[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37728-37729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18081]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVLVRWF1640000.L51010000.ER0000; N-82076; 09-08807; TAS: 14x5017]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed One Nevada Transmission Line, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1976 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 FLPMA, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely and 
Southern Nevada District Offices intend to prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for a proposed 500 kilovolt (kv) 
transmission line and associated facility from Ely, Nevada, to the 
Harry Allen substation just north of Las Vegas, Nevada and by this 
notice are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit 
public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the SEIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until August 28, 2009. 
The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through local news media, newspapers and 
the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html. In order to be included in the draft SEIS, all comments 
must be received prior to the close of the scoping period or 15 days 
after the last public meeting, whichever is later. We will provide 
additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of 
the draft SEIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Proposed One Nevada 
Transmission Line by any of the following methods:
     Web Site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html;
     E-mail: [email protected];
     Fax: 775-289-1910;
     Mail: BLM, Ely District Office, 702 North Industrial Way, 
Ely, NV 89301; or
     Mail: Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 North Torrey 
Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130.

    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ely and 
Southern Nevada District Offices.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, send requests to: ATTN: One Nevada 
Transmission Line; contact Michael Dwyer, telephone (702) 821-7102; 
address, Ely District Office, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, NV 89301; 
e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 5, 2006 the applicant, Sierra 
Pacific Power Company (SPPC), requested authorization for the Ely 
Energy Center (EEC), a proposed power-generating facility that included 
rail lines, transmission lines with fiber optic cable, new and expanded 
substations, water well-fields and pipeline delivery systems, and 
associated facilities to be located on mostly public lands in White 
Pine, Lincoln, Nye, Elko, and Clark counties, Nevada. On January 26, 
2007, the BLM published a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the 
EEC and its associated facilities. Five public scoping meetings were 
held between February 5 and 9, 2007 in Las Vegas, Alamo, Ely, Elko, and 
Reno, Nevada. In January 2009, the BLM published a Notice of 
Availability of a draft EIS initiating a 90-day public comment period 
on the draft EIS. In February 2009, during the public comment period, 
NV Energy (formerly SPPC) made public its intention to postpone 
indefinitely the power generation facilities associated with the EEC 
from its proposal. On March 30, 2009, the BLM received an amended 
application and Plan of Development from NV Energy for one 
approximately 236-mile 500 kV transmission line, one new substation, an 
expansion of one substation, one fiber optic line, and related 
appurtenances that were part of the EEC proposal. The project was given 
a new name by the proponent: The One Nevada 500 kV Transmission Line 
Project (ON Line Project).
    The BLM will develop a SEIS for the project because of substantial 
changes to the proposed action that are relevant to environmental 
concerns. See 40 CFR 1502.9(c). Removal of the coal-fired power 
generation facilities from the application makes an assessment of their 
impacts in the draft EIS no longer applicable.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. 
This scoping process will direct the preparation of a SEIS for a 
proposed 500 kv transmission line and associated facilities from Ely, 
Nevada, to the Harry Allen substation just north of Las Vegas, Nevada. 
The SEIS will supplement the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the Ely Energy Center. A power

[[Page 37729]]

generation plant is not associated with the SEIS.
    Because the ON line proposed action is part of the EEC proposed 
action, the ON Line SEIS will incorporate all applicable sections of 
the draft EIS. The ON Line draft SEIS will be made available for public 
comment, and applicable comments collected during the public comment 
period on the EEC draft EIS will be carried forward into the SEIS 
process. The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to 
satisfy the public involvement requirements of Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided 
for in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be 
conducted in accordance with policy, and Tribal concerns will be given 
due consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal, 
State, and local agencies, as well as individuals or organizations that 
may be interested 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. Before including your address, phone number, email 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.

    Authority:  43 CFR part 2800.

Michael J. Herder,
District Manager,
    Ely District.
[FR Doc. E9-18081 Filed 7-28-09; 8:45 am]
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