65702 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 245 / Thursday, December 20, 2001 / Notices

resources that could potentially be

impacted by construction of the Project.

These intensive surveys are undertaken

once the initial centerline location is

determined, and can lead to adjustments

in the centerline to avoid potential

impacts. More cultural sites have been

identified in the West corridor because

of its more varied topography and

undeveloped nature. Western’s

Programmatic Agreement is under

review with the California Office of

Historic Preservation and other affected

parties. The Agreement will address

inventory strategies, consultation,

eligibility and effect, and treatment

plans, and will be referenced in the

MAP.

Transmission structures located in

either the East and West corridors

would be visible from Interstate 5;

however, they would be more visible in

the East corridor. Structures in the West

corridor would be more visible from

recreation areas in the foothills and at

reservoirs.

Transmission line construction in

either corridor could affect roadways

during construction by causing

congested traffic or by damaging road

surfaces.

Construction of the Project in either

corridor would require similar

commitments of conductor wire,

structure steel, concrete, and energy

resources. Locating the transmission

line at least 2,000 feet away from

PG&E’s two 500-kV Intertie lines is

preferred since it increases power

system reliability by reducing the

possibility of a single event loss of all

three lines (fire, aircraft crash,

earthquake, etc.). This separation of

these important large transmission lines

is consistent with standard utility

industry practice and Western Systems

Coordinating Council and North

American Electric Reliability Council

criteria and guidelines.

Public Comment Summary

Western issued newsletters in June

and August 2001 and conducted two

public workshops on the Project on

August 27 and 28, 2001. The

landowners attending the public

workshops voiced concerns over land

values, future land use restrictions, and

agricultural impacts to operations and

productivity. Written comments were

received from several landowners and

the CPUC during the public review

period.

In their written comments,

landowners expressed concerns about

locating the transmission line on their

property and their desire to reduce

impacts to their land and farming

operations. Other concerns included

potential impacts on the economic

development of a proposed housing

development near the Los Banos

Substation, San Joaquin kit fox habitat

and mitigation areas being evaluated

within the Western corridor, established

habitat areas, and electromagnetic

fields. Western will work with

landowners to address their concerns

during the transmission line siting and

land acquisition processes.

Comments from the CPUC centered

on including additional information

from its environmental analysis. The

CPUC’s major comments included

impacts to air quality, endangered

species, water quality, increases in

agricultural and other land uses, visual

resources, seismic activity,

socioeconomics, cultural resources, and

mitigation measures. Western will also

work with the CPUC, PG&E, and other

Federal, State, and local agencies to

assure that potential impacts are

minimized.

Comments received and Western’s

specific responses are available on

Western’s web site or by calling the toll

free number.

Dated: December 7, 2001.

Michael S. Hacskaylo,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–31346 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

Havre-Rainbow Transmission Line

Rebuild Project

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of floodplain/wetlands

involvement.

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power

Administration (Western) intends to

rebuild the Havre-Rainbow 161 kilovolt

(kV) Transmission Line in central

Montana. This will initially require

replacement of structures. Eventually,

conductors will be replaced and

overhead groundwires and fiber optic

cable may be added. The line lies north

and west of the Missouri River and

crosses the Marias and Teton Rivers

near Loma, Montana, and the Big Sandy

Creek near Big Sandy, Montana.

In accordance with the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE)

Floodplain/Wetland Review

Requirements (10 CFR part 1022),

Western will prepare a floodplain

assessment and will perform the

proposed actions in a manner so as to

avoid or minimize potential harm to or

within the affected floodplain. The

floodplain assessment will be included

in the Environmental Assessment being

prepared by Western, in accordance

with the provisions of the DOE National

Environmental Policy Act Implementing

Procedures (10 CFR part 1021).

DATES: Comments on the proposed

floodplain action are due to the address

below no later than January 22, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Comments should be addressed to Mr.

Theodore Anderson, Environmental

Specialist, Upper Great Plains Customer

Service Region, Western Area Power

Administration, P.O. Box 35800,

Billings, Montana 59107–5800, e-mail

tanderso@wapa.gov. For further

information on DOE Floodplain/

Wetlands Environmental Review

Requirements, contact Ms. Carol M.

Borgstrom, Director, NEPA Policy and

Compliance, EH–42, U.S. Department of

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone

(202) 586–4600 or (800) 472–2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

existing Havre-Rainbow Transmission

Line is approximately 103 miles long

and approximately 60 years old. The

action will entail the removal of the

existing structures and reinstalling the

new structures. At some time in the

future Western may reconductor the line

to 230-kV and install overhead

groundwires and fiber optic cable. Most

ground disturbances will take place

where the structures are replaced, at the

splice points, and at pulling sites of the

possible future installation of

conductor, overhead groundwire, and

fiber optic cable. Access roads for the

line exist and may need to be improved.

There may also be a need for additional

access trails or roads to individual

structure locations. The work will take

place over a 10-year period by an inhouse workforce.

The line crosses the Marias and Teton

Rivers, at their confluence with the

Missouri River near Loma, Montana,

and Big Sandy Creek near Big Sandy,

Montana. The line will affect lands

mostly in private ownership (grazing

and cultivated lands), but will also cross

Indian allotted lands on the Rocky Boys

Indian Reservation. There may also be

lands managed by the Bureau of Land

Management and lands belonging to the

State of Montana along the route.

Issued: December 12, 2001.

Michael S. Hacskaylo,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–31352 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P