Antelope-Pardee 500-kV Transmission Project

[Federal Register: June 28, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 37080-37083]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jn05-42]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Angeles National Forest, California, Antelope-Pardee 500-kV
Transmission Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a joint environmental impact
statement/report.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the USDA Forest Service, together
with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), will prepare a
joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) in response to applications received from Southern
California Edison for construction of a new 25.6-mile 500-kilovolt (kV)
transmission line between the proponent's existing 220-kV Antelope and
Pardee substations that are located in Los Angeles County, California.
The Forest Service is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of
this EIS/EIR in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and all other applicable laws, executive orders, regulations,
and direction. The CPUC is the lead State of California agency for the
preparation of the EIS/EIR in compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act

[[Page 37081]]

(CEQA), California Public Resource Code Division 13, and all other
applicable laws and regulations. Both agencies have determined an EIS/
EIR is needed to effectively analyze the proposal and evaluate impacts.
The new 500-kV transmission line would replace the existing 100-foot
right-of-way 66 kV-line along 17.5 miles of the proposed route.
Approximately 13 miles of the Antelope-Pardee 500-kV Transmission
Project would be located in a 160-foot right-of-way on National Forest
System land (managed by the Angeles National Forest). Approximately
three miles of the proposed project would be constructed in a new
right-of-way outside of the Angeles National Forest. The proposed
project also includes an expansion and upgrade of the Antelope
Substation from 220 kV to 500 kV, and the relocation of several
existing 66-kV subtransmission lines near the Antelope Substation. The
USDA Forest Service and the CPUC invite written comments on the scope
of this proposed project. In addition, the agencies give notice of this
analysis so that interested and affected individuals are aware of how
they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by July 29, 2005. Two public information and scoping meetings are
proposed to provide information about the proposed project to the
public and to allow people to comment on the proposed project. The
draft EIS/EIR is expected in September 2005 and the final EIS/EIR is
expected in December 2005.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of the draft or final EIS/EIR and/or to
send written comments, please write to the Angeles National Forest and/
or California Public Utilities Commission, c/o Aspen Environmental
Group, 30423 Canwood Street, Suite 215, Agoura Hills, CA 91301.
E-mail communications are also welcome; however, please remember to
include your name and a return address in the email message. E-mail
messages should be sent to antelope-pardee@aspeneg.com. Information
about this application and the environmental review process will be
posted on the Internet at:

http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/aspen/antelopepardee/antelopepardee.htm.


This site will be used to post
all public documents during the environmental review process and to
announce up-coming public meetings.
Public meeting locations will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the following
locations: Desert Inn Hotel, June 29, 2005, 44219 Sierra Highway,
Lancaster, CA 93534; and Santa Clarita Activity Center, July 14, 2005,
20880 Centre Point Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information related to
the project on National Forest System land, contact Marian Kadota,
Planning Forester, Forest Service, 6755 Hollister Avenue, Suite 150,
Goleta, CA 93117; phone: (805) 961-5732. For additional information
related to the project on non-National Forest System land, contact John
Boccio, California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue,
San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: (415) 703-2641. Project information can
also be requested by leaving a voice message or sending a fax to the
Project Information Hotline at (661) 215-5152.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

Southern California Edison would construct, use, and maintain a new
25.6-mile 500-kV transmission line between the proponent's existing
220-kV Antelope and Pardee substations that are located in Los Angeles
County, California. The proposed transmission line will cross
approximately 13 miles of National Forest System land managed by the
Angeles National Forest. To accomplish the proposed action, the Forest
Service Responsible Official would have Southern California Edison
remove a 66-kV transmission line (along with its ancillary
improvements) and would authorize a 50