[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 707-709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-53]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Construction and Operation of the Proposed Transmission Agency of 
Northern California Transmission Project, California

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Advance Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report; Notice of Floodplain and 
Wetlands Involvement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency of 
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), intends to prepare a joint 
environmental impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) 
for the construction and operation of the proposed Transmission Agency 
of Northern California (TANC) Transmission Project (Project) in 
California. Western is issuing this Advance Notice to inform the public 
and interested parties early about the proposed Project. At a later 
date, Western plans to issue a formal Notice of Intent (NOI) and 
conduct a public scoping process, during which Western will invite the 
public to comment on the scope, proposed action, alternatives, and 
other issues to be addressed in the EIS/EIR.
    The EIS/EIR will address the construction, maintenance, and 
operation of the proposed Project, which would include building and 
upgrading over 500 miles of 230-kilovolt (kV) and 500-kV transmission 
lines and associated equipment and facilities in northern California. 
Portions of the proposed Project may affect floodplains and wetlands in 
the area. Western will hold public scoping meetings in several 
locations near the Project area during the public scoping period, 
anticipated to begin in early 2009. At the scoping meetings, Western 
will share information and receive comments and suggestions on the 
scope of the EIS/EIR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the 
project or the EIS/EIR process, contact Mr. David Young, National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Document Manager, Western Area Power 
Administration, Sierra Nevada Region, 114 Parkshore Drive, Folsom, CA 
95630, telephone

[[Page 708]]

(916) 353-4542, fax (916) 353-4772. For general information on DOE's 
NEPA review procedures or status of a NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M. 
Borgstrom, Director of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-20, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585, telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western, an agency within DOE, markets 
Federal hydroelectric power to preference customers, as specified by 
law. These customers include municipalities, cooperatives, irrigation 
districts, Federal and State agencies, and Native American tribes in 15 
western states, including California. Western owns and operates more 
than 17,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines.
    TANC is a registered Transmission Owner, Transmission Planner, and 
Transmission Service Provider (as these terms are defined by the North 
American Electric Reliability Corporation). TANC's mission is to assist 
its publicly owned utility members in providing cost-effective energy 
supplies to their customers, through long-term ownership of high-
voltage transmission lines within California and the western United 
States. TANC's membership includes the California cities of Alameda, 
Biggs, Gridley, Healdsburg, Lodi, Lompoc, Palo Alto, Redding, 
Roseville, Santa Clara, and Ukiah; the Sacramento Municipal Utility 
District (SMUD); Modesto Irrigation District; and Turlock Irrigation 
District. The Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative is an associate 
member of TANC. TANC owns and operates several transmission lines and 
associated facilities throughout Northern California.

Project Description

    TANC and Western propose to coordinate development of the proposed 
Project, which includes new and upgraded 230-kV and 500-kV transmission 
lines, substations, and related facilities. The Project would be 
designed to provide new access to renewable energy resources in 
northern California, northwestern Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest, 
enhance the California-Oregon interties, reduce existing congestion and 
system losses, increase the load-carrying capability and reliability of 
northern California's transmission system, improve the reliability of 
Western's existing Balancing Authority Area, and relieve existing 
electrical transmission system constraints in northern California.
    Details and plans for the proposed Project and alternatives are 
still being developed. Known components of the proposed Project would 
consist of five routing segments of transmission lines that generally 
extend from northeastern California to the Central Valley and westward 
into the San Francisco Bay Area. Alternatives to the proposed routes 
are currently in development.
    North Segment. This segment would originate near the community of 
Ravendale in the Mt. Lassen area. It would be generally aligned to the 
southwest and terminate just south of the City of Redding at the 
California Oregon Transmission Project's (COTP) Olinda Substation. This 
segment would provide access to new and existing renewable energy 
resources. The North Segment would include new 500-kV transmission 
lines with up to three new substations.
    Central Segment. The Central Segment would begin at the northern 
portion of the Central Valley, south of Redding and continue south to 
an area near Western's existing Tracy Substation. As a continuation of 
the North Segment, the Central Segment would include a new 500-kV 
transmission line extending from the Olinda Substation to two new 
substations, one in the southwestern section of SMUD's service 
territory, and a second near the Tracy Substation.
    East Segment. This segment would begin at the proposed new 
substation near Tracy and be generally aligned in an easterly direction 
within the Central Valley to a new substation near the City of Oakdale 
and then would extend in a southerly direction to a new substation near 
the City of Turlock. The East Segment would include new 230-kV and 500-
kV transmission lines and two new substations. It would provide an 
east-side tie between TANC members and the Central Segment.
    West Segment. The West Segment would travel in a southwesterly 
direction from the COTP at the Tracy Substation and terminate in the 
City of Santa Clara, which is located in the southern portion of the 
San Francisco Bay area. This alignment would include new and upgraded 
230-kV transmission lines and a new substation to provide a direct 
connection between the COTP and the City of Santa Clara.
    Sierra Foothills Segment. This Segment would be built, owned, and 
operated by Western. It would originate at Western's existing New 
Melones Substation in the southern Sierra foothills near the City of 
Sonora and be aligned in a southwesterly direction to the proposed new 
substation on the East Segment, near the City of Oakdale. This Segment 
would include new 230-kV transmission lines.
    To participate in the Project, Western must comply with NEPA (42 
U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended), Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and DOE 
NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021). Because the proposed 
Project may involve action in floodplains or wetlands, the EIS/EIR will 
include, as applicable, a floodplain/wetland assessment and floodplain/
wetland statement of findings following DOE regulations for compliance 
with floodplain and wetlands environmental review (10 CFR part 1022).
    Western is issuing this Advance Notice pursuant to 10 CFR 
1021.311(b) to inform the public and interested parties early about the 
proposed Project. At a later date, Western intends to issue a formal 
NOI and conduct a public scoping process, during which Western will 
invite the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, 
alternatives and other issues to be addressed in the EIS/EIR. 
Additional detailed information on the components of the proposed 
Project, alternatives, and potential environmental issues will be more 
fully developed in the formal NOI.

Agency Responsibilities

    Western is the lead Federal agency, as defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, 
for preparation of the NEPA analysis. The U.S. Department of the 
Agriculture, Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Bureau of Land Management plan to be cooperating agencies because of 
their jurisdiction over proposed routing across public lands. With this 
notice, Tribes and agencies with jurisdiction or special expertise are 
also invited to be cooperating agencies. Such Tribes or agencies may 
make a request to Western to be a cooperating agency by contacting Mr. 
Young at the address listed above. Designated cooperating agencies have 
certain responsibilities to support the NEPA process, as specified at 
40 CFR 1501.6(b).
    TANC will be responsible for satisfying all requirements of the 
California Environmental Quality Act. Thus, Western and TANC will 
prepare a joint EIS/EIR.

Public Participation

    Public participation and full disclosure are planned for the entire 
EIS/EIR process. The formal NOI is anticipated for publication in the 
Federal Register in early 2009. Once the NOI is published, TANC and 
Western will hold public scoping meetings. The dates, times, and 
locations, as well as information on how to provide

[[Page 709]]

comments will be further described in the NOI. The EIS/EIR process will 
also include public review and hearings on the draft EIS/EIR; 
publication of a final EIS/EIR; and publication of a record of decision 
anticipated in early 2011.

    Dated: December 22, 2008.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-53 Filed 1-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P