BLM signs record of decision for Ten West Link transmission line
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PHOENIX – The Bureau of Land Management signed a Record of Decision today authorizing the Ten West Link Transmission Line project. The project, which has been identified as a priority under Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, would modernize energy infrastructure, strengthen grid reliability and improve efficiency for millions of customers in Arizona and California.
The decision is based on the Sept. 13, 2019 Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and approved amendments to the BLM Yuma Field Office Resource Management Plan and California Desert Conservation Area Plan. The 500-kilovolt transmission line will connect existing substations near Tonopah, Arizona and Blythe, California.
Scoping for the project began March 2016 and the Draft EIS was released in August 2018. The 300 page Final EIS was developed in accordance with Secretary’s Order 3355 and analyzed several alternatives. The BLM’s selected alternative is a 125-mile-long route mostly located within existing utility corridors or parallel to existing infrastructure. This route is responsive to stakeholder input by avoiding popular recreation areas, the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and tribal lands. The route also minimizes impacts to local communities and the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground, avoiding impacts to military readiness, and provides interconnections for future energy development projects.
By improving the reliability of the electrical grid in California and Arizona, the project would increase the ability of the grid to meet demand growth in the region and facilitate potential energy generation development in the region.
The Record of Decision, Final EIS and Proposed Plan amendments, and other project related documents are available on BLM’s ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xU6Be
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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.