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FAST-41 Missed Date:Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action)

Submitted by drasmuss@blm.gov on

Triggered missed date from extending Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action) within 30 days of its current target date which was 02/10/2023 and extended to 02/17/2023

Action
Project Name:
SunZia Southwest Transmission Project
Responsible Agency:
Bureau of Land Management
Status:
In Progress
POC Name:
David Alderman
POC Title:
Lead Planning and Environmental Coordinator
POC Email:
dalderman@blm.gov

Milestones:

Issuance of Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Agency Action)
Completed Date:
Scoping (Agency Action)
Completed Date:
Official Notice of Availability of a Draft EIS published in the Federal Register (FR) beginning both the public comment period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action)
Completed Date:
Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action)
Current Target Date:
Issuance of Lead Agency Record of Decision (Agency Action)
Current Target Date:


View Action's Modification History

Milestone
Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action)
Current Target Date:
Project

PROJECT WEBSITE: SunZia Project Website

All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.

In Progress

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
IN PROGRESS

icon_calendar

ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
08/24/2023

6 out of 6

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED

Electricity Transmission

SECTOR
Electricity Transmission

Project Category

CATEGORY
Project Category FAST-41 Covered Projects

Department of the Interior

LEAD AGENCY
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management

View FAST-41 Postings by Agencies

Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:

Department of the Interior

Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service

Department of the Army

Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers - Regulatory

Description:

The SunZia Project includes two nominal 500-kV transmission lines located on federal, state, and private lands between central New Mexico and central Arizona. The approximately 550-mile-long transmission line route originates at the planned SunZia East Substation in Torrance County, New Mexico, and terminates near the existing Saguaro substation and the existing Pinal Central Substation, both in Pinal County, Arizona. The SunZia Project is located in Socorro, Sierra, Luna, Grant, Hidalgo, and Torrance counties in New Mexico and Graham, Greenlee, Cochise, Pinal, and Pima counties in Arizona.

The SunZia Project will be constructed in two phases and ultimately include two, new, single-circuit, 500 kV transmission lines with the intent of locating both within a single 400-foot-wide right-of-way, where possible. Only one of the two 500-kV circuits will be constructed in Phase 1 and the planned in-service date for the first transmission line is 2025. The first transmission line would be a direct-current (DC) line and the second transmission line would be an alternating-current (AC) line.

Update:

The Executive Director granted a BLM's request to extend the Section 106 consultation "Section 106 Review" completion date because route changes for the Project require modifications to the programmatic agreement needed to conclude the Section 106 consultation. The Executive Director determination is posted here.

The Executive Director granted a BLM's request to extend the Endangered Species Act "Endangered Species Act (ESA)," completion date because because, FWS asked BLM to submit additional information to ensure a complete consultation package that would enable FWS to complete formal consultation under the ESA. The Executive Director determination is posted here.

 

field_status
Approved
System Comments
Triggered missed date from extending Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action) within 30 days of its current target date which was 02/10/2023 and extended to 02/17/2023
Approver Comments
BLM was on track to meet this milestone, but the project sponsor requested a changed during the 30-day lockout. The project sponsor requested that FWS issue a special use permit (SUP) to address a potential issue with the transmission line swaying out over the edge of the right of way that crosses the Sevilleta NWR. FWS did not require a SUP, but the project sponsor requested the SUP to provide additional documentation to cover the potential sway in the transmission line. Since the SUP requires that NEPA be satisfied, BLM had to update the FEIS. This exemption is consistent with the FAST-41 Data Management Guide.
Previous Action Status
In Progress
New Action Status
In Progress
Missed Date Process
No
Missed Date Triggered by Extension
Yes
New Milestone
Official Notice of Availability of a Final EIS published in the FR beginning both the public review period and concurrent CAA Section 309 Review (Agency Action)
Current Target Date:
Response Date
Reporting Agency
Bureau of Land Management