Project Updates
Project Documents Available
The San Juan Energy Connect Project has released two important documents that describe steps in the project, the scoping report and the route refinement report. The purpose of the scoping report is to describe the scoping process the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) used to fulfill its obligation to conduct environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in accordance with federal agency policies and procedures. This report describes the manner in which the BLM notified the public about the scoping process, held scoping meetings, solicited comments, analyzed scoping comments, and identified issues that would be analyzed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) document being prepared to fulfill the NEPA requirements. The purpose of scoping is to obtain input on the issues, impacts, and alternatives that should be evaluated in the EIS. The scoping process also provides an opportunity to educate the public about the proposed project and for the BLM to gauge the concerns of those who have a stake in the resources in the project area.
Routing new transmission lines requires an open and comprehensive process that balances various factors including electric system planning, economics, the natural and cultural environment, public involvement, regulatory requirements, land rights, and engineering. Tri-State has followed a thorough routing process in an effort to minimize impacts to land use and natural or cultural resources. The route refinement report documents the process used to develop route alternatives for the project from the Macro Corridor phase to the identification of the preliminary preferred and alternative routes proposed for consideration in the EIS that will be prepared by the BLM.
Federal Environmental Review Update
Tri-State is requesting right-of-way (ROW) grants from the BLM and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as well as financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), for the project. The Western Area Power Administration (Western) is involved with the project, since the new power line will connect to the Western-owned Shiprock Substation. Prior to making a decision to act on the requested action, federal agencies including the BLM, BIA, RUS, and Western, are required to conduct review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in accordance with federal agency policies and procedures. The BLM is the lead federal agency for NEPA, NHPA, and ESA review and compliance. The BIA, RUS, Western, and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe are cooperating agencies in these processes.
In support of the NEPA process, work is underway to describe alternatives that will be evaluated in the Draft EIS. Biological and cultural resource field surveys have begun and will continue throughout the summer. Information on other aspects of the environment, including land uses, recreation, views, and other resources will be collected throughout the summer and fall. Information gathered will be used to determine project effects. This information will be used to develop a Draft EIS for the project that is expected to be published for public review and comment in the spring of 2013.
2010 Route Refinement meetings
Nearly 150 people attended three route refinement meetings held in September 2010 and approximately 90 written comments were submitted regarding the project. Information provided by project stakeholders has been reviewed and taken into consideration as the routes continue to be refined. A final route has not yet been selected. Potential routes will continue to be modified over the next several months and a selection of alternatives will be chosen for analysis in an environmental impact statement . An updated map depicting route modifications since September 2010 can be viewed by clicking here.
The photo simulations displayed at the route refinement meetings, along with additional simulated views, are now available. Please click here to view these files. Views 5a, 5b, and 6 have been modified since the September meetings to reflect the change to single-circuit wood H-frame structures instead of the previously proposed double-circuit lattice structures. The project is proposed to be constructed with double-circuit lattice structures from the Shiprock Substation to the proposed Kiffen Canyon Substation. Single-circuit H-frame structures or double-circuit lattice structures are proposed, depending on location, from the proposed Kiffen Canyon Substation to the new Iron Horse Substation.
Frequently asked questions regarding the project are now available . If you have a question that is not answered in the FAQs, please submit it by email or phone at 1-877-457-8393.
San Juan Basin Energy Connect
Increasing electric load growth in the San Juan Basin region of Colorado and New Mexico, both in residential and industrial sectors, has put a strain on the existing electrical system.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (Tri-State), La Plata Electric Association (LPEA), and other regional utilities have been making improvements and additions to the electric system over the years to maintain reliability. While improvements to the local system have helped, there is a need to import more power into the region to meet the needs of growing communities.
The proposed San Juan Basin Energy Connect Project would involve the construction of a 230-kilovolt transmission line by Tri-State from the Farmington, N.M. area to Ignacio, Colo. This line is needed to provide the power delivery infrastructure for the San Juan Basin that will relieve transmission constraints, serve new loads and offer economic development through renewable energy opportunities.
An open and comprehensive process is used in siting transmission lines that considers electric system planning, economics, the environment, public involvement, regulatory issues, land rights, and engineering input.
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act process, a detailed environmental impact statement will be prepared. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in the process of selecting a third party contractor to analyze Tri-State's proposal. Once a contractor has been selected, the BLM will host scoping meetings for the environmental impact statement.
Project Benefits
The proposed project would: