[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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