's visual resource 
management requirements will be met, and impacts to soils and geology 
will be moderate due to the erosion potential. There will be no long-
term impacts to air quality. Biological resources are rare to 
nonexistent in the project area, and the pipeline will not affect 
significant cultural properties. The project will impact floodplains 
but impacts will be minor. Only one Federally protected species, the 
southwestern willow flycatcher, has been documented in the area; 
however, there is no habitat for that species in the vicinity of the 
pipeline route.
    The water transmission system will consist of a pipeline, which 
will carry water from the Tribe's existing pumping platform on the 
Colorado River to the power plant site. The system will be part of the 
Tribe's central irrigation pumping complex. A backup system consisting 
of two wells on site will be used only if river water becomes 
temporarily unavailable. Process wastewater will be handled separately 
from domestic wastewater. Domestic wastewater will be collected and 
trucked to the Tribe's wastewater treatment plant. Process wastewater, 
the waste stream created by operation of the power plant, will be 
discharged into a 30-acre evaporation pond located on the bluffs above 
the proposed plant.
    The electric transmission system includes the Topock Substation, 
which is being built by the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative. The 
Topock facility includes the substation, two 69-kV transmission lines 
for local service, and two 230-kV transmission lines to tie into 
Western's Parker-Davis No. 1 and No. 2, 230-kV Transmission Lines. The 
Kingman Field Office of the BLM was the lead Federal agency for the EA. 
The BLM issued a finding of no significant impact for the substation 
project in 1997. Western will construct two 230-kV transmission lines 
to bring power from the Southpoint Power Plant to the Topock 
Substation.
    Western will also be required to upgrade the existing Parker-Davis 
No. 1 Transmission Line in order to carry the additional load from the 
Southpoint Power Plant. The upgrade will require the replacement of the 
existing conductor and the addition of up to 15 new structures for that 
portion of the line from the Topock Substation to the Parker Dam 
Substation. These structures will add support to the line where 
additional ground clearance is required. The design of the new lines 
and the upgraded facilities is such that electrocutions of birds of 
prey will be minimized.

Description of Alternatives

    The BIA evaluated three alternative power plant sites. The 
environmentally preferred location was selected. The No Action 
Alternative for the power plant was evaluated and found that it will 
not meet the needs of the Tribe. The natural gas pipeline draft EA 
evaluated two different routing locations and identified the 
environmentally preferred route. The gas pipeline No Action Alternative 
will not meet the need of providing natural gas to fuel the power 
plant. The Topock Substation EA, which is incorporated into the 
Southpoint Power Plant Project EIS by reference, evaluated two 
alternative substation locations, two system configurations, three 
routing alternatives, and two access alternatives. In each case, 
Western selected the environmentally preferred alternative. The No 
Action Alternative was not selected because it will not meet the needs 
defined in the Southpoint Power Plant Project EIS and the Supplement 
Analysis. Nor will the No Action Alternative allow Western to meet its 
obligations defined by its own Open Access Transmission Tariff which 
was implemented to meet the intent of the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) order to open transmission line access (FERC Order 
Nos. 888 and 888-A).

Mitigation Measures

    The BIA identified mitigation measures needed to reduce the impacts 
of Southpoint Power Plant to less than significant levels. The specific 
measures are discussed in the EIS on pages 229 to 231. In addition, 
mitigative measures associated with the Topock Substation EA are 
discussed on pages 3-3; 3-10; 3-14; 3-18; and Appendix A. Mitigative 
measures are suggested in the draft EA for the natural gas pipeline in 
Appendix A. Each agency will be required to monitor the project for 
compliance with its own mitigation measures. Table 3.1-4 of Western's 
Supplement Analysis lists the standard mitigative measures that are 
part of every Western

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construction contract that will apply to this project. Some of the 
measures include restricting vehicular traffic to existing access roads 
or public roads, re-contouring and reseeding disturbed areas, 
environmental awareness training for all construction and supervisory 
personnel, and mitigation of radio and television interference 
generated by transmission lines. Mitigation for the desert tortoise is 
in Table 3.1-5 of the Supplement Analysis.
    Specific mitigation that applies to the construction of the new 
lines and the upgrading of the existing lines is identified in the 
Supplement Analysis. These measures include the following provisions:
    1. A desert tortoise mitigation plan which will include 
compensation for unmitigated impacts;
    2. Restriction of construction and routine maintenance activities 
along the transmission lines in bighorn sheep lambing areas between 
January 1 and June 30;
    3. When existing conductors are replaced, non-specular conductors 
will be used; and
    4. High-pressure sodium lights will be turned on only when 
maintenance personnel are present.

Floodplain/Wetlands Statement of Findings

    Construction of the Southpoint Power Plant will result in 
substantial alteration to the natural drainage patterns onsite. 
However, no significant impacts to off-site drainage patterns or 
stormwater volumes will result from the construction of the plant or 
the associated facilities. The existing volume of stormwater flows, 
prior to construction of the plant, will be retained on site in 
constructed basins to minimize sheet flows.
    Only minor impacts from constructing the gas pipeline are 
anticipated to the floodplain of the unnamed wash in the southwest 
corner of Section 9, Township 17 North, Range 21 West. The ground 
surface will remain relatively unchanged from pre-development 
conditions.
    The electric transmission system avoids floodplains to the extent 
practical. The Topock Substation and associated lines are not located 
in designated floodplains. The existing Parker-Davis No. 1 230-kV 
transmission line crosses some ephemeral washes, but few transmission 
structures were placed in the floodplains.
    No wetlands or waters of the United States will be affected by the 
proposed action. The proposed facilities will conform to all Tribal, 
State, and local floodplain protection standards.

    Dated: March 19, 1999.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-8057 Filed 3-31-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P