Sorry for the late notice, just received this.
PHOENIX, Arizona—The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces that Arizona Public Service (APS) filed an application to construct an above-ground electric transmission line northwest of Phoenix, Arizona, on public lands between the Town of Buckeye and City of Peoria.
The BLM today begins the public scoping period for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine whether APS should be granted a right of way to construct, operate, and maintain a new above-ground transmission system. The public is encouraged to participate and provide comments through May 26, 2011. A project information hotline is also available for further information and to sign up for the project mailing list: 1-800-578-4133.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION and SCOPING SCHEDULE:
|-------------------------+--------------------+------------------------------|
| Date | Time | Location |
|-------------------------+--------------------+------------------------------|
| Tuesday, April 26, 2011 |5:30 to 8 pm |Ramada Plaza Phoenix |
| Public Meeting |Presentation begins |Metrocenter |
| |at 5:45 pm |12027 N. 28th Drive |
| | |Phoenix 85902 |
|-------------------------+--------------------+------------------------------|
| Wednesday, April 27, |5:30 to 8 pm |Nadaburg Elementary School |
| 2011 |Presentation begins |21419 W. Dove Valley Road |
| Public Meeting |at 5:45 pm |Wittmann, AZ 85345 |
|-------------------------+--------------------+------------------------------|
| Thursday, April 28, 2011|5:30 to 8 pm |Peoria Community Center |
| Public Meeting |Presentation begins |8335 W. Jefferson Street |
| |at 5:45 pm |Peoria, AZ 85345 |
|-------------------------+--------------------+------------------------------|
| May 2011 |To be announced |Economic Strategies |
| | |Workshop(s) |
|-------------------------+--------------------+------------------------------|
Background:
The APS proposes to build a single series of tower structures holding two high voltage circuits – a single-circuit 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line and a single-circuit 230 kV line. The total project spans 38 miles and seeks to connect APS’s Sun Valley Substation near the Town of Buckeye with the Morgan Substation near the City of Peoria, crossing approximately 10.5 miles of federal public lands in two separate locations.
Management decisions for these federal public lands are subject to a 2010 land use plan called the Bradshaw-Harquahala Resource Management Plan (RMP). The RMP indicates that all major utilities will be routed through designated corridors. The APS proposal includes 3.5 miles of federal public lands near Buckeye that is consistent with the recent RMP. However, the request to use seven miles of federal public lands near Peoria along State Route 74 has been determined to be inconsistent with the recently completed RMP. Consequently, the BLM seeks public input to make two decisions – (1) whether to amend the RMP to include a new utility corridor; and, (2) whether/where to approve the APS transmission line project.
Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, BLM is responsible for processing requests for rights of way applications on lands it manages, and must comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act to ensure that environmental impacts associated with construction, operation, and maintenance are identified, analyzed, and considered during the application process.
For more information on this proposed project, go to:
http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html or call: 1-800-578-4133.
During the public scoping period, the BLM is soliciting public comment on issues, concerns, and opportunities that should be considered in the analysis. Comments about the proposed action should focus on the potential environmental impacts, visual resource management, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts.
Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
Attend one of the public meetings and submit comments on the forms provided
File comments electronically by sending them to SunValley-Morgan@blm.gov. Include “Sun Valley to Morgan Scoping” in the subject line of the e-mail message.
Mail comments to: Sun Valley to Morgan Proposed Project, Kathleen Depukat, National Project Manager, BLM Phoenix District Office/Hassayampa Field Office, 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85027-2929.
Fax comments to Kathleen Depukat at 623-580-5580.
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The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.