[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28800-28803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08241]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_NF_FRN_MO4500178506]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan 
Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement for the GridLiance West 
Core Upgrades Transmission Line Project in Nye and Clark Counties, 
Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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) has 
prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the GridLiance West Core 
Upgrades Transmission Line Project and by this notice is providing 
information announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft 
RMP Amendment/EIS.

DATES: This notice announces the opening of a 90-day comment period for 
the Draft RMP Amendment/EIS beginning with the date following the 
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) publication of its Notice of 
Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes 
its NOAs on Fridays.
    To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the 
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS, please ensure your comments are 
received prior to the close of the 90-day comment period or 15 days 
after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
    The BLM will hold two public meetings. One meeting will be held at 
the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino, 681 NV-160, Pahrump, NV 89048 on 
Thursday, May 9, 2024 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time. A second 
meeting will be held virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 6 
p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time. Additional information on the meetings, 
including how to register, can be found on the BLM National NEPA 
Register at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2025248/510.

ADDRESSES: The Draft RMP Amendment/EIS is available for review on the 
BLM National NEPA Register at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2025248/510.
    Written comments related to the GridLiance West Core Upgrades

[[Page 28801]]

Transmission Line Project may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2025248/510.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: BLM, Southern Nevada District Office, Attn: 
GridLiance West Core Upgrades Transmission Line Project, 4701 North 
Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at 
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2025248/510 and at the 
Southern Nevada District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Moody, Realty Specialist, 
telephone 702-515-5000; address BLM, Southern Nevada District Office, 
Attn: GridLiance West Core Upgrades Transmission Line Project, 4701 
North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301; email 
[email protected]. 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. Moody. 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: This document provides notice that the BLM 
Nevada State Director has prepared a Draft RMP Amendment/EIS and 
provides information announcing the opening of the comment period on 
the Draft RMP Amendment/EIS.
    The RMP Amendment is being considered to allow the BLM to evaluate 
the right-of-way (ROW) application submitted by GridLiance LLC to 
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission approximately 155 miles 
of transmission system upgrades across BLM-administered lands, which 
would require amending the existing 1998 Las Vegas RMP.
    The planning area is located in Clark and Nye Counties, Nevada and 
encompasses approximately 4,309 acres of public land.

Purpose and Need

    In accordance with FLPMA, the BLM is authorized to grant ROWs on 
public lands for systems of generation, transmission, and distribution 
of electric energy (Section 501(a)(4)). The BLM's purpose and need for 
this action is to respond to the FLPMA ROW amendment applications 
submitted by GridLiance under Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761) to 
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission approximately 155 miles 
of transmission system upgrades on approximately 4,900 acres in Clark 
and Nye Counties, Nevada. Proposed changes to the existing ROW grants 
require a plan amendment to the 1998 Record of Decision for the 
Approved Las Vegas Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (the Las Vegas RMP) (BLM 1998), which is analyzed in 
this Draft EIS.

Propose Action and Alternatives, Including the Preferred Alternative

    The BLM has analyzed eight alternatives, including the no action 
alternative and the Proposed Action.
    The Proposed Action is to amend portions of existing BLM ROW grants 
to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission approximately 155 
miles of upgraded alternating current overhead transmission lines on 
lands administered by the BLM, BIA, DoD, State of Nevada, and Clark 
County, as well as private lands, in Clark and Nye Counties, Nevada. 
Authorization of this proposal would require amendments to the Las 
Vegas RMP to modify some Visual Resource Management class locations. 
The Project is an upgrade of an existing overhead transmission system 
that currently consists of a single-circuit 230-kV transmission line 
system and seven substations. The proposed upgrade consists of four 
segments:
     Segment 1: Sloan Canyon Switchyard to Trout Canyon 
Switchyard. Includes upgrades and expansions at both switchyards. This 
segment would be upgraded to a double-circuit 500-kV transmission line, 
regardless of the voltage option chosen for the remainder of the 
system.
     Segment 2: Trout Canyon Switchyard to Wheeler Pass 
Substation. Includes upgrades and expansion at the Gamebird Substation. 
This segment would be upgraded to a double-circuit 500-kV (the 500kV 
option) or a double-circuit 230-kV (the 230-kV option) transmission 
line.
     Segment 3: Wheeler Pass Substation to Innovation 
Substation. Includes construction of the Wheeler Pass Substation, 
potential construction of the Johnnie Corner Substation, and upgrades 
at the Innovation Substation. Between Wheeler Pass Substation and 
Johnnie Corner Substation, the transmission line would be upgraded to a 
double-circuit capable, single-circuit 500-kV (the 500-kV option) or a 
double-circuit capable, single-circuit 230-kV (the 230-kV option) line; 
however, the proposed Johnnie Corner Substation would not be 
constructed if the transmission line is approved by CAISO as 230 kV. 
The portion from the proposed Johnnie Corner Substation to Innovation 
Substation would be upgraded to a double-circuit capable, single-
circuit 230-kV system, regardless of the voltage option chosen for the 
remainder of the system.
     Segment 4: Innovation Substation to Northwest Substation. 
Includes upgrades at the Desert View Substation. This segment would be 
upgraded to a double-circuit 230-kV transmission line, regardless of 
the voltage option chosen for the remainder of the system.
    Alternatives 1 through 6 each contain modifications to the Proposed 
Action, such as to the alignment of a particular segment, the types of 
facilities or structures utilized, or the types of transmission lines 
to be installed.
    Alternative 1 involves a modification of Segment 2. This 
alternative is identical to the Proposed Action in all ways, including 
the need for an amendment to the Las Vegas RMP (BLM 1998), with the 
exception of a reroute that follows the designated utility corridor 
approximately 0.5 mile farther north before turning west to approach 
the proposed Wheeler Pass Substation. This alternative route utilizes 
more of the designated utility corridor and has two less angle 
structures and two more tangent structures than the Proposed Action.
    Alternative 2 involves a modification to Segment 1 to ensure 
compatibility with the proposed Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport 
(SNSA) and avoid future potential hazards to air navigation. 
Alternative 2 is identical to the Proposed Action in all ways, 
including the need for an amendment to the Las Vegas RMP, with the 
exception of the following. Alternative 2 involves installation of two 
single-circuit 500-kV transmission lines with a horizontal conductor 
configuration. This adjustment would necessitate a 500-foot-wide ROW (a 
250-foot-wide ROW for each of the two single-circuit lines), in 
contrast to the single 275-foot-wide ROW required for the double-
circuit configuration for the Proposed Action. The structures 
associated with Alternative 2 in the airspace constrained area would be 
single-circuit tubular steel 500-kV H-frame structures and 500-kV 
horizontal dead-ends.
    Alternative 3 is identical to Alternative 2 except it would have a 
slightly different alignment than Alternative 2. This alternative 
maintains the upgraded GridLiance transmission line on the north side 
of the existing double-circuit 230-kV NV Energy transmission line until 
exiting the SNSA

[[Page 28802]]

air navigation surfaces. Under this alternative, the acreage and 
locations where the RMP Amendment would apply would be identical to 
those described under the Proposed Action.
    Alternative 4 involves relocating the Wheeler Pass Substation to an 
alternative location on privately owned lands. Under this alternative, 
the RMP Amendment would be the same as described under the Proposed 
Action, with modifications to bring additional areas into compliance. 
Design considerations common to the design of Alternative 4 and 
Alternative 5 include longer tie lines between the existing Pahrump 
Substation and the proposed Wheeler Pass Substation. Because of this 
increased distance, double-circuit 230-kV structures would be required 
to construct the tie lines. There would be no other modifications to 
the structure types, span lengths, or work areas compared to the 
Proposed Action.
    Alternative 5 involves relocating the Wheeler Pass Substation to an 
alternative location on BLM-administered lands. Under this alternative, 
the RMP amendment would be the same as described under the Proposed 
Action, with modifications to bring additional areas into compliance.
    Alternative 6 would be designed and built using tubular 
transmission structures when the project area passes through: (1) the 
Ivanpah ACEC; (2) areas designated as critical habitat; and (3) areas 
where the transmission line route is not parallel with other existing 
lattice structures. Under this alternative, only structures TC-SC276 to 
TC-SC290 and TC-SC207 to TC-SC238 would remain as lattice structures, 
and all others would be tubular transmission structures. Alternative 6 
would only be required for the 500-kV option and is not necessary for 
the 230-kV option.
    The BLM further considered five additional alternatives but 
dismissed these alternatives from detailed analysis as explained in the 
Draft RMP Amendment/EIS.
    The State Director has identified the preferred alternative as the 
Proposed Action in combination with the modifications proposed in 
Alternatives 3, 4, and 6. Alternatives 3, 4, and 6, when taken 
together, were found to best meet the State Director's planning 
guidance. Alternative 3 would ensure compatibility with the proposed 
SNSA and avoid crossing the existing double-circuit 230-kV NV Energy 
transmission line within SNSA air navigation surfaces; Alternative 4 
would avoid potential challenges with local government entitlements and 
land acquisition, as well as reduce long-term impacts to Mojave desert 
tortoise habitat; and Alternative 6 would further reduce long-term 
impacts to Mojave desert tortoise habitat.

Mitigation

    No mitigation measures have been identified in the Draft RMP 
Amendment/EIS for the action alternatives. However, the alternatives 
were developed in order to address potential resource conflicts. 
Specifically, to avoid creating a hazard to air navigation, 
Alternatives 2 and 3 would prohibit structure heights from exceeding 
130 feet above ground level. Alternative 6 uses tubular transmission 
structures, (e.g., tubular H-frame, three pole dead-end, or monopole 
structures) as opposed to lattice structures, in certain locations to 
minimize impacts on Mojave desert tortoise due to raven predation.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

    The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation consistent with the NEPA and land use planning processes, 
including a 30-day public protest period and a 60-day Governor's 
consistency review on the Proposed RMP Amendment. The Proposed RMP 
Amendment/Final EIS is anticipated to be available for public protest 
January 2025 with an Approved RMP and Record of Decision in March 2025.
    Along with the ROW grant issued by the BLM, GridLiance anticipates 
needing the following authorizations and permits for the proposed 
project: construction authorization from the Bureau of Indian Affairs; 
clearance for survey and construction on Department of Defense lands; 
biological opinion and incidental take permit(s) from the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS) for Endangered Species Act compliance; USFWS 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act compliance; USFWS Bald and Golden Eagle 
Protection Act compliance; section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers for Clean Water Act compliance; effect concurrence from 
the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office for National Historic 
Preservation Act compliance; No Hazard Declaration from the Federal 
Aviation Administration; Department of Homeland Security consultation 
regarding military radar; Utilities Environmental Protection Act Permit 
to Construct from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada; Rare and 
Endangered Plant Permit from the Nevada State Division of Forestry; 
Desert Tortoise and Gila Monster Handling Permit from the Nevada 
Department of Wildlife; Native Cacti and Yucca Commercial Salvaging and 
Transportation Permit from the Nevada Division of Forestry; Special 
Permit for Capture, Removal, or Destruction of Animal Threatened with 
Extinction from the Nevada Department of Wildlife; Clean Water Act, 
section 401 Compliance with the Nevada Division of Environmental 
Protection (NDEP) and Bureau of Water Quality Planning; Notification 
for Stormwater Management During Construction for the Clean Water Act, 
section 402 permit for stormwater discharge from NDEP; Groundwater 
Discharge Permit from NDEP; ROW Occupancy Permit from the Nevada 
Department of Transportation; Over Legal Size/Load Permit from the 
Nevada Department of Transportation; Uniform Permit (for transportation 
of hazardous materials) from the Nevada Department of Public Safety; 
NDEP Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment; Clark County Dust Control 
Permit; Clark County Grading Permit; Clark County Building Permit; Nye 
County Dust Control Permit; Nye County Grading Permit; and other 
permits as necessary. Further details on these permitting requirements 
may be found in the relevant Plans of Development submitted to the BLM 
by GridLiance.
    Public meetings are listed in the DATES section of this notice. The 
date(s) and location(s) of any additional meetings will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance through the BLM National NEPA Register, news 
release, and BLM social media pages.
    The BLM will continue to consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a 
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 
13175, BLM MS 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, 
including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to 
cultural resources, will be given due consideration.
    The purpose of public review of the Draft RMP Amendment/EIS is to 
provide an opportunity for meaningful collaborative public engagement 
and for the public to provide substantive comments, such as 
identification of factual errors, data gaps, input on the identified 
BLM preferred alternative, relevant methods, or scientific studies. You 
may submit comments at any time during the 90-day comment period by 
using any of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. The BLM will respond to substantive comments by making 
appropriate revisions to the EIS or explaining why a comment did not 
warrant a change.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that

[[Page 28803]]

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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2)

Jon K. Raby,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-08241 Filed 4-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-21-P