[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56791-56792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23485]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLUT0300000 L17110000 DT0000 24 1A]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Tropic To 
Hatch (Garkane) 138 kV Transmission Line Environmental Impact Statement 
and the Approved Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management 
Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Tropic to Hatch (Garkane) 138 
kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
and the Approved Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management 
Plan (MMP) Amendment located in Garfield County, Utah. The Utah State 
Director signed the ROD on September 8, 2011, which constitutes the 
final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved MMP Amendment 
effective immediately. The ROD also indicates the BLM's intent to issue 
a right-of-way to Garkane Energy, Inc. (Applicant) to construct and 
maintain the transmission line.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved MMP Amendment are available upon 
request from the BLM's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 
Office, 190 East Center

[[Page 56792]]

Kanab, Utah 84741, or via the following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/grand_staircase-escalante.html; or from the Kanab Field 
Office, 318 North 100 East, Kanab, Utah 84741, or at the following Web 
site: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/kanab/.
    Copies of the ROD/Approved MMP Amendment are available for public 
inspection at either BLM office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Betenson, Assistant Grand 
Staircase-Escalante National Monument Manager for Planning and Support 
Services, telephone (435) 644-4309; 190 East Center, Kanab, Utah 84741; 
e-mail [email protected]. You may also contact Harry Barber, Kanab 
Field Office Manager, telephone (435) 644-4600; 190 East Center, Kanab, 
Utah 84741; 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 individuals 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 individuals. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: After extensive environmental analysis, 
collaborative public processes, consideration of public comments, and 
application of pertinent Federal laws and policies, it is the decision 
of the BLM to issue a right-of-way grant to Garkane Energy, Inc. for 
the construction, operation, and maintenance of approximately 7.1 miles 
of a 138 kV transmission line and access routes for the construction of 
the project across public lands administered by the Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument Office (3.7 miles) and the Kanab Field 
Office (3.4 miles); and to amend the Grand Staircase-Escalante National 
MMP to provide for such action. The right-of-way grant will authorize 
the use of public lands for the project for a term of 30 years, which 
is subject to renewal. The Approved MMP Amendment allows for the 
issuance of this right-of-way grant by changing a zoning decision in 
the MMP from Primitive Zone to a 300-foot-wide Passage Zone to 
accommodate an existing transmission line and route, as well as the 
Applicant's proposed power line. The MMP Amendment also changes the 
Visual Resource Management classification from a Class II to a Class 
III to allow for additional modifications to the landscape within the 
300-foot-wide zone. Amendment of the MMP and granting the right-of-way 
will have minimal effect on the landforms, cultural features, or other 
important values specifically enumerated in the Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument Proclamation, as they would be minimized 
through implementation of mitigation described in the ROD. The U.S. 
Forest Service, Dixie National Forest, was the lead Federal agency for 
completion of the EIS, with the BLM and the National Park Service 
serving as cooperating agencies. The agencies sought participation from 
the public, tribes, and local, state, and Federal agencies throughout 
the EIS process. In addition to the 7.1 miles of power line located on 
public land, the proposal, in total, encompasses another 22.3 miles of 
power line that traverse U.S. Forest Service, private, and state lands. 
A separate ROD was issued by the U.S. Forest Service in April, 2011 for 
granting of the special use permit across U.S. Forest Service lands. 
The selected alternative avoids construction of the power line across 
National Park Service lands.
    The U.S. Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) each published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Draft MMP Amendment for public 
review and comment in the Federal Register. The U.S. Forest Service 
published the NOA of the Draft EIS/Draft MMP Amendment on December 8, 
2009 and the EPA published the NOA of the Draft EIS/Draft MMP Amendment 
on December 11, 2009, which initiated a 90-day public comment period. 
The comment period ended on March 12, 2010. The Federal agencies 
received 19 submittals containing comments from government and non-
governmental organizations and private citizens. The comments in each 
submittal were identified, analyzed, and addressed in the Final EIS. 
The Draft EIS analyzed four transmission line route alternatives and 
disclosed impacts associated with these alternatives, including: 
Alternative A--the Proposed Action; Alternative B--a route that 
paralleled the existing 69 kV route through Bryce Canyon National Park; 
Alternative C--the Cedar Forks Southern Route; and the No Action 
Alternative. The Final EIS was an abbreviated EIS that summarized the 
impacts of combining portions of Alternatives A and C as the Agency 
Preferred Alternative, and responded to public comments. The BLM's 
decision authorizes issuance of a right-of-way grant to Garkane Energy, 
Inc. for the Agency's Preferred Alternative on BLM administered lands, 
as analyzed in the Final EIS.The U.S. Forest Service and EPA published 
an NOA of the Final EIS/Proposed MMP Amendment for public review and 
comment in the Federal Register on April 8, 2011. After publication of 
the Final EIS/Proposed MMP Amendment, there were no protests received 
on the MMP Amendment during the 30-day protest period beginning April 
8, 2011, and ending on May 8, 2011, pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.5-2. The 
Utah Governor's Office did not identify any inconsistencies between the 
Final EIS/Proposed MMP Amendment and state or local plans, policies, 
and programs during the 60-day Governor's Consistency Review, in 
accordance with planning regulations at 43 CFR 1610.3-2(e). As a result 
of the Governor's Consistency Review, no changes were made in preparing 
the Approved MMP Amendment.
    Any party adversely affected by the decision on the right-of-way 
application may appeal by October 14, 2011, pursuant to 43 CFR part 4 
subpart E, and 43 CFR 2801.10. If you wish to file a petition for a 
stay of effectiveness of the right-of-way decision during the time your 
appeal is being reviewed by the Interior Board of Appeals, the petition 
for a stay must accompany your Notice of Appeal (43 CFR 4.21 or 
2801.10). The appeal and petition for a stay, if requested, must be 
filed with the Utah State Director at BLM, Utah State Office, P.O. Box 
45155, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84145-0155, by October 14, 2011. The 
appeal should state the specific decision(s) in the ROD which is being 
appealed. Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR part 4, 
subpart E) for further appeal requirements.

Jeff Rawson
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-23485 Filed 9-13-11; 8:45 am]
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