[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18342-18343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08808]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[18XL5017AP.LLWY920000.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWK09K0990; 4500119076]


Notice of Availability of Decision Record for the Gateway West 
Transmission Line Project and Approved Land Use Plan Amendments, 
Segments 8 and 9, Idaho; IDI-35849-01

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 Decision Record (DR) for the Gateway West Transmission Line 
Project (Project) and Approved Land Use Plan Amendments for Segments 8 
and 9. The Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management (ASLM) 
signed the DR on March 30, 2018, which constitutes the final decision 
of the Department of the Interior and is not

[[Page 18343]]

subject to appeal under Departmental regulations. Any challenge to this 
decision, including the BLM Authorized Officer's issuance of the right-
of-way (ROW) as directed by this decision, must be brought in Federal 
district court within the timeframe allowed under Title 41 of the FAST 
Act (FAST-41).

DATES: The ASLM signed the DR on March 30, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the DR are available online at https://www.blm.gov/gatewaywest and at the BLM Idaho State Office, 1387 S 
Vinnell Way, Boise, ID 83709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Stobaugh, BLM Gateway West 
National Project Manager, telephone 775-861-6478; email 
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to leave a message or question for Mr. Stobaugh. The FRS is available 
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    On May 7, 2007, PacificCorp (doing business as Rocky Mountain 
Power) and Idaho Power Company (Proponents) applied to the BLM for a 
ROW grant to build and operate portions of the Project on public lands 
in Wyoming and Idaho. The original project comprised 10 transmission 
line segments originating at the Windstar Substation near Glenrock, 
Wyoming, and terminating at the Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho, 
with a total length of approximately 1,000 miles. The BLM published a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this project on April 
26, 2013 and a Record of Decision (ROD) on November 14, 2013. In the 
ROD, the BLM deferred a decision on Segments 8 and 9 to allow 
additional time for Federal, state, and local permitting agencies to 
examine additional routing options, as well as potential mitigation and 
enhancement measures for these segments, in part, because Segments 8 
and 9 involved resources in and near the Morley Nelson Snake River 
Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA).
    In August 2014, the Proponents submitted a revised ROW application 
for Segments 8 and 9 and a revised Plan of Development for the Project, 
which the BLM determined required additional environmental analysis 
through a Supplemental EIS (SEIS). On October 7, 2016, the BLM 
published a Final SEIS that analyzed 7 alternative ROW routes for 
Segments 8 and 9 and the Land Use Plan Amendments needed to accommodate 
each alternative route pair. The BLM issued a ROD on January 19, 2017, 
selecting the route described as Alternative 5 in the Final SEIS. The 
State of Idaho, Owyhee County, Idaho, and three environmental 
organizations appealed the BLM's ROW decision to the Interior Board of 
Land Appeals (IBLA). In a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, the 
Governor of Idaho requested that the BLM reconsider the January 19, 
2017 decision and select an alternative with fewer impacts to State and 
county resources and communities. The Proponents also requested that 
the BLM reconsider the January 2017 decision and select the alternative 
proposed in their revised application, as more cost-effective and 
providing greater system reliability. On April 18, 2017, the IBLA 
granted the BLM's motion to remand the January 19, 2017, ROW decision 
for reconsideration.
    On May 5, 2017, the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey 
National Conservation Area Boundary Modification Act (Modification Act) 
was enacted, which directed the BLM to issue a ROW grant to use public 
lands within the NCA as described in Sec. (b)(2) representing portions 
of the Project ``in alignment with the revised proposed routes for 
Segments 8 and 9 identified as Alternative 1 in the Supplementary Final 
Environmental Impact Analysis released October 5, 2016.'' The 
Modification Act also removed the lands affected by this ROW from NCA 
status and stipulated that the mitigation framework presented in the 
Final SEIS would apply to the authorized segments. The BLM offered this 
statutory ROW grant to the Proponents on July 26, 2017.
    The BLM has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOI-BLM-ID-
0000-0002-EA) to analyze and document the environmental effects of an 
application from the Proponents for a ROW grant to use public lands for 
Segments 8 and 9 of the Project. The EA also analyzed the effects of 
amending three current BLM land use plans needed to ensure the ROW 
grant conformed to the plans:

Kuna Management Framework Plan (MFP);
Bennett Hills/Timmerman Hills MFP; and
1987 Jarbidge Resource Management Plan (for areas not covered by the 
2015 Jarbidge RMP).

    The BLM tiered to and incorporated by reference the analyses in the 
2013 Final EIS and 2016 Final SEIS. The BLM prepared the EA in 
consultation with Cooperating Agencies and in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, implementing 
regulations, the BLM Land Use Planning Handbook (H-1601-1), the BLM 
National Environmental Policy Act Handbook (H-1790-1), and other 
applicable law and policy.
    Following the publication of a Notice of Intent to prepare an EA in 
the Federal Register, an opportunity for the public to comment on a 
Draft EA, and an opportunity for interested parties and the State of 
Idaho to protest a decision to amend land use plans as reflected in the 
EA and Finding of No New Significant Impact, the ASLM issued a Decision 
selecting Alternative 1 from the EA. The selected alternative 
authorizes a ROW grant to the Proponents for the portions of Segments 8 
and 9 of the project that physically connect with the portions of those 
segments authorized by the Boundary Modification Act. It also includes 
the Toana Road Variation 1 as analyzed in the Final SEIS and amends the 
1987 Jarbidge RMP and the Kuna and Bennett Hills/Timmerman Hills MFPs 
for BLM-managed public lands in the Jarbidge, Four Rivers and Shoshone 
Field Offices.
    The ASLM's DR also incorporated, as terms and conditions of the ROW 
grant, environmental protection measures described in the EA, 
monitoring requirements, and measures to mitigate effects. In addition, 
the BLM has worked with the Proponents to develop the Mitigation 
Framework for the NCA (Final SEIS EIS Appendix K), which the Boundary 
Modification Act also stipulates will apply to the authorized segments.
    My approval of this decision as the ASLM is not subject to 
administrative appeal under Departmental regulations at 43 CFR part 4 
pursuant to 43 CFR 4.410(a)(3). Any challenge to this decision must be 
brought in Federal District Court and is subject to 42 U.S.C. 4370m-
6(a)(1).

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6; 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(a)(1)

Joseph R. Balash,
Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-08808 Filed 4-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-AK-P