[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 83 (Friday, April 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24977-24978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10679]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-610-5101-ER-G032; CACA-40467]


Proposed Right-of-Way for an AT&T Corp. Buried Fiber Optic 
Telecommunications System and Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, California Desert District, DOI.

ACTION:  Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment and an 
Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management 
(``BLM'') will prepare an Environmental Assessment for a right-of-way 
proposed by AT&T Corp. for a buried fiber optic telecommunications line 
and associated facilities. This system, running from Lamesa, Texas to 
Los Angeles, California, is called the AT&T-NexGen Project 
(``Project''). The proposed action, which crosses federal lands in the 
States of California, Arizona and New Mexico, will also include a 
proposed plan amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area 
(CDCA) Plan, since it specifically involves rights-of-way outside of 
designated utility corridors

[[Page 24978]]

on federal lands in Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego Counties, 
California.
    The proposed Project would consist of five links: (1) Lamesa to El 
Paso, Texas; (2) El Paso, Texas to Tuscon, Arizona; (3) Tucson to 
Phoenix, Arizona; (4) Phoenix, Arizona to San Diego, California; and 
(5) San Diego to Los Angeles, California. The purpose being to 
construct, operate and maintain a buried fiber optic telecommunications 
system, including signal regeneration or optical amplification stations 
located every 40-50 miles, between Texas and California.
    The project configuration, as proposed and including measures to 
avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts on the environment, is being 
considered along with a ``No Project'' alternative. The BLM has been 
asked to issue rights-of-way for portions of this fiber optic system 
that cross federal lands.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The California portion of this Project 
begins at the Point of Presence (POP) in Blythe, California, and would 
travel in a southwesterly direction along Highway 78 and Old Highway 80 
through the following city jurisdictions: Blythe, Brawley, El Centro, 
El Cajon, La Mesa, and San Diego. From San Diego north to Los Angeles 
the route would primarily parallel the coast. In addition, the route 
would pass through large portions of unincorporated areas in Riverside, 
Imperial and San Diego Counties, and would also cross Cleveland 
National Forest, public lands administered by the BLM, as well as the 
La Posta and Campo Indian Reservations. It would require an urban build 
through San Diego and Los Angeles, terminating at the POP in Los 
Angeles, California.
    The fiber optic telecommunications system project entails the 
design and construction of a six-duct conduit system and ancillary 
facilities to accommodate digital broadband Internet Protocol. 
Ancillary facilities would include: regeneration stations and Optical 
Amplification (Op Amp) Stations spaced an average of 50 miles; buried 
splice boxes placed at 2,500-foot intervals; and market poles placed 
500 feet apart. The Project, as proposed, should contribute small to no 
additional impacts to the environment and would operate entirely within 
previously disturbed and routinely maintained road rights-of-way. The 
proposed alignment is shorter and thus could present fewer impacts on 
the environment than construction entirely within a utility corridor.

DATES: Written comments are requested on this notice concerning the 
scope of analysis of the Environmental Assessment. Comments must be 
received on or before May 30, 2000. It is important that those 
interested in the management of the BLM properties within the Project 
area provide input at this time. A Notice of Availability will be 
published when the Environmental Assessment is complete.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments concerning the scope of the analysis 
for the Proposed AT&T Corp. Buried Fiber Optic Telecommunications 
System and Plan Amendment in writing to Mr. Stephen Johnson, Bureau of 
Land Management, California Desert District, 6221 Box Springs 
Boulevard, Riverside, California, 92507.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Mr. Stephen Johnson at the 
above address or at (909) 697-5233.

    Dated: April 24, 2000.
Douglas A. Romoli,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-10679 Filed 4-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M