|
Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website
for the environmental review of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission
Project in Kern, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties. Southern
California Edison (SCE) submitted an application for a Certificate
of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for this project to the
CPUC on June 29, 2007. SCE also submitted an application for
a Special Use authorization to the USDA Forest Service. The project
is subject to review under both the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This site
provides access to public documents and information relevant to
the CEQA and NEPA review processes.
The CPUC issued a
Proposed Decision for this project on November 3, 2009. The
CPUC certified the Final EIR and issued Decision
09-12-044 approving the project December 17, 2009. Read the
press release here
. The Notice
of Determination was submitted to the State Clearinghouse on
December 17, 2009 (received December 21,2009).
As the NEPA Lead Agency for the project, the USDA Forest Service
is currently conducting a detailed review of the impacts of the
Station Fire, which burned approximately 251 square miles of National
Forest System (NFS) lands in the Angeles National Forest, including
portions of Segments 6 and 11, between August 26, 2009, and October
16, 2009 when 100 percent containment was achieved. The Forest Service
will prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to assess the impacts of the Station Fire and other project
changes affecting NFS lands. After the public review period for
the Supplemental Draft EIS, the Forest Service will issue its Final
EIS. Following release of the Final EIS, the Forest Service will
issue a Record of Decision (ROD) to document the decision to either
approve or deny the requested Special Use authorization for the
Project.
Public documents related to the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission
Project CEQA and NEPA review process are available on this website
and can also be viewed at several repository sites throughout the
Project area. A list of these repository sites is available in the
Notice
of Availability for the Draft EIR/EIS.
Final
EIR
The Final EIR was released to the public on October 30, 2009. The
Final EIR is available by clicking the link above and is also available
at numerous repository sites. Copies of the Final EIR on DVD may
be requested by emailing TRTP@AspenEG.com
The Final EIR includes responses to all comments received on the
Draft EIR/EIS during the public review period (February 13 through
April 6, 2009). The Final EIR also includes an analysis of a modified
version of Alternative 4C proposed by the City of Chino Hills, which
incorporates a slightly different switching station location, and
incorporation of new information issued by the California Independent
System Operator regarding the need for Segment 8B (for all alternatives).
In addition, the Final EIR includes a Mitigation Monitoring Program.
Draft EIR/EIS
The CPUC and the USDA Forest Service released the Draft EIR/EIS
for the proposed Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project on February
13, 2009. The public comment period ended on April 6, 2009.Revisions
to the Draft EIR/EIS are reflected in the Final EIR (see link above).
Project Background
and Description
SCE filed applications with the CPUC and the Forest Service to
construct a series of transmission system improvements to deliver
electricity from new wind energy projects in eastern Kern County to
the Los Angeles Basin. The proposed Project would provide the
electrical facilities necessary to integrate levels of new wind
generation in excess of 700 megawatts (MW) and up to approximately
4,500 MW in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area (TWRA).
For descriptive purposes, the proposed Project is separated into
eight distinct segments, referred to as Segments 4 through 11.
Segments 4 through 8, as well as Segments 10 and 11 of the
proposed Project are transmission facilities, while Segment 9
addresses the addition and upgrade of substation facilities. The
Project's major components include:
- Two new single-circuit 220-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines
traveling in parallel approximately 4 miles over new right-of-way
(ROW) from the Cottonwind Substation to the proposed new Whirlwind
Substation (Segment 4 - 220 kV).
- A new single-circuit 500-kV transmission line, initially energized
to 220 kV, traveling approximately 15.6 miles over new ROW from
the proposed new Whirlwind Substation to the existing Antelope
Substation (Segment 4 - 500 kV).
- Replace approximately 17.4 miles of the existing Antelope-Vincent
220-kV transmission line and the existing Antelope-Mesa 220-kV
transmission line with only one new transmission line built to
500-kV standards in existing ROW between the existing Antelope
Substation and the existing Vincent Substation (Segment 5).
- Rebuild approximately 31.9 miles of existing 220-kV transmission
line to 500-kV standards from existing Vincent Substation to the
southern boundary of the Angeles National Forest (ANF). This segment
includes the rebuild of approximately 26.9 miles of the existing
Antelope-Mesa 220-kV transmission line and approximately 5 miles
of the existing Rio Hondo–Vincent 220-kV No. 2 transmission line
(Segment 6).
- Rebuild approximately 15.8 miles of existing 220-kV transmission
line to 500-kV standards from the southern boundary of the ANF
to the existing Mesa Substation. This segment would replace the
existing Antelope-Mesa 220-kV transmission line (Segment 7).
- Rebuild approximately 33 miles of existing 220-kV transmission
line to 500-kV standards from a point approximately 2 miles east
of the existing Mesa Substation (the "San Gabriel Junction") to
the existing Mira Loma Substation (Segment 8A). This segment would
also include the rebuild of approximately 7 miles of the existing
Chino–Mira Loma No. 1 line from single-circuit to double-circuit
220-kV structures (Segment 8B).A new circuit between Chino Substation
and approximately 0.8 mile west of the Mira Loma Substation (6.4
miles) would also be installed on the new double-circuit 500-kV
structures built as part of Segment 8A (Segment 8C).
- Whirlwind Substation, a new 500/220-kV substation located approximately
4 to 5 miles south of the Cottonwind Substation near the intersection
of 170th Street and Holiday Avenue in Kern County near the TWRA
(Segment 9).
- Upgrade of the existing Antelope, Vincent, Mesa, Gould, and
Mira Loma Substations to accommodate new transmission line construction
and system compensation elements (Segment 9).
- Build a new 500-kV transmission line traveling approximately
16.8 miles over new ROW between the approved Windhub Substation
(not part of this project) and the proposed new Whirlwind Substation
(Segment 10).
- Rebuild approximately 18.7 miles of existing 220-kV transmission
line to 500-kV standards between the existing Vincent and Gould
Substations. This segment would also include the addition of a
new 220-kV circuit on the vacant side of the existing double-circuit
structures of the Eagle Rock–Mesa 220-kV transmission line, between
the existing Gould Substation and the existing Mesa Substation
(Segment 11).
- Installation of associated telecommunications infrastructure.
Project
Location
Maps of the proposed transmission routes can be viewed by
clicking on the link below Project Location Maps.
To find the location of your property in relation to the proposed
transmission routes, click on the link below and enter your property
address. Address Look-up
Additional Project
Documents
Comment
Summary Report
The Comment Summary Report and its appendices, which document and
summarize the public meeting that was held on January 17, 2008, in
Brea, CA, are available here.
Scoping
Report
The Scoping Report and its appendices, which document and summarize
the public scoping process, including comments received on the proposed
Project, are available
here.
Policy
Consistency and Plan Amendments Report
The Policy Consistency and Plan Amendments Report, which provides
a review of relevant federal, State, regional, and local agency
plans and planning documents, is available here.
Fact Sheets
Several Fact Sheets are available that provide information on
aspects of electrical transmission that frequently interest the
public. These Fact Sheets were provided at all of the public scoping
meetings and are also available here.
Notice of Preparation The CPUC and Forest
Service are jointly preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Tehachapi
Renewable Transmission Project. To initiate the EIR process, a
Notice of Preparation was distributed by the CPUC on August 31,
2007.
The Notice of Preparation (English) can be viewed here. Translated versions of the NOP can be viewed
here. [Chinese], [Spanish], and [Korean].
Notice of Intent
To initiate the EIS process, the USDA Forest Service published
its Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement in the Federal Register (Volume 72, No. 173, page
51404) on September 7, 2007.
Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA)
As part of its application to the CPUC, SCE prepared and
submitted a Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA), which
describes the proposed project, existing environmental conditions in
the project area, and potential environmental impacts. The PEA may
be viewed here.
Notice
of Availability of the Draft EIR/EIS
When the CPUC and the Forest Service published the Draft EIR/EIS,
a Notice of Availability (NOA) was distributed to the public on
February 13, 2009. The NOA (English) can be viewed here.
Translated versions of the NOA can be viewed here [Chinese],
[Spanish],
and [Korean].
For Additional Information
The CPUC and the Forest Service are conducting an environmental
review of this project. To request additional information or to be
added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or
phone, as follows:
Project Mailing
Address:
CPUC/Angeles National Forest c/o Aspen
Environmental Group 30423 Canwood Street, Suite 215 Agoura
Hills, CA 91301
Project Email: TRTP@AspenEG.com
|