[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 23716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11478]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 83 / Thursday, April 30, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 23716]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado;
Nucla-Telluride Transmission Line Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement:
Nucla-Telluride Transmission Line Project.
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LOCATION: Montrose and San Miguel Counties, Colorado.
SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service (lead agency) in cooperation with USDI
Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Rural Utilities Service is
considering applications to construct a 115kV transmission line in
southwestern Colorado. The total length of the line is approximately 57
miles. The objectives of the project are to provide loop transmission
to the Telluride, Colorado service area; improve the quality of
electric service to the Norwood, Colorado service area; improve the
service to the substations between Sunshine and Hesperus; and provide
another interconnection to the Nucla generation plant. The uncertain
reliability of the Telluride electric service will pose a health and
safety hazard in the near future, if not corrected. The severe winter
conditions of the area require reliable electric service to assure safe
living conditions. The project is designed to meet this immediate human
health and safety issue, and provide other benefits to rural electric
users at the same time.
Preliminary issues related to potential direct and indirect
resource effects include: visual resource impacts in a recreational
setting; cultural resource encounters and accompanying mitigation
steps; habitat alterations where special status species occur including
the Gunnison sage grouse Mexican spotted owl, bald eagle and
southwestern willow flycatcher; and perceived public health and safety
concerns related to high voltage transmission facilities.
Three public workshops have been held to gain a perspective on the
range of issues. Alternatives include: rebuilding an existing 69kV line
for a large portion of the distance with new construction tieing to the
Telluride substation; and relocation alternatives which will focus on
minimizing residence and transmission line intersections, improving
line location related to resource impacts and combining facility
corridors.
DATES: Comments in response to this Notice of Intent concerning the
scope of the analysis should be received in writing by June 30, 1998.
Scoping meetings are scheduled for May 26, 27, and 28, 1998 in Redvale,
Norwood and Telluride, Colorado respectively. The draft environmental
impact statement is scheduled for fall 1998 and the final in winter
1999.
The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will
be 45 days from the date of the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Norwood Ranger District, PO Box
388, Norwood, Colorado 81423, ATTN: Steve Wells.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Wells at (970) 327-4261.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service believes, at this early
stage, it is important to give reviewers notice of several court
rulings related to public participation in the environmental review
process. First, reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must
structure their participation in the environmental review of the
proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the draft environmental impact statement stage but
that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental
impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of
Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin
Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980).
Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45
day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully
consider them and respond to them in the final environmental impact
statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
Other Potential Permits
USDI Fish & Wildlife Service informal consultation--Section 7
Threatened and Endangered Species Act; USDOD Army Corps of Engineers--
Nationwide Permit--Section 404 Clean Water Act; Montrose County
Building Permit; San Miguel County Building Permit; Certificate for
Public Convenience--PUC, Colorado.
Dated: April 24, 1998.
Robert L. Storch,
Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National
Forests.
[FR Doc. 98-11478 Filed 4-29-98; 8:45 am]
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