[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4371-4372]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1453]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMF01000-L51010000-ER0000-LVRWG10G0760; NMNM122352]


Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed San Juan Basin Energy Connect Project, San Juan County, 
New Mexico, and La Plata County, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington 
Field Office, Farmington, New Mexico, intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed San Juan Energy 
Connect Project, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the 
scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments must be received in writing by the BLM on or before March 11, 
2011. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers 
and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/farmington. In order to 
be included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to 
the close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public 
meeting, whichever is later. The BLM will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft 
EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the San Juan Basin Energy 
Connect Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.sjbenergyconnect.com;
     E-mail: [email protected]; or
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Farmington Field Office, 
Attention: San Juan Basin Energy Connect Project Manager, 1235 La Plata 
Highway Suite A, Farmington, New Mexico 87401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact Marcy Romero, Project 
Manager, telephone 505-599-6339; address 1235 La Plata Highway Suite A, 
Farmington, New Mexico 87401; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, Tri-State has requested a 
right-of-way (ROW) authorization to construct, operate, and maintain a 
230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the Farmington, New Mexico 
area to Ignacio, Colorado. The San Juan Basin Energy Connect Project is 
generally located between Townships 30 and 33 North, Ranges 16 through 
7 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian, San Juan County, New Mexico, and 
La Plata County, Colorado. The project area extends from within 1 mile 
of Farmington, New Mexico, and within 3 miles of the Navajo Nation, to 
within 5 miles of Durango, Colorado. The project area covers 
approximately 174,096 acres of mixed Federal, State, Tribal and private 
lands. The BLM Farmington Field Office and Bureau of Indian Affairs 
manage the Federal lands in the project area.
    The proposed project would entail the expansion of the existing 
Shiprock Substation to accommodate the new 230 kV line termination and 
installation of additional 345/230 kV transformation equipment. The 
construction involves approximately 35-40 miles of new double-circuit 
230 kV transmission line from the existing Shiprock Substation to the 
proposed Kiffen Canyon Substation near the City of Farmington's Glade 
Switching Station. It is proposed that approximately 45-50 miles of new 
double and single-circuit 230 kV transmission line would be constructed 
between the proposed Kiffen Canyon Substation and the proposed Iron 
Horse Substation near Ignacio, Colorado. In addition to transmission 
facilities, traditional vehicle access to these new electrical 
facilities would be needed. New access would be minimized by using 
existing access whenever possible. The BLM Farmington Field Office will 
serve as the lead agency for the NEPA analysis process and preparation 
of the EIS. Cooperating agencies identified at this time include the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Rural Utilities 
Service, and Western Area Power Administration. The proposed action is 
in conformance with the Farmington Resource Management Plan and Record 
of Decision dated December 2003. 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. The EIS for the San Juan Basin Energy 
Connect Project will analyze the environmental consequences of 
implementing the proposed action and alternatives to the proposed 
action, including a No Action Alternative. The BLM encourages the 
public to send comments concerning the project as proposed; other 
feasible alternative locations; possible mitigation measures; and any 
other information relevant to the proposed action. Other alternatives 
that may be considered in detail include additional alignments.
    The BLM initiated scoping for this project in public meetings held 
in Farmington, New Mexico, and Ignacio, Colorado, on October 7 and 8, 
2009, respectively. Public input suggested that an EIS level analysis 
would be more appropriate than the proposed Environmental Assessment 
(EA). At that time, the proposed action was discussed as being a 
combination of 48 corridors identified by a Macro Corridor Study, 
completed prior to the initiation of the NEPA process. Public notices 
and direct mailings were used to inform those potentially affected or 
interested in the proposal and information was also available on the 
project Web site (http://www.SJBEnergyConnect.com). In addition to 
accepting comments at the workshops, BLM invited interested individuals 
to submit their comments using the project Web site, e-mail, U.S. 
Postal Service, a dedicated 1-800 hotline, or fax.
    Scoping for the EA yielded 232 separate comments from 91 
individuals. In addition to highlighting the need to develop an EIS, 
scoping identified key preliminary issues that will be used in the 
development and analysis of the alternatives. These issues include:
     Proximity of the transmission line to residences;
     Land use;
     Impacts to visual resources;
     Health and safety concerns; and
     Impacts related to noise.
    The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation through scoping meetings and the opportunity to submit 
comments during the scoping period. The BLM will use

[[Page 4372]]

and coordinate the NEPA comment process to satisfy the public 
involvement process for Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) 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, along with other stakeholders 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, 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.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

Linda S.C. Rundell,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-1453 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
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