Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments for the Proposed Greenlink North Transmission Project in White Pine, Eureka, Lander, Churchill, and Lyon Counties, Nevada, 73429-73431 [2024-19544]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 10, 2024 / Notices
(2) The accuracy of the agency’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(4) Ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those
who are to respond; including through
the use of appropriate automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses.
(5) Ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
HUD encourages interested parties to
submit comment in response to these
questions.
C. Authority
Section 3507 of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
chapter 35.
Anna Guido,
Department Reports Management Officer,
Office of Policy Development and Research,
Chief Data Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024–20279 Filed 9–9–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO4500180600]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and
Proposed Resource Management Plan
Amendments for the Proposed
Greenlink North Transmission Project
in White Pine, Eureka, Lander,
Churchill, and Lyon Counties, Nevada
AGENCY:
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
Notice of availability.
ACTION:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared Draft Resource Management
Plan Amendments (RMPA) and a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Greenlink North Transmission
Project and by this notice is providing
information announcing the opening of
the comment period on the Draft RMPA/
EIS. The BLM Nevada State Office is the
lead agency for purposes of the NEPA
analysis, with the U.S. Forest Service
and other agencies participating as
Cooperating Agencies.
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SUMMARY:
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This notice announces the
opening of a 90-day comment period for
the Draft RMPA/EIS beginning with the
date following the Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) publication
of its Notice of Availability (NOA) in the
Federal Register. The EPA usually
publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
To afford the BLM the opportunity to
consider comments in the Draft RMPA/
EIS, please ensure your comments are
received prior to the close of the 90-day
comment period or 15 days after the last
public meeting, whichever is later.
ADDRESSES: The Draft RMPA/EIS is
available for review on the BLM project
website at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510.
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510.
• Email: blm_nv_greenlinknorth@
blm.gov.
• Mail: BLM, Nevada State Office,
Attn: Greenlink North Transmission
Project, 1340 Financial Boulevard,
Reno, NV 89502.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at https://
eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/
project/2017033/510 and at the BLM
Nevada State Office in Reno.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Buttazoni, Project Manager,
telephone: (775) 861–6491; address:
1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV
89502; email: blm_nv_greenlinknorth@
blm.gov. Contact us at this email
address 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. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
document provides notice that the BLM
Nevada State Director has prepared a
Draft RMPA/EIS, and provides
information announcing the opening of
the comment period. The RMP
amendments would change the existing
2001 Consolidated Resource
Management Plan in the Carson City
District, 1986 Shoshone-Eureka
Resource Management Plan/Record of
Decision in the Battle Mountain District,
and 2008 Record of Decision/Resource
Management Plan in the Ely District.
The Draft RMPA is being considered to
allow the BLM to evaluate the
establishment of a 210 mile long by
3,500 foot wide utility corridor within
greater sage-grouse habitat management
areas and in proximity to lek buffers on
DATES:
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73429
BLM-administered lands, which would
require amending the land use plans
listed above. The original proposed
utility corridor width (3 miles) and
length (235 miles) was reduced after
scoping to be consistent with other
national utility corridor widths, and to
clarify the length applies to BLMadministered lands only.
The planning area is in White Pine,
Eureka, Lander, Churchill, and Lyon
counties, Nevada, and encompasses
approximately 84,700 acres of BLMadministered lands.
A Notice of Intent to Amend the
Resource Management Plans for the
Greenlink North Transmission Project
and Prepare an Associated
Environmental Impact Statement was
published in the Federal Register on
March 11, 2024 (89 FR 17510),
providing notice to the public of
potential amendments to RMPs, as
required by 43 CFR 1610.2(c). The
public scoping period closed on April
10, 2024. The BLM held one virtual
meeting and received approximately 25
public scoping comment emails and
letters during the 30-day scoping period.
The scoping comments focused on
biological resources; alternatives
development; visual resources; cultural
resources; impacts to general and
special-status wildlife species,
including threatened and endangered
species and their habitat; social and
economic conditions; vegetation/
riparian/noxious and invasive weeds/
special status plant species; water
resources; special designations;
recreation; socioeconomic concerns; and
Native American cultural/sacred sites.
The BLM prepared a scoping report,
which is available on the project’s
website—https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510.
Purpose and Need
The BLM’s purpose and need for this
Federal action is to respond to the rightof-way (ROW) application submitted by
NV Energy under Title V of FLPMA (43
U.S.C. 1761) on July 20, 2020, to
construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission a proposed system of
new 525-kV, 345-kV, 230-kV, and 120kV electric transmission facilities on
BLM-administered lands in White Pine,
Eureka, Lander, Churchill, and Lyon
counties, in compliance with FLPMA,
BLM ROW regulations, NEPA, the BLM
NEPA Handbook (BLM 2008), U.S.
Department of the Interior NEPA
regulations, and other applicable federal
and state laws and policies. In
accordance with FLPMA, public lands
are to be managed for multiple uses that
consider the long-term needs of future
generations for renewable and non-
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 10, 2024 / Notices
renewable resources. The BLM is
authorized to grant ROWs on public
lands for systems of generation,
transmission, and distribution of
electrical energy (FLPMA section
501(a)(4)).
The U.S. Forest Service, HumboldtToiyabe National Forest also received an
application from NV Energy for an
approximately 10-mile segment of the
project. The Forest Service’s purpose
and need is to respond to NV Energy’s
application for a Special Use Permit to
construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission the proposed 500-kV
transmission line on National Forest
System land in Lander County in
compliance with FLPMA, the National
Forest Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1601–1614), and the Toiyabe National
Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan (Forest Service 1986 as amended),
which provides standards and
guidelines for managing the National
Forest.
alternatives but dismissed these
alternatives from detailed analysis as
explained in the Draft RMPA/EIS.
The Preferred Alternative was found
to best meet the State Director’s
planning guidance and would meet the
project’s purpose and need while
addressing impacts to greater sagegrouse habitats primarily through colocation, which limits new disturbance
to areas already impacted by existing
transmission lines. The Greenlink North
Transmission Project would be colocated for approximately 210 miles of
the 233-mile-long proposed
transmission line.
Alternatives Including the Preferred
Alternative
The BLM has analyzed 3 action
alternatives in detail, plus the No
Action Alternative. The State Director
and Forest Supervisor have identified
NV Energy’s Proposed Action with three
modified segments crossing BLM and
National Forest System land as the
Preferred Alternative. The first modified
segment realigns the Proposed Action
south of the public purpose conveyance
parcels that will be transferred to
Churchill County as a result of the
National Defense Authorization Act of
2023. This alternative segment would be
approximately 8 miles long and would
slightly reduce the disturbance footprint
of the 525 kV transmission line on BLMadministered lands. The second
modified segment would realign the
Proposed Action further away from the
recently established Desatoya
Wilderness Area. The third modified
segment is the U.S. Forest Service
preferred northern alternative route
from the Lander Substation that would
cross approximately 10 miles of the
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and
approximately 9 miles of adjacent BLM
administered lands to the east. The
route would parallel an existing 230 kV
transmission line within the Forest’s
existing utility corridor until
reconnecting with the Proposed Action
route. The reconnection with the
Proposed Action route 9 miles east of
the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
provides the most technically feasible
way to reduce the cost, line angles, and
disturbances from the proposed 525 kV
transmission line. The BLM further
considered 9 additional transmission
Schedule for the Decision-Making
Process
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Mitigation
The Preferred Alternative for the
portions of the project within and
adjacent to greater sage-grouse habitats
includes the requirement for NV Energy
to install anti-perching/nesting
deterrents on transmission poles to
minimize potential predation by ravens.
Consistent with NEPA and BLM’s
land use planning regulations, the BLM
will include a 30-day public protest
period and a concurrent 60-day
Governor’s consistency review when the
BLM publishes the Final EIS/Proposed
RMPA. The Final EIS/Proposed RMPA
is anticipated to be available in March
2025, with a Record of Decision
anticipated in July 2025.
The BLM will be holding a
combination of virtual and in-person
public meetings. The specific date(s)
and location(s) of these meetings will be
announced at least 15 days in advance
through the Project website.
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). The BLM is utilizing the NEPA
substitution process to comply with the
requirements of section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA), 54 U.S.C. 306108, consistent
with 36 CFR 800.8(c). The BLM, as lead
federal agency, has incorporated
information and the steps of the Section
106 process into the Draft EIS, and
publication of the Draft EIS will allow
the consulting parties and the public an
opportunity to review and comment on
the process as provided in 36 CFR
800.8(c)(2). The information about
historic and cultural resources and
threatened and endangered species
within the area potentially affected by
the proposed plan will assist the BLM
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in identifying and evaluating impacts to
such resources.
The BLM and U.S. Forest Service will
continue to consult with Indian Tribes
on a government-to-government basis in
accordance with Executive Order 13175,
BLM MS 1780, and other Departmental
policies. Tribal concerns, including
impacts on Indian trust assets and
potential impacts to cultural resources,
will be given due consideration.
Additional government-to-government
meetings will occur during this review
period.
Forest Service Administrative Review
Process
The decision that the U.S. Forest
Service will make is subject to a predecisional administrative review
process, also known as an objection
process (36 CFR part 218, subparts A
and B). The objection process provides
an opportunity for members of the
public who have participated in the
planning process for the action to have
any unresolved concerns reviewed by
the U.S. Forest Service prior to a final
decision by the Responsible Official.
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such manner that they are useful to the
agency’s preparation of the Final EIS;
therefore, comments should be provided
prior to the close of the comment period
and should clearly articulate the
reviewer’s concerns and contentions.
Commenting during scoping and any
other designated opportunity to
comment provided by the Responsible
Official as prescribed by the applicable
regulations will also govern eligibility to
object once the Final EIS and draft
Record of Decision has been published.
Comments received in response to this
solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record for this
proposed action. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and
considered; however, they will not be
used to establish eligibility for the
objection process.
Objections will be accepted only from
those who have previously submitted
specific written comments regarding the
proposed project during scoping or
other designated opportunity for public
comment in accordance with 36 CFR
218.5(a). Issues raised in objections
must be based on previously submitted
timely, specific written comments
regarding the proposed project unless
based on new information arising after
designated opportunities.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 10, 2024 / Notices
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 1501.7 and 43 CFR
1610.2)
Jon K. Raby,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024–19544 Filed 9–9–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–21–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0038658;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion:
Western Washington University,
Department of Anthropology,
Bellingham, WA
National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the Native
American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Western
Washington University (WWU) has
completed an inventory of human
remains and has determined that there
is a cultural affiliation between the
human remains and Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations in this
notice.
SUMMARY:
Repatriation of the human
remains in this notice may occur on or
after October 10, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Judith Pine, Western
Washington University, Department of
Anthropology, Arntzen Hall 340, 516
High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225,
telephone (360) 650–4783, email pinej@
wwu.edu.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice is published as part of the
National Park Service’s administrative
responsibilities under NAGPRA. The
determinations in this notice are the
sole responsibility of the WWU, and
additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including
the results of consultation, can be found
in its inventory or related records. The
National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
DATES:
Abstract of Information Available
Based on the information available,
human remains representing, at least,
one individual have been identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
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16:45 Sep 09, 2024
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During a repatriation and rehousing
project in 2016, a WWU osteologist
identified a single human remain in an
unlabeled bag. Inside the bag, was a slip
of paper indicating it was from ‘‘Dr.
Kenyon’s Teaching Collection, Oneida
County, Rome, New York.’’ No known
individuals were identified. No
hazardous chemicals are known to have
been used to treat the human remains or
associated funerary objects while in the
custody of WWU.
The human remains in this notice are
connected to one or more identifiable
earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or
cultures. There is a relationship of
shared group identity between the
identifiable earlier groups, tribes,
peoples, or cultures and one or more
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations. The following types of
information were used to reasonably
trace the relationship: anthropological
information, archaeological information,
geographical information, historical
information, and oral tradition.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available
and the results of consultation, cultural
affiliation is clearly identified by the
information available about the human
remains described in this notice.
Determinations
The WWU has determined that:
• The human remains described in
this notice represent the physical
remains of one individual of Native
American ancestry.
• There is a connection between the
human remains described in this notice
and the Oneida Indian Nation.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the
human remains in this notice must be
sent to the authorized representative
identified in this notice under
ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian
Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization
not identified in this notice who shows,
by a preponderance of the evidence, that
the requestor is a lineal descendant or
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization with cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains
described in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after October 10, 2024.
If competing requests for repatriation
are received, the WWU must determine
the most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains are
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73431
considered a single request and not
competing requests. The WWU is
responsible for sending a copy of this
notice to the Indian Tribes and Native
Hawaiian organizations identified in
this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act, 25
U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing
regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: August 29, 2024.
Melanie O’Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024–20286 Filed 9–9–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0038664;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation:
California State University,
Sacramento, Sacramento, CA
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the Native
American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the
California State University, Sacramento
intends to repatriate certain cultural
items that meet the definition of objects
of cultural patrimony and that have a
cultural affiliation with the Indian
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations
in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice may occur on or after
October 10, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Mark R. Wheeler, Senior
Advisor to President Luke Wood,
California State University, Sacramento,
6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819,
telephone (916) 460–0490, email
mark.wheeler@csus.edu.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice is published as part of the
National Park Service’s administrative
responsibilities under NAGPRA. The
determinations in this notice are the
sole responsibility of the California
State University, Sacramento, and
additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including
the results of consultation, can be found
in the summary or related records. The
National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
SUMMARY:
Abstract of Information Available
A total of five cultural items have
been requested for repatriation. The five
objects of cultural patrimony are
modified, unmodified, and ground
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73429-73431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19544]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO4500180600]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments for the
Proposed Greenlink North Transmission Project in White Pine, Eureka,
Lander, Churchill, and Lyon Counties, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared Draft Resource Management Plan Amendments (RMPA) and a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Greenlink North
Transmission Project and by this notice is providing information
announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft RMPA/EIS. The
BLM Nevada State Office is the lead agency for purposes of the NEPA
analysis, with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies participating
as Cooperating Agencies.
DATES: This notice announces the opening of a 90-day comment period for
the Draft RMPA/EIS beginning with the date following the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability
(NOA) in the Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs on
Fridays.
To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the Draft
RMPA/EIS, please ensure your comments are received prior to the close
of the 90-day comment period or 15 days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later.
ADDRESSES: The Draft RMPA/EIS is available for review on the BLM
project website at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510.
Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510.
Email: [email protected].
Mail: BLM, Nevada State Office, Attn: Greenlink North
Transmission Project, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV 89502.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510 and at the
BLM Nevada State Office in Reno.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Buttazoni, Project Manager,
telephone: (775) 861-6491; address: 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV
89502; email: [email protected]. Contact us at this email
address 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. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM
Nevada State Director has prepared a Draft RMPA/EIS, and provides
information announcing the opening of the comment period. The RMP
amendments would change the existing 2001 Consolidated Resource
Management Plan in the Carson City District, 1986 Shoshone-Eureka
Resource Management Plan/Record of Decision in the Battle Mountain
District, and 2008 Record of Decision/Resource Management Plan in the
Ely District. The Draft RMPA is being considered to allow the BLM to
evaluate the establishment of a 210 mile long by 3,500 foot wide
utility corridor within greater sage-grouse habitat management areas
and in proximity to lek buffers on BLM-administered lands, which would
require amending the land use plans listed above. The original proposed
utility corridor width (3 miles) and length (235 miles) was reduced
after scoping to be consistent with other national utility corridor
widths, and to clarify the length applies to BLM-administered lands
only.
The planning area is in White Pine, Eureka, Lander, Churchill, and
Lyon counties, Nevada, and encompasses approximately 84,700 acres of
BLM-administered lands.
A Notice of Intent to Amend the Resource Management Plans for the
Greenlink North Transmission Project and Prepare an Associated
Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register on
March 11, 2024 (89 FR 17510), providing notice to the public of
potential amendments to RMPs, as required by 43 CFR 1610.2(c). The
public scoping period closed on April 10, 2024. The BLM held one
virtual meeting and received approximately 25 public scoping comment
emails and letters during the 30-day scoping period. The scoping
comments focused on biological resources; alternatives development;
visual resources; cultural resources; impacts to general and special-
status wildlife species, including threatened and endangered species
and their habitat; social and economic conditions; vegetation/riparian/
noxious and invasive weeds/special status plant species; water
resources; special designations; recreation; socioeconomic concerns;
and Native American cultural/sacred sites. The BLM prepared a scoping
report, which is available on the project's website--https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2017033/510.
Purpose and Need
The BLM's purpose and need for this Federal action is to respond to
the right-of-way (ROW) application submitted by NV Energy under Title V
of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1761) on July 20, 2020, to construct, operate,
maintain, and decommission a proposed system of new 525-kV, 345-kV,
230-kV, and 120-kV electric transmission facilities on BLM-administered
lands in White Pine, Eureka, Lander, Churchill, and Lyon counties, in
compliance with FLPMA, BLM ROW regulations, NEPA, the BLM NEPA Handbook
(BLM 2008), U.S. Department of the Interior NEPA regulations, and other
applicable federal and state laws and policies. In accordance with
FLPMA, public lands are to be managed for multiple uses that consider
the long-term needs of future generations for renewable and non-
[[Page 73430]]
renewable resources. The BLM is authorized to grant ROWs on public
lands for systems of generation, transmission, and distribution of
electrical energy (FLPMA section 501(a)(4)).
The U.S. Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest also
received an application from NV Energy for an approximately 10-mile
segment of the project. The Forest Service's purpose and need is to
respond to NV Energy's application for a Special Use Permit to
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission the proposed 500-kV
transmission line on National Forest System land in Lander County in
compliance with FLPMA, the National Forest Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1601-1614), and the Toiyabe National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan (Forest Service 1986 as amended), which provides
standards and guidelines for managing the National Forest.
Alternatives Including the Preferred Alternative
The BLM has analyzed 3 action alternatives in detail, plus the No
Action Alternative. The State Director and Forest Supervisor have
identified NV Energy's Proposed Action with three modified segments
crossing BLM and National Forest System land as the Preferred
Alternative. The first modified segment realigns the Proposed Action
south of the public purpose conveyance parcels that will be transferred
to Churchill County as a result of the National Defense Authorization
Act of 2023. This alternative segment would be approximately 8 miles
long and would slightly reduce the disturbance footprint of the 525 kV
transmission line on BLM-administered lands. The second modified
segment would realign the Proposed Action further away from the
recently established Desatoya Wilderness Area. The third modified
segment is the U.S. Forest Service preferred northern alternative route
from the Lander Substation that would cross approximately 10 miles of
the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and approximately 9 miles of
adjacent BLM administered lands to the east. The route would parallel
an existing 230 kV transmission line within the Forest's existing
utility corridor until reconnecting with the Proposed Action route. The
reconnection with the Proposed Action route 9 miles east of the
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest provides the most technically feasible
way to reduce the cost, line angles, and disturbances from the proposed
525 kV transmission line. The BLM further considered 9 additional
transmission alternatives but dismissed these alternatives from
detailed analysis as explained in the Draft RMPA/EIS.
The Preferred Alternative was found to best meet the State
Director's planning guidance and would meet the project's purpose and
need while addressing impacts to greater sage-grouse habitats primarily
through co-location, which limits new disturbance to areas already
impacted by existing transmission lines. The Greenlink North
Transmission Project would be co-located for approximately 210 miles of
the 233-mile-long proposed transmission line.
Mitigation
The Preferred Alternative for the portions of the project within
and adjacent to greater sage-grouse habitats includes the requirement
for NV Energy to install anti-perching/nesting deterrents on
transmission poles to minimize potential predation by ravens.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
Consistent with NEPA and BLM's land use planning regulations, the
BLM will include a 30-day public protest period and a concurrent 60-day
Governor's consistency review when the BLM publishes the Final EIS/
Proposed RMPA. The Final EIS/Proposed RMPA is anticipated to be
available in March 2025, with a Record of Decision anticipated in July
2025.
The BLM will be holding a combination of virtual and in-person
public meetings. The specific date(s) and location(s) of these meetings
will be announced at least 15 days in advance through the Project
website.
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). The BLM is utilizing the NEPA substitution process to
comply with the requirements of section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA), 54 U.S.C. 306108, consistent with 36 CFR
800.8(c). The BLM, as lead federal agency, has incorporated information
and the steps of the Section 106 process into the Draft EIS, and
publication of the Draft EIS will allow the consulting parties and the
public an opportunity to review and comment on the process as provided
in 36 CFR 800.8(c)(2). The information about historic and cultural
resources and threatened and endangered species within the area
potentially affected by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM and U.S. Forest Service will continue to consult with
Indian Tribes on a government-to-government basis in accordance with
Executive Order 13175, BLM MS 1780, and other Departmental policies.
Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential
impacts to cultural resources, will be given due consideration.
Additional government-to-government meetings will occur during this
review period.
Forest Service Administrative Review Process
The decision that the U.S. Forest Service will make is subject to a
pre-decisional administrative review process, also known as an
objection process (36 CFR part 218, subparts A and B). The objection
process provides an opportunity for members of the public who have
participated in the planning process for the action to have any
unresolved concerns reviewed by the U.S. Forest Service prior to a
final decision by the Responsible Official.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of
the Final EIS; therefore, comments should be provided prior to the
close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the
reviewer's concerns and contentions. Commenting during scoping and any
other designated opportunity to comment provided by the Responsible
Official as prescribed by the applicable regulations will also govern
eligibility to object once the Final EIS and draft Record of Decision
has been published. Comments received in response to this solicitation,
including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the
public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously
will be accepted and considered; however, they will not be used to
establish eligibility for the objection process.
Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously
submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project
during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in
accordance with 36 CFR 218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be
based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments
regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising
after designated opportunities.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that
[[Page 73431]]
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 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2)
Jon K. Raby,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-19544 Filed 9-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-21-P
