[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 249 (Friday, December 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90197-90199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28746]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_CA_FRN_MO 4500161985]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Control-Silver Peak Project, Inyo and Mono Counties, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
California Desert District Office, Palm Springs, California, intends to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects 
of the Control-Silver Peak Project (Project) and by this notice is 
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public-scoping process for the EIS. 
The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope 
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant 
information, and studies by February 12, 2024. To afford the BLM the 
opportunity to consider comments in the draft EIS, please ensure your 
comments are received prior to the close of the 45-day scoping period 
or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Control-Silver Peak 
project by any of the following methods:
     BLM National NEPA Register: https://bit.ly/44zSlgq.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Control-Silver Peak Environmental Impact Statement, 
Bureau of Land Management California Desert District Office, 1201 Bird 
Center Drive, Palm Springs CA 92262.
     Fax: 760-833-7199.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at 
https://bit.ly/44zSlgq, and in person at:
     BLM Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, Bishop, 
CA 93514.
     BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Road, 
Ridgecrest, CA 93555.
     BLM California Desert District Office, 1201 Bird Center 
Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joan Patrovsky, Project Manager, 
telephone: 951-214-1775; address: Control-Silver

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Peak Project, BLM Desert District Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm 
Springs CA 92262; email: [email protected]. Contact Ms. Patrovsky to 
have your name added to our mailing list. Individuals in the United 
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech 
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services for contacting Ms. Patrovsky. 
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services 
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of this Federal action is for the BLM is to respond to 
a right-of-way application from Southern California Edison for 
construction, operations, and maintenance of the Control-Silver Peak 55 
kilovolt (kV) transmission line on BLM-managed lands, consistent with 
applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The Secretary of the 
Interior is authorized to grant rights-of-way on public lands for 
systems for generation, transmission, and distribution of electric 
energy (43 U.S.C. 1761(a)(4)); the need for the BLM's action is 
established by this delegated authority under Title V of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

    Southern California Edison is proposing to update and reconfigure 
approximately 61 linear miles of two existing 55 kV sub-transmission 
lines originally designed and built in the 1930s. Collectively referred 
to as the Control-Silver Peak Project, the utility line spans Inyo and 
Mono counties and the city of Bishop, California.
    The proposed project involves approximately 322 acres, of which 
approximately 76 acres are on BLM-managed public lands, 152 acres are 
on USFS-managed lands, and 94 acres are on private, State, and local 
government lands. Updating these transmission lines is mandated by the 
California Public Utilities Commission.
    To address existing overhead electric line non-compliance with the 
California Public Utilities Commission's General Order 95 and National 
Electric Reliability Corporation reliability standards, Southern 
California Edison proposes to conduct the following activities:
     Segment 1--Control Substation to west of the city of 
Bishop (3.4-mile segment located on BLM-managed lands): The Control-
Silver Peak `A' and `C' 55 kV sub-transmission lines are each 
predominately supported on single-circuit lightweight steel poles. 
Optical groundwire and/or all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) fiber 
optic cable (collectively referred to as telecommunication cable) would 
be installed on the same existing poles in Segment 1, or ADSS fiber 
optic cable would be installed underground. All infrastructure 
installed in Segment 1 would be located within an existing right-of-
way. At Control Substation, system protection and telecommunications-
associated equipment would be installed.
     Segment 2--west of the city of Bishop to northwest of the 
city of Bishop (1.4-mile segment not located on Federal lands): Each 
sub-transmission line in Segment 2 would be rebuilt within the existing 
rights-of-way. The rebuilt 55 kV sub-transmission lines would utilize 
two existing single-circuit tubular steel poles (TSPs) and new single-
circuit wood pole-equivalent poles. Approximately 25 single-circuit 
wood pole-equivalents would be installed, two existing single-circuited 
tubular steel poles would be modified, 49 existing poles would be 
removed, conductor lines would be replaced along both pole lines, and 
overhead groundwire and optical groundwire would be installed on one of 
the two pole lines.
     Segment 3--northwest of the city of Bishop to the 
California-Nevada border (37.2-mile segment located on both BLM- and 
USFS-managed lands): The existing sub-transmission poles along the two 
55 kV transmission routes would be replaced by one double-circuit sub-
transmission line within portions of each of the two existing rights-
of-way and within a new right-of-way. The new 55 kV sub-transmission 
infrastructure would include double-circuit TSPs, double-circuit wood 
pole-equivalents, and single-circuit H-frames. Optical groundwire would 
be installed along the length of Segment 3. Approximately 529 double-
circuit wood pole-equivalents would be installed; 137 double-circuit 
TSPs would be installed; 8 single-circuit TSP H-frames would be 
installed; 1,508 existing structures would be removed; and conductors 
would be replaced. Optical groundwire and/or fiber optic cable would be 
installed, as well as system protection and telecommunications-
associated equipment at White Mountain Substation and the Fish Lake 
Valley Metering Station.
     Segment 4--Chalfant Valley between the city of Bishop and 
the community of Hammil (16-mile segment located in part on BLM-managed 
lands): Segment 4 consists of the Zack Tap portion of the Control-
Silver Peak `C' 55 kV sub-transmission line. All infrastructure 
installed in Segment 4 would be located within an existing right-of-
way. Approximately two single-circuit wood pole-equivalents would be 
installed, two existing single-circuit wood poles would be removed, and 
existing sub-transmission and distribution conductors would be 
transferred to the replacement poles.
     Segment 5--Deep Springs Valley (2.4-mile segment located 
in part on BLM lands): Segment 5 consists of the Deep Spring Tap 
portion of the Control-Silver Peak `A' 55 kV sub-transmission line. One 
replacement pole would be located in a new Federal right-of-way; the 
remaining infrastructure installed in Segment 5 would be located within 
an existing easement. Approximately eight single-circuit wood pole-
equivalents would be installed, eight existing single-circuit wood 
pole-equivalents would be removed, and the existing sub-transmission 
conductor would be transferred to the replacement wood pole-
equivalents.
    A range of reasonable alternatives will be developed and analyzed 
in the EIS after considering information received during the scoping 
period. Preliminary action alternatives include a realignment of the 
line via California State Highway 6 and Nevada State Highway 264. The 
range of reasonable alternatives will include a no action alternative. 
Under the no action alternative, the BLM and the USFS would deny the 
application, and the Control Silver Peak line would remain as existing 
with ongoing maintenance activities as needed. The BLM welcomes 
comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for 
additional alternatives; please indicate the purpose of any suggested 
alternative.

Summary of Expected Impacts

    Preliminary issues for the Project, either beneficial or adverse 
and of varying intensity, have been identified by BLM personnel and in 
consultation with Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and 
Cooperating Agencies. These preliminary issues include potential 
impacts to:
     Special status wildlife and vegetation species;
     Visual resources;
     Cultural resources; and
     Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
    The public scoping process will guide determination of relevant 
issues that

[[Page 90199]]

will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including 
alternatives and mitigation measures. The EIS will identify and 
describe the effects of the Proposed Action on the human environment. 
The BLM also requests the identification of potential impacts that 
should be analyzed. Impacts should be a result of the action; 
therefore, please identify the activity along with the potential 
impact.

Anticipated Permits and Authorizations

    If approved, the BLM would issue a right-of-way grant for BLM-
managed lands, and the USFS would amend the existing transmission 
easement for the Control Silver Peak 55 kV transmission line for USFS-
managed lands. Other Federal, State, and local authorizations will be 
required for the Project. These could include authorizations under the 
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, the 
Clean Water Act, 14 CFR part 77, and other laws and regulations 
determined to be applicable to the Project.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

    The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation consistent with the NEPA process, including a 45-day 
comment period on the draft EIS. The draft EIS is anticipated to be 
available for public review late summer 2024; the final EIS is 
anticipated to be released in fall 2025 and the Record of Decision in 
winter 2025/2026.

Public Scoping Process

    This notice initiates the scoping period.
    The BLM will be holding two public scoping meetings and one virtual 
meeting. The in-person public meetings will be held at the BLM Bishop 
Field Office--USFS Inyo National Forest Office in Bishop, CA. The 
specific dates and times of the in-person and virtual scoping meetings 
will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, a 
news release, social media, and the BLM National NEPA Register (see 
ADDRESSES). Participants must register in advance to attend the virtual 
scoping meeting.
    The date(s) and location(s) of any additional scoping meetings will 
be announced in advance through local media, a BLM-California news 
release, social media, and the BLM National NEPA Register (see 
ADDRESSES).

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The BLM is the lead Federal agency for this EIS and the related 
National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 process. The following 
have agreed to participate in the environmental analysis of the Project 
as Cooperating Agencies: USFS Inyo National Forest, Inyo County, the 
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service, and the United States Environmental Protection 
Agency. Additional Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and 
eligible stakeholders interested in the scoping process may request or 
be requested by the BLM to participate in the development of the EIS as 
a Cooperating Agency.

Responsible Official

    The BLM California State Director is the responsible official who 
will make the decisions below.

Nature of Decisions To Be Made

    The BLM will use the analysis in the EIS to inform the following: 
whether to grant, grant with conditions, or deny the application for a 
right-of-way. Pursuant to 43 CFR 2805.10, if the BLM issues a grant, 
the BLM decision maker may include terms, conditions, and stipulations 
determined to be in the public interest.

Additional Information

    The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address 
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed 
action and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with 
40 CFR 1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already 
included in the proposed action or alternatives. Mitigation may include 
avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over 
time, and compensation; and may be considered at multiple scales, 
including the landscape scale.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA process to help 
support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3), including public involvement requirements of Section 106. 
The information about historic and cultural resources and threatened 
and endangered species within the area potentially affected by the 
proposed project will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating 
impacts to such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual 
Section 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, 
including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to 
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Indian Tribal 
Nations that may be interested in or affected by the proposed Project 
are invited to participate in the scoping process and may request or be 
requested by the BLM to participate in the development of the 
environmental analysis as a cooperating agency. The BLM has sent 
invitations to potentially affected Tribal Nations and initiated 
government-to-government consultation meetings and intends to continue 
coordination throughout the NEPA process.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9)

Karen E. Mouritsen,
Bureau of Land Management, California State Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-28746 Filed 12-28-23; 8:45 am]
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