Wyoming State Office
| Contacts: | Beverly Gorny | |||
| 307-775-6158 |
BLM Encourages Public Input on Proposed
Transmission Line Project in Wyoming and Idaho
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) continues to seek public comment on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Gateway West Transmission Line Project in Wyoming and Idaho.
This project, proposed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power, would result in the construction of nearly 1,100 miles of high voltage transmission lines across southern Wyoming and southern Idaho. One possible alternative route crosses portions of northern Nevada.
Public input is important to the BLM to help identify any additional concerns to be addressed in the final EIS. All comments must be postmarked by Oct. 28 and will be incorporated into the final EIS that will be used to make a decision on the proposal.
“I encourage the public to review the document and submit comments on this proposed project,” said Walter George, Gateway West project manager for the BLM. “Public input on the draft EIS is crucial in preparing the final EIS, which will examine project alternatives, potential project effects and make a recommendation on the final route alignment.”
Public information meetings will be held in Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada. All meetings will be held from 4 to 7p.m. except in Boise. That meeting will be held on Sept. 12 at the Boise Hotel and Conference Center, 3300 S. Vista Ave. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Idaho meetings:
- Sept. 12, Kuna, Kuna Senior Center, 229 Ave. B;
- Sept. 13, Mountain Home, Senior Citizens Center, 1000 N. Third E.;
- Sept. 14, Melba, Melba Valley Senior Center, 115 Base Line Rd.;
- Sept. 15, Murphy, Owyhee County Museum, 17085 Basey St.;
- Sept. 19, Twin Falls, Red Lion Canyon Springs Inn, 1357 Blue Lakes Blvd. N.;
- Sept. 21, Burley, Best Western Burley Inn and Convention Center, 800 N. Overland Ave.;
- Sept. 22, Almo, City of Rocks Visitors Center Shop Conference Room, 3035 Elba-Almo Rd.;
- Sept. 26, American Falls, American Falls Public Library, 308 Roosevelt St.;
- Sept. 27, Pocatello, Clarion Inn, 1399 Bench Rd.;
- Sept. 28, Fort Hall, Fort Hall Tribal Business • Center, 306 Pima Dr.; and
- Sept. 29, Montpelier, The National Oregon/California Trail Center, 320 N. 4th St.
Nevada meeting:
- Sept. 20, Jackpot, Cactus Petes Resort Casino, 1385 Highway 93.
Wyoming meetings:
- Oct. 3, Kemmerer, South Lincoln Training and Event Center, 215 Wyoming Highway 233;
- Oct. 4, Rock Springs, Bureau of Land Management, 280 Highway 191;
- Oct. 5, Rawlins, The Jeffrey Center, 315 E. Pine St.; and
- Oct. 6, Douglas, Clarion Inn and Suites Convention Center, 1450 Riverbend Drive.
To submit comments and to review the draft EIS and related documents, including detailed maps, visit the project website at: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west.
Copies of the DEIS are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the following locations:
- BLM, Wyoming State Office, Public Room, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyo.;
- BLM, Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, Wyo.;
- BLM, Rawlins Field Office, 1300 N. Third St., Rawlins, Wyo.;
- BLM, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 N., Rock Springs, Wyo.;
- BLM, Kemmerer Field Office, 312 Highway 189 N., Kemmerer, Wyo.;
- BLM, Nevada State Office, Public Room, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, Nev.;
- BLM, Wells Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho St., Elko, Nev.;
- BLM Idaho State Office, Public Room, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho;
- BLM, Pocatello Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho;
- BLM, Idaho Falls District Office, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho;
- BLM, Burley Field Office, 15 E. 200 S., Burley, Idaho;
- BLM, Twin Falls District Office, 2536 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls, Idaho;
- BLM, Shoshone Field Office, 400 W. F St., Shoshone, Idaho;
- BLM, Boise District Office, 3948 Development Ave., Boise, Idaho;
- BLM, Owyhee Field Office, 20 First Ave. W., Marsing, Idaho;
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, 2468 Jackson St., Laramie, Wyo.;
- Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Douglas Ranger District, 2250 E. Richards St., Douglas, Wyo.;
- Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Montpelier Ranger District, 322 N. 4th St., Montpelier, Idaho; and
- Sawtooth National Forest, Minidoka Ranger District, 3650 Overland Ave., Burley, Idaho.
Copies of the DEIS will also be delivered to public libraries in project-area communities. A limited number of copies of the document will be available as supplies last. CD copies of the DEIS can be requested on the project Web site at: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west or by calling 1-800-380-5828.
All comments must be postmarked by Oct. 28 and will be incorporated into the final EIS that will be used to make a decision on the proposal.
Comments can also be made to the BLM via the project Web site at: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west, via the project E-mail address (Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov) or in writing to Bureau of Land Management, Gateway West Project, P.O. Box 20879, Cheyenne, WY 82003. To be most useful, public comments should be received by (DATE - 90 days after NOA publication).
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. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In Fiscal Year 2012, activities on public lands generated $4.6 billion in revenue, much of which was shared with the States where the activities occurred. In addition, public lands contributed more than $112 billion to the U.S. economy and helped support more than 500,000 jobs.
Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009