Blackhawk to Heybourne 120 kV Transmission Line Project
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The BLM Carson City District Office is in the process of preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the impacts (direct, indirect, and cumulative) resulting from construction of a new 120 kV electrical transmission line and two new substations proposed in a right-of-way (ROW) application from Sierra Pacific Power Company, operating as NV Energy.
The proposed Blackhawk to Heybourne Transmission Line Project (Blackhawk EIS) includes the construction of approximately 34 miles of an electrical 120 kV transmission line through four counties in Nevada, beginning at the proposed new Blackhawk Substation in Storey County. The proposed transmission line runs parallel with existing transmission lines along all but the first four miles in Storey and Lyon Counties and three and a half miles in Douglas County.
From the proposed Blackhawk Substation four new 120 kV transmission lines would run parallel, crossing U.S. Highway 50, for approximately four miles where two of the lines would fold into another existing transmission line north of the Carson River.
From that point the remaining two lines would continue southwest, crossing the Carson River, and running another eight miles to the existing Dayton Substation in Lyon County.
From the Dayton Substation one transmission line would run south over two miles, then west approximately six miles, parallel with existing lines to the existing Brunswick Substation in Carson City.
From the Brunswick Substation the transmission line would parallel existing powerlines straight south for approximately seven miles to the existing Prison Hill Switching Station (which is actually not on Prison Hill, but rather on Hot Springs Mountain) in Carson City.
At this point the line would parallel an existing line south for less than a mile before turning west for approximately three and a half miles in a new corridor through a saddle in Hot Springs Mountain and across the Douglas County water treatment facility, then south for approximately one mile paralleling an existing line and terminating at the proposed new 120 kV Heybourne Substation in Douglas County.
COOPERATING AGENCIES:
The BLM identified and invited 12 agencies whose jurisdictions are involved in the proposed project to join in the EIS effort as cooperating agencies. Of the 12 agencies invited, the following 3 accepted and now have cooperating agency status for the project:
U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
Lyon County
Carson City
Douglas County
SCOPING COMMENTS:
The scoping process for the Blackhawk to Heybourne 120 kV Transmission Line Project began on September 24, 2008, with the publication of a notice of intent (NOI) in the Federal Register. The public scoping period ended on October 31, 2008. Comments were received by mail, e-mail, and in person at a scoping meeting held on October 8, 2008. Twenty-one comment forms were received during the scoping period, in addition to four letters that were received by mail and six letters that were received by e-mail.
Most submissions contained multiple comments on various topics. A total of 131 discrete comments were made in the written submissions received. All information gathered during the scoping period will be evaluated, verified, and incorporated into the EIS, as appropriate.
The majority of comments focused on issues related to health risks, noise, view shed, increased OHV traffic, fire hazards, property values, and damage to private roads. The Scoping Report summarizes the comments and can be viewed under "Project Links" on this page.
ALTERNATIVES DEVELOPMENT:
As of November 2009, the EIS is in its early stages of development. The BLM is currently working with the cooperating agencies, the public, and NV Energy to identify alternatives to the proposed transmission line alignment. The BLM has met with cooperating agencies twice, engaged in field visits to the Carson City and Lyon County portions of the proposed alignment, and is engaging the public through presentations to the Dayton Resource Advisory Council (December 2, 2009) and a Public Alternatives Development Workshop (December 9, 2009).
Interested members of the public are invited to attend the Public Alternatives Development Workshop on Wednesday December 9 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the BLM-Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada.
