[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 204 (Friday, October 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65531-65532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27146]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR-65891, LLORB00000-L51010000-ER0000-LVRWH09H0560; HAG-11-0077]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the North Steens Transmission Line Project in Harney 
County, OR

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the North Steens 
Transmission Line Project and by this notice is announcing its 
availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days from the date that the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its notice of availability of this Final EIS in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Notices of Availability of the Final EIS for the North 
Steens Transmission Line Project will be mailed to individuals, 
agencies, organizations, or companies who responded to the BLM on the 
Draft EIS. Compact discs of the Final EIS are available on request from 
the BLM Burns District Office, 28910 Hwy 20 West, Hines, Oregon 97738, 
phone (541) 573-4400, or e-mail: [email protected]. Interested persons may also review the Final EIS at the 
following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/plans/index.php.
    Printed copies of the Final EIS are available for public inspection 
at:
     Harney County Library, 80 West ``D'' Street, Burns, Oregon 
97720;
     Bend Public Library, Reference Department, 601 NW. Wall 
Street, Bend, Oregon 97701;
     Multnomah County Library, Government Documents, 801 SW. 
10th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97205; and
     BLM Burns District Office at the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Skip Renchler, North Steens 
Transmission Line Project Lead, telephone (541) 573-4400; address 28910 
Hwy 20 West, Hines, Oregon 97738; or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, Echanis, LLC, has filed 
applications for rights-of-way (ROWs) with the BLM and the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service for construction, operation, maintenance, and 
termination of a 29-mile-long, 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that 
would connect the proposed Echanis Wind Energy Project, located on 
private land on the north end of Steens Mountain, with Harney Electric 
Cooperative's existing transmission system near Diamond Junction, 
Oregon. A Draft EIS analyzing impacts of the project was released for 
public comment on July 16, 2010, as announced by the BLM's publication 
of a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register (75 FR 41514). The 
BLM received 258 comments about the Draft EIS. The comments were 
incorporated, where appropriate, to clarify the analysis presented in 
the Final EIS. The Final EIS analyzes three alternatives: Two 
alternatives granting the ROW and a no-action alternative. These 
alternatives include:
    Alternative A--No-Action--This alternative includes denying a ROW 
for construction and operation of a transmission line and associated 
facilities across lands administered by the BLM and the Malheur 
National Wildlife Refuge.
    Alternative B--Proposed Action--West Route--This alternative 
includes the granting of a ROW for construction and operation of a 230-
kV transmission line and associated facilities across lands 
administered by the BLM and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge from 
the Echanis Wind Energy Project substation to Harney Electric 
Cooperative's existing 115-kV transmission line near Diamond Junction, 
Oregon. Included in the analysis of this alternative are two additional 
minor route deviations.
    Alternative C--Preferred Alternative--North Route--This alternative 
includes the granting of a ROW for construction and operation of a 230-
kV transmission line and associated facilities across lands 
administered by the BLM from the Echanis Wind Energy Project substation 
to Harney Electric Cooperative's existing 115-kV transmission line near 
Crane, Oregon. This alternative is the Preferred Alternative in the 
Final EIS.
    The Final EIS also identifies and analyzes measures to mitigate 
adverse impacts for each alternative. Because the Echanis Wind Energy 
Project and other associated developments on private land are 
``connected actions'' under NEPA, they are included and analyzed in the 
Final EIS.
    Comments on the Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM

[[Page 65532]]

review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Final 
EIS. The comments were incorporated, where appropriate, to clarify the 
analysis presented in the Final EIS.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

Kenny McDaniel,
BLM Burns District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2011-27146 Filed 10-20-11; 8:45 am]
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