[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 208 (Monday, October 30, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 74164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23834]



[[Page 74164]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. PP-334-1]


Notice of Availability of Amended Record of Decision for Issuing 
a Presidential Permit to Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC, 
for the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission Line Project

AGENCY: Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Grid Deployment Office (GDO) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice of an Amended Record of Decision (ROD) published 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and DOE's 
NEPA implementing regulations. This Amended ROD supports DOE's decision 
to amend the existing Presidential permit issued to Energia Sierra 
Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC (ESJ), to construct, operate, maintain, 
and connect a double-circuit, 230,000-volt (230-kV) electric 
transmission line (ESJ Tie Line) across the U.S.-Mexico border in 
eastern San Diego County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Gomer, Grid Deployment 
Office (GD-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20585, by phone at (240) 474-2403, or by email at 
[email protected].
    For general information on the DOE NEPA process, contact Brian 
Costner, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-54), U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20585; by email at [email protected]; or by facsimile at (202) 586-
7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The potential environmental impacts 
associated with issuance of a Presidential permit to authorize the 
construction of ESJ's proposed transmission line and operation of the 
line with a capacity to transmit up to 1,250 megawatts (MW) were 
analyzed in the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission Line Project 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)(DOE/EIS-0414) issued in 
2012 and Supplemental to the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission 
Line Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) (DOE/EIS-0414-
S1) issued in 2018.
    Although DOE analyzed the environmental impacts of up to 1,250 MW 
in the FEIS and SEIS, DOE issued a Record of Decision (ROD) and 
Presidential Permit No. PP-334, both in August of 2012, which 
conditioned the maximum non-simultaneous rate of transmission over the 
permitted facilities to no-greater-than 400 MW (Article 3, of PP-334). 
The permit condition limiting the rate of transmission to 400 MW was 
not based on any concerns about environmental impacts disclosed in the 
FEIS. Rather, this limit was included in the permit because grid 
reliability studies at the time were completed only for the 
interconnection of an initial 400 MW of electrical output.
    On May 18, 2022, ESJ submitted an application requesting that DOE 
amend Article 3 of PP-334 to increase the maximum authorized rate of 
transmission across the approved facilities to 700 MW (Proposed 
Action). GDO has evaluated the environmental effects of the Proposed 
Action in Supplemental Analysis Regarding the Energia Sierra Juarez 
U.S. Transmission Line Project Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(SA) (DOE/EIS-0414-S1-SA-1). In this ROD, DOE announces its decision to 
issue an amended Presidential permit (PP-334-1) to increase the 
operational limit from 400 MW to 700 MW. The FEIS, SEIS, SA, and ROD 
are available on the DOE NEPA website at: www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/doeeis-0414-amended-record-decision.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on October 24, 
2023, by Maria D. Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, pursuant 
to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with 
the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For 
administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of 
the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal 
Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the 
document in electronic format for publication, as an official document 
of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way 
alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the 
Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on October 24, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-23834 Filed 10-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P