Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line Project) Nevada, 75492 [2010-30307]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management
• Land Management Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 232 (Friday, December 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 75492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30307]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVL0000 L51010000.FX0000 LVRWF09F1640 241A; N-82076; 
MO4500014867; TAS:14X5017]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line Project) Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the One Nevada 
Transmission Line (ON Line Project) and by this notice is announcing 
its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for at 
least 30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes its notice of availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: A list of locations where the One Nevada Transmission Line 
(ON Line Project) Final EIS can be reviewed is in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section below. The Final EIS is also available online at: 
https://www.blm.gov/nv/. Click on the Ely District map and then click on 
the ON Line Final EIS ``In the Spotlight.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Dwyer at (702) 821-7102, e-
mail: michael_dwyer@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line 
Project) Final EIS is available for review at the following locations:
--BLM Ely District Office, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada
White Pine County Library, 950 Campton Street, Ely, Nevada
BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, Nevada
BLM Caliente Field Station, U.S. Highway 93, Caliente, Nevada
Caliente Branch Library, 100 Depot Avenue, Caliente, Nevada
BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines, Las 
Vegas, Nevada
North Las Vegas Library, 2300 Civic Center Drive, North Las Vegas, 
Nevada
BLM Office of Public Affairs, Room 406-LS, 1620 L Street, Washington, 
DC
    On March 30, 2009, the BLM received a right-of-way application and 
Plan of Development from NV Energy for a 236-mile-long 500 kilovolt 
(kV) transmission line and telecommunication facilities running 
generally from Ely to Las Vegas, Nevada; one new substation near Ely; a 
loop-in of an existing 345 kV transmission line at the new substation; 
an expansion of one existing substation on private land near Battle 
Mountain, Nevada; and appurtenant facilities and access roads. The 
project name is the One Nevada Transmission Line Project and is 
referred to as the ``ON Line Project.''
    The components of the ON Line Project had been part of the 2006 Ely 
Energy Center (EEC) proposal for a coal fired power-generating facility 
that included rail lines, transmission lines with fiber optic cable, 
new and expanded substations, water well-fields and pipeline delivery 
systems, and associated facilities to be located mostly on public lands 
in White Pine, Lincoln, Nye, Elko, and Clark counties, Nevada. On 
January 26, 2007, the BLM published a Notice of Intent to prepare an 
EIS for the EEC and its associated facilities and held public scoping 
meetings (see 72 FR 3871). On January 2, 2009, the BLM published a 
Notice of Availability initiating a 90-day public comment period on its 
Draft EIS (see 74 FR 115). In February 2009, during the public comment 
period, the proponent made public its intention to postpone the coal-
fired power generation facilities associated with the EEC in its 
proposal until carbon capture technology becomes commercially feasible.
    On July 29, 2009, the BLM published in the Federal Register a 
Notice of Intent to develop an EIS for the ON Line project and invited 
the public to submit scoping comments (see 74 FR 37728). An Draft EIS 
was developed for the following reasons: the ON Line proposed action 
was part of the EEC proposed action assessed in the EEC Draft EIS; 
removing the coal-fired power generation facilities from the 
application requires a change in the description of the purpose and 
need for the project; and the assessment of impacts in association with 
the power generation facilities in the Draft EIS are no longer 
applicable. The ON Line Draft EIS incorporated all appurtenant sections 
of the EEC Draft EIS along with new information such that it stands on 
its own. Applicable comments collected during the public comment period 
on the EEC Draft EIS were carried forward into the ON Line EIS process.
    On November 20, 2009, the BLM published in the Federal Register a 
Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS for the ON Line project and 
initiated a 60-day public comment period (see 74 FR 60290). Public 
meetings on the Draft EIS were conducted in Las Vegas, Caliente, and 
Ely during December 2009. Nineteen comments were received and taken 
into consideration in the preparation of the Final EIS. Public comments 
identified potential conflicts with the Robinson Summit substation and 
resulted in an additional alternative site for the substation being 
added to the Final EIS.
    The comments also identified the need to clarify several sections 
of the document.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Atanda Clark,
Acting Associate District Manager, Ely District.
[FR Doc. 2010-30307 Filed 12-2-10; 8:45 am]
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