[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 198 (Thursday, October 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 60612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26097]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Southwestern Region, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas and 
Oklahoma; Proposed 115KV Transmission Line Project on the Tres Piedras 
Ranger District, Carson National Forest, Taos County, NM

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Based on a request made by the Kit Carson Electric 
Cooperative, the Carson National Forest is preparing an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of a proposal to 
authorize Kit Carson Cooperative to construct, operate and maintain a 
new 115 KV electric transmission line and fiber optic system on 
National Forest Lands from the existing Ojo to Taos 115 KV line to Ojo 
Caliente, New Mexico. The proposal also includes construction, 
operation and maintenance of a substation in Ojo Caliente.
    The proposal has several parts, most of which pertain directly to 
National Forest lands and for which the USDA Forest Service will make 
the decision. Other portions pertain to Bureau of Land Management 
administered lands including the proposed substation location, for 
which the responsible line officer in the Bureau of Land Management 
will be the deciding official. If any alternative should be selected 
that might include private holdings, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative 
will negotiate for approval. The purpose of the project is to improve 
existing service by reducing voltage fluctuations and the number of 
outages. It is also to provide fiber optic capabilities to a number of 
small communities in the area.

DATES: The proposed action is currently available for review and 
comment. It is estimated that the draft environmental impact statement 
(DEIS) will be completed and distributed for comments by the end of 
January, 2000. A 45 day comment period will follow. The final 
environmental impact statement and a record of decision is estimated to 
be released by the end of July 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed action and DEIS will be available 
upon request from the Carson Forest Supervisor's Office, 208 Cruz Alta 
Road, Taos, NM 87571, Attn: Power Line Analysis Team. Comments related 
to the DEIS can be sent to the same address.
    Responsible Official: The Forest Supervisor, Carson National 
Forest, is the responsible official and will decide whether or not the 
project will be implemented on Forest Service lands. If so, the Forest 
Supervisor will decide where, how and when they will be implemented.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Power Line Team Leader, Carson Forest 
Supervisor's Office, (505) 758-6200.

40 CFR 1501.7

    Dated: September 27, 2000.
Gilbert Vigil,
Forest Supervisor, Carson National Forest.
[FR Doc. 00-26097 Filed 10-11-00; 8:45 am]
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