Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, for the Gateway West 230/500 kV Transmission Line Project in Idaho and Wyoming and Possible Land Use Plan Amendments, 28425-28426 [E8-11060]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 96 / Friday, May 16, 2008 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WY–920–08–5101–ER–K099; WYW–174598; IDI–35849] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, for the Gateway West 230/500 kV Transmission Line Project in Idaho and Wyoming and Possible Land Use Plan Amendments Bureau of Land Management, DOI; and Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Possible Land Use Plan Amendments, and notice of public scoping meetings. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES AGENCIES: SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and in response to a Right-of-Way (ROW) application filed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Wyoming State Office, U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Caribou-Targhee and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, announces their intention to prepare an EIS and conduct public scoping meetings. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power propose to construct electric transmission lines from the proposed Windstar Substation near the Dave Johnston Power Plant at Glenrock, Wyoming to the proposed Hemingway substation near Melba, Idaho, approximately 20 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho. The project is composed of 11 transmission line segments with a total length of approximately 1,250 miles. Authorization of this proposal may result in the amendment of Forest Service and BLM land use plans (Forest Plans, Management Framework Plans, and Resource Management Plans). DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. The BLM can best use public input if comments and resource information are submitted by July 03, 2008. To provide the public an opportunity to review the proposal and project information, the BLM expects to hold at least nine meetings in both Idaho and Wyoming along the proposed route. The meetings will be conducted in an ‘‘open house’’ format with the BLM staff and project proponents available to explain project details and gather information from interested individuals or groups. BLM is proposing to host open houses in the following communities: Casper, Kemmerer, VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:18 May 15, 2008 Jkt 214001 Rawlins, and Rock Springs, Wyoming; Boise, Montpelier, Murphy, Pocatello, and Twin Falls, Idaho. The BLM will announce the exact dates, times, and locations for these meetings at least 15 days prior to the event. Announcements will be made by news release to the media, individual letter mailings, and posting on the project Web site listed below. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or resource information by any of the following methods: • Web site: https://www.wy.blm.gov/ nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west. • E-mail: Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov. • Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Gateway West Project, P.O. Box 20879, Cheyenne, WY 82003. • Courier or Hand Deliver: Bureau of Land Management, Gateway West Project, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82009. Documents pertinent to the ROW application may be examined at: • Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, Public Room, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82003, Telephone (307) 775–6256. • Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office, Public Room, 1387 South Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 83709, Telephone (208) 373–3863. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information and/or to have your name added to our mailing list, contact Walter George, Gateway West Project Manager, Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 20879, Cheyenne, WY 82003 or by e-mail to Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power have submitted a ROW application to locate 230 and 500 kV electric transmission lines on federal lands. The proposed lines originate at the proposed Windstar Substation near the Dave Johnston Power Plant at Glenrock, Wyoming and end at the proposed Hemingway Substation, approximately 20 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho. The project is composed of 11 segments with a total length of approximately 1,250 miles. The requested ROW width varies from 150 to 250 feet. Approximately 500 miles or 40% of the total length traverses federally-administered land in Idaho and Wyoming. In Idaho, approximately 300 miles crosses public land administered by seven BLM Field Offices: Bruneau, Burley, Four Rivers, Jarbidge, Owyhee, Pocatello, and Shoshone. In Wyoming, approximately 200 miles crosses public land administered by four BLM Field Offices: Casper, Kemmerer, Rawlins and Rock Springs. An alternate route may be PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 28425 considered that involves approximately one mile of public lands in the Salt Lake Field Office of Utah. In addition, the proposed transmission line route crosses approximately 12 miles in two units of the National Forest System administered by the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture: Two miles in the Douglas Ranger District of the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming and ten miles in the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Idaho. The proposed route generally follows existing power lines in the Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power systems. The proposed route passes near the following towns and locations: • In Wyoming: Casper, Hanna, Rawlins, Rock Springs, and Kemmerer. • In Idaho: Montpelier, American Falls, Twin Falls, Glenns Ferry, Mountain Home, Burley, Shoshone, Jerome, and Boise. BLM is the lead federal agency for the NEPA analysis process and preparation of the EIS. Cooperating agencies identified at this time include: The USFS, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, State of Wyoming, Cassia County, Idaho, Lincoln and Sweetwater Counties, Wyoming. Other states and local governments will be invited to participate as cooperating agencies. Through public scoping, the BLM expects to identify various issues, potential impacts, mitigation measures, and alternatives to the proposed action. At present, the BLM has identified the following issues and concerns: • Effects on wildlife habitat, plants, and animals including threatened, endangered, and sensitive species. • Effects to visual resources and existing view sheds. • Effects to National Historic Trails and their view sheds. • Effects to Native American traditional cultural properties and respected places. • Effects to soils and water from surface disturbing activities. • Land use conflicts and inconsistency with land use plans. • Effect of the project on local and regional socioeconomic conditions. • Increased potential for introduction and spread of noxious weeds and the ability to efficiently reclaim lands disturbed by transmission line construction or location. The BLM will analyze the proposed action and no action alternatives, as well as other possible alternatives to the proposed power line location and access routes. The BLM encourages you to send us your comments concerning the E:\FR\FM\16MYN1.SGM 16MYN1 28426 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 96 / Friday, May 16, 2008 / Notices sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES power line project as proposed and feasible alternative locations, possible mitigation measures, and any other information relevant to the proposed action. Authorization of this proposal may require amendment of one or more Forest Service or BLM land use plans. By this notice, BLM is complying with requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2(c) and the USFS is complying with 36 CFR 219.9 to notify the public of potential amendments to land use plans. If a Resource Management Plan, Management Framework Plan, or Forest Plan Amendment is necessary, BLM and USFS will integrate the land use planning process with the NEPA analysis process for this project. The environmental decision document for the BLM will be signed by the Wyoming State Director, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009. Approving officials for the USFS are: Regional Forester, Region 2, 740 Simms Street, Golden, Colorado 80401–4720 and Regional Forester, Region 4, 324 25th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401. Your input is important and will be considered in the environmental analysis process. All comment submittals must include the commenter’s name and street address. Comments including the names and addresses of the respondent will be available for public inspection at the above offices during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or any other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information may be publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Any persons wishing to be added to a mailing list of interested parties can call or write to BLM, as described in this notice. Additional informational meetings may be conducted throughout the process to keep the public informed of the progress of the EIS. Dated: May 5, 2008. Robert G. Mickelsen, Acting Forest Supervisor. Dated: May 12, 2008. James K. Murkin, Acting State Director. [FR Doc. E8–11060 Filed 5–15–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–22–P VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:18 May 15, 2008 Jkt 214001 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Environmental Impact Statement for Implementing the Travel Management Rule for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland, Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Klamath, Grant and Lake Counties, OR Forest Service, USDA. Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The U.S. Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposed action to implement 36 CFR parts 212, 251, 261, and 295; Travel Management: Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use; Final Rule (Travel Management Rule). The Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland propose to prohibit motorized travel 1 outside of 300′ of the centerline of those existing designated routes (roads and trails) and areas that currently allow motorized use and that are not otherwise restricted or prohibited for such use by law, regulation, policy, order, Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans), or other past administrative decisions. Class of vehicles (highway licensed and/or nonhighway licensed) and season(s) of use that motorized access to dispersed campsites would be allowed would match the adjacent designated route classification and seasonal use period. Special provisions for motorized access only to designated, defined, or existing campsites, and/or prohibitions from motorized access would be applied adjacent to routes and within areas specified on the Proposed Action maps. Identification of routes with special provisions and/or prohibitions and would be based on a set of criteria for establishing exceptions to the general provision for 300′ motorized access adjacent to designated routes in the proposed action. No new motorized access to areas currently prohibited to motorized access would be included in the proposed action. The proposed action would amend the Ochoco National Forest Plan by deleting forest plan standards and guidelines that are not consistent with the Travel Management Rule and the proposed action. The proposed action would amend the Deschutes National Forest Plan to make minor (1–2 day) 1 Over the snow vehicles are excluded from this proposed action. PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 corrections to some motorized season of use dates for consistency with other similar season of use dates, and change some analysis requirements from outdated ‘‘implementation units’’ to watershed or similar sized ecologicallybased areas. The alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision. Location: The proposed action includes all of the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland. These federal lands are located in the vicinity of the central Oregon cities of Bend, Prineville, and Madras. The proposed action applies only to National Forest and Grassland lands, although lands of other than federal ownership lie adjacent or interspersed across the landscape with national forests and grasslands. DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis, issues about the proposed action, or alternatives to the proposed action are most helpful if received within 30 days following the date that this notice appears in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Deschutes National Forest at 1001 SW Emkay, Bend, OR 97701 Attention: Mose Harris, Travel Management Team. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mose Harris, Writer-Editor, Mollie Chaudet, Peggy Fisher, or Laurel Skelton, at the Deschutes National Forest Headquarters, 1001 SW Emkay, Bend, OR 97702, (541) 383–5300. Responsible Officials: The Responsible Officials are John Allen, Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest and Jeff Walter, Forest Supervisor, Ochoco National Forest. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose and Need: In 2005, the Forest Service published a final rule in the Federal Register: 36 CFR Parts 212, 251, 261, and 295; Travel Management: Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use; Final Rule (Travel Management Rule). Currently, the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests have over 9000 miles of designated routes (roads and trails), and a few designated areas that are open to a variety of highway and non-highway licensed vehicles. There is a variety of laws, regulations, and policies that result in a mixture of areas of the Forests and Grassland that do or do not allow motorized access off of these designated routes. The 2005 Travel E:\FR\FM\16MYN1.SGM 16MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 96 (Friday, May 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28425-28426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11060]



[[Page 28425]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-920-08-5101-ER-K099; WYW-174598; IDI-35849]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 
for the Gateway West 230/500 kV Transmission Line Project in Idaho and 
Wyoming and Possible Land Use Plan Amendments

AGENCIES: Bureau of Land Management, DOI; and Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS), Possible Land Use Plan Amendments, and notice of public scoping 
meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and in response to a Right-of-Way (ROW) 
application filed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power, the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM), Wyoming State Office, U.S. Forest Service 
(USFS), Caribou-Targhee and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, 
announces their intention to prepare an EIS and conduct public scoping 
meetings. Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power propose to construct 
electric transmission lines from the proposed Windstar Substation near 
the Dave Johnston Power Plant at Glenrock, Wyoming to the proposed 
Hemingway substation near Melba, Idaho, approximately 20 miles 
southwest of Boise, Idaho. The project is composed of 11 transmission 
line segments with a total length of approximately 1,250 miles. 
Authorization of this proposal may result in the amendment of Forest 
Service and BLM land use plans (Forest Plans, Management Framework 
Plans, and Resource Management Plans).

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. The BLM can 
best use public input if comments and resource information are 
submitted by July 03, 2008. To provide the public an opportunity to 
review the proposal and project information, the BLM expects to hold at 
least nine meetings in both Idaho and Wyoming along the proposed route. 
The meetings will be conducted in an ``open house'' format with the BLM 
staff and project proponents available to explain project details and 
gather information from interested individuals or groups. BLM is 
proposing to host open houses in the following communities: Casper, 
Kemmerer, Rawlins, and Rock Springs, Wyoming; Boise, Montpelier, 
Murphy, Pocatello, and Twin Falls, Idaho. The BLM will announce the 
exact dates, times, and locations for these meetings at least 15 days 
prior to the event. Announcements will be made by news release to the 
media, individual letter mailings, and posting on the project Web site 
listed below.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or resource information by any of 
the following methods:
     Web site: https://www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_
west.
     E-mail: Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Gateway West Project, 
P.O. Box 20879, Cheyenne, WY 82003.
     Courier or Hand Deliver: Bureau of Land Management, 
Gateway West Project, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82009.
    Documents pertinent to the ROW application may be examined at:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, Public 
Room, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82003, Telephone (307) 775-
6256.
     Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office, Public 
Room, 1387 South Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 83709, Telephone (208) 373-
3863.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information and/or to have your 
name added to our mailing list, contact Walter George, Gateway West 
Project Manager, Wyoming State Office, P.O. Box 20879, Cheyenne, WY 
82003 or by e-mail to Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power have 
submitted a ROW application to locate 230 and 500 kV electric 
transmission lines on federal lands. The proposed lines originate at 
the proposed Windstar Substation near the Dave Johnston Power Plant at 
Glenrock, Wyoming and end at the proposed Hemingway Substation, 
approximately 20 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho. The project is 
composed of 11 segments with a total length of approximately 1,250 
miles. The requested ROW width varies from 150 to 250 feet. 
Approximately 500 miles or 40% of the total length traverses federally-
administered land in Idaho and Wyoming.
    In Idaho, approximately 300 miles crosses public land administered 
by seven BLM Field Offices: Bruneau, Burley, Four Rivers, Jarbidge, 
Owyhee, Pocatello, and Shoshone. In Wyoming, approximately 200 miles 
crosses public land administered by four BLM Field Offices: Casper, 
Kemmerer, Rawlins and Rock Springs. An alternate route may be 
considered that involves approximately one mile of public lands in the 
Salt Lake Field Office of Utah. In addition, the proposed transmission 
line route crosses approximately 12 miles in two units of the National 
Forest System administered by the Forest Service, Department of 
Agriculture: Two miles in the Douglas Ranger District of the Medicine 
Bow National Forest in Wyoming and ten miles in the Montpelier Ranger 
District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Idaho.
    The proposed route generally follows existing power lines in the 
Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power systems. The proposed route passes 
near the following towns and locations:
     In Wyoming: Casper, Hanna, Rawlins, Rock Springs, and 
Kemmerer.
     In Idaho: Montpelier, American Falls, Twin Falls, Glenns 
Ferry, Mountain Home, Burley, Shoshone, Jerome, and Boise.
    BLM is the lead federal agency for the NEPA analysis process and 
preparation of the EIS. Cooperating agencies identified at this time 
include: The USFS, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, 
State of Wyoming, Cassia County, Idaho, Lincoln and Sweetwater 
Counties, Wyoming. Other states and local governments will be invited 
to participate as cooperating agencies.
    Through public scoping, the BLM expects to identify various issues, 
potential impacts, mitigation measures, and alternatives to the 
proposed action. At present, the BLM has identified the following 
issues and concerns:
     Effects on wildlife habitat, plants, and animals including 
threatened, endangered, and sensitive species.
     Effects to visual resources and existing view sheds.
     Effects to National Historic Trails and their view sheds.
     Effects to Native American traditional cultural properties 
and respected places.
     Effects to soils and water from surface disturbing 
activities.
     Land use conflicts and inconsistency with land use plans.
     Effect of the project on local and regional socioeconomic 
conditions.
     Increased potential for introduction and spread of noxious 
weeds and the ability to efficiently reclaim lands disturbed by 
transmission line construction or location.
    The BLM will analyze the proposed action and no action 
alternatives, as well as other possible alternatives to the proposed 
power line location and access routes. The BLM encourages you to send 
us your comments concerning the

[[Page 28426]]

power line project as proposed and feasible alternative locations, 
possible mitigation measures, and any other information relevant to the 
proposed action.
    Authorization of this proposal may require amendment of one or more 
Forest Service or BLM land use plans. By this notice, BLM is complying 
with requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2(c) and the USFS is complying with 36 
CFR 219.9 to notify the public of potential amendments to land use 
plans. If a Resource Management Plan, Management Framework Plan, or 
Forest Plan Amendment is necessary, BLM and USFS will integrate the 
land use planning process with the NEPA analysis process for this 
project. The environmental decision document for the BLM will be signed 
by the Wyoming State Director, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 
82009. Approving officials for the USFS are: Regional Forester, Region 
2, 740 Simms Street, Golden, Colorado 80401-4720 and Regional Forester, 
Region 4, 324 25th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401.
    Your input is important and will be considered in the environmental 
analysis process. All comment submittals must include the commenter's 
name and street address. Comments including the names and addresses of 
the respondent will be available for public inspection at the above 
offices during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday 
through Friday, except federal holidays. Before including your address, 
phone number, e-mail address, or any other personal identifying 
information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment, 
including your personal identifying information may be publicly 
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold 
from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Any persons wishing to be added to a mailing list of interested 
parties can call or write to BLM, as described in this notice. 
Additional informational meetings may be conducted throughout the 
process to keep the public informed of the progress of the EIS.

    Dated: May 5, 2008.
Robert G. Mickelsen,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
    Dated: May 12, 2008.
James K. Murkin,
Acting State Director.
 [FR Doc. E8-11060 Filed 5-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
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