FEIR

The FEIR, issued May 23, 2005, includes the March 2005 DEIR, Comments, Responses to Comments, and Changes made to the DEIR in response to Comments. Copies of the FEIR are available for review at seven public libraries in the San Diego service area and at the San Francisco office of the Commission and on the Commission's project website: http://www.dudek.com/cpuc/sdge-omppa-trans-proj/.

The FEIR sets forth a detailed schedule of the environmental process. The process began with publication of a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an EIR on July 21, 2004, which was distributed to the State Clearinghouse (SCH No. 2004071138) and federal, State, local trustees and agencies that may be affected by the Proposed Project. Public Notification of the NOP included direct agency and public notification, newspaper announcements and posting on the project website. The NOP was sent to 15 federal agency departments, 24 State agency departments, 74 local agency departments and special districts, and 18 Native American groups. Public notification was sent to over 3,000 stakeholders including the property owners within 300 feet of the Proposed Project.

Three public scoping meetings were noticed and held on August 3 and 4, 2004, prior to the selection of alternatives and the preparation of the analysis. Forty-one members of the public, including representatives of organizations and government agencies were documented in attendance at the three scoping meetings.

During the NOP scoping period, July 23 to August 23, 2004, 22 letters were received from agencies and private citizens. In September 2004, a comprehensive Scoping Report was issued summarizing concerns received from the public and various agencies. Notice was given that the Scoping Report was on the Project's website for review.

In November 2004, public notification of SDG&E's amended Project was sent out to the NOP mailing list consisting of federal, State, local agencies, private organizations, interested groups and the general public.

On March 3, 2005 the NOA of the DEIR along with a CD copy of the DEIR was mailed to over 3,500 interested parties, agencies, county and city departments, special districts, property owners and occupants on or adjacent to SDG&E's Proposed Project route in March 2005, the time the DEIR was released. The NOA included information on how to gain access to the DEIR, noticed the March 15, 2005, public meetings and provided information on how to comment on the DEIR. The 45-day public comment period for the DEIR was March 3 through April 16, 2005

The DEIR included a detailed Proposed Project impact analysis as well as an extensive alternative evaluation, including the "No-Project" Alternative. Copies of the full DEIR and Appendices were sent to 25 interested parties and agencies, and to seven libraries used as document repositories. Newspaper Notices, including information on the DEIR, the project website address, and the dates and times of the Informational Workshops were printed in the San Diego Union Tribune and Star News at the beginning of the public review period in March 2005.

Two public informational workshops were held on March 15, 2005, at the Chula Vista-South Branch Library, Multi-Purpose Room B, 389 Orange Avenue, Chula Vista, California. The purpose of the public workshops was to inform the public about the DEIR and the status of the project and to answer questions prior to the conclusion of the DEIR comment period. Approximately 14 members of the public, including representatives of organizations and government agencies, were in attendance at the workshops.

During the 45-day public comment period the Commission received numerous comments to the DEIR by mail, e-mail and/or facsimile. The comments are reproduced in the FEIR along with responses to the comments.