Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 239 / Friday, December 11, 2020 / Notices 80091 

and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 

385.214). Anyone filing a motion to 

intervene or protest must serve a copy 

of that document on the Applicant. 

Notice is hereby given that the 

deadline for filing protests with regard 

to the applicant’s request for blanket 

authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of 

future issuances of securities and 

assumptions of liability, is December 28, 

2020. 

The Commission encourages 

electronic submission of protests and 

interventions in lieu of paper, using the 

FERC Online links at http://

www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic 

service, persons with internet access 

who will eFile a document and/or be 

listed as a contact for an intervenor 

must create and validate an 

eRegistration account using the 

eRegistration link. Select the eFiling 

link to log on and submit the 

intervention or protests. 

Persons unable to file electronically 

may mail similar pleadings to the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 

20426. Hand delivered submissions in 

docketed proceedings should be 

delivered to Health and Human 

Services, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, 

Rockville, Maryland 20852. 

In addition to publishing the full text 

of this document in the Federal 

Register, the Commission provides all 

interested persons an opportunity to 

view and/or print the contents of this 

document via the internet through the 

Commission’s Home Page (http://

ferc.gov) using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. 

Enter the docket number excluding the 

last three digits in the docket number 

field to access the document. At this 

time, the Commission has suspended 

access to the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room, due to the 

proclamation declaring a National 

Emergency concerning the Novel 

Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19), issued 

by the President on March 13, 2020. For 

assistance, contact the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call 

toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202) 

502–8659. 

Dated: December 7, 2020. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2020–27265 Filed 12–10–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Western Area Power Administration 

Wildfire Risk Reduction, Reliability, 

and Asset Protection (WRAP) Project, 

Trinity County, California (DOE/EIS– 

0548) 

AGENCY: Western Area Power 

Administration, Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a 

joint Environmental Impact Statement/ 

Environmental Impact Report and to 

conduct scoping meetings; Notice of 

Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement. 

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power 

Administration (WAPA) and Trinity 

Public Utility District (Trinity PUD) are 

proposing a proactive Wildfire Risk 

Reduction, Reliability, and Asset 

Protection (WRAP) Project to reduce fire 

risk to the surrounding communities 

and public lands, as well as to increase 

electric reliability to maintain critical 

services in local communities. WAPA 

and Trinity PUD will prepare a joint 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 

in accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA), U.S. Department of Energy 

(DOE) NEPA Implementing Procedures, 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) regulations for implementing 

NEPA, and the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as 

codified in California’s Public Resource 

Code, and the Guidelines for 

Implementation of the California 

Quality Act (CEQA Guidelines) in Title 

14 of the California Code of Regulations. 

Portions of the proposed action may 

affect floodplains or wetlands, so this 

Notice of Intent (NOI) also serves as a 

notice of proposed floodplain or 

wetlands action in accordance with 

DOE floodplain and wetlands review 

requirements. 

DATES: WAPA invites public comments 

on the scope of the WRAP EIS/EIR 

during a 45-day public scoping period. 

WAPA will provide a notice in local 

media outlets of the dates of the scoping 

period and scoping meetings. Public 

notice of the date and time of the public 

scoping meetings will also be posted on 

the Project website at https://

www.wapa.gov/regions/SN/ 

environment/Pages/WRAP.aspx. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the 

scope of the EIS/EIR and requests to be 

added to the EIS/EIR distribution list 

may be submitted by any of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic comments via the Project 

website at: https://www.wapa.gov/ 

regions/SN/environment/Pages/ 

WRAP.aspx. 

• Email: saare@wapa.gov. 

• U.S. Mail: Tish Saare, Western Area 

Power Administration, 114 Parkshore 

Dr., Folsom, CA 95630. 

WAPA will consider all comments on 

the scope of the EIS received or 

postmarked by the end of the scoping 

period. The public is invited to submit 

comments on the proposed WRAP 

Project for WAPA’s consideration at any 

time during the EIS process. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

additional information or to have your 

name added to our mailing list, contact 

Tish Saare, Western Area Power 

Administration, 114 Parkshore Dr., 

Folsom, CA 95630, telephone (916) 847– 

3608, email at saare@wapa.gov. 

For general information on DOE’s 

NEPA review process, contact Brian 

Costner, Office of NEPA Policy and 

Compliance, GC–54, U.S. Department of 

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue 

SW, Washington, DC 20585–0119, email 

AskNEPA@hq.doe.gov, telephone (202) 

586–4600 or (800) 472–2756, facsimile 

(202) 586–7031. 

For more information related to 

Trinity PUD’s participation, contact Mr. 

Andy Lethbridge, Electric 

Superintendent, 26 Ponderosa Ln, 

Weaverville, CA 96093, telephone (530) 

623–5537, email alethbridge@

trinitypud.com. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WAPA is 

a power marketing administration 

within DOE. WAPA has a statutory 

responsibility to make the necessary 

arrangements to deliver Federal power 

to Federally authorized water projects 

and to market and deliver cost-based 

Federal power in excess of that needed 

to meet Federal load to wholesale 

preference customers in regions within 

the central and western United States. 

WAPA’s preference customers include 

Federal and State agencies, Native 

American tribes, electric cooperatives, 

municipal utilities, public utility 

districts, irrigation districts, and water 

districts. Trinity PUD receives the 

majority of its power from WAPA’s 

Trinity Interconnect 60-kilovolt (kV) 

Transmission Line. 

Trinity PUD is the local electric utility 

provider for Trinity County, California. 

It provides most of the customers in 

Trinity County with 100-percent 

renewable hydroelectric energy from the 

Trinity Dam. Trinity PUD supplies 

power through its 604 miles of power 

lines that are located in rugged and 

mountainous terrain. Its service area 

covers approximately 2,100 square 

miles in Trinity County and is sparsely 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
80092 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 239 / Friday, December 11, 2020 / Notices 

populated, with fewer than 12 

customers per mile of line. 

The areas surrounding WAPA’s and 

Trinity PUD’s electric transmission and 

distribution systems in Trinity County 

are particularly vulnerable to fire risk 

due to the dense vegetation and steep 

terrain. The proposed WRAP Project 

would reduce these fire risks by 

expanding WAPA’s and Trinity PUD’s 

existing transmission/distribution 

rights-of-way (ROWs) and implementing 

a proactive, integrated vegetation 

management program within the 

expanded ROWs. 

WAPA has determined that an EIS is 

the appropriate level of review under 

NEPA. WAPA will prepare the EIS in 

accordance with NEPA, DOE’s NEPA 

Implementing Procedures, and the CEQ 

regulations for implementing NEPA. 

WAPA will be the lead Federal agency 

for the NEPA EIS review process, and 

the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau 

of Land Management (BLM), and Bureau 

of Reclamation (BOR) will be 

cooperating agencies. WAPA intends to 

prepare a joint EIS/EIR for the proposed 

WRAP Project. Trinity PUD will be the 

lead agency for the CEQA EIR review 

process. As portions of the proposed 

action may affect floodplains and 

wetlands, this NOI also serves as a 

notice of proposed floodplain or 

wetland action in accordance with DOE 

floodplain and wetland environmental 

review requirements (10 CFR parts 1021 

and 1022). 

Purpose and Need for Agency Action: 

The purpose of WRAP is to: (1) Reduce 

the risk of wildfire by proactive 

vegetation management; (2) enhance 

protection of the WAPA and Trinity 

PUD electrical transmission and 

distribution line systems; (3) improve 

the reliability of power delivery to 

Trinity PUD under WAPA’s contract; (4) 

improve transmission line access by 

road improvement; and (5) protect the 

health and safety of the Trinity County 

community and surrounding biological 

and natural resources from 

transmission- and distribution-related 

wildfires. 

Proposed Action and Alternatives: In 

accordance with the proposed Project 

purpose and need, WAPA and Trinity 

PUD propose the WRAP Project. 

WAPA proposes to expand the width 

of its ROW for its 17.5-mile, 60–kV 

transmission line between Trinity 

Substation and Weaverville Switchyard 

from 80 feet to up to 130 feet on USFS, 

BLM, and private lands. This 

transmission line provides the majority 

of the electricity to the Trinity PUD 

system. 

Trinity PUD proposes to expand its 

utility ROW width from 20 feet to up to 

130 feet for its overhead transmission 

and distribution system (216.8 miles) in 

high-fire risk areas on USFS, BLM, BOR, 

and private or other lands. The existing 

ROW easement for the underground 

distribution lines would not change. 

The proposed Project would also 

include the improvement of WAPA’s 

existing legal access roads using best 

management practices for routine access 

road maintenance and associated 

rehabilitation. Trinity PUD would 

maintain their existing local access 

roads to the standards set by the land 

managers. 

Vegetation in the ROW may be 

cleared using a combination of 

mechanical, manual, and herbicidal 

control methods. Manual methods may 

include cutting, girdling, topping and 

trimming, slash disposal/fuels reduction 

techniques, and burning. Mechanical 

methods would be used in areas in 

which vegetation can be removed nonselectively. Most pieces of mechanical 

equipment are not safe to operate on 

slopes over 30-to 35-percent; 

mechanical methods are also 

constrained where soils are susceptible 

to compaction or erosion. Herbicidal 

control is another option that WAPA 

and Trinity PUD are exploring as an 

option to manage vegetation. Only those 

herbicides that have been approved for 

use in ROW maintenance based on 

evaluations of toxicity, solubility, soil 

adsorption potential, and persistence in 

water and soil would be used. 

Additionally, herbicides would only be 

applied by individuals with applicator 

licenses/certificates and in accordance 

with label requirements. 

In order to maintain long-term 

vegetation clearances along the 

expanded ROWs, the proposed Project 

would include an updated and 

improved operation and maintenance 

plan (O&M Plan) and GIS database of all 

assets and sensitive resources along the 

subject ROWs. As part of the updated 

O&M Plan and GIS database, the 

proposed Project would develop 

Standard Operating Procedures, which 

would be implemented for all O&M 

tasks, as well as Project Conservation 

Measures that would be implemented to 

protect specific sensitive species in the 

ROW. 

As part of the proposed Project, 

WAPA and Trinity PUD would submit 

applications for ROW authorizations for 

the expansion of transmission and 

distribution line ROWs on BLM and 

USFS administered lands. Trinity PUD 

would also amend its Interagency 

Agreement with BOR. In addition, the 

proposed Project may include timber 

sale contracts with the USFS, BLM, 

BOR, and private landowners for 

merchantable timber resulting from 

ROW expansions and vegetation 

removal. 

No Action Alternative: NEPA requires 

WAPA to consider a no action 

alternative. The no action alternative 

serves as a baseline to measure the 

environmental impacts of action 

alternatives. No action does not mean 

no change; the no action alternative 

would include current vegetation 

management, access road maintenance, 

and other ongoing O&M activities 

within existing ROWs. There would be 

no ROW expansion under the no action 

alternative. As part of the EIS/EIR 

process, WAPA will consider a no 

action alternative. 

Notice of Floodplain or Wetlands 

Involvement: Floodplains and wetlands 

may be present in the Project area. As 

the proposal may involve action in 

floodplains or wetlands, this NOI serves 

as a notice of proposed floodplain or 

wetland action. The EIS/EIR will 

include an assessment of impacts to 

floodplains and wetlands. If needed, 

WAPA will prepare a floodplain 

statement of findings following DOE 

regulations for compliance with 

floodplains and wetlands environmental 

review requirements and include that 

statement in the EIS/EIR. 

Preliminary Identification of 

Environmental Issues: WAPA proposes 

to analyze potential short-term 

environmental impacts, such as those 

from implementation, and potential 

long-term environmental impacts of 

maintaining the expanded ROW. DOE’s 

guidance for the preparation of an EIS/ 

EIR recommends the use of a slidingscale approach when evaluating 

environmental impacts. This approach 

would focus the analysis and discussion 

of impacts on significant environmental 

issues in proportion to the level of the 

potential impacts. WAPA identified the 

following preliminary list of impact 

areas for evaluation in the EIS/EIR: 

• Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas 

Emissions 

• Biological Resources 

• Cultural and Tribal Resources 

• Energy 

• Hazards and Hazardous Materials 

• Hydrology and Water Quality 

• Land Use and Recreation 

• Noise and Vibration 

• Population and Housing 

• Soils and Mineral Resources 

• Transportation 

• Utilities/Service Systems/Public 

Services 

• Visual Resources 

• Wildfire and Forestry Resources 

This list is not intended to be allinclusive or to imply a predetermination 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 239 / Friday, December 11, 2020 / Notices 80093 

1CEQ revised its NEPA implementing 

regulations, effective September 14, 2020. Update to 

the Regulations Implementing the Procedural 

Provisions of the National Environmental Policy 

Act, 85 FR 43304, 43361 (July 16, 2020). 

2See id. at 85 FR 43361–43362. 

of impacts. WAPA invites interested 

stakeholders to suggest specific issues, 

including possible mitigation measures, 

within these general categories, or other 

categories not included above, to be 

considered in the EIS/EIR. 

Public Participation: The purpose of 

the scoping process is to identify issues, 

concerns, possible alternatives, and 

potential environmental impacts that 

WAPA should analyze in the EIS/EIR. 

There will be two scoping meetings, one 

in the morning and one in the evening 

on the date determined, to 

accommodate and encourage public 

participation. Each meeting will use 

Zoom Webinar and will be virtual or 

online consistent with statewide 

restrictions with in-person meetings 

because of the COVID–19 pandemic. 

WAPA will also announce the public 

scoping meetings in local news media 

and by posting on the Project 

environmental website at https:// 

www.wapa.gov/regions/SN/ 

environment/Pages/WRAP.aspx at least 

14 days before the meetings. 

The public will have the opportunity 

to learn about the Project, view maps, 

and present comments on the scope of 

the WRAP EIS/EIR. Representatives 

from WAPA and Trinity PUD will be 

available to answer questions and 

provide additional information to 

meeting attendees. 

In addition to providing comments at 

the webinar public scoping meetings, 

stakeholders may submit written 

comments as described in the 

ADDRESSES section above. WAPA will 

consider all comments postmarked or 

received during the public scoping 

period identified in the DATES section 

above. The public is also invited to 

submit comments on the proposed 

Project for WAPA’s consideration at any 

time during the EIS process. 

WAPA will coordinate with 

appropriate Federal, State, and local 

agencies, and potentially affected Native 

American tribes during the preparation 

of the EIS/EIR. Agencies with legal 

jurisdiction or special expertise are 

invited to participate as cooperating 

agencies in preparation of the EIS, as 

defined in 40 CFR 1501.8(a).1

Designated cooperating agencies have 

responsibilities to support the NEPA 

process, as specified in 40 CFR 

1501.8(b).2 WAPA will contact tribes 

and inform them of the planned EIS/ 

EIR. Government-to-government 

consultations will be conducted in 

accordance with Executive Order 13175, 

Consultation and Coordination with 

Indian Tribal Governments (65 FR 

67249); the President’s memorandum of 

April 29, 1994, Government-toGovernment Relations with Native 

American Tribal Governments (59 FR 

22951); DOE-specific guidance on tribal 

interactions; and other applicable 

Federal and State natural and cultural 

resources laws and regulations. 

Upon completion of the scoping 

period, WAPA will draft an EIS/EIR. A 

Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS/ 

EIR will be published in the Federal 

Register, which will begin a minimum 

45-day public comment period. WAPA 

will announce how to comment on the 

Draft EIS/EIR and will hold two public 

hearings during the comment period. 

People who would like to receive a copy 

of the Draft EIS/EIR should submit a 

request as provided in the ADDRESSES

section above. For those requesting to be 

added to the distribution list, you are 

encouraged to download the EIS/EIR 

and other documents from the above 

website; however, if you prefer to be 

mailed a copy, please specify the format 

of the EIS/EIR that you would like to 

receive (CD or printed) and a preference 

for either the complete EIS/EIR or the 

Summary only. WAPA will maintain 

information about the process, 

including documents, meeting 

information, and important dates, on the 

Project website given above. The EIS/ 

EIR, along with other Project 

information, will be available for 

download from the Project website. 

Please visit the Project website for 

current information. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on December 1, 2020, 

by Mark A. Gabriel, Administrator, 

Western Area Power Administration, 

pursuant to delegated authority from the 

Secretary of Energy. That document, 

with the original signature and date, is 

maintained by DOE. For administrative 

purposes only, and in compliance with 

requirements of the Office of the Federal 

Register, the undersigned DOE Federal 

Register Liaison Officer has been 

authorized to sign and submit the 

document in electronic format for 

publication, as an official document of 

the Department of Energy. This 

administrative process in no way alters 

the legal effect of this document upon 

publication in the Federal Register. 

Signed in Washington, DC, on December 7, 

2020 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2020–27147 Filed 12–10–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[ER–FRL–9054–3] 

Environmental Impact Statements; 

Notice of Availability 

Responsible Agency: Office of Federal 

Activities, General Information 202– 

564–5632 or https://www.epa.gov/nepa. 

Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact 

Statements (EIS) 

Filed November 30, 2020 10 a.m. EST 

Through December 7, 2020 10 a.m. 

EST 

Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9. 

Notice Section 309(a) of the Clean Air 

Act requires that EPA make public its 

comments on EISs issued by other 

Federal agencies. EPA’s comment 

letters on EISs are available at: https:// 

cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/ 

action/eis/search. 

EIS No. 20200249, Final Supplement, 

USFS, WV, Mountain Valley Pipeline 

and Equitrans Expansion Project, 

Review Period Ends: 01/11/2021, 

Contact: Ken Arney, Regional Forester 

888–603–0261. 

EIS No. 20200250, Draft Supplement, 

USN, AK, Gulf of Alaska Navy 

Training Activities, Comment Period 

Ends: 02/16/2021, Contact: Kimberly 

Kler 360–315–5103. 

EIS No. 20200251, Final, USCG, GU, 

ADOPTION—Mariana Islands 

Training and Testing Final EIS–OEIS, 

Contact: Maile Norman 808–535– 

3264. 

The United States Coast Guard 

(USCG) has adopted the United States 

Navy Final EIS No. 20150136, filed 5/ 

15/2015 with EPA. USCG was a 

cooperating agency on this project. 

Therefore, republication of the 

document is not necessary under 

Section 1506.3(b)(2) of the CEQ 

regulations. 

EIS No. 20200252, Final Supplement, 

USCG, GU, ADOPTION—Mariana 

Islands Training and Testing, Contact: 

Maile Norman 808–535–3264. 

The United States Coast Guard 

(USCG) has adopted the United States 

Navy Final Supplemental EIS No. 

20200155, filed 5/29/2020 with EPA. 

USCG was a cooperating agency on this 

project. Therefore, republication of the 


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