Notice of Intent To Amend Resource Management Plans for Section 368 Energy Corridor Revisions and Prepare an Associated Environmental Impact Statement, 83959-83962 [2023-26493]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 230 (Friday, December 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83959-83962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26493]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_HQ_FRN_MO4500170159]


Notice of Intent To Amend Resource Management Plans for Section 
368 Energy Corridor Revisions and Prepare an Associated Environmental 
Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of

[[Page 83960]]

1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
intends to prepare Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendments with an 
associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Section 368 
energy corridors, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the 
scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues and is 
providing the planning criteria for public review.

DATES: The BLM requests the public submit comments concerning the scope 
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant 
information by January 2, 2024. To afford the BLM the opportunity to 
consider issues raised by commenters on the Draft RMP Amendments/EIS, 
please ensure your comments are received prior to the close of the 30-
day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever 
is later.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to Section 368 energy corridors by any of the following 
methods:
     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022227/510. This is the preferred method of commenting.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: BLM, Attn: Section 368 Corridors--Crystal Hoyt, 280 
Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901-3447.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at the 
project website provided above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Hoyt, Project Lead, telephone 
307-352-0322; address BLM, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 
82901-3447; email [email protected]. Contact Ms. Hoyt to have your name 
added to our mailing list. Individuals in the United States who are 
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services for contacting Ms. Hoyt. 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 
intends to prepare RMP amendments with an associated EIS for the 
specific Section 368 energy corridors identified in this notice, 
announces the beginning of the scoping process, announces the BLM's 
intent to hold four in-person public scoping meetings and two webinars, 
and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. Section 368 
energy corridors are managed as the preferred locations for development 
of energy transportation projects on lands managed by the BLM. Each 
corridor has a defined centerline, width, and compatible uses 
(underground-only, electric-only, or multi-modal). The RMP amendments 
are being considered to allow the BLM to evaluate modifying portions of 
seven existing designated Section 368 energy corridors, which would 
require amending the following 19 existing plans:

 Alturas Resource Management Plan, California
 Bishop Resource Management Plan, California
 Bradshaw-Harquahala Resource Management Plan, Arizona
 California Desert Conservation Area Plan, California
 Carson City Field Office Consolidated Resource Management 
Plan, Nevada
 Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Resource Management Plan, Utah
 Ely District Resource Management Plan, Nevada
 Lake Havasu Resource Management Plan, Arizona
 Las Vegas Resource Management Plan, Nevada
 Little Snake Resource Management Plan, Colorado
 Lower Sonoran Resource Management Plan, Arizona
 Mimbres Resource Management Plan, New Mexico
 Pinyon Management Framework Plan, Utah
 Rawlins Resource Management Plan, Wyoming
 Safford District Resource Management Plan, Arizona
 St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan, Utah
 Surprise Resource Management Plan, California
 Winnemucca District Resource Management Plan, Nevada
 Yuma Resource Management Plan, Arizona

    The planning area is located in seven western states (Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) and 
encompasses approximately 673 corridor miles on public land. This 
planning effort prioritizes consideration of amendments to only the 
corridors identified and described in this notice, which require 
interstate coordination and national-level planning to be implemented 
efficiently and effectively.
    This land use planning process will not evaluate or designate areas 
of critical environmental concern (ACECs), and the BLM will not 
consider ACEC nominations as part of this process.

Background Information

    Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) (42 U.S.C. 
15926) directed the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 
Energy, and the Interior to designate corridors for oil, gas, and 
hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution 
facilities on Federal land in the 11 contiguous Western states (Section 
368 energy corridors). In January 2009, the BLM signed a record of 
decision (2009 WWEC Programmatic EIS ROD) approving amendments to 92 
BLM resource management plans to designate approximately 5,000 miles of 
Section 368 energy corridors on BLM-administered lands in Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, 
Washington, and Wyoming, consistent with the requirements of the EPAct. 
Several organizations challenged the BLM's decision in Federal court. 
As part of a settlement agreement to resolve the challenge, the BLM, 
together with the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Energy 
(collectively Agencies), agreed to conduct reviews of the designated 
corridors, gather input from stakeholders, and identify recommendations 
for potential revisions, deletions, and additions to these corridors 
and to interagency operating procedures.
    In April 2022, the Agencies issued a final report outlining the 
recommendations from the regional reviews for potential adjustments to 
the designated Section 368 energy corridors. The Energy Policy Act of 
2005 Section 368 Energy Corridor Review Final Report: Regions 1-6 
(``Final Report'') supported modifications to certain corridors on the 
basis that: portions of the corridors do not meet demand from new 
energy sources, including wind and solar; the presence of sensitive 
resources have inhibited Section 368 energy corridors from being used 
as intended; and physical pinch points present limitations on potential 
future development. Through this RMP amendment/EIS planning process, 
the BLM will evaluate modifications to seven designated Section 368 
energy corridors through proposed amendments to 19 BLM RMPs in seven 
states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 
Wyoming). The proposed amendments could modify existing allocations, 
designations, objectives, and management direction.

[[Page 83961]]

Purpose and Need

    The need for the action is to remove barriers or conflicts in the 
network of designated Section 368 energy corridors on BLM-administered 
lands that impair the efficient and effective use of the energy 
corridors. The BLM completed a regional review of all the designated 
Section 368 energy corridors in 2022 and identified the need for 
revisions to corridor designations to promote the siting, permitting, 
and review of energy right-of-way projects and to designate new 
corridors, as appropriate. Changes to the seven designated corridors 
and one proposed corridor addition identified in this planning effort 
would require interstate coordination and national-level planning to be 
implemented efficiently and effectively. Specifically, the BLM has 
found that portions of these corridors are not situated to meet 
changing demand from new energy sources, including wind and solar, and 
that changes to the presence of sensitive resources have inhibited the 
ability for designated Section 368 energy corridors to be used as 
intended. The BLM has further found that non-BLM managed lands as well 
as physical pinch points present limitations on potential future 
development. The regional review found that the changes to the 
corridors would provide effective connectivity for energy transmission 
across the western United States.
    The purpose for the action is to identify Section 368 energy 
corridor designations that address the need identified above in a 
manner that fulfills the BLM's responsibilities under Section 368 of 
the EPAct, Section 503 of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1763), and the 2013 
Presidential Memorandum ``Transforming Our Nation's Electric Grid 
Through Improved Siting, Permitting, and Review,'' in a manner that 
considers the following siting principles: corridors are thoughtfully 
sited to provide maximum utility and minimum impact to the environment; 
corridors promote efficient use of the landscape for necessary 
development; appropriate and acceptable uses are defined for specific 
corridors; and corridors provide connectivity to renewable energy 
generation to the maximum extent possible while also considering other 
sources of generation, in order to balance the renewable sources and to 
ensure the safety and reliability of electricity transmission. These 
modifications would consider amending existing allocations, 
designations, and management direction to ensure changes do not result 
in conflicting decisions for the current and future management within 
these corridors.

Preliminary Alternatives

    The BLM will develop and analyze alternatives that include a range 
of potential changes to the seven designated Section 368 energy 
corridors identified in this notice and one potential corridor addition 
as summarized below.
     No Action Alternative: Under the No Action Alternative, 
the seven Section 368 energy corridors would remain as designated in 
the 2009 WWEC Programmatic EIS ROD (or as modified by a subsequent RMP 
amendment). The proposed Wamsutter-Powder Rim corridor addition would 
not be designated as a Section 368 energy corridor.
     Action Alternative A--Adopt the Recommendations in the 
Section 368 Energy Corridor Review Final Report: Under Action 
Alternative A, the BLM would adopt the changes recommended in the Final 
Report for each of the corridors listed below.
    [cir] Corridor 16-104--Remove entire corridor designation.
    [cir] Corridor 18-23--Shift entire corridor along existing 1000-
kilovolt (kV) transmission line and narrow corridor width to 250-ft.
    [cir] Corridor 27-41--Shift corridor east at Milepost (MP) 130 
along existing 500-kV transmission line and extend corridor east to 
Laughlin, Nevada.
    [cir] Corridor 30-52--Between MP 94 and MP 200, add a corridor 
braid along the Ten West Link 500 kV Project authorized right-of-way 
(ROW). Realign the corridor between MP 190 and MP 200 with the existing 
transmission line as the northern boundary of the corridor to avoid the 
Big Horn Mountain Wilderness Area and widen the corridor at MP 169 to 
maintain corridor width where a land conveyance to La Paz County was 
identified.
    [cir] Corridor 81-213--Add a corridor braid to the north along the 
Southline Transmission Line Project authorized ROW and the SunZia 
Southwest Transmission Project authorized ROW. Revise the corridor 
along existing 500-kV transmission line from MP 0 to MP 18 to avoid 
overlap with the Afton SEZ.
    [cir] Corridor 113-114--Add a corridor braid from MP 0 to MP 104 
along the TransWest Express Transmission Line authorized ROW as well as 
an east-west connector at MP 30, connecting the designated corridor to 
the TransWest Express Transmission Project authorized ROW in eastern 
Nevada.
    [cir] Corridor 138-143--Remove entire corridor designation.
    [cir] Wamsutter-Powder Rim--Replace Corridor 138-143 with a new 
corridor along the TransWest Express Transmission Project authorized 
ROW. The northern end of the corridor would begin at the intersection 
with Corridor 73-138 (MP 15) in Wyoming and the southern end would 
terminate at the intersection with Corridor 126-133 (MP 45) in 
Colorado.
     Additional Action Alternatives--Additional action 
alternatives for individual corridors may be identified by cooperators, 
Federal agencies, Tribes, State and local agencies, and the public 
during the scoping process or by the BLM during its NEPA review. Any 
action alternatives would need to be responsive to the purpose and 
need.
    The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well 
as suggestions for additional alternatives.

Planning Criteria

    The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the 
groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues 
and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning 
area have been identified by BLM personnel and through early engagement 
conducted for this planning effort with Federal, State, and local 
agencies, Tribes, and stakeholders. The planning criteria are available 
for public review and comment at the project ePlanning website (see 
ADDRESSES).

Summary of Expected Impacts

    The BLM has identified the following potential effects to be 
examined during the planning process: effects to natural and cultural 
resources, other resource uses, and social and economic conditions from 
changes to Section 368 energy corridor designation for the corridors 
evaluated in this planning effort.
    This planning effort will evaluate changes to energy corridor 
designations by taking into account management considerations for such 
corridor designations; the recommendations provided in the Final 
Report; siting principles, including those identified in the settlement 
agreement; and the management direction within the land use plans to be 
amended under the RMP amendments/EIS. The designation of a corridor 
does not authorize any ground-disturbing activities; however, the 
analysis in the EIS will consider the environmental effects from future 
energy infrastructure development within the energy corridors under 
each alternative.

[[Page 83962]]

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 90-day comment period on the Draft RMP Amendments/EIS and 
concurrent 30-day public protest period and 60-day Governors' 
consistency review on the Proposed RMP Amendments. The Draft RMP 
Amendments/EIS is anticipated to be available for public review in late 
2024 or early 2025, and the Proposed RMP Amendments/Final EIS is 
anticipated to be available for public protest of the Proposed RMP 
Amendments in Summer 2025 with Approved RMP Amendments and a Record of 
Decision expected in Fall 2025.

Public Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public 
review of the planning criteria, which guide the development and 
analysis of the Draft RMP Amendments/EIS. The BLM will be holding two 
virtual public scoping meetings and four in-person meetings. The 
specific dates and locations of these scoping meetings will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, social 
media, newspapers, and the ePlanning website (see ADDRESSES).

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The BLM is the lead agency for the NEPA analysis associated with 
this planning effort. The BLM has invited other Federal agencies, State 
and local government agencies, and Tribes to be cooperating agencies. 
Other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the 
revision are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if 
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the 
development of the EIS as a cooperating agency.

Responsible Official

    The BLM Director is the deciding official for this planning effort.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The BLM will decide whether to amend RMPs to address the purpose 
and need, consistent with the principles of multiple use and sustained 
yield.

Interdisciplinary Team

    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
amendments in order to consider the variety of resource issues and 
concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following 
disciplines will be involved in this planning effort: rangeland 
management, minerals and geology, forestry, outdoor recreation, 
archaeology, paleontology, wildlife and fisheries, lands and realty, 
hydrology, soils, sociology, and economics.

Additional Information

    The BLM will consider mitigation to appropriately address 
reasonably foreseeable impacts on resources from the proposed plan 
amendments and reasonable alternatives and future energy infrastructure 
development. 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 and land use planning 
processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with 
applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
(54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), 800.3(b), and 
800.8(a), including public involvement requirements of Section 106. 
Information about historic and cultural resources and threatened and 
endangered species within the area potentially affected by the proposed 
plan amendments will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating 
impacts on such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and 
applicable Bureau and Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including 
impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts on cultural 
resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local 
agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that 
may be interested in or affected by the proposed changes to Section 368 
energy corridors 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 development of the environmental analysis 
as a cooperating agency. The BLM intends to hold a series of 
government-to-government consultation meetings. The BLM will send 
invitations to potentially affected Tribal Nations prior to the 
meetings. The BLM will provide additional opportunities for government-
to-government consultation during the NEPA process.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9 and 43 CFR 1610.2)

Benjamin E. Gruber,
Acting Assistant Director, Energy, Minerals and Realty Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-26493 Filed 11-30-23; 8:45 am]
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