[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68138-68139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25911]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Transmission Policy-Level Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of termination of intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: On December 22, 2003, BPA published in the Federal Register a 
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS (Volume 68, Number 245, Page 
71101-71102). The NOI announced BPA's intent to prepare an EIS in 
conjunction with its exploration of a broad range of potential 
transmission policies. At the time the NOI was issued, BPA decided it 
would reevaluate the need for this Transmission Policy-Level EIS at the 
conclusion of the public scoping process under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), based on public comments received and 
internal considerations. BPA has decided that it is not necessary to 
proceed with preparation of the Transmission Policy-Level EIS at this 
time, and therefore BPA is issuing this notice of termination of intent 
to prepare the Transmission Policy-Level EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Mayer or Rick Yarde, NEPA project 
managers, Bonneville Power Administration--KEC-4, PO Box 3621, 
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621; toll-free telephone number 1-800-282-3713; 
fax number 503-230-5699; e-mail addresses [email protected] or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA has been considering the voluntary 
adoption of a comprehensive policy for its transmission business. At 
the time the NOI was issued, the EIS thus was proposed as a policy-
level document to assist in decision-making for the planning, 
construction, operation, marketing, and other transmission-related 
efforts of BPA's Transmission Business Line. Also at that time, BPA 
decided it would reevaluate the need for this EIS at the conclusion of 
the public scoping process under NEPA, based on public comments 
received and internal considerations. Subsequent to publication of the 
NOI, BPA entered the formal scoping period, informing the public of the 
proposed Transmission Policy-Level EIS via newspaper notices, Internet 
postings, regular BPA publications, a focused mailing, and public 
meetings. The public meetings were held in Portland, Oregon; Seattle 
and Spokane, Washington; Boise, Idaho; and Helena, Montana, in January 
and February 2004. Once the meetings had concluded, BPA published the 
comments received, as well as a Public Meeting Scoping Summary, on the 
project Internet page on March 19, 2004. In addition to comments noted 
during the public meetings, BPA received approximately 44 written 
statements. BPA continued to accept comments on the proposed 
Transmission Policy-Level

[[Page 68139]]

EIS until March 31, 2004. Once scoping ended, BPA revised the Scoping 
Summary to reflect all comments received, and republished the summary 
on April 7, 2004.
    Based on the results of the public scoping conducted for the 
Transmission Policy-Level EIS and internal considerations such as the 
current and most recently projected activities of BPA's Transmission 
Business Line and budget issues, BPA has decided that continued 
consideration of a comprehensive policy for BPA's transmission business 
is not in the best interests of the agency at this time. As a result, 
it is no longer necessary to proceed with preparation of the 
Transmission Policy-Level EIS. Therefore, BPA is issuing this notice of 
termination of intent to prepare the Transmission Policy-Level EIS.
    Information gathered from the Transmission Policy-Level EIS public 
scoping process will be considered in a separate NEPA process being 
undertaken by BPA to review its Business Plan Environmental Impact 
Statement (DOE/EIS-0183, June 1995) which since its completion has 
acted as a comprehensive analysis of the agency's business practices.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on November 15, 2004.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-25911 Filed 11-22-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P