[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7173-7175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3508]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. PP-197]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
To Conduct Public Scoping Meetings and Notice of Floodplain and
Wetlands Involvement; Public Service Company of New Mexico
AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
and to conduct public scoping meetings.
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SUMMARY: Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) has applied to the
Department of Energy (DOE) for a Presidential permit to construct two
transmission lines originating at the switchyard of the Palo Verde
Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) near Phoenix, Arizona, and extending
approximately 160 miles to the south along one of three alternative
routes, where they would cross the United States (U.S.) border with
Mexico in the vicinity of Nogales, Arizona. South of the border, the
lines would extend approximately 60 miles into Mexico and terminate at
an existing substation located in the City of Santa Ana, in the Mexican
State of Sonora. The proposed transmission lines may be either
alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). DOE has determined
that the issuance of the Presidential permit would constitute a major
Federal action that may have a significant impact upon the environment
within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA). For this reason, DOE intends to prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to address reasonably foreseeable impacts from the
proposed action and reasonable alternatives.
The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to inform the public about
the proposed action, announce the plans for six public scoping meetings
in the vicinity of the proposed transmission lines, invite public
participation in the scoping process, and solicit public comments for
consideration in establishing the scope and content of the EIS. Because
the proposed project may involve an action in floodplains or wetlands,
the EIS will include a floodplains and wetlands assessment and
floodplains statement of findings in accordance with DOE regulations
for compliance with floodplains and wetlands environmental review
requirements (10 CFR Part 1022).
DATES: DOE invites interested agencies, organizations, and members of
the public to submit comments or suggestions to assist in identifying
significant environmental issues and in determining the appropriate
scope of the EIS. The public scoping period starts with the publication
of this Notice in the Federal Register and will continue until March
15, 1999. Written and oral comments will be given equal weight, and DOE
will consider all comments received or postmarked by March 15, 1999, in
defining the scope of this EIS. Comments received or postmarked after
that date will be considered to the extent practicable.
Dates for the public scoping meetings are:
1. March 8, 1999, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Nogales, Arizona
2. March 8, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tucson, Arizona
3. March 9, 1999, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Sells, Arizona
4. March 9, 1999, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Ajo, Arizona
5. March 10, 1999, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Gila Bend, Arizona
6. March 10, 1999, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Casa Grande, Arizona
DOE will publish additional notices of the dates, times, and
locations of the scoping meetings in local newspapers in advance of the
scheduled meetings. Any necessary changes will be announced in the
local media.
Requests to speak at a public scoping meeting(s) should be received
by Mrs. Ellen Russell at the address indicated below on or before March
3, 1999. Requests to speak may also be made at the time of registration
for the scoping meeting(s). However, persons who submitted advance
requests to speak will be given priority if time should be limited
during the meeting.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions on the scope of the EIS and
requests to speak at the scoping meeting(s) should be addressed to:
Mrs. Ellen Russell, Office of Fossil Energy (FE-27), U.S. Department of
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0350; phone
202-586-9624, facsimile: 202-287-5736, or electronic mail at
Ellen.Russell@hq.doe.gov.
The locations of the scoping meetings are:
1. Americana Motor Hotel, 639 North Grand Avenue, Nogales, Arizona.
2. Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 E. Speedway Boulevard,
Tucson, Arizona.
3. Council Chambers, Tohono O'odham Nation, Sells, Arizona.
4. Ajo Community Center in the E. S. Bud Walker Park, 290 5th
Street, Ajo, Arizona.
5. Gila Bend Unified School District #24, Logan Auditorium, 308 N.
Martin, Gila Bend, Arizona.
6. Francisco Grande Resort, 26000 Gila Bend Highway, Casa Grande,
Arizona.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed
project or to receive a copy of the Draft EIS when it is issued,
contact Mrs. Russell at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of
this notice.
For general information on the DOE NEPA review process, contact:
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-
42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0119; Phone: 202-586-4600 or leave a message at
800-472-2756; Facsimile: 202-586-7031.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Need for Agency Action
Executive Order 10485, as amended by Executive Order 12038,
requires that a Presidential permit be issued by DOE before electric
transmission facilities may be constructed, connected, operated, or
maintained at the U.S. international border. The Executive Order
provides that a Presidential permit may be issued after a finding that
the proposed project is consistent with the public interest. In
determining
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consistency with the public interest, DOE considers the impacts of the
project on the reliability of the U.S. electric power system and on the
environment. The regulations implementing the Executive Order have been
codified at 10 CFR Secs. 205.320-205.329. Issuance of the permit
indicates that there is no Federal objection to the project, but does
not mandate that the project be completed.
On December 28, 1998, PNM, a regulated public utility, filed an
application for a Presidential permit with the Office of Fossil Energy
of DOE. PNM proposes to construct two transmission lines on a single
right-of-way extending approximately 160 miles from the switchyard
adjacent to the PVNGS, located approximately 30 miles west of Phoenix,
Arizona, to the U.S.-Mexico border in the vicinity of Nogales, Arizona.
South of the border, PNM would extend the lines approximately 60 miles
to the Santa Ana Substation, located in the City of Santa Ana, Sonora,
Mexico, and owned by the Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE), the
national electric utility of Mexico.
In its application, PNM states that it is considering designing the
transmission lines for either AC or DC operation. PNM also states in
its application that it may use a phased approach for construction;
i.e., one line might be installed initially and the second line added
some time in the future.
If the AC option is chosen, a back-to-back AC/DC/AC converter
station would be constructed within the U.S. in the vicinity of the
U.S.-Mexico border. The AC transmission line(s) would be operated at
345 kV between the PVNGS and the back-to-back converter station and at
230 kV between the converter station and CFE's Santa Ana Substation.
Each line would have an electrical transfer capability of approximately
400 megawatts (MW). If a phased approach is used, the two lines would
be constructed on two separate sets of support structures, but on the
same right-of-way. If both AC lines are constructed at the same time,
both electrical circuits would be installed on a single set of support
structures.
If the DC option is selected, an AC/DC converter station would be
installed at each end of the proposed line(s); i.e., within or near the
PVNGS in the U.S., and at the Santa Ana Substation in Mexico. If PNM
elects to use a phased approach, the DC line would initially be
operated as a mono-pole DC line (one conductor) and have a nominal
operating voltage of 400 kV, with an electrical transfer
capability of between 400 MW and 500 MW. With the addition of the
second line (second conductor), the resulting interconnection would be
upgraded to bi-pole 400 kV operation, with a transfer
capability of between 800 MW and 1000 MW.
PNM has identified three alternative corridors for construction of
the cross-border transmission lines. Each of the three proposed
alternative corridors begins at the PVNGS switchyard and is
approximately two miles wide. However, when constructed, the
transmission lines are expected to use a right-of-way of no more than
150 to 200 feet in width. The first alternative corridor extends south
from the PVNGS switchyard approximately 130 miles within the U.S. to
the U.S.-Mexico border, crossing the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range
and the western boundary of the Tohono O'odham Nation. The second
alternative corridor proceeds slightly east and south from the PVNGS
switchyard and extends approximately 160 miles within the U.S.,
crossing the middle to eastern area of the Tohono O'odham Nation. The
third alternative corridor extends southeasterly from the PVNGS
switchyard to an area south of Tucson, Arizona, where it turns south to
Nogales, Arizona. This corridor is approximately 250 miles long within
the U.S. Each of the three proposed alternative corridors would cross
approximately 25 linear miles of 100-year floodplains.
Project activities would include clearing rights-of-way and access
roads, digging tower footings, setting transmission towers, hanging
transmission wires, and modifying existing substation(s).
The PNM application, including associated maps and drawings, can be
downloaded in its entirety from the Fossil Energy web site
(www.fe.doe.gov; choose regulatory programs, then electricity
regulations, then pending proceedings). PNM states that there are no
firm contracts in place for the sale of power to Mexico using the
proposed transmission lines. Prior to commencing electricity exports to
Mexico using the proposed lines, PNM, or any other electricity
exporter, must obtain an electricity export authorization from DOE
pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.
Identification of Environmental Issues
A purpose of this notice is to solicit comments and suggestions for
consideration in the preparation of the EIS. As background for public
comment, this notice contains a list of potential environmental issues
that DOE has tentatively identified for analysis. This list is not
intended to be all-inclusive or to imply any predetermination of
impacts. Following is a preliminary list of issues that may be analyzed
in the EIS:
(1) Socioeconomic impacts of development of the land tracts and
their subsequent uses;
(2) Impacts to protected, threatened, endangered, or sensitive
species of animals or plants, or their critical habitats;
(3) Impacts to floodplains and wetlands;
(4) Impacts to cultural or historic resources;
(5) Impacts to human health and safety;
(6) Impacts on air, soil, and water;
(7) Visual impacts;
(8) Disproportionately high and adverse impacts to minority and
low-income populations; and
(9) Environmental impacts within Mexico.
The EIS will also consider alternatives to the proposed
transmission lines, including, to the extent practicable:
(1) No Action Alternative: The EIS will analyze the impacts
associated with ``no action.'' Since the proposed action is the
issuance of a Presidential permit for the construction of the proposed
transmission lines, ``no action'' means that the permit would not be
issued. However, not issuing the permit would not necessarily imply
maintenance of the status quo. It is possible that the applicant and/or
the Mexican government may take other actions if the proposed
transmission lines are not built. The No Action Alternative will
address the environmental impacts that are reasonably foreseeable to
occur if the Presidential permit is not issued.
(2) Construction of a powerplant in the U.S. closer to the U.S.-
Mexico border with a shorter transmission line extending to the border,
an alternative concept for supplying electric power to the target
region.
Scoping Process
Interested parties are invited to participate in the scoping
process both to refine the preliminary alternatives and environmental
issues to be analyzed in depth, and to eliminate from detailed study
those alternatives and environmental issues that are not significant or
pertinent. The scoping process is intended to involve all interested
agencies (Federal, state, county, and local), public interest groups,
Native American Tribes, businesses, and members of the public.
Potential Federal cooperating agencies include the U.S. Department of
the
[[Page 7175]]
Interior (including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, and the Fish and Wildlife Service), the U.S. Air Force, the
International Boundary and Water Commission, and the Tohono O'odham
Nation.
Public scoping meetings will be held at the locations, dates, and
times indicated above under the DATES and ADDRESSES sections. These
scoping meetings will be informal and conducted as discussions between
attendees and DOE. The DOE presiding officer will establish only those
procedures needed to ensure that everyone who wishes to speak has a
chance to do so and that DOE understands all issues and comments.
Speakers will be allocated approximately 10 minutes for their oral
statements. Depending upon the number of persons wishing to speak, DOE
may allow longer times for representatives of organizations.
Consequently, persons wishing to speak on behalf of an organization
should identify that organization in their request to speak. Persons
who have not submitted a request to speak in advance may register to
speak at the scoping meeting(s), but advance requests are encouraged.
Should any speaker desire to provide for the record further information
that cannot be presented within the designated time, such additional
information may be submitted in writing by the date listed in the DATES
section. Both oral and written comments will be considered and given
equal weight by DOE. Meetings will begin at the times specified and
will continue until all those present who wish to participate have had
an opportunity to do so.
Draft EIS Schedule and Availability
The Draft EIS is scheduled for completion by October 1999, at which
time its availability will be announced in the Federal Register and
public comments again will be solicited.
Those individuals who do not wish to submit comments or suggestions
at this time but who would like to receive a copy of the Draft EIS for
review and comment when it is issued should notify Mrs. Russell at the
address above.
The Draft EIS will be made available for public inspection at
several public libraries or reading rooms in Arizona. A notice of these
locations will be provided in the Federal Register at a later date.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 9, 1999.
Peter N. Brush,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 99-3508 Filed 2-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
