[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26961-26963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7036]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Construction and Operation of the Sacramento Area Voltage Support 
Project, Sacramento, Sutter, and Placer Counties, CA

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS), and conduct scoping meetings; Notice of Floodplain 
and Wetlands Involvement.

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SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), Department of 
Energy (DOE), intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS) to construct and operate a transmission line for the 
Sacramento Area Voltage Support (SVS) Project (Project) in California. 
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the City of 
Roseville (Roseville) will participate in a joint SEIS and 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to address the proposed construction 
and operation of about 38 miles of 230-kilovolt (kV), new double-
circuit transmission line in the Sacramento, California, area.
    Western prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
the SVS in November 2002 and a final EIS in September 2003. A Record of 
Decision (ROD) was signed on January 12, 2004. In the ROD, Western made 
commitments to conduct air, biological, and cultural surveys after 
funding was secured. SMUD and Roseville have since committed to share 
in conducting more detailed Project studies and are negotiating funding 
a voltage support project. Additional alternatives will be analyzed in 
this SVS SEIS and EIR.

DATES: Open-house public scoping meetings will be held June 5 and 7, 
2006, from 4 to 7 p.m. Western invites interested agencies, tribes, 
organizations, and members of the public to submit comments or 
suggestions to assist in identifying environmental issues and in 
determining the appropriate scope of the SEIS and EIR. The public 
scoping period starts with the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register and will continue until June 16, 2006. To be assured 
consideration, all comments or suggestions regarding the appropriate 
scope must be received by the end of the scoping period.

ADDRESSES: Open-house public scoping meetings will be held June 5, 2006 
(4 to 7 p.m.), at the South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Road, 
Sacramento, California, and June 7, 2006 (4 to 7 p.m.), at the Pleasant 
Grove School, 3075 Howsley Road, Pleasant Grove, California. Written 
comments regarding the scoping process should be addressed to Ms. 
Loreen McMahon, Project Manager, Western Area Power Administration, 114 
Parkshore Drive, Folsom, CA 95630-4710; toll-free telephone (866) 859-
5126; fax (916) 985-1935, or e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Loreen McMahon, Project Manager, 
Western Area Power Administration, telephone (866) 859-5126; fax (916) 
985-1935, or e-mail [email protected]. For general information on DOE's 
NEPA review procedures or status of a NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M. 
Borgstrom, Director of NEPA Policy and Compliance, EH-42, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585, telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western is a power marketing agency of DOE 
that markets Federal electric power to statutorily defined customers, 
including project use, municipalities, irrigation districts, and Native 
American tribes. Western prepared a Draft EIS on the SVS in November 
2002 and a final EIS in September 2003. The ROD was signed on January 
12, 2004, for the proposed project (69 FR 1721). The EIS and ROD are 
available upon request by contacting Ms. McMahon as described above. 
The ROD can also be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.wapa.gov/fedreg/fedreg04.htm.
    The previous EIS analyzed environmental impacts of alternatives to

[[Page 26962]]

improve electric system reliability and provide voltage support for the 
Sacramento area. The ROD was based upon the analysis in the previous 
SVS EIS. It stated, `` * * * should the SVS project proceed, it should 
follow the configuration of the preferred alternative described in the 
SVS Final EIS.'' This alternative is identified as Proposed Action 
Option B and would consist of (1) reconductoring the double-circuit, 
230-kV transmission line from Elverta Substation to Tracy Substation, 
(2) constructing a new double-circuit, 230-kV transmission line from 
O'Banion Substation to Elverta Substation, and (3) realigning the 
transmission line near Pleasant Grove Cemetery between O'Banion and 
Elverta Substations and Option B of the Cottonwood-Roseville single-
circuit, 230-kV transmission line. In the ROD, Western committed to 
completing more detailed analyses on air, biological, and cultural 
resources and consultations for Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act 
and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
    Since the ROD was issued, SMUD and Roseville have provided funding 
for environmental studies. Western, SMUD, and Roseville identified 
additional routing alternatives from O'Banion Substation to Elverta 
and/or Natomas Substations. The National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) applies to Western, a Federal agency. The California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements apply to both SMUD and 
Roseville. A joint NEPA/CEQA document will be developed, with SMUD as 
the CEQA lead agency. The SEIS and EIR will analyze the environmental 
impacts from the construction and operation of a proposed new 
transmission line between O'Banion Substation and Elverta and/or 
Natomas Substations for the SVS Project near Sacramento, California. 
While some of the routing alternatives were already analyzed in the 
original EIS, Western plans to include them in the SEIS and EIR.
    The SEIS and EIR will address the environmental impacts of the 
construction and operation of about 38 miles of new double-circuit, 
230-kV transmission line within portions of Sacramento, Sutter, and 
Placer Counties. The SVS SEIS and EIR will evaluate alternative 
transmission line routes between O'Banion Substation and Elverta and/or 
Natomas Substations, based on scoping results. Western's SEIS process 
will comply with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended), Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 Code of 
Federal Regulations [CFR] parts 1500-1508) and DOE NEPA implementing 
procedures (10 CFR part 1021). SMUD and Roseville's EIR process will 
comply with Sec.  21000 to Sec.  21006 of the California Public 
Resources Code, as amended. Because the proposed Project may involve 
action in floodplains, the SEIS will include a floodplain assessment 
and floodplain statement of findings following DOE regulations for 
compliance with floodplain and wetlands environmental review (10 CFR 
part 1022).

Description

    The proposed Project would include (1) building a new transmission 
line from O'Banion Substation to an area near Cross Canal, (2) building 
from Cross Canal to the Elverta Substation area, and (3) rebuilding an 
existing transmission line from the Elverta Substation area to Natomas 
Substation. Three possible routes have been identified for the second 
segment. Western will use the scoping process to further explore and 
refine alternatives. Additional details follow:

Segment 1--O'Banion Substation to Cross Canal

    Segment 1 was analyzed and selected as part of the Preferred 
Alternative in the previous EIS and ROD. Segment 1 would consist of 
constructing about 17 miles of new 230-kV, double-circuit transmission 
line adjacent to an existing transmission Right-of-Way (ROW) from 
O'Banion Substation to an area near Cross Canal. It would parallel the 
Sutter Bypass and cross the Feather River. Segment 1 would require 
about 82 new structures and 9 pulling sites resulting in about 28 acres 
of short-term disturbance and 8 acres of long-term disturbance.

Segment 2A--Cross Canal to Elverta Substation, Western Alignment

    Segment 2A would consist of constructing up to about 13 miles of 
new 230-kV, double-circuit transmission line within a new ROW. This 
alignment would begin at the termination of Segment 1 and proceed along 
Cross Canal to Highway 99, then south along Highway 99. At some point 
between Riego Road and Elkhorn Boulevard the route would go east to a 
point near East Levee Road then extending south to intercept SMUD's 
existing Elverta-Natomas Transmission Line south of Elverta Substation. 
Segment 2A would require about 61 new structures, 7 pulling sites, and 
9 miles of access road resulting in about 38 acres of short-term 
disturbance and 23 acres of long-term disturbance.

Segment 2B--Cross Canal to Elverta Substation, Abandoned Railroad ROW 
Alignment

    Segment 2B would consist of constructing about 10 miles of new 230-
kV, double-circuit transmission line along the alignment of an 
abandoned railroad ROW from the termination of Segment 1 and proceed 
southeast to an area north of Rio Linda Boulevard. From there, it would 
continue southwest along the existing ROW and tie into SMUD's existing 
Elverta-Natomas Transmission Line south of Elverta Substation. Small 
areas near Rio Linda Boulevard and Elverta Road also would require new 
transmission line easements. Segment 2B would require about 45 new 
structures, 5 pulling sites, and 10 miles of access roads resulting in 
about 35 acres of short-term disturbance and 22 acres of long-term 
disturbance.

Segment 2C--Cross Canal to Elverta Substation, Eastern Alignment

    Segment 2C was analyzed and selected as part of the Preferred 
Alternative in the previous EIS and ROD. In the previous EIS, this 
alignment was identified as Option B and was comprised of line segments 
A/ A1, B, F, G, H, I, and J. The first element of this alignment would 
reroute the existing Cottonwood-Roseville 230-kV Transmission Line to 
the east. This reroute would originate at Tower 143/3 and proceed east 
with construction of new 230-kV transmission line about 4 miles and 
then south for about 2 miles to rejoin the existing Cottonwood-
Roseville Transmission Line between Towers 152/2 and 152/3.
    The second element would consist of constructing about 9 miles of 
new 230-kV, double-circuit transmission line adjacent to an existing 
transmission ROW from the termination of Segment 1 near Cross Canal, 
south to approximately Locust Road. It would then continue south, using 
the vacated Cottonwood-Roseville easement/ROW (from element 1 above) 
and the other existing ROW to tie into SMUD's existing Elverta-Natomas 
Transmission Line south of Elverta Substation. Small areas around 
Elverta Road would require new transmission line easements. Both 
elements of Segment 2C would include constructing about 15 miles of new 
transmission line and abandoning 6 miles of existing transmission line. 
This would require building about 74 new structures, 8 pulling sites, 
and 7 miles of access road resulting in about 37 acres of short-term 
disturbance and 19 acres of long-term disturbance.

[[Page 26963]]

Segment 3--Elverta Substation to Natomas Substation

    Segment 3 would consist of rebuilding about 5 miles of an existing 
115/230-kV, double-circuit transmission line within an existing ROW 
between Elverta and Natomas Substations. This would require about 23 
new structures and 3 pulling sites resulting in about 7 acres of short-
term disturbance and about 3 acres of long-term disturbance.

No Action

    The No Action alternative was analyzed in the previous EIS and is 
comprised of continued operation and maintenance of existing 
facilities. If Western determines a need for additional analysis, it 
will be included in the SEIS.

Agency Responsibilities

    Western has determined that an SEIS is required under DOE NEPA 
Implementing Procedures, 10 CFR 1021.314(a), regarding supplemental 
EISs. Western will be the lead Federal agency for preparing the SEIS, 
as defined in 40 CFR 1501.5. In addition, SMUD and Roseville have been 
designated cooperating agencies. Western will invite other Federal, 
state, local, and tribal agencies with jurisdiction by law or special 
expertise, with respect to environmental issues, to be cooperating 
agencies on the SEIS, as defined in 40 CFR 1501.6. Such agencies also 
may make a request to Western to be a cooperating agency. Designated 
cooperating agencies have certain responsibilities to support the NEPA 
process, as specified in 40 CFR 1501.6(b). As a Federal agency, CEQA 
does not apply to Western. SMUD is the lead state agency in the CEQA 
EIR process.

Environmental Issues

    This notice is to inform agencies and the public of the proposed 
Project and solicit comments and suggestions for consideration in 
preparing the SEIS and EIR. To help the public frame its comments, this 
notice contains a list of potential environmental issues Western has 
tentatively identified for analysis. These issues include:
    1. Impacts on protected, threatened, endangered, or sensitive 
species of animals or plants or their critical habitats;
    2. Impacts on other biological resources;
    3. Impacts on land use, recreation, and transportation;
    4. Impacts on floodplains and wetlands;
    5. Impacts on cultural or historic resources and tribal values;
    6. Impacts on human health and safety;
    7. Impacts on air, soil, and water resources (including air 
quality, surface water impacts, and ground water impacts);
    8. Visual impacts; and
    9. Socioeconomic impacts and disproportionately high and adverse 
impacts to minority and low-income populations.
    This list is not intended to be all-inclusive or to imply any 
predetermination of impacts. Western invites interested parties to 
suggest specific issues within these general categories, or other 
issues not included above, to be considered in the SEIS.

Public Participation

    Opportunities for public participation are planned for the entire 
SEIS process. Western anticipates the SEIS process will take about 15 
months and will include open-house public scoping meetings; 
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, state, local, 
and tribal governmental agencies; public review and hearings on the 
published Draft SEIS and EIR; a review and comment period; a published 
Final SEIS and EIR; and publication of a ROD. Additional informal 
public meetings may be held in the proposed Project area if public 
interest and issues indicate a need. Western also will mail newsletters 
to the proposed Project mailing list to communicate Project status and 
developments.
    Western will hold a scoping period of at least 30 days to ensure 
that interested members of the public, representatives of groups, and 
Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies have an opportunity to 
provide input on the scope of alternatives and issues that will be 
addressed in the SEIS and EIR. As part of the scoping period, Western 
will hold public open-house scoping meetings in the Project area. 
Interested individuals and groups are invited to attend anytime between 
4 and 7 p.m., according to the dates and locations noted above. The 
open-house scoping meetings will be informal, with Western and Project 
representatives available for one-on-one discussions with attendees. 
Attendees will have the opportunity to view maps of the transmission 
line alternative routes, learn about the NEPA process, the proposed 
schedule, and additional information. Written comments regarding 
environmental issues, alternatives, and other scoping issues may be 
turned in at the scoping meetings or may be provided by fax, e-mail, 
U.S. Postal Service, or other carrier to Western. To be assured 
consideration, all written comments must be received before the close 
of the SVS SEIS and EIR scoping period.

    Dated: May 1, 2006.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6-7036 Filed 5-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P