[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30223-30224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14078]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-670-5101-ER-B140/CACA-42662]


Proposed Plan Amendments and Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the North Baja Pipeline Project, 
California, in Accordance With 43 CFR 1610.5-5

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to consider proposed amendments to the 
California Desert Conservation Area Plan and the Yuma District Resource 
Management Plan in conjunction with the North Baja Pipeline project.

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SUMMARY: This notice supplements the notice published by the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the Federal Register in the 
issue of May 22, 2001 at page 28160 (66 FR 28160). That notice 
requested comments on environmental issues related to the Bureau of 
Land Management's (BLM) consideration of amendments to the Yuma 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) and the California Desert Conservation 
Area (CDCA) Plan. The proposed North Baja Pipeline project extends from 
Ehrenberg, Arizona through Riverside and Imperial Counties south to the 
Mexican border. All federal lands affected by the proposed plan 
amendments are located in eastern Imperial County, California. FERC and 
the California State Lands Commission are jointly preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement and an Environmental Impact Report (EIS/
EIR) that will analyze the environmental impacts of the proposed 
project. An amendment to the CDCA Plan is required because part of the 
proposed project is not within a CDCA designated Utility Corridor. An 
amendment to the Yuma RMP is required because the proposed project 
would cross portions of the Milpitas Wash Natural Area, and that plan 
does not allow for new utilities within this area. BLM will attempt to 
use the EIS/EIR to consider the plan amendments. If the Plan(s) are not 
amended, BLM may authorize installation of the project within existing 
corridors only, or BLM may deny the project if the existing corridor 
option does not prove feasible. The currently identified environmental 
issues are listed in the notice previously published by FERC in the 
Federal Register in the issue dated December 18, 2000 at page 79097 (65 
FR 79097).

DATES: Submit comments, concerning the scope of the proposed 
amendments, on or before July 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed by Lynda Kastoll, 
Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office, 
1661 So. 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynda Kastoll at the above address or 
at (760) 337-4421.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: North Baja Pipeline Project's proposed 
action consists of the construction and operation of about 79.8 miles 
of pipeline, including 11.5 miles of 36-inch-diameter and 68.3 miles of 
30-inch-diameter pipe, extending from an interconnection with El Paso 
Natural Gas Company in La Paz County, Arizona, through Riverside and 
Imperial Counties, California, to an interconnection at the 
international border between the United States and Mexico. It includes 
the construction of a new compressor station (with associated metering 
facilities) in Ehrenberg, Arizona, a meter station near the Ogilby 
Road-Interstate 8 interchange in Imperial County, CA and a pig launcher 
and receiver facility near Rannel's Drain and 18th Avenue in Riverside 
County, California. A pig is an internal tool used to inspect the 
pipeline for potential leaks or damage.
    The nominal construction right-of-way (construction corridor) for 
the pipeline would be 80 feet wide, with 50 feed retained as permanent 
right-of-way. About 63 percent of the pipeline route would abut or 
overlap existing road or powerline rights-of-way.
    The first 11.5 miles of the project are in or adjacent to 
agricultural lands in the Blythe and Palo Verde Valley areas. The 
alignment then parallels an electric transmission line and Stallard 
Road on the Palo Verde Mesa from Mile Post (MP) 11.5 to MP 28. From MP 
28 to MP 39 it parallels Highway 78, then from MP 39 to MP 75 it 
parallels either an electric transmission line or public roadways for 
all but about 5.4 miles, across desert habitats. It crosses Interstate 
8 at MP 75, then parallels the edge of sand dunes to its crossing of 
the All American Canal at MP 79.5 and its termination in Mexico at MP 
79.6.
    The combined United States and Mexico pipeline system is initially 
designed to carry 500 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. As 
designed, the new pipeline system will serve existing

[[Page 30224]]

and planned power plants in Mexico and in the United States that in 
turn serve electric power demand in northern Baja California, Mexico 
and western United States' markets.
    The total project configuration, as proposed and including measures 
to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts on the environment, is being 
considered along with several alternatives, including building the 
pipeline entirely within existing corridors as designated in the 
California Desert Conservation Area Plan, and a ``No Action'' 
alternative.

    Dated: May 22, 2001.
MarLynn Spears,
Acting Chief, Branch of Lands (CA-931).
[FR Doc. 01-14078 Filed 6-4-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M