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Eastern Plains Transmission Project, Colorado and Kansas
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: January 19, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 2507-2509]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ja07-44]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Eastern Plains Transmission Project, Colorado and Kansas
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings and additional opportunity for public
review and comment.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power
Administration (Western) issued a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on August 2, 2006, for the Eastern
Plains Transmission Project (EPTP or Transmission Project). This notice
announces additional public meetings to provide the public opportunity
to review and comment on additional transmission line routes and
revised routes; the scope of the EIS; and review comments previously
received during the scoping meetings held in August and September 2006.
Western is proposing to participate with Tri-State Generation and
Transmission Association, Incorporated (Tri-State) in the construction
of the EPTP. Western's participation would be in exchange for 275
megawatts (MW) of capacity rights on the proposed transmission lines.
The EIS will address
[[Page 2508]]
the construction, operation, and maintenance of approximately 1,000
miles of high-voltage transmission lines and ancillary facilities,
which include substations, fiber optic installation, access roads, and
construction staging areas. The EIS will discuss alternatives such as
Western's system alternatives and the no action alternative (no Federal
action). The EIS will analyze and present environmental impacts
compared to the existing baseline condition in which no Transmission
Project facilities exist. The EIS also will include analyses of the
environmental impacts of Tri-State's proposed generation projects, and
other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects in the EPTP
area. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures.
DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting dates and
locations. The comment period will close March 9, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Written comments, questions, and information on the scope of
the EIS may be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to Mr. Jim Hartman,
Environmental Manager, Western Area Power Administration, Rocky
Mountain Region, P.O. Box 3700, Loveland, CO 80539; fax (970) 461-7213;
or e-mail eptp@wapa.gov. For persons wishing to leave voice messages,
the toll-free number is (888) 826-4710.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to request
copies of the EIS, contact Mr. Hartman at the addresses provided or
telephone the Transmission Project hotline toll-free at (888) 826-4710.
For general information on DOE's NEPA review procedures or the status
of a NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of
NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0119; telephone (202)
586-4600 or (800) 472-2756; or fax (202) 586-7031.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Need for Agency Action
Western, a power marketing administration within DOE, markets
Federal hydroelectric power to preference customers, as specified by
law. They include municipalities, cooperatives, public utility and
irrigation districts, Federal and State agencies, and Native American
Tribes in 15 western States, including Colorado and Kansas. Western's
proposal is to participate with Tri-State in the construction of the
Transmission Project in exchange for approximately 275 MW of capacity
rights on the proposed transmission lines. Tri-State is a wholesale
electric power supplier, owned by the 44 electric cooperatives it
serves. Tri-State and the member utilities serve customers throughout
Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Tri-State's Board of
Directors approved a Resource Development Plan that includes the
Transmission Project.
Western needs to provide more economical, reliable, diverse, and
flexible power delivery to its customers by expanding the capability
and geographic reach of Western's existing transmission system. The
Transmission Project would provide Western's customers with more
economical service by allowing customers to purchase transmission
service directly from Western rather than through other companies'
transmission lines. Also, during low water times, the Transmission
Project would provide Western increased access to other options for
satisfying Western's Federal hydropower contractual allocations. In
addition, the Transmission Project would provide a direct
interconnection at the Midway Substation which would facilitate power
transfer between two of Western's Federal projects, the Colorado River
Storage Project and the Loveland Area Projects. Enhancing and expanding
transmission pathways also would contribute to ensuring reliability of
the Federal transmission system.
Proposed Action and Alternatives
Western is preparing the EIS on its proposal to participate with
Tri-State in the construction of the Transmission Project. Western's
proposed activities include construction planning and management for
approximately 1,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines, and
acquiring rights-of-way for transmission lines, access roads, and
communication facilities. In addition to the transmission lines, access
roads, and construction staging areas, the EIS will address
environmental effects of four new substations; expansions of
approximately eight existing substations; and installing a fiber optic
communications system for control of the transmission lines.
Western issued a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS for the
Transmission Project, on August 2, 2006, (71 FR 43733) which included
dates, times, and locations of public scoping meetings, and
opportunities available for the public to comment. Since the NOI was
published, 10 public scoping meetings were conducted between August 28
and September 14, 2006, throughout eastern Colorado and western Kansas.
This notice announces additional public meetings in February 2007 to
provide the public opportunity to review and comment on additional
transmission line routes and revised routes; the scope of the EIS; and
review comments previously received during the scoping meetings held in
August and September 2006.
Alternative Transmission Line Routes
During the August and September 2006 scoping meetings, Western
presented preliminary locations of transmission line corridors and new
substations. As a result of comments received, Western gathered
additional data, made several route refinements, added additional
routes, and considered alternatives, all of which will be made
available to the public at the February 2007, meetings. At the February
meetings, Western seeks comments on the alternative routes. In the
draft EIS, Western will consider those additional comments in its
analysis of the alternative routes.
Western will address other alternatives in the EIS, including the
no action alternative. Under the no action alternative, Western would
not participate with Tri-State in the construction of the Transmission
Project. The EIS will also evaluate the environmental effects of all
the alternatives and compare them to the existing baseline condition,
in which no Transmission Project facilities are present. Alternative
transmission line routes and substation locations will be refined as
part of the EIS public process and addressed in the EIS. Western will
consider additional reasonable alternatives that are technically and
economically viable and that would meet Western's purpose and need.
Impacts Associated With Tri-State's Generation Projects
Tri-State, in its Resource Development Plan, proposes to develop a
two-unit expansion of a coal-based power plant in Holcomb, Kansas, and
is planning an additional generation project in southeastern Colorado
(referred to as Tri-State's Colorado Power Project). Western is not a
participant in, is not involved in, and does not have control over Tri-
State's generation projects. The EIS will evaluate the environmental
impacts of Tri-State's generation projects as well as other past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable projects.
[[Page 2509]]
Summary of Comments Received During First Round Scoping
Western prepared a summary of the comments received during the
first round of scoping meetings and will make the summary available at
http://www.wapa.gov/transmission/eptp.htm prior to the public meetings
in February 2007. Copies also are available upon request.
Meetings
The dates and meeting locations are:
1. February 12, 2007, Carroll Building, 418 Edison Street, Brush,
CO 80723.
2. February 13, 2007, Limon Community Building, South Room, 477 D
Avenue, Limon, CO 80828.
3. February 14, 2007, Burlington Education and Community Center,
420 S. 14th Street, Old Town, Burlington, CO 80807.
4. February 15, 2007, City Hall, Community Room, 245 W. 4th Street,
Wray, CO 80758.
5. February 16, 2007, Byers High School, Meeting Rooms 537/538, 444
E. Front Street, Byers, CO 80103.
6. February 19, 2007, Veteran's Memorial Building, 207 North Main
Street, Lakin, KS 67860.
7. February 20, 2007, Community Activity Building (CAB Building),
Wallace County Fairgrounds, Sharon Springs, KS 67758.
8. February 21, 2007, Lamar Community Building, Multi-Purpose Room,
610 South 6th Street, Lamar, CO 81052.
9. February 22, 2007, Hanover Junior/Senior High School, 17050
South Peyton Highway, Colorado Springs (Hanover), CO 80928.
10. February 23, 2007, McHarg Park Community Center, 405 Second
Street, Avondale, CO 81022.
Each meeting will be held between 3 and 7 p.m., except for the meeting
on February 22 at the Hanover School, which will be held between 4 and
8 p.m.
Participation in the NEPA Process
Persons interested in receiving future notices, Transmission
Project information, copies of the EIS, and other information on the
NEPA review process should contact Mr. Hartman as described under
ADDRESSES. The EIS (choice of summary or full document) will be
available in printed and electronic (compact disc) formats.
Western anticipates the draft EIS will be available summer 2007,
with a final EIS available spring 2008. A Record of Decision is
expected to be issued spring 2008. The public will be provided an
opportunity to comment on the draft EIS. The location of public
hearings on the draft EIS will be provided in the Federal Register and
to local media at a later date.
Dated: January 11, 2007.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7-703 Filed 1-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P