Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cross-Tie 500-kV Transmission Project in Beaver, Juab, and Millard Counties, Utah, and Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine Counties, Nevada, 77358-77361 [2023-24748]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2023 / Notices
provided in the regulations, the
segregation of lands in this notice will
not exceed 2 years from the date of
publication unless extended for up to an
additional 2 years through publication
of a new notice in the Federal Register.
The segregation period will terminate
and the land will automatically reopen
to appropriation under the public land
laws, including the Mining Law, at the
earliest of the following dates: upon
issuance of a decision by the authorized
officer granting, granting with
modifications, or denying the
application for a ROW; without further
administrative action at the end of the
segregation provided for in the Federal
Register notice initiating the
segregation; or upon publication of a
Federal Register notice terminating the
segregation.
Legal Description for Parcel: The
subject lands for the proposed solar
facility are legally described as follows:
Solar Array
Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona
T. 3 N., R. 14 W.,
Secs. 17 and 18;
Sec. 19, lots 1 and 2, NE1⁄4, E1⁄2NW1⁄4, and
N1⁄2SE1⁄4;
Sec. 20, N1⁄2, N1⁄2SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, and
SE1⁄4;
Secs. 21 and 22;
Sec. 23, SW1⁄4NW1⁄4, W1⁄2SW1⁄4, and
SE1⁄4SW1⁄4;
Sec. 25, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4;
Sec. 26, W1⁄2NE1⁄4, NW1⁄4, and S1⁄2;
Sec. 27, N1⁄2 and N1⁄2SE1⁄4;
Sec. 28, N1⁄2NE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, and
N1⁄2NW1⁄4;
Sec. 35, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4.
T. 3 N., R. 15 W.,
Sec. 12, N1⁄2NE1⁄4, SE1⁄4;
Sec. 13, E1⁄2;
Sec. 24, N1⁄2NE1⁄4.
The area described contains 4,674
acres, more or less, derived from GIS
data received from the BLM Arizona
State Office, on September 11, 2023.
Substation
Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona
T. 3 N., R. 15 W.,
Sec. 12, NE1⁄4, those portions northerly of
the northern alternative Gen-Tie route.
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The area described contains 89 acres,
more or less, derived from GIS data
received from the BLM Arizona State
Office, on September 11, 2023.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
These Federal agencies have agreed to
participate as Cooperating Agencies
under a Memorandum of Understanding
to Improve Public Land Renewable
Energy Project Permit Coordination: the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau
of Reclamation, Department of Defense,
Department of Energy, and
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Environmental Protection Agency.
Other Federal agencies, Tribal Nations,
and State and local agencies wishing to
be considered as a Cooperating Agency
on this effort, either on the basis of their
jurisdiction by law or special expertise,
are invited to express their interest to
Mr. Eysenbach, Project Manager (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Responsible Official
The BLM Arizona State Director is the
deciding official for this notice of
segregation. The authorized officer and
decision maker for the Project is the
BLM Yuma Field Office Manager.
development of the environmental
analysis as a Cooperating Agency.
Before including your address,
telephone 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)
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The BLM will decide whether to
approve, approve with modification(s),
or deny issuance of a ROW grant to the
applicant for the proposed Project.
Gera Ashton,
Acting State Director.
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 for this effort to help
support compliance with applicable
procedural requirements under the
Endangered Species Act 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. Information about historic and
cultural resources and threatened and
endangered species within the area
potentially affected will assist the BLM
in identifying and evaluating impacts to
such resources.
The BLM will consult with Tribal
Nations on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175, BLM Manual Sections
1780, and other Departmental policies.
Tribal concerns, including impacts on
Indian trust assets and potential impacts
to cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with Tribal Nations and
stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the proposed Project that the
BLM is evaluating, are invited to
participate in the scoping process and,
if eligible, may request or be requested
by the BLM to participate in the
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
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[FR Doc. 2023–24744 Filed 11–8–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–12–P
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_UT_FRN_MO4500172964]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Cross-Tie 500-kV Transmission
Project in Beaver, Juab, and Millard
Counties, Utah, and Lincoln, Nye, and
White Pine Counties, Nevada
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
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)
announces the availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Cross-Tie 500-kilovolt (kV)
Transmission Project (Cross-Tie Project
or Project).
DATES: To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments in
the Final EIS, please ensure that the
BLM receives your comments within 45
days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes its Notice of Availability
(NOA) of the Draft EIS in the Federal
Register. The EPA usually publishes its
NOAs on Fridays.
ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS is available
for review on the BLM’s ePlanning
Project website at https://bit.ly/
ePlanningCrossTie.
Written comments related to the
Cross-Tie Project may be submitted by
any of the following methods:
• Email: blm_ut_fm_cross-tie_
project@blm.gov.
SUMMARY:
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• Mail: BLM Fillmore Field Office,
ATTN: Cross-Tie Project, Bureau of
Land Management, Fillmore Field
Office, 95 East 500 North, Fillmore,
Utah 84631.
Verbal comments related to the CrossTie Project may be submitted via
telephone hotline at 1–888–674–0962.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at the
ePlanning website noted above and at
the following office locations:
• BLM Bristlecone Field Office and
Ely District Office, 702 North Industrial
Way, Ely, Nevada 89301;
• BLM Caliente Field Office, 1400
Front Street, Caliente, Nevada 89008;
• BLM Cedar City Field Office and
Color Country District Office, 176 East
D.L. Sargent Drive, Cedar City, Utah
84721;
• BLM Fillmore Field Office, 95 East
500 North, Fillmore, Utah 84631;
• BLM West Desert District Office,
491 North John Glenn Road, Salt Lake
City, Utah 84116;
• Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe
National Forest Ely Ranger District, 825
Avenue E, Ely, Nevada 89301; and
• Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe
National Forest Supervisor’s Office,
1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, Nevada
89431.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Clara Stevens, Project Manager, address
95 East 500 North, Fillmore, Utah
84631; email blm_ut_fm_cross-tie_
project@blm.gov; telephone 435–743–
3119. 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. Stevens. 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.
The
applicant, TransCanyon, LLC
(TransCanyon), submitted an
Application for Transportation and
Utility Systems and Facilities on
Federal Lands (Standard Form 299) and
a draft Plan of Development to the BLM
and U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Forest Service (Forest Service)
for a permanent facility right-of-way
(ROW) and a special use permit (SUP)
for the construction, operation and
maintenance (O&M), and
decommissioning of the Cross-Tie
Project.
The BLM Fillmore Field Office, in
coordination with cooperating agencies,
prepared a Draft EIS to analyze potential
impacts from the Proposed Action and
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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alternatives. New permanent and
temporary land use authorizations
would be required to construct, operate,
and maintain, and decommission
Project components. In Utah, the
Proposed Action would cross
approximately 98 miles of BLM
administered land, 14 miles of state
land, and 26 miles of private land for a
total of 138 miles. In Nevada, the
Proposed Action would cross 63 miles
of BLM administered land, eight miles
of Forest Service administered land,
four miles of private land, and one mile
of state land for a total of 76 miles.
TransCanyon would obtain these land
use authorizations through a ROW grant
from the BLM, a SUP from the Forest
Service, and easements or fee purchases
for non-federal lands.
Purpose and Need for the Action
The purpose and need of the BLM
federal action is to respond to the ROW
application submitted by TransCanyon
for the construction, O&M, and
decommissioning of the proposed 500kV transmission line on BLMadministered land between the Clover
Substation in central Utah and the
Robinson Summit Substation in eastcentral Nevada, in compliance with
Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761–
1771), the BLM’s ROW regulations at 43
CFR part 2800, and other applicable
federal laws and policies to grant ROWs
over public land.
The purpose and need of the Forest
Service federal action is to respond to
an application for a SUP submitted by
TransCanyon for the construction, O&M,
and decommissioning of the proposed
500-kV transmission line on National
Forest System land in east-central
Nevada in compliance with FLPMA and
the National Forest Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1601–1614), as well as the
Humboldt National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan, as
amended, which provides forest-wide
standards and guidelines for
management of National Forest System
land crossed by the Project. The SUP
application and authorization process
objectives are to (1) authorize use and
occupy National Forest System land that
is in the public interest while avoiding
and minimizing adverse effects and (2)
ensure conformance with existing land
and resource management plans.
For both agencies, FLPMA also
provides the BLM and the Forest
Service with discretionary authority to
authorize use (i.e., via a ROW and a
SUP, respectively) of land they
administer, taking into consideration
impacts on natural and cultural
resources. In doing so, the BLM and
Forest Service both must endeavor ‘‘to
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77359
minimize damage to scenic and esthetic
values and fish and wildlife habitat and
otherwise protect the environment’’
through avoidance or mitigation
(FLPMA Title V).
Alternatives
The BLM has analyzed six
alternatives in detail, including the
Proposed Action, four action
alternatives, and the No Action
Alternative. The Draft EIS analysis
addresses the alternatives in two
different ways. Within the Draft EIS,
there is a comparison of each alternative
to the comparable segment of the
Proposed Action it replaces (segment
specific), and there is also a comparison
of start-to-finish alternatives. The startto-finish alternatives are referred to as
the Modified Proposed Action with
Alternative A, B, C, or D. The segment
alternatives can be substituted into a
start-to-finish route in a variety of
combinations to create a modified
Proposed Action.
Under the No Action Alternative, the
BLM would not approve a ROW grant
and the Forest Service would not
approve a SUP to construct, O&M, and
decommission the Project. The Project
infrastructure and facilities would not
be built, and existing land uses and
present activities in the area would
continue consistent with the applicable
land use plan governing management of
the affected lands.
The Proposed Action, which is
TransCanyon’s desired alternative,
includes an approximately 214-mile,
1,500-megawatt, 500-kV high-voltage
alternating current (HVAC) overhead
transmission line that would be
constructed between the Clover
Substation in central Utah and the
Robinson Summit Substation in eastcentral Nevada. The Project would be
situated within a 250-foot-wide ROW/
SUP, 125 feet from centerline, which
would maintain separation from other
existing extra-high-voltage transmission
lines as required by the North American
Electric Reliability Corporation. The
Project facilities would include a 500kV HVAC overhead transmission line,
new substation equipment at the Clover
Substation in central Utah (within the
existing substation footprint) and at the
Robinson Summit Substation in eastcentral Nevada (within a 46-acre
proposed expansion), regeneration
stations near the line for the fiber optic
ground wire, series compensation
station(s), temporary and permanent
access roads, and temporary work areas
associated with construction activities.
The Alternative A segment would be
27 miles long, replacing a 23-mile-long
segment of the Proposed Action in
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2023 / Notices
southeastern Juab County and
northeastern Millard County, Utah, to
minimize potential impacts to private
landowners and their viewsheds in the
area near Leamington, Utah, and
minimize potential impacts to the
Sevier River and agricultural
property.The Alternative A segment
would deviate from the Proposed Action
in eastern Juab County, cross BLMadministered land, and follow the route
of the approved TransWest Express
ROW until it rejoins the Proposed
Action at the line between Juab and
Millard Counties. Start-to-finish, the
Modified Proposed Action with
Alternative A would increase the total
length of the route from 214 miles to
218 miles.
The Alternative B segment would be
159 miles long, replacing a 69-mile-long
segment of the Proposed Action in
central and western Millard County,
Utah, to minimize crossings of the
Sevier A and Sevier B Military
Operating Area (MOAs) (low-level flight
training areas) that are part of the
Department of Defense’s Utah Test and
Training Range (UTTR) airspace that
overlies BLM-managed lands in
Utah.Alternative B would cross into
Beaver County, Utah, following
identified utility corridors to Milford,
Utah, then turn west and north
following an identified Section 368
Energy Corridor back to the Proposed
Action alignment near the Utah-Nevada
state line. Start-to-finish, the Modified
Proposed Action with Alternative B
would increase the total length of the
route from 214 miles to 304 miles.
The Alternative C segment would be
13 miles long, replacing a 7-mile-long
segment of the Proposed Action in
eastern White Pine County, Nevada, to
minimize potential impacts to the
culturally sensitive Spring Valley area
and Bahsawahbee Traditional Cultural
Property (TCP). Alternative C would
diverge from the Proposed Action and
follow U.S. Highway 6/50 southwest,
then follow State Route 893 northwest
back to the Proposed Action. Start-tofinish, the Modified Proposed Action
with Alternative C would increase the
total length of the route from 214 miles
to 220 miles.
The Alternative D segment would be
297 miles long, replacing a 145-milelong segment of the Proposed Action in
Millard County, Utah, and eastern
White Pine County, Nevada, to avoid
areas of Tribal resource concerns in
Spring Valley, Nevada. Alternative D
would follow the Alternative B route
alignment through Beaver County, Utah,
then depart from Alternative B shortly
after reentering Millard County, Utah. It
would then head west, north of the
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county line, and cross into Lincoln
County, Nevada. From there, the route
would head west, then southwest to an
energy corridor designated in the Ely
District Resource Management Plan
(RMP) near Atlanta, Nevada. The route
would then follow the RMP corridor
west and south until it intersects the
Section 368 Energy Corridor that
contains the existing One Nevada
Transmission Line. It would then follow
the One Nevada Transmission Line
north to the Robinson Summit
Substation. Start-to-finish, the Modified
Proposed Action with Alternative D
would increase the total length of the
route from 214 miles to 366 miles.
The BLM has not identified a
preferred alternative in the Draft EIS.
Instead, input received on the Draft EIS
during the public comment period will
inform which alternative would be
selected as the preferred alternative in
the Final EIS.
Mitigation
Applicant-Committed Environmental
Protection Measures (ACEPMs) are
included as part of the Proposed Action
and have been identified to reduce
impacts on environmental resources.
These measures would apply to all
action alternatives. TransCanyon and its
contractor(s) would adhere to the
ACEPMs identified during the
engineering/design phase and to the
measures addressing construction,
O&M, and decommissioning activities.
A full list of the ACEPMs can be found
in Appendix A of the Draft EIS, which
includes TransCanyon’s Plan of
Development (POD). The POD is
expected to continue to be developed
with additional details and potentially
additional ACEPMs as the NEPA
process progresses, and up through any
authorization(s) that may be issued.
Additionally, resource sections within
the Draft EIS contain additional
measures to avoid, minimize, or
compensate for impacts to resources.
The BLM is also working with state
agencies to determine mitigation
requirements for impacts to Greater
sage-grouse.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM serves as the lead federal
agency for completing the Draft EIS. The
EIS is being prepared by the BLM
Fillmore Field Office, in coordination
with the Cedar City Field Office in Utah,
the BLM Bristlecone Field Office and
Caliente Field Office in Nevada, and
cooperating agencies. The BLM invited
federal and state agencies and State,
Tribal, and local governments to serve
as cooperating agencies. The following
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entities accepted the invitation and are
participating as cooperating agencies:
• Federal Agencies:
Æ Forest Service (Humboldt-Toiyabe
National Forest, Ely Ranger District)
Æ EPA
Æ U.S. Department of Defense (UTTR)
Æ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• State Agencies:
Æ Utah Public Lands Policy
Coordinating Office (with multiple State
of Utah entities participating through
this office, as noted below)
D University of Utah Telescope Array
Project
D Utah Department of Agriculture and
Food
D Utah Department of Transportation
D Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
D Utah Trust Lands Administration
Æ Nevada Department of Wildlife
Æ Nevada Division of Minerals
Æ Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem
Program
Æ Nevada State Lands Division
Nevada N–4 State Grazing Board
• Local Governments and Agencies:
Æ Beaver County, Utah
Æ Juab County, Utah
Æ Millard County, Utah
Æ Lincoln County, Nevada
Æ Nye County, Nevada
Æ White Pine County, Nevada
Æ City of Ely, Nevada
Æ Lincoln County Conservation
District
• Tribal Governments:
Æ Duckwater Shoshone Tribe
Æ Te-Moak Tribe of Western
Shoshone-Elko Band
Cooperating agency participation may
include developing information and
preparing analyses, contributing
technical expertise to enhance the lead
agency’s interdisciplinary capabilities,
and providing comments for those
matters for which it has jurisdiction by
law or special expertise. The Tribal
governments noted above have elected
to participate as cooperating agencies.
The cooperating agency relationship
established here supplements and is
subordinate to the government-togovernment relationship between Tribal
Nations and the BLM.
Schedule for the Decision-Making
Process
The BLM anticipates releasing a Final
EIS in August 2024 and anticipates
issuing a Record of Decision in
December 2024.
Public Involvement Process
On May 2, 2022, the BLM published
a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
EIS in the Federal Register (87 Federal
Register 25656), announcing the
beginning of the public scoping process.
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While the NOI identified the end date
of the scoping period as May 31, 2022,
the BLM ultimately extended it until
June 1, 2022. Two virtual public scoping
meetings were held on May 17 and May
18, 2022. During the scoping period, the
BLM received 59 unique submittals
totaling 416 discrete comments. The
Environmental Impact Statement
Scoping Report for the Cross-Tie 500-kV
Transmission Project can be found on
BLM’s ePlanning Project website (see
ADDRESSES).
This NOA initiates the Draft EIS
review process. The BLM will hold one
virtual and up to four in-person public
information meetings associated with
the Project. Possible in-person meeting
locations include: Ely, Nevada, and
Delta, Milford, and Nephi, Utah. The
specific date(s) and location(s) of these
meetings will be announced at least 10
days in advance through news releases,
local media, social media, and the
BLM’s ePlanning Project website (see
ADDRESSES). During the public comment
period, the BLM will accept comments
through email, mail, and hotline.
The BLM will continue to 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. Consultation will
continue on an individual basis with
interested Tribes.
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
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Gregory Sheehan,
BLM Utah State Director.
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_HQ_FRN_MO4500175781]
Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board
Meeting
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972, the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse
and Burro Advisory Board (Board) will
hold a public meeting.
DATES: The Board will meet in person
from December 12 through 14, 2023; 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time (MT)
Tuesday through Thursday. The BLM
will host two educational field tours for
the Board on Tuesday, December 12, 8
a.m. to 2:30 p.m. MT, and on Thursday,
December 14, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MT,
which are open to the public. The
December 14 public meeting will
resume at 2:15 p.m. at the BLM National
Training Center (see ADDRESSES section
below).
ADDRESSES: The Board will meet in
Phoenix, Arizona, at the BLM National
Training Center in the Arizona room
located at 9828 N 31st Ave., Phoenix,
AZ 85051.
The meeting is open to the public.
The public may attend the meeting in
person or watch via live stream at
www.blm.gov/live.
The final agenda will be posted 2
weeks prior to the meeting and can be
found on the following website:
www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-andburro/get-involved/advisory-board.
The tours will commence and
conclude at the BLM National Training
Center. Due to limited space, those
wishing to attend the educational field
tours should register via email to
dboothe@blm.gov no later than 5 p.m.
MT on November 29, 2023. Those
attending the tours should bring a high
clearance vehicle and any necessary
food, health, and safety items for a full
day in the field.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dorothea Boothe, Wild Horse and Burro
Program Coordinator: telephone: (602)
906–5543, email: dboothe@blm.gov.
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.
Individuals outside the United States
SUMMARY:
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77361
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board
advises the Secretary of the Interior, the
BLM Director, the Secretary of
Agriculture, and the Chief of the U.S.
Forest Service on matters pertaining to
the management and protection of wild,
free-roaming horses and burros on the
Nation’s public lands. The Board
operates in accordance with 43 CFR
1784.
Advisory Board Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Mountain Time (MT)
Board Educational Field Tour to Lake
Pleasant Herd Management Area
(HMA)
(High clearance vehicle recommended,
limited space and advance
registration required)
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Session 1—8 a.m. to 10 a.m. MT
Meeting Called to Order
Administrative Announcements
Welcome Remarks from BLM Arizona
BLM Arizona Wild Horse and Burro
Program Overview
U.S. Forest Service Wild Horse and
Burro Program Region 3 Update
Approval of Meeting Minutes: June 2023
Discussion: BLM and USFS Responses
to Board Recommendations from
June 2023
Board Meeting
BREAK—10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. MT
Session 2—10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. MT
Public Comment Period (First)
LUNCH BREAK—11:15 a.m. to 12:45
p.m. MT
Session 3—12:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. MT
Panel Discussion: Livestock, Wild
Horses and Burros and Landscapes
BREAK—2:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. MT
Session 4—3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT
BLM and U.S. Forest Service Program
Updates
Session 5—4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. MT
Advisory Board Discussion and Wrap
Up
Adjourn
Thursday, December 14, 2023
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MT
Board Educational Field Trip to
Florence Wild Horse and Burro OffRange Corral and Training Facility
(Limited space; advance registration
required)
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Advisory Board Subcommittee Reports
and Draft Recommendations
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77358-77361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24748]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_UT_FRN_MO4500172964]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Cross-Tie 500-kV Transmission Project in Beaver,
Juab, and Millard Counties, Utah, and Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine
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)
announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Cross-Tie 500-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Project (Cross-
Tie Project or Project).
DATES: To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the
Final EIS, please ensure that the BLM receives your comments within 45
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft EIS in the
Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS is available for review on the BLM's ePlanning
Project website at https://bit.ly/ePlanningCrossTie.
Written comments related to the Cross-Tie Project may be submitted
by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected].
[[Page 77359]]
Mail: BLM Fillmore Field Office, ATTN: Cross-Tie Project,
Bureau of Land Management, Fillmore Field Office, 95 East 500 North,
Fillmore, Utah 84631.
Verbal comments related to the Cross-Tie Project may be submitted
via telephone hotline at 1-888-674-0962. Documents pertinent to this
proposal may be examined online at the ePlanning website noted above
and at the following office locations:
BLM Bristlecone Field Office and Ely District Office, 702
North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 89301;
BLM Caliente Field Office, 1400 Front Street, Caliente,
Nevada 89008;
BLM Cedar City Field Office and Color Country District
Office, 176 East D.L. Sargent Drive, Cedar City, Utah 84721;
BLM Fillmore Field Office, 95 East 500 North, Fillmore,
Utah 84631;
BLM West Desert District Office, 491 North John Glenn
Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116;
Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Ely Ranger
District, 825 Avenue E, Ely, Nevada 89301; and
Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Supervisor's Office, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, Nevada 89431.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clara Stevens, Project Manager,
address 95 East 500 North, Fillmore, Utah 84631; email [email protected]; telephone 435-743-3119. 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. Stevens.
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: The applicant, TransCanyon, LLC
(TransCanyon), submitted an Application for Transportation and Utility
Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands (Standard Form 299) and a draft
Plan of Development to the BLM and U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Forest Service (Forest Service) for a permanent facility right-
of-way (ROW) and a special use permit (SUP) for the construction,
operation and maintenance (O&M), and decommissioning of the Cross-Tie
Project.
The BLM Fillmore Field Office, in coordination with cooperating
agencies, prepared a Draft EIS to analyze potential impacts from the
Proposed Action and alternatives. New permanent and temporary land use
authorizations would be required to construct, operate, and maintain,
and decommission Project components. In Utah, the Proposed Action would
cross approximately 98 miles of BLM administered land, 14 miles of
state land, and 26 miles of private land for a total of 138 miles. In
Nevada, the Proposed Action would cross 63 miles of BLM administered
land, eight miles of Forest Service administered land, four miles of
private land, and one mile of state land for a total of 76 miles.
TransCanyon would obtain these land use authorizations through a ROW
grant from the BLM, a SUP from the Forest Service, and easements or fee
purchases for non-federal lands.
Purpose and Need for the Action
The purpose and need of the BLM federal action is to respond to the
ROW application submitted by TransCanyon for the construction, O&M, and
decommissioning of the proposed 500-kV transmission line on BLM-
administered land between the Clover Substation in central Utah and the
Robinson Summit Substation in east-central Nevada, in compliance with
Title V of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761-1771), the BLM's ROW regulations at 43
CFR part 2800, and other applicable federal laws and policies to grant
ROWs over public land.
The purpose and need of the Forest Service federal action is to
respond to an application for a SUP submitted by TransCanyon for the
construction, O&M, and decommissioning of the proposed 500-kV
transmission line on National Forest System land in east-central Nevada
in compliance with FLPMA and the National Forest Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1601-1614), as well as the Humboldt National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan, as amended, which provides forest-wide
standards and guidelines for management of National Forest System land
crossed by the Project. The SUP application and authorization process
objectives are to (1) authorize use and occupy National Forest System
land that is in the public interest while avoiding and minimizing
adverse effects and (2) ensure conformance with existing land and
resource management plans.
For both agencies, FLPMA also provides the BLM and the Forest
Service with discretionary authority to authorize use (i.e., via a ROW
and a SUP, respectively) of land they administer, taking into
consideration impacts on natural and cultural resources. In doing so,
the BLM and Forest Service both must endeavor ``to minimize damage to
scenic and esthetic values and fish and wildlife habitat and otherwise
protect the environment'' through avoidance or mitigation (FLPMA Title
V).
Alternatives
The BLM has analyzed six alternatives in detail, including the
Proposed Action, four action alternatives, and the No Action
Alternative. The Draft EIS analysis addresses the alternatives in two
different ways. Within the Draft EIS, there is a comparison of each
alternative to the comparable segment of the Proposed Action it
replaces (segment specific), and there is also a comparison of start-
to-finish alternatives. The start-to-finish alternatives are referred
to as the Modified Proposed Action with Alternative A, B, C, or D. The
segment alternatives can be substituted into a start-to-finish route in
a variety of combinations to create a modified Proposed Action.
Under the No Action Alternative, the BLM would not approve a ROW
grant and the Forest Service would not approve a SUP to construct, O&M,
and decommission the Project. The Project infrastructure and facilities
would not be built, and existing land uses and present activities in
the area would continue consistent with the applicable land use plan
governing management of the affected lands.
The Proposed Action, which is TransCanyon's desired alternative,
includes an approximately 214-mile, 1,500-megawatt, 500-kV high-voltage
alternating current (HVAC) overhead transmission line that would be
constructed between the Clover Substation in central Utah and the
Robinson Summit Substation in east-central Nevada. The Project would be
situated within a 250-foot-wide ROW/SUP, 125 feet from centerline,
which would maintain separation from other existing extra-high-voltage
transmission lines as required by the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation. The Project facilities would include a 500-kV
HVAC overhead transmission line, new substation equipment at the Clover
Substation in central Utah (within the existing substation footprint)
and at the Robinson Summit Substation in east-central Nevada (within a
46-acre proposed expansion), regeneration stations near the line for
the fiber optic ground wire, series compensation station(s), temporary
and permanent access roads, and temporary work areas associated with
construction activities.
The Alternative A segment would be 27 miles long, replacing a 23-
mile-long segment of the Proposed Action in
[[Page 77360]]
southeastern Juab County and northeastern Millard County, Utah, to
minimize potential impacts to private landowners and their viewsheds in
the area near Leamington, Utah, and minimize potential impacts to the
Sevier River and agricultural property.The Alternative A segment would
deviate from the Proposed Action in eastern Juab County, cross BLM-
administered land, and follow the route of the approved TransWest
Express ROW until it rejoins the Proposed Action at the line between
Juab and Millard Counties. Start-to-finish, the Modified Proposed
Action with Alternative A would increase the total length of the route
from 214 miles to 218 miles.
The Alternative B segment would be 159 miles long, replacing a 69-
mile-long segment of the Proposed Action in central and western Millard
County, Utah, to minimize crossings of the Sevier A and Sevier B
Military Operating Area (MOAs) (low-level flight training areas) that
are part of the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range
(UTTR) airspace that overlies BLM-managed lands in Utah.Alternative B
would cross into Beaver County, Utah, following identified utility
corridors to Milford, Utah, then turn west and north following an
identified Section 368 Energy Corridor back to the Proposed Action
alignment near the Utah-Nevada state line. Start-to-finish, the
Modified Proposed Action with Alternative B would increase the total
length of the route from 214 miles to 304 miles.
The Alternative C segment would be 13 miles long, replacing a 7-
mile-long segment of the Proposed Action in eastern White Pine County,
Nevada, to minimize potential impacts to the culturally sensitive
Spring Valley area and Bahsawahbee Traditional Cultural Property (TCP).
Alternative C would diverge from the Proposed Action and follow U.S.
Highway 6/50 southwest, then follow State Route 893 northwest back to
the Proposed Action. Start-to-finish, the Modified Proposed Action with
Alternative C would increase the total length of the route from 214
miles to 220 miles.
The Alternative D segment would be 297 miles long, replacing a 145-
mile-long segment of the Proposed Action in Millard County, Utah, and
eastern White Pine County, Nevada, to avoid areas of Tribal resource
concerns in Spring Valley, Nevada. Alternative D would follow the
Alternative B route alignment through Beaver County, Utah, then depart
from Alternative B shortly after reentering Millard County, Utah. It
would then head west, north of the county line, and cross into Lincoln
County, Nevada. From there, the route would head west, then southwest
to an energy corridor designated in the Ely District Resource
Management Plan (RMP) near Atlanta, Nevada. The route would then follow
the RMP corridor west and south until it intersects the Section 368
Energy Corridor that contains the existing One Nevada Transmission
Line. It would then follow the One Nevada Transmission Line north to
the Robinson Summit Substation. Start-to-finish, the Modified Proposed
Action with Alternative D would increase the total length of the route
from 214 miles to 366 miles.
The BLM has not identified a preferred alternative in the Draft
EIS. Instead, input received on the Draft EIS during the public comment
period will inform which alternative would be selected as the preferred
alternative in the Final EIS.
Mitigation
Applicant-Committed Environmental Protection Measures (ACEPMs) are
included as part of the Proposed Action and have been identified to
reduce impacts on environmental resources. These measures would apply
to all action alternatives. TransCanyon and its contractor(s) would
adhere to the ACEPMs identified during the engineering/design phase and
to the measures addressing construction, O&M, and decommissioning
activities. A full list of the ACEPMs can be found in Appendix A of the
Draft EIS, which includes TransCanyon's Plan of Development (POD). The
POD is expected to continue to be developed with additional details and
potentially additional ACEPMs as the NEPA process progresses, and up
through any authorization(s) that may be issued. Additionally, resource
sections within the Draft EIS contain additional measures to avoid,
minimize, or compensate for impacts to resources. The BLM is also
working with state agencies to determine mitigation requirements for
impacts to Greater sage-grouse.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The BLM serves as the lead federal agency for completing the Draft
EIS. The EIS is being prepared by the BLM Fillmore Field Office, in
coordination with the Cedar City Field Office in Utah, the BLM
Bristlecone Field Office and Caliente Field Office in Nevada, and
cooperating agencies. The BLM invited federal and state agencies and
State, Tribal, and local governments to serve as cooperating agencies.
The following entities accepted the invitation and are participating as
cooperating agencies:
Federal Agencies:
[cir] Forest Service (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely Ranger
District)
[cir] EPA
[cir] U.S. Department of Defense (UTTR)
[cir] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
State Agencies:
[cir] Utah Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office (with multiple
State of Utah entities participating through this office, as noted
below)
[ssquf] University of Utah Telescope Array Project
[ssquf] Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
[ssquf] Utah Department of Transportation
[ssquf] Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
[ssquf] Utah Trust Lands Administration
[cir] Nevada Department of Wildlife
[cir] Nevada Division of Minerals
[cir] Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Program
[cir] Nevada State Lands Division Nevada N-4 State Grazing Board
Local Governments and Agencies:
[cir] Beaver County, Utah
[cir] Juab County, Utah
[cir] Millard County, Utah
[cir] Lincoln County, Nevada
[cir] Nye County, Nevada
[cir] White Pine County, Nevada
[cir] City of Ely, Nevada
[cir] Lincoln County Conservation District
Tribal Governments:
[cir] Duckwater Shoshone Tribe
[cir] Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone-Elko Band
Cooperating agency participation may include developing information
and preparing analyses, contributing technical expertise to enhance the
lead agency's interdisciplinary capabilities, and providing comments
for those matters for which it has jurisdiction by law or special
expertise. The Tribal governments noted above have elected to
participate as cooperating agencies. The cooperating agency
relationship established here supplements and is subordinate to the
government-to-government relationship between Tribal Nations and the
BLM.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
The BLM anticipates releasing a Final EIS in August 2024 and
anticipates issuing a Record of Decision in December 2024.
Public Involvement Process
On May 2, 2022, the BLM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS in the Federal Register (87 Federal Register 25656),
announcing the beginning of the public scoping process.
[[Page 77361]]
While the NOI identified the end date of the scoping period as May 31,
2022, the BLM ultimately extended it until June 1, 2022. Two virtual
public scoping meetings were held on May 17 and May 18, 2022. During
the scoping period, the BLM received 59 unique submittals totaling 416
discrete comments. The Environmental Impact Statement Scoping Report
for the Cross-Tie 500-kV Transmission Project can be found on BLM's
ePlanning Project website (see ADDRESSES).
This NOA initiates the Draft EIS review process. The BLM will hold
one virtual and up to four in-person public information meetings
associated with the Project. Possible in-person meeting locations
include: Ely, Nevada, and Delta, Milford, and Nephi, Utah. The specific
date(s) and location(s) of these meetings will be announced at least 10
days in advance through news releases, local media, social media, and
the BLM's ePlanning Project website (see ADDRESSES). During the public
comment period, the BLM will accept comments through email, mail, and
hotline.
The BLM will continue to 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.
Consultation will continue on an individual basis with interested
Tribes.
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Gregory Sheehan,
BLM Utah State Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-24748 Filed 11-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-25-P
