[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58681-58682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20426]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-020-5101-ER-J217]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To 
Analyze PacifiCorp's Mona to Oquirrh Double-Circuit 500/345 Kilovolt 
(kV) Transmission Line, UT-82829, and Amend the Pony Express Resource 
Management Plan for the Salt Lake Field Office, Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) subparts 1500-
1508, and 43 CFR subpart 2800 (Right-of-Way), notice is hereby given 
that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Salt Lake Field Office (SLFO) 
and Fillmore Field Office (FFO) will be preparing an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to amend the Pony Express Resource Management 
Plan to consider a right-of-way application for the Mona to Oquirrh 
Double-Circuit 500/345 Kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line, located on 
public lands in Juab, Tooele, Utah and Salt Lake Counties, Utah. This 
notice initiates the public scoping period and announces public scoping 
meetings.

DATES: The public will be notified of scoping meetings through the 
local news media at least 15 days prior to the first meeting. It is 
anticipated at least five scoping meetings (Copperton, Tooele, Cedar 
Fort, Eureka and Nephi, Utah) will be held during this scoping period. 
The BLM will announce public scoping meetings to identify relevant 
issues through local newspapers, newsletters, and the PacifiCorp Web 
site: http://www.pacificorp.com. The project status, including meeting 
dates/times, will also be available on the BLM's Electronic 
Notification Bulletin Board (https://www.ut.blm.gov/enbb/index.php).

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be post-
marked or hand delivered to the BLM Salt Lake Field Office or Fillmore 
Field Office by 4:30 p.m., no later than 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register to ensure full 
consideration. Written scoping comments should be sent to BLM, Salt 
Lake Field Office, 2370 South 2300 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119, 
ATTN: Mike Nelson; or Fillmore Field Office, 35 East 500 North, 
Fillmore, Utah 84631, ATTN: Clara Stevens. Comments may also be 
submitted in writing to the BLM at one of the scoping meetings or via 
e-mail at: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information contact 
Mike Nelson (Project Lead) Realty Specialist at the BLM Salt Lake Field 
Office, at (801) 977-4300; or Clara Stevens, Realty Specialist at the 
BLM Fillmore Field Office, at (435) 743-3100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PacifiCorp proposes to establish a new 
double-circuit 500/345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the Mona 
Substation near Mona in Juab County, Utah to new expanded facilities at 
the existing Oquirrh Substation located in West Jordan and the Terminal 
Substation located in Salt Lake City, in Salt Lake County, Utah.
    As part of long-range planning, this project will also include the 
identification of a right-of-way for a double-circuit 500/345kV line 
and the siting of two 500/345kV substations. Corridors, large enough to 
allow for a 1-mile separation between the proposed double-circuit 500/
345kV line and the future double-circuit 500/345kV line would be 
considered.
    The estimated lengths of the proposed transmission line route and 
future line would be determined through the environmental studies but 
could range from 60 to120 miles. A right-of-way of up to 250 feet in 
width and a right-of-way grant for 50 years would be required to 
construct, operate, and maintain the transmission line and structures. 
Specific acreages of access roads and temporary work areas would be 
determined through the environmental studies. The proposed project 
would take approximately eighteen months to construct, with an in-
service date of June 2012. Once constructed, the project would be in 
operation year round transporting electrical power to the Wasatch 
Front.
    The preliminary plan of development will be presented to the public 
during scoping meetings and newsletters mailed to interested parties. 
It will be available for public review at BLM's Salt Lake and Fillmore 
Field Offices and the EPG Web site. The BLM invites public comment on 
the scope of the analysis, including issues to consider and 
alternatives to the proposed action. The purpose of the public scoping 
process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope 
of the environmental analysis and EIS alternatives--in addition to the 
proposed action, the BLM will explore and evaluate all reasonable 
alternatives, including the no action alternative, pursuant to Council 
on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations 1502.14(a) and 1502.14(d). 
The issues and alternatives will also guide the plan amendment process.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the EIS, in 
order to consider a variety of resource issues and concerns identified. 
The amendment to the governing land use plan would be based upon the 
following planning criteria:
     The amendment will be completed in compliance with FLPMA, 
NEPA and all other relevant Federal Law, Executive Orders and 
management policies of the BLM;
     Where existing planning decisions are still valid, those 
decisions may remain unchanged and be incorporated into the new 
amendment; and
     The amendment will recognize valid existing rights.
    Potential significant direct, indirect, residual, and cumulative 
impacts from the proposed action and alternatives

[[Page 58682]]

will be analyzed. Important issues to be addressed in the EIS could 
include land uses, wildlife, transportation, visual resources and 
socioeconomics. Additional issues may be identified during the scoping 
process. BLM personnel will be present at the scoping meetings to 
explain the environmental review process, the right-of-way regulations, 
and other requirements for processing the proposed transmission line 
and the associated EIS. Representatives from PacifiCorp will also be 
available to describe their proposal.
    Comments and information submitted on the EIS, including names, e-
mail addresses, and street addresses of respondents, will be available 
for public review and disclosure at the above address. The BLM will not 
accept anonymous comments. Before including your address, phone number, 
e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so. Formal scoping comments must be submitted within 
30 days after the last public meeting. Comments received and a list of 
attendees for each scoping meeting will be made available for public 
inspection and open for 30 days following each meeting for any 
participant(s) who wish to clarify their views. Comments and documents 
pertinent to this proposal, including names and street addresses of 
respondents, may be examined at the Salt Lake or Fillmore Field Offices 
during regular business hours (7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through 
Friday, except holidays). Comments may be published as part of the EIS.
    Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as individuals or 
organizations that may be interested in or affected by the BLM's 
decision on this project are invited to participate in the scoping 
process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to 
participate as a cooperating agency.

    Dated: October 9, 2007.
Selma Sierra,
Utah State Director.
 [FR Doc. E7-20426 Filed 10-15-07; 8:45 am]
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