[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 67 (Monday, April 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18734-18737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6897]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA650-08-5101-ER-B294-P]


Angeles National Forest, CA; Ridgecrest Field Office, CA; Barren 
Ridge Renewable Transmission Project

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a joint Environmental Impact 
Statement/Report for the Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission Project.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (Forest Service), the 
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
and the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) will 
prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental 
Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Barren Ridge Renewable 
Transmission Project. This action is in response to LADWP's application 
to the Forest Service for a special use authorization and amendments to 
existing special use authorizations, and application to BLM for a 
right-of-way grant and amendments to existing right-of-way grants. It 
has been determined that this project is a major federal action which 
may have a significant impact upon the environment. Therefore, the 
appropriate environmental analysis document is an EIS/EIR. The EIS/EIR 
would describe and analyze potential environmental impacts from the 
proposed project/action and the range of reasonable alternatives. LADWP 
proposes the following: (1) Construction of a 230 kilovolt (kV) 
transmission line from the existing Barren Ridge Switching Station to 
Haskell Canyon on double circuit structures; (2) addition of a 230 kV 
circuit on existing double circuit structures from Haskell Canyon to 
the Castaic Power Plant; (3) upgrading of the existing Owens Gorge-
Rinaldi (OG-RIN) 230 kV Transmission Line with larger capacity 
conductors between the Barren Ridge Switching Station and Rinaldi 
Substation; (4) construction of a new electrical switching station 
within Haskell Canyon near the southern boundary of the Angeles 
National Forest.
    This notice initiates the public participation and scoping process 
for the EIS/EIR and also serves as an invitation for other interested 
agencies, individuals, organizations and Native American Tribes to 
provide comments on the scope and content of the EIS/EIR.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis are requested by 
May 7, 2008. Seven public scoping meetings are planned to provide 
information about the proposed project/action and to allow people to 
comment on the proposed project/action. The draft EIS/EIR is expected 
to be published in July 2009 and the final EIS/EIR is expected in 
January 2010.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of the draft or final EIS/EIR, and/or to 
send written comments, and/or to be added to the project mailing list, 
please write to the Forest Service/BLM/LADWP c/o POWER Engineers, Inc., 
731 E. Ball Rd., Suite 100, Anaheim, CA 92805.
    E-mail communications are also welcome; however, please remember to 
include your name and a return address in the email message. E-mail 
messages should be sent to [email protected]. Information about the 
applications and the environmental review process will be posted on the 
Internet at: http://ladwp.com/barrenridge. This site will be used to 
post all public documents during the environmental review process and 
to announce upcoming public meetings. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
dates and addresses of future public meetings.

[[Page 18735]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information related to 
the project please contact the lead agency project managers. For 
National Forest System lands, contact Marian Kadota, Planning Forester, 
Adaptive Management Services Enterprise Team Forest Service, 1072 
Casitas Pass Road 288, Carpinteria, CA 93013; phone and fax: 
(805) 220-6388 or e-mail to [email protected]. For public lands managed 
by the BLM, contact Linn Gum, Chief, Lands & Minerals, Ridgecrest Field 
Office, Bureau of Land Management, 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 
93555; fax: (760) 384-5499 or e-mail to [email protected]. For non-
federal lands, contact Chuck Holloway, LADWP, 111 North Hope Street, 
Room 1044, Los Angeles, CA 90012; fax: (213) 367-3582 or e-mail to 
[email protected]. Project information can also be requested 
by leaving a voice message to the Project Information Hotline at (877) 
440-3592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The primary purpose and need for the proposed project is to meet 
the State of California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals and 
reduce the environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gases (GHG) 
and emissions of other air pollutants. Current LADWP RPS goals call for 
20% renewable energy by 2010 and 35% by 2020. GHG goals are set for 
CO2 emission reductions of 35% below 1990 levels by 2030.
    In order to reach these goals, additional transmission capacity is 
necessary for the City of Los Angeles to reach and integrate the many 
proposed renewable energy projects located in the Mojave Desert and 
Owens Valley areas of Southern California. LADWP is developing two wind 
projects that would total 270 MW combined in the mountains northeast of 
Tehachapi. Furthermore, LADWP currently has several interconnection 
requests for approximately 1200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy 
within the same geographical area. These renewable projects are 
proposed to interconnect to, or deliver power through, the Barren Ridge 
Switching Station which is being constructed approximately 12 miles 
north of Mojave on the Owens Gorge-Rinaldi line (OG-RIN) to 
interconnect LADWP's Pine Tree Wind Development Project.
    The existing OG-RIN 230 kV transmission line, which has a 400 MW 
transfer capacity, currently is loaded with 160 MW of electrical load 
leaving only 240 MW of excess capacity. Maximizing the capacity of the 
existing OG-RIN corridor is the second need for the project to not only 
meet the current interconnection requests, but to utilize future 
renewable energy sources in this area which are projected by the 
California Energy Commission at over 4000 MW of wind and over 2000 MW 
of solar.
    The third purpose of the project is to increase system reliability 
and flexibility. A new switching station would help LADWP meet NERC and 
WECC reliability requirements while providing greater flexibility in 
the utilization of both the proposed wind and solar energy within their 
electrical system.
    Last, there is a need for LADWP to increase the efficient 
utilization of the Castaic Power Plant. The power plant is a pump-
storage generation facility that would be used to integrate the 
intermittent renewable energy (wind, solar). This will allow LADWP to 
utilize its power plants transmission network in a more efficient 
manner as well as reduce its power system losses.
    The Forest Service and BLM need is to respond to the applications 
from LADWP for a Special Use Authorization (50-year term), Right of Way 
Grant, and amendments to existing authorizations/grants.

Proposed Action

    LADWP is proposing the following components to meet the purpose and 
need of the project:
     Construct approximately 60 miles of a new 230 kV double 
circuit structure system from the Barren Ridge Switching Station to 
Haskell Canyon. This proposed line would cross approximately 13 miles 
of National Forest System lands and four miles of public lands managed 
by the BLM;
     Install approximately 12 miles of a 230 kV circuit onto 
existing double circuit transmission line structures from Haskell 
Canyon to the Castaic Power Plant. This proposed line would cross 
approximately four miles of National Forest System lands and less than 
one mile of public lands managed by the BLM;
     Reconductor the existing OG-RIN Transmission Line with 
larger capacity conductors from the Barren Ridge Switching Station to 
the Rinaldi Substation located in the San Fernando Valley. 
Approximately 13 miles of National Forest System lands and four miles 
of BLM lands would be affected by the reconductoring.
     Construct the new Haskell Switching Station on LADWP-owned 
property north of Santa Clarita and just south of the Angeles National 
Forest managed lands.

Possible Alternatives

    The Forest Service, BLM, and LADWP have identified preliminary 
alternatives to the proposed project/action:
     No-Action Alternative--the proposed project would not be 
constructed and no expansion or upgrade activities would occur.
     The following routing alternatives for construction of the 
proposed double circuit 230 kV transmission towers from Barren Ridge 
Switching Station to Haskell Canyon are being considered:
    [cir] From the Barren Ridge Substation through the Antelope Valley, 
one alternative route was identified along the LADWP aqueduct.
    [cir] From the Antelope Valley to the proposed Haskell Switching 
Station, three alternative routes were identified: (1) Corridor along 
LADWP aqueduct and generally following the Interstate 5 corridor 
parallel to several existing transmission lines south to the Castaic 
Power Plant, (2) corridor along SCE's Antelope-Pardee 500 kV 
Transmission Line through Bouquet Canyon, or (3) Minimal-National 
Forest System lands route through Mint Canyon parallel to several 
existing transmission lines.
     An alternative that would consider the authorized width on 
National Forest System lands less than the 200-foot corridor proposed.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service, BLM, and LADWP are joint lead agencies in 
accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5(b), and are responsible for the 
preparation of the EIS/EIR. The Forest Service and BLM will serve as 
co-lead agencies under NEPA for preparation of the EIS. The LADWP will 
serve as the lead agency under CEQA for preparation of the EIR. Scoping 
will determine if additional cooperating agencies are needed.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Service responsible official for the preparation of the 
EIS/EIR is Jody Noiron, Forest Supervisor, Angeles National Forest, 701 
N. Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006. The BLM responsible official 
for the preparation of the EIS/EIR is Hector Villalobos, Field Office 
Manager, Ridgecrest Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 300 S. 
Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor will decide whether or not to authorize a 50-
year term Special Use Authorization for an approximate 13-mile, 200-
foot-wide

[[Page 18736]]

right-of-way for construction, operation and maintenance of a 230 kV 
transmission line parallel to the existing OG-RIN transmission line 
route (or alternative route) constructed on new double circuit 
structures and amend two existing Special Use Authorizations for: (1) 
The conductoring of the empty position of one of the existing Castaic 
Power Plant 230 kV double-circuit transmission line towers from the 
Castaic Power Plant to Haskell Canyon (approximately 4 miles across 
National Forest System lands), and (2) the replacement of conductors on 
the OG-RIN 230 kV transmission line (approximately 13 miles across 
National Forest System lands). The authorizations could include 
ancillary improvements on National Forest System lands needed to 
maintain the transmission system (i.e. double circuit towers, roads, 
communication equipment). The Forest Supervisor will only make a 
decision regarding the proposed project on National Forest System 
lands.
    The BLM Ridgecrest Field Office Manager would have several 
authorizations to be made as part of the project. The BLM Field Office 
Manager would decide whether to authorize a Right-Of-Way Grant for an 
approximate 4-mile, 200-foot-wide right-of-way for construction, 
operation and maintenance of a 230 kV transmission line parallel to the 
existing OG-RIN transmission line route (or alternative route) 
constructed on new double circuit structures. Additional authorizations 
to be made by the Field Office Manager include revising existing Right-
Of-Way Grants for: (1) The conductoring of the empty position of one of 
the existing Castaic Power Plant 230 kV double-circuit transmission 
line towers from the Castaic Power Plant to Haskell Canyon (less than 1 
mile across public lands managed by BLM), and (2) the replacement of 
conductors on the OG-RIN 230 kV transmission line (approximately 4 
miles across public lands managed by BLM). The authorizations would 
include ancillary improvements on public lands needed to maintain the 
transmission system (i.e. double circuit towers, roads, communication 
equipment).

Scoping Process

    The lead agencies will be seeking information, issues, comments and 
assistance from Federal, State and local agencies, Native American 
tribes, and other individuals and organizations that may be interested 
in or affected by the proposed project. This input will be used in 
preparation of the Draft EIS/EIR.
    Seven scoping meetings are proposed to provide information about 
the proposed project to the public and to allow people to comment on 
the proposed project. The scoping meetings will be held on the 
following dates, times, and locations:
    1. April 22, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 
p.m., Santa Clarita Activity Center, 20880 Centre Point Parkway, Santa 
Clarita, CA.
    2. April 23, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 
p.m., Agua Dulce Women's Club, 33201 Agua Dulce Canyon, Agua Dulce, CA.
    3. April 24, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 
p.m., Castaic Middle School, 28900 Hillcrest Parkway, Castaic, CA.
    4. April 28, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 
p.m., Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union School, 16633 Elizabeth Lake Road, 
Lake Hughes, CA.
    5. April 29, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 
p.m., Frazier Mountain High School, 700 Falcon Way, Lebec, CA.
    6. April 30, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 
p.m., Hillview School, 40525 Peonza Lane, Palmdale, CA.
    7. May 1, 2008, Open House 5:30-8:30 p.m., Presentation at 7 p.m., 
California City Middle School, 9736 Redwood Blvd., California City, CA 
93505.
    All public meetings will be announced at least 15 days prior to the 
event through the local newspapers, the FS Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/projects/ and the BLM Web site http://www.ca.blm.gov/ridgecrest. In addition to the ongoing public 
participation process, formal opportunities for public participation 
would be provided upon publication of the Draft EIS/EIR.

Preliminary Issues

    The environmental studies to be conducted as part of the EIS/EIR 
review process will identify potential impacts associated with the 
proposed project. However, based on previous projects of similar type, 
size, and scope, the following are preliminary issues that would likely 
be evaluated in the draft EIS/EIR: Visual resources; air quality; 
agriculture; biological resources; cultural and paleontological 
resources; hazards and hazardous materials; hydrology and water 
quality; land use, recreation, and planning; noise; and transportation. 
Other potential impacts to be evaluated include forest management 
related impacts and impacts to the management and use of public lands; 
and electric and magnetic fields and health effects.

Permits or Licenses Required

    A 50-year term Special Use Authorization by the Forest Supervisor 
of the Angeles National Forest and Right-Of-Way Grant from the BLM 
Ridgecrest Field Office Manager will authorize LADWP for the 
construction, maintenance, and use of the new 230 kV transmission line 
on double circuit towers. Existing Special Use Permits and Right-Of-Way 
Grants would be amended for authorization of the replacement, 
maintenance, and use of electrical conductors associated with the OG-
RIN 230 kV transmission line, and for the construction, maintenance and 
use of a second electrical circuit on existing double circuit 
structures from the Castaic Power Plant.
    Additional permits may be required by LADWP to construct the 
project. These could include: Section 404 Permit by the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Federal Aviation Administration Permit for Construction 
or Alteration, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General 
Construction Permit issued by California's Regional Water Quality 
Control Board, Streambed Alteration Agreement issued by the California 
Department of Fish and Game, Permit to Construct issued by the South 
Coast Air Quality Management District, Encroachment Permit issued by 
California Department of Transportation, and Encroachment Permits 
issued by Kern and Los Angeles Counties.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the EIS/EIR. The Lead Agencies are seeking public 
and agency comment on the proposed project/action to identify major 
issues to be analyzed in depth and assistance in identifying potential 
alternatives to be evaluated. Comments received on this notice, 
including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be 
considered as part of the public record on this proposed project/
action, and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted 
anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, those who submit 
anonymous comments will not have standing to appeal the subsequent 
decision under 36 CFR part 215. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 
1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission 
from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such 
confidentiality should be aware that, under the FOIA, confidentiality 
may be

[[Page 18737]]

granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to protect trade 
secrets. The Lead Agencies will inform the requester of the decision 
regarding the request for confidentiality. Where the request is denied, 
the agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the 
comments may be resubmitted, without names and addresses, within a 
specified number of days.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    A draft EIS/EIR will be prepared for comment. The comment period on 
the Draft EIS/EIR will be 45 days from the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal 
Register.
    The Lead Agencies believe, at this early stage, it is important to 
give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft EIS/EIR must structure their participation in the environmental 
review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to 
the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power 
Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections 
that could be raised at the draft EIS/EIR stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final EIS/EIR may be waived or dismissed 
by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F2.d 1016, 1022 (9th Circ. 
1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 
(E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important 
that those interested in this proposed action participate by the close 
of the 45 day comment period so that substantive comments and 
objections are made available to the Lead Agencies at a time when they 
can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final EIS/
EIR.
    To assist the Lead Agencies in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS/EIR 
should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer 
to specific pages or chapters of the draft EIS/EIR. Comments may also 
address the adequacy of the draft EIS/EIR or the merits of the 
alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may 
wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21; BLM Handbook H-1790-1, Section V.

    Dated: March 27, 2008.
Jody Noiron,
Angeles Forest Supervisor, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service.
    Dated: March 28, 2008.
Hector Villalobos,
Field Office Manager, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land 
Management.
 [FR Doc. E8-6897 Filed 4-2-08; 8:45 am]
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