[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 100-101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-32124]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-660-1430-ER-CACA-43368]


Proposed Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 
Report (EIS/EIR) for the San Diego Gas And Electric Company Valley-
Rainbow 500 kV Interconnect Project, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the California Public 
Utilities Commission (CPUC).

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a joint EIS/EIR addressing the 
proposed Valley-Rainbow 500-kV Interconnect Project; an electrical 
transmission line project.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with regulations at 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 
1610.2, notice is hereby given that the BLM, together with the CPUC, 
propose to direct the preparation of a joint EIS/EIR for the 500 
kilovolt (kV) Valley-Rainbow Interconnect Project, proposed by the San 
Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E). The BLM is the lead Federal 
agency for the preparation of this EIS/EIR in compliance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulation for implementing NEPA 
(40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500-1508), and the Department of 
the Interior's manual guidance on NEPA; and the CPUC is the lead State 
of California agency for the preparation of this EIS/EIR in compliance 
with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act 
(CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et. seq.), and implementing 
guidelines (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 14, Section 
15000 et. seq.), and CPUC's Rules and Regulations to Implement CEQA. 
This notice initiates the public scoping for the EIS and also serves as 
an invitation for other cooperating agencies. Potential cooperating 
agencies include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of 
Defense, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the State Historic Preservation 
Officer, U.S. Corps of Engineers and the California Department of Fish 
and Game.

DATES: For scoping meeting and comments: One NEPA public scoping 
openhouse will be held during 2002 on the following date: January 8, 
2002, from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at the Comfort Inn, 27338 Jefferson 
Ave., Temecula, California.
    Written comments must be postmarked no later than 30 days from the 
date of this notice in order to be included in the draft EIR/EIS. 
Please submit any comments to the address listed below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Mr. James G. Kenna, 
Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast 
Field Office, 690 West Garnet Ave, P.O. Box 581260, North Palm Springs, 
California 92258-1260.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kalish, Bureau of Land 
Management, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 690 West Garnet Ave, 
P.O. Box 581260, North Palm Springs, California 92258-1260, (760) 251-
4849.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Valley-Rainbow 500 kV Interconnect 
Project is proposed by SDG&E to provide an interconnection between 
SDG&E's existing 230 kV transmission system at the proposed Rainbow 
Substation, on Rainbow Heights Road near the unincorporated community 
of Rainbow in San Diego County, and the Southern California Edison's 
(SCE) existing 500 kV transmission system at the Valley Substation on 
Menifee Road in the unincorporated community of Romoland in Riverside 
County. The project area is located entirely in California within 
northern San Diego County and western Riverside County.
    This project consists of the following new or expanded electric 
transmission and substation facilities. A single circuit 500 kV 
electric transmission line approximately 31 miles in length would 
connect a proposed new SDG&E 500 kV/230 kV bulk power transmission 
substation near the community of Rainbow, San Diego County to SCE's 
Valley substation near Romoland, Riverside County. The proposed 500 kV 
transmission line would be built on steel poles and lattice towers 
within a new right-of-way. To support this proposed 500 kV Interconnect 
system, a second 230 kV circuit would be added to the existing Talega 
to Escondido 230 kV transmission line on the U.S. Marine Corps Base, 
Camp Pendleton and private lands within San Diego County. This proposed 
second 230 kV circuit would be placed on existing steel supported 
structures. A 7.7 mile section of an existing 69kV transmission 
circuit, currently installed on one side of the Talega-Escondido 230 kV 
transmission line structures, would be rebuilt on new structures within 
the existing right-of-way between SDG&E's Pala and Lilac Substations, 
San Diego County. Voltage support upgrades to SDG&E's existing Mission, 
Miguel and Sycamore Canyon substations would also be needed.

[[Page 101]]

    The CPUC held public scoping meetings from July 10-12, 2001 in the 
communities of Temecula, Winchester and Pauma Valley and accepted 
comments from June 30 through August 7, 2001. The BLM actively 
participated in this State scoping process as the lead Federal agency. 
The State scoping process resulted in substantial comment that is 
broadly summarized as involving environmental issues and concerns, 
growth inducement, purpose and need for the project and alternatives. 
Possible impacts to quality of life, property values, visual and 
aesthetic qualities of the area, wine making and other agricultural 
operations, placement of schools and parks, community and residential 
development, recreation including hot air ballooning and human health 
were addressed by the public. In addition to these concerns, the BLM 
has identified issues related to wildlife, including threatened and 
endangered species, cultural resources, and Native American concerns.
    Interested members of the public are now invited to participate in 
a NEPA scoping process, and are requested to help identify new issues 
or concerns and alternatives to be considered related to this proposed 
Project. Comments previously submitted during the CPUC scoping process 
are part of the official record and need not be resubmitted during this 
NEPA process. Written comments must be submitted no later than 30-days 
from the date of this notice to ensure that your comments are included 
in the draft EIS/EIR. When available, the public will be provided a 60-
day public review period on the EIS/EIR. These documents will be made 
available on the Internet at BLM's Web site: www.ca.blm.gov and the 
CPUC Web site: www.cpuc.ca.gov/divisions/energy/Environmental/info/DUDEK/valleyrainbow.htm and at local public libraries in the California 
communities of Chula Vista, Escondido, Fallbrook, San Clemente, Sun 
City and Temecula. Contact the BLM if you would like to be included in 
the mailing list to receive copies of all public notices relevant to 
this project. Local notice will be provided a minimum of 15 days prior 
to the scoping open house date.

    Dated: November 30, 2001.
James G. Kenna,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 01-32124 Filed 12-31-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P