[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 230 (Friday, November 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72521-72525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28279]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement for the Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal
Land in the 11 Western States, Including Proposed Amendments to
Selected Land Use Plans LLW0350000.L14300000.PN0000
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of
Energy (DOE) as co-lead agencies, and the U.S. Forest Service (FS) of
the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Defense (DOD),
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) of the Department of the
Interior (DOI) as cooperating Federal Agencies (the Agencies) announce
the availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement for the Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Land in
the 11 Western States (Final PEIS) (DOE/EIS-0386) that also proposes to
amend 138 land use plans.
The Coeur d'Alene Tribe, the California Energy Commission (CEC),
the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the State of
Wyoming, and the Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Uinta counties and
conservation districts in Wyoming are also cooperating agencies. The
Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) are consulting agencies.
The Agencies prepared the Final PEIS pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.; the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations, 40 CFR
Parts 1500-1508; the DOE NEPA regulations, 10 CFR Part 1021; Compliance
with Floodplain and Wetland Environmental Review Requirements, 10 CFR
Part 1022; the BLM planning regulations, 43 CFR subpart 1610; and
applicable FS planning regulations.
Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), Public
Law 109-58, directs the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense,
Energy, and the Interior, in consultation with FERC, states, tribal or
local units of governments, as appropriate; affected utility
industries; and other interested persons to designate, under their
respective authorities, corridors on Federal land in the 11 Western
States for oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines as well as electricity
transmission and distribution facilities; perform any environmental
reviews that may be required to complete the designation of such
corridors; and incorporate the designated corridors into relevant
agency land use and resource management plans or equivalent plans.
The 11 Western States are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
DATES: Copies of the Final PEIS were distributed beginning November 20,
2008 to Members of Congress, American Indian Tribal governments, state
and local governments, other Federal agencies, and organizations and
individuals who are known to have an interest in the Final PEIS.
The DOI, USDA and DOD would issue separate Records of Decision
(ROD) to amend selected land use plans for the purpose of designating
EPAct 2005 Section 368 corridors no sooner than 30 days after the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability of
the Final PEIS. BLM's ROD must also await a 60-day Governors'
Consistency Review in accordance with 43 CFR 1610.3-2.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for compact discs (CD) or printed
copies of the Final PEIS to: West-wide Energy Corridor Final PEIS,
Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Bldg. 900, Mailstop
4, Argonne, IL 60439; by toll-free fax: 1-866-542-5904; or order online
at http://corridoreis.anl.gov.
The Final PEIS consists of a stand alone Summary, the PEIS Chapters
(Volume 1-648 pages), the Appendices (Volume 2-564 pages), Maps (Volume
3-148 pages), and Comments and Responses (Volume 4-174 pages). The
Final PEIS Volume 3 map atlas is printed on 11x17-inch paper. The CD
version of the Final PEIS includes the map atlas in PDF format. The
most powerful and flexible version of the map data is available on the
project Web site (http://corridoreis.anl.gov). The Web site maps are
available within a geographic information system (GIS) database that
allows users to merge, enlarge, and view multiple map-data layers.
Software and instructions to use the GIS data are user-friendly and
available for free download on the Web site. The Final PEIS is
available on the project Web site at http://corridoreis.anl.gov, on the
DOE NEPA Web site at http://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa, and at the
following reading room locations:
The BLM state and field offices and FS regional offices in
the 11 Western States, and
The DOE Freedom of Information Act Office and Reading
Room, Room 1E-190, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585;
phone 202-586-3142.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Final PEIS,
please contact Kate Winthrop, BLM, WO-350, MS 1000 LS, 1849 C Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20240; by phone: 202-452-5051; or by e-mail: kate_winthrop@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agencies prepared the Final PEIS to
implement Section 368 of EPAct to designate preferred locations for
future
[[Page 72522]]
oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines as well as electricity transmission
and distribution facilities and to incorporate the designated corridors
into the relevant agencies' land use and resource management plans or
equivalent plans. Section 368 directs the Agencies to take into account
the need for upgraded and new infrastructure and to take actions to
improve reliability, relieve congestion, and enhance the capability of
the national grid to deliver energy. This action only pertains to the
designation of corridors for potential facilities on Federal lands
located within the 11 Western States.
In addition, Section 368 is intended to improve coordination among
the Agencies to increase the efficiency of using designated corridors.
In many areas of the United States, including the West, the
infrastructure required to deliver energy has not always kept pace with
growth in energy demand. The Agencies hope to improve the delivery of
energy, while enhancing the electric transmission grid for the future,
by establishing a coordinated network of Federal energy corridors on
Federal lands in the West. The Final PEIS analyzes the environmental
impacts of designating Federal energy corridors in 11 Western States
and incorporating those designations into relevant agency land use and
resource management plans or equivalent plans.
The Agencies are preparing this PEIS at the designation stage
because they believe it is an appropriate time to examine environmental
concerns at the programmatic level. Impacts that affect the quality of
the environment will only occur after specific proposals are submitted,
analyzed through the NEPA process, and approved by the land management
agency. The Agencies expect that the PEIS will greatly assist
subsequent site-specific analyses for individual project proposals by
allowing the Agencies to incorporate this PEIS into those later
analyses.
The Final PEIS analyzes a No Action Alternative and a Proposed
Action. Under the No Action Alternative, Federal energy corridors would
not be designated on Federal lands in the 11 Western States. The siting
and development of future energy transport projects would continue
under current agency procedures for granting rights-of-way (ROW). Under
the Proposed Action, the Agencies would designate and incorporate
identified Federal energy corridors that would consist of existing,
locally designated Federal energy corridors together with additional,
newly designated energy corridors located on Federal land into relevant
land use and resource management plans. The Proposed Action is the
Agencies' preferred alternative.
These energy corridors would comprise a comprehensive, coordinated
network of preferred locations for future energy projects that could be
developed to satisfy demand for energy. Under the Proposed Action,
approximately 6,120 miles of Federal energy corridors would be
designated on Federal lands within the 11 Western States as the
preferred location for oil, natural gas, and hydrogen pipelines as well
as electricity transmission and distribution lines. Environmental,
engineering, and land use screening criteria were applied during the
development of the Proposed Action to reduce potential environmental
and land use conflicts. The energy corridors would typically be 3,500
feet wide, although the width may vary in certain areas due to
environmental, topographic, or management constraints. The DOI, USDA
and DOD would amend their respective land use or equivalent plans to
incorporate the designated energy corridors; the amendments would be
effective upon signing of the relevant agency's ROD.
The policies and Interagency Operating Procedures (IOPs) developed
under the Proposed Action would establish minimum requirements for the
management of future individual energy transport projects. The proposed
policies identify management objectives and address the administration
of energy transport development activities. The proposed IOPs identify
required management procedures that would need to be incorporated into
future project-specific energy transport development proposals. The
Proposed Action would amend a total of 138 (93 BLM, 38 FS, 4 DOD, and 3
NPS) land use and equivalent plans in the 11 Western States. The
proposed land use plan amendments would incorporate the programmatic
energy transport development policies and IOPs set forth in the Final
PEIS. The proposed land use plan amendments would facilitate
preparation and consideration of future energy transport development
ROW applications on DOI-, USDA-, and DOD-administered lands in these
states, but would not eliminate the need for site-specific NEPA
analysis of individual development proposals.
The Agencies propose to amend the following land use management
plans, itemized in appendix A of the Final PEIS:
Land Use or Equivalent Plans Proposed for Amendment to Incorporate Epact Section 368 Energy Corridors on Federal
Lands in the 11 Western States
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State land use plan Agency office(s)
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Arizona....................... Apache-Sitgreaves NS LRMP.. FS, Apache-Sitgreaves NF
Arizona Strip RMP.......... BLM, Arizona Strip FO
Coronado NF LRMP........... FS, Coronado NF
Glen Canyon NRA GMP........ NPS, Glen Canyon NRA
Kaibab NF LRMP............. FS, Kaibab NF
Kingman RMP................ BLM, Kingman FO
Lake Havasu RMP............ BLM, Lake Havasu FO
Lower Gila North MFP....... BLM, Hassayampa FO
Lower Gila South RMP....... BLM, Hassayampa FO
Lower Sonoran RMP.......... BLM, Lower Sonoran FO
Phoenix RMP................ BLM, Hassayampa FO
Prescott NF LRMP........... FS, Prescott NF
Safford RMP................ BLM, Safford FO
Tonto NF LRMP.............. FS, Tonto NF
Yuma Proving Ground INRMP.. DOD, U.S. Army, Yuma Proving Ground
Yuma RMP................... BLM, Yuma FO
California.................... Alturas RMP................ BLM, Alturas FO
Angeles NF LRMP............ FS, Angeles NF
Bishop RMP................. BLM, Bishop FO
[[Page 72523]]
California Desert BLM, Barstow FO, El Centro FO, Lake Havasu FO,
Conservation Area Plan. Needles FO, Ridgecrest FO, Palm Springs-South
Coast FO
China Lake Naval Air DOD, U.S. Navy, China Lake Naval Air Weapons
Weapons Station INRMP. Station
Cleveland NF LRMP.......... FS, Cleveland NF
Eagle Lake RMP............. BLM, Eagle Lake FO
Inyo NF LRMP............... FS, Inyo NF
Klamath NF LRMP............ FS, Klamath NF
Lassen NF LRMP............. FS, Lassen NF
Modoc NF LRMP.............. FS, Modoc NF
Redding RMP................ BLM, Redding FO
San Bernadino NF LRMP...... FS, San Bernadino NF
Shasta-Trinity NF LRMP..... FS, Shasta-Trinity NF
Sierra RMP................. BLM, Folsom FO
Six Rivers NF LRMP......... FS, Six Rivers NF
South Coast RMP............ BLM, Palm Springs-South Coast FO
Surprise RMP............... BLM, Surprise FO
Tahoe NF LRMP.............. FS, Tahoe NF
Toiyabe NF LRMP............ FS,Toiyabe NF
Colorado...................... Arapaho-Roosevelt NF and FS, Arapaho-Roosevelt NF and Pawnee NG
Pawnee NG LRMP.
Curecanti NCA GMP.......... NPS, Curecanti NRA
Glenwood Springs RMP....... BLM, Glenwood Springs FO
Grand Junction RMP......... BLM, Grand Junction FO
Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre- FS, Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison NF
Gunnison NF LRMP.
Gunnison RMP............... BLM, Gunnison FO
Kremmling RMP.............. BLM, Kremmling FO
Little Snake RMP........... BLM, Little Snake FO
Routt NF LRMP.............. FS, Routt-Medicine Bow NF, Thunder Basin NG
Royal Gorge RMP............ BLM, Royal Gorge FO
Pike-San Isabel NF LRMP.... FS, Pike-San Isabel NF
San Juan NF LRMP........... FS, San Juan NF
San Juan/San Miguel RMP.... BLM, Dolores FO, Uncompahgre FO
Uncompahgre Basin RMP...... BLM, Uncompahgre FO
White River RMP............ BLM, White River FO
Idaho......................... Big Desert MFP............. BLM, Upper Snake FO
Bruneau MFP................ BLM, Bruneau FO
Caribou-Targhee NF LRMP.... FS, Caribou-Targhee NF
Cassia RMP................. BLM, Burley FO
Coeur d'Alene RMP.......... BLM, Coeur d'Alene FO
Idaho Panhandle NF LRMP.... FS, Idaho Panhandle NF
Jarbidge RMP............... BLM, Bruneau FO, Four Rivers FO, Jarbridge FO
Kuna MFP................... BLM, Four Rivers FO
Medicine Lodge RMP......... BLM, Upper Snake FO
Monument RMP............... BLM, Burley FO, Shoshone FO
Pocatello RMP.............. BLM, Pocatello FO
Owyhee RMP................. BLM, Four Rivers FO, Owyhee FO
Twin Falls MFP............. BLM, Burley FO
Montana....................... Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF FS, Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF
LRMP.
Billings RMP............... BLM, Billings FO
Dillon RMP................. BLM, Dillon FO
Garnet RMP................. BLM, Missoula FO
Headwaters RMP............. BLM, Butte FO
Lolo NF LRMP............... FS, Lolo NF
Nevada........................ Black Rock-High Rock BLM, Winnemucca FO
Emigrant Trail NCA RMP.
Carson City FO Consolidated BLM, Carson City FO
RMP.
Elko RMP................... BLM, Elko FO
Ely RMP.................... BLM, Ely FO
Hawthorne Army Depot INRMP. DOD, U.S. Army, Hawthorne AD
Humboldt NF LRMP........... FS, Humboldt-Toiyabe NF
Lake Mead NRA GMP.......... NPS, Lake Mead NRA
Las Vegas RMP.............. BLM, Las Vegas FO
Nellis AFB Plan 126-4 INRMP DOD, U.S. Air Force, Nellis AFB
Paradise-Denio MFP......... BLM, Winnemucca FO
Sonoma Gerlach MFP......... BLM, Winnemucca FO
Surprise RMP............... BLM, Surprise FO
Toiyabe NF LRMP............ FS, Humboldt-Toiyabe NF
[[Page 72524]]
Tonopah RMP................ BLM, Battle Mountain FO
Wells RMP.................. BLM, Elko FO
New Mexico.................... Carlsbad RMP............... BLM, Carlsbad FO
Farmington RMP............. BLM, Farmington FO
Mimbres RMP................ BLM, Las Cruces DO
Rio Puerco RMP............. BLM, Rio Puerco FO
Roswell RMP................ BLM, Roswell FO
Socorro RMP................ BLM, Socorro FO
White Sands RMP............ BLM, Las Cruces DO
Oregon........................ Andrews-Steens RMP......... BLM, Andrews FO
Baker RMP.................. BLM, Baker FO
Brothers-Lapine RMP........ BLM, Central Oregon FO, Deschutes FO
Deschutes NF LRMP.......... FS, Deschutes NF
Eugene RMP................. BLM, Upper Willamette FO
Fremont NF LRMP............ FS, Fremont-Winema NFs
Klamath Falls RMP.......... BLM, Klamath Falls FO
Lakeview RMP............... BLM, Lakeview FO
Medford RMP................ BLM, Ashland FO, Butte Falls FO, Glendale FO
Mt. Hood NF LRMP........... FS, Mt. Hood NF
Roseburg RMP............... BLM, South River FO, Swiftwater FO, Upper
Willamette FO
Salem RMP.................. BLM, Cascades FO, Tillamook FO
Southeastern Oregon RMP.... BLM, Jordan FO, Malheur FO
Three Rivers RMP........... BLM, Three Rivers FO
Two Rivers RMP............. BLM, Deschutes FO
Upper Deschutes RMP........ BLM, Deschutes FO
Winema NF LRMP............. FS, Fremont-Winema NF
Utah.......................... Cedar-Beaver-Garfield- BLM, Cedar City FO
Antimony RMP.
Dixie NF LRMP.............. FS, Dixie NF
Fishlake NF LRMP........... FS, Fishlake NF
Grand Staircase-Escalante BLM, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM FO
National Monument
Management Plan.
House Range RMP............ BLM, Fillmore FO
Kanab RMP.................. BLM, Kanab FO
Moab RMP................... BLM, Moab FO
Pinyon MFP................. BLM, Cedar City FO
Pony Express RMP........... BLM, Salt Lake FO
Price RMP.................. BLM, Price FO
Richfield RMP.............. BLM, Richfield FO
St. George (Dixie) RMP..... BLM, St. George FO
San Juan RMP............... BLM, Monticello FO
Uinta NF LRMP.............. FS, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF
Vernal RMP................. BLM, Vernal FO
Warm Springs RMP........... BLM, Fillmore FO
Wasatch-Cache NF LRMP...... FS, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF
Washington.................... Mount Baker-Snoqualmie NF FS, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie NF
LRMP.
Spokane RMP................ BLM, Wenatchee FO
Wenatchee NF LRMP.......... FS, Wenatchee NF
Wyoming....................... Ashley NF LRMP............. FS, Ashley NF
Casper RMP................. BLM, Casper FO
Cody RMP................... BLM, Cody FO
Grass Creek RMP............ BLM, Worland FO
Great Divide RMP........... BLM, Rawlins FO
Green River RMP............ BLM, Rock Springs FO
Kemmerer RMP............... BLM, Kemmerer FO
Lander RMP................. BLM, Lander FO.
Medicine Bow NF LRMP....... FS, Routt-Medicine Bow NF, Thunder Basin NG
Washakie RMP............... BLM, Worland FO
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AFB = Air Force Base; BLM = Bureau of Land Management; CBGA = Cedar-Beaver-Garfield-Antimony; CCCP = Complex
Comprehensive Conservation Plan; DO = district office; DOD = Department of Defense; FO = field office; FS =
Forest Service; GMP = General Management Plan; INRMP = Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan; LMP =
Land Management Plan; LRMP = Land and Resource Management Plan; MFP = Management Framework Plan; NCA =
National Conservation Area; NF = National Forest; NM = National Monument; NG = National Grassland; NPS =
National Park Service; NRA = National Recreation Area; RAMP= Recreation Area Management Plan; RFP= Revised
Forest Plan, RMP = Resource Management Plan.
This list represents the most current plans. This list differs in some particulars from the list in the Draft
PEIS, Vol. 2. Since planning is dynamic and there may also be further changes in the locations of specific
corridors, the individual agency Records of Decision may also include changes in this list.
[[Page 72525]]
The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the
Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Land in the 11 Western
States (Draft PEIS) was made available for public review and comment
from November 16, 2007, to February 14, 2008. The Draft PEIS was posted
on the project Web site at http://corridoreis.anl.gov, the DOE NEPA Web
site at http://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa, and provided, on request, as a
CD or printed document. Notice was provided to more than 2,200
individuals and organizations who registered on the project Web site to
receive information about the PEIS. Approximately 14,000 individuals
and organizations commented on the Draft PEIS, providing more than
3,500 substantive comments. About 57 percent of the comment documents
were received via the project Web site, 21 percent were submitted by
regular mail, and 22 percent were submitted at the public hearings, as
oral statements, written submissions, or both.
Volume IV of the Final PEIS contains the public comments on the
Draft PEIS and the agencies' responses. Public comments addressed a
broad range of issues. Nearly 35 percent of the comments addressed
various topics related to the alternatives presented in the PEIS, 20
percent commented on the purpose and need, and 17 percent commented on
corridor location. Nearly 5 percent of the comments were concerned with
ecological issues, approximately 4 percent raised concerns about
multiple impact areas, 4 percent addressed cumulative impacts, and
slightly more than 2 percent dealt with tribal issues.
The remaining comments were divided among a number of topics, each
comprising less than 2 percent of the total. The topics (listed in
decreasing order) include general impacts, land use, water resources,
health and safety, cultural resources, maps, visual resources,
socioeconomics, regulations, air quality, environmental justice, and
noise.
Public and internal agency review comments on the Draft PEIS were
incorporated into the Final PEIS. Public comments resulted in changes
to the text and modifications to corridor segments. These changes have
improved the analysis and clarified the discussion of important issues
but did not significantly modify the Proposed Action or proposed land
use plan amendments. The Final PEIS contains a number of modifications
to corridor segments in response to public and agency comments. These
changes are detailed in appendix K of the Final PEIS.
Government-to-government consultation regarding potential energy
transport development and land use plan amendments on DOI-, USDA-, and
DOD-administered lands was conducted with federally recognized Tribes
whose interests might be directly and substantially affected. The
Tribes contacted are listed in appendix C of the Final PEIS.
In addition, the Agencies have initiated activities to coordinate
and consult with the governors of each of the 11 Western States
addressed in the PEIS and with State agencies. Prior to the Agencies'
issuance of their respective RODs, the governor of each state has the
opportunity to identify any inconsistencies between the proposed land
use plan amendments and State or local plans and to provide
recommendations, in writing, during the 60-day consistency review
period required by the BLM land use planning regulations (43 CFR
1610.3-2).
The DOI Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management (AS/LM)
is the responsible official for publishing the proposed plan amendments
affecting public lands. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 and its implementing regulations provide land use planning
authority to the Secretary, which has been delegated to this Assistant
Secretary. Because any decision regarding these plan amendments is
being made by the AS/LM, it is the final decision for the DOI. This
decision is not subject to administrative review (protest) under the
BLM (DOI) land use planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2).
The USDA Under Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment is
the responsible official for publishing the proposed plan amendments on
National Forest System lands. The Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act of 1974 as amended by the National Forest
Management Act of 1976, and their implementing regulations provide land
use planning authority to the Secretary, as delegated to this Under
Secretary. Because any decision regarding these plan amendments is
being made by the Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment,
it is the final decision for the Department of Agriculture. This
decision is not subject to administrative review (objection) under the
FS or Departmental regulations (36 CFR 219.13(a)(2)).
Copies of the Final PEIS have been sent to the Environmental
Protection Agency, DOI Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance,
DOI Library, and the governors' offices in each of the 11 Western
States covered by this PEIS. Copies of the Final PEIS are available at
the BLM state offices and FS regional offices in the 11 Western States,
DOE Headquarters Reading Room, the BLM Washington, DC, Public Affairs
office and the FS Washington, DC, offices. Those interested may also
review the Final PEIS and proposed land use plan amendments online at
http://corridoreis.anl.gov.
Michael D. Nedd,
Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management, Bureau of Land
Management, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. E8-28279 Filed 11-26-08; 8:45 am]
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