Ely District Office
| Contacts: | Chris Hanefeld | , 775-289-1842 | , chris_hanefeld@nv.blm.gov |
BLM Preparing Supplemental EIS on Transmission Line Project
Ely, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely District published in the Federal Register on Wed., July 29, a Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line) Project. This project is an amended application for the transmission line portion of the Ely Energy Center proposal. A power generation facility is not part of ON Line Project and will not be included in the supplemental EIS. Public scoping to identify issues to be addressed in the supplemental EIS will be open through Friday, Aug. 28, 2009.
The NV Energy-proposed, 500 kV transmission line would extend 235 miles from the Harry Allen substation, north of Las Vegas, to a substation to be constructed near Ely and connect the public utility’s southern and northern electrical transmission systems. The line could also transmit power generated by some of the renewable energy facilities proposed for east central Nevada, if constructed.
The BLM is preparing a supplemental EIS because the proposed transmission line has already been analyzed as a component of the Ely Energy Center, a NV Energy proposed coal-fired power plant that was to be constructed north of Ely. The BLM released the draft EIS for the Ely Energy Center in January 2009. In February 2009, NV Energy announced it would postpone construction of the Ely Energy Center pending development of feasible carbon capture technology. The BLM received an amended application from NV Energy in April 2009 for the ON Line Project.
The ON Line supplemental EIS will incorporate the appropriate portions of the draft Ely Energy Center EIS. Comments received on the draft Ely Energy Center EIS that apply to the transmission line will be incorporated in the ON Line supplemental EIS process.
Comments on the supplemental ON Line EIS may mailed to: BLM, Ely District Office, ON Line Project, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, NV 89301, or BLM, Southern Nevada District Office, ON Line Project, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130.
The BLM anticipates issuing the draft ON Line Supplemental EIS for public review and comment this fall.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. 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.
Ely District Office 702 N. Industrial Way Ely, NV 89301