Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado; Nucla-Telluride Transmission Line Project

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado;

Nucla-Telluride Transmission Line Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement:

Nucla-Telluride Transmission Line Project.

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

LOCATION: Montrose and San Miguel Counties, Colorado.

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service (lead agency) in cooperation with USDI

Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Rural Utilities Service is

considering applications to construct a 115kV transmission line in

southwestern Colorado. The total length of the line is approximately 57

miles. The objectives of the project are to provide loop transmission

to the Telluride, Colorado service area; improve the quality of

electric service to the Norwood, Colorado service area; improve the

service to the substations between Sunshine and Hesperus; and provide

another interconnection to the Nucla generation plant. The uncertain

reliability of the Telluride electric service will pose a health and

safety hazard in the near future, if not corrected. The severe winter

conditions of the area require reliable electric service to assure safe

living conditions. The project is designed to meet this immediate human

health and safety issue, and provide other benefits to rural electric

users at the same time.

Preliminary issues related to potential direct and indirect

resource effects include: visual resource impacts in a recreational

setting; cultural resource encounters and accompanying mitigation

steps; habitat alterations where special status species occur including

the Gunnison sage grouse Mexican spotted owl, bald eagle and

southwestern willow flycatcher; and perceived public health and safety

concerns related to high voltage transmission facilities.

Three public workshops have been held to gain a perspective on the

range of issues. Alternatives include: rebuilding an existing 69kV line

for a large portion of the distance with new construction tieing to the

Telluride substation; and relocation alternatives which will focus on

minimizing residence and transmission line intersections, improving

line location related to resource impacts and combining facility

corridors.

DATES: Comments in response to this Notice of Intent concerning the

scope of the analysis should be received in writing by June 30, 1998.

Scoping meetings are scheduled for May 26, 27, and 28, 1998 in Redvale,

Norwood and Telluride, Colorado respectively. The draft environmental

impact statement is scheduled for fall 1998 and the final in winter

1999.

The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will

be 45 days from the date of the Environmental Protection Agency

publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Norwood Ranger District, PO Box

388, Norwood, Colorado 81423, ATTN: Steve Wells.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Wells at (970) 327-4261.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service believes, at this early

stage, it is important to give reviewers notice of several court

rulings related to public participation in the environmental review

process. First, reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must

structure their participation in the environmental review of the

proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the

reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.

v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that

could be raised at the draft environmental impact statement stage but

that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental

impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of

Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin

Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980).

Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those

interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45

day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made

available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully

consider them and respond to them in the final environmental impact

statement.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft

environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is

also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the

draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft

environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives

formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer

to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing

the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at

40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

Other Potential Permits

USDI Fish & Wildlife Service informal consultation--Section 7

Threatened and Endangered Species Act; USDOD Army Corps of Engineers--

Nationwide Permit--Section 404 Clean Water Act; Montrose County

Building Permit; San Miguel County Building Permit; Certificate for

Public Convenience--PUC, Colorado.

Dated: April 24, 1998.

Robert L. Storch,

Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National

Forests.

[FR Doc. 98-11478 Filed 4-29-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M