[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42725-42726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18186]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CACA-17905, LLCAD06000 L51010000 ER0000 LVRWB09B1820]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Southern 
California Edison Company Devers-Palo Verde No. 2 Transmission Line 
Project, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of 
Agriculture United States Forest Service (USFS) announces the 
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Devers-Palo Verde 
No. 2 Transmission Line Project located in southern California. The 
Palm Springs Field Manager signed the ROD, which constitutes the final 
decision of the BLM and makes the right-of-way decision effective 
immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available upon request from the Field 
Manager, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, 
Palm Springs, California 92262-8001. The ROD is also available upon 
request from the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor's Office, 
602 S. Tippecanoe Avenue, San Bernardino, California 92408 or at the 
following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Holly L. Roberts at (760) 833-7100, e-
mail [email protected], address 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm 
Springs, California 92262-8001; or Robert H. Hawkins at (707) 562-9143 
or e-mail: [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during 
normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You 
will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2005, Southern California Edison Company 
(SCE) proposed to construct a new 230-mile-long, 500-kilovolt (kV) 
electrical transmission line between the SCE's Devers substation 
located near Palm Springs, California, and the Harquahala generating 
station switchyard, located near the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating 
Station west of Phoenix, Arizona. A 50-mile 230-kV transmission line 
upgrade was included between the Devers

[[Page 42726]]

Substation west to San Bernardino, California. A Notice of Intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 
2005. The BLM, together with the California Public Utilities Commission 
(CPUC) and the USFS prepared a joint EIR/EIS for this project. The 
Final EIR/EIS was completed in late October, 2006, with the EPA's 
Notice of Availability (NOA) published on November 3, 2006. The 
preferred alternative rejected the 230-kV transmission line upgrades 
west of the Devers Substation in favor of a 500-kV transmission line 
extension originating at the Devers Substation and terminating at the 
Valley Substation near Romoland, California. On December 22, 2006, the 
CPUC issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity approving 
the California portion of the project under their jurisdiction.
    The BLM's ROD was delayed, however, pending approval of the Arizona 
portion of the project by the Arizona Corporations Commission (ACC). 
Negotiations between the ACC and SCE continued until May 15, 2009, when 
SCE announced it was no longer pursuing construction of the Arizona 
portion of the project. The SCE, however, continues to pursue 
completion of the California portion of the project. The rationale for 
this 157-mile-long, California-only project includes anticipated future 
renewable energy development and generator interconnection requests in 
the vicinity of Blythe, in Riverside County, California. This ROD 
addresses the California-only project.
    Any party adversely affected by the ROD decision may appeal within 
30 days of publication of this NOA pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4, subpart 
E. The appeal must be filed with the Palm Springs Field Manager at the 
above listed address. Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 
CFR part 4, subpart E) for further appeal requirements.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6.

Karla Norris,
Assistant Deputy State Director, Natural Resources.
[FR Doc. 2011-18186 Filed 7-18-11; 8:45 am]
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