Gateway West Transmission Line Project
BLM
Project background
The Gateway West Transmission Line Project is
proposed by Idaho Power Company and Rocky
Mountain Power. These two companies applied to the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest
Service (USFS) for the necessary permits to build,
operate and maintain the transmission line where it or
its ancillary facilities cross federally-managed land.
The proposed project is comprised of ten segments
with a total length of approximately 1,150 miles across
southern Wyoming and southern Idaho. The project is
proposed to cross approximately 500 miles of public
land managed by the BLM.
The BLM is the lead federal agency responsible for
the environmental review process under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the proposed
project. The BLM is working with cooperating agencies
to conduct the environmental analysis and prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS). Cooperating
agencies include other Federal agencies, state and
local governments. The draft EIS is scheduled to be
released in summer 2010.
Environmental review process
The environmental review process, as specified by
NEPA, began in spring 2008 with a scoping period
to present a preliminary range of alternatives and
key issues and to gather public comment on these
alternatives and issues. Public meetings were held
throughout Idaho and Wyoming.
The BLM is currently preparing the draft EIS. The draft
EIS will document the environmental studies and the
potential impacts of the proposed action and the range
of alternatives.
NOI = Notice of Intent
NOA = Notice of Availability
EIS = Environmental Impact Statement
ROD = Record of Decision
45-day
Public
Comment
Period
90-day
Public
Comment Period
NOANOI
Address Comments
Prepare Final EIS
Scoping
Period
Draft
EIS
Final
EIS
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1
Evaluation & Analysis
Prepare Draft EIS
60-day
Public
Comment Period
NOA
ROD
Address Comments
Prepare Record of
Decision
NEPA timeline and milestones
NEPA snapshot
The BLM announced which routes will be considered for full •
analysis in the draft EIS – please see inside for details.
The BLM is currently conduct• ing analysis and preparing the draft
EIS, which will be released in summer 2010.
Following release of the draft • EIS, there will be a 90-day public
comment period and public meetings in Idaho and Wyoming.
January 2010
84
80
IDAHO
OREGON
NEVADA
IDAHO
UTAH
WYOMING
COLORADO
15
Medicine
Bow
Kemmerer
MONTANA
IDAHO
86
84
Casper
25
Rock
Springs
Salt Lake
City
Pocatello
Twin Falls
Boise
80
15
Rawlins
Murphy
Montpelier
Glenrock
Borah
Aeolus
Populus
Creston
Midpoint
Windstar
Hemingway
Cedar Hill
Anticline
0 50 100
Miles
Approximate Substation Location
Proposed Route
Energize to 500 kV
Alternative Route
Routes carried forward for
environmental analysis
This map shows routes which will be analyzed
in the Gateway West Transmission Line Project
draft EIS.
Route colors indicate:
Red - Proposed route•
Green - Alternative route •
Both types of routes will be fully analyzed. These
routes were selected using information from
the scoping period, evaluation criteria, public
comments and cooperating agency input.
The BLM opened the proposed project to public
comment during the scoping period at the
beginning of the NEPA process in May 2008.
Scoping is designed to identify issues and
alternatives regarding the proposed project.
The BLM extended an opportunity to develop
additional recommendations on alternative
routes through September 4, 2009.
Visit the BLM project Web site for an
interactive map and additional details on
specific routes: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/
cfodocs/gateway_west/
The companies’ initial proposed route would •
interconnect nine substations which define the 10
segments of the project. Over the last 18 months, the
proponents have refined the proposed route based
on opportunities (a resource or condition that may
accommodate a transmission line route) and constraints
(a resource or condition that may limit where these
transmission line routes may be sited).
During the formal public scoping period, the BLM •
presented preliminary alternative routes for public
review. Additional alternative routes were suggested
by members of the public and cooperating agencies.
Some preliminary routes were modified and others were
dropped from further consideration. In some cases, the
companies responded to the input by modifying their
proposed route.
After the formal public scoping period and during • an
internal review by the BLM and cooperating agencies,
non-federal cooperating agencies requested additional
time to develop more alternative routes. In some cases,
the companies responded to these suggestions by
additional modifications to their proposed routes.
The BLM is conducting detailed environmental • analysis
of the companies’ proposed route, as modified over the
last several months, and the alternatives. When that
analysis is available in draft form, the public will have
the opportunity to review the draft and offer comments.
The BLM expects the draft to be available in the
summer of 2010.
Stay involved
Get the latest Gateway West Transmission
Line Project information on the Web:
BLM project Web site:
www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west/
Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power
Web site: www.gatewaywestproject.com/
Comment on the draft EIS:
The next opportunity to comment will be during
the 90-day public comment period after the
draft EIS is released in summer 2010.
Attend a public meeting:
The BLM will be hosting a series of public
meetings after the draft EIS is released. Watch
for announcements of dates and locations in
summer 2010.
Contact us by:
U.S. mail: •
Bureau of Land Management
Gateway West Project
PO Box 20879
Cheyenne, WY 82003
E-mail: Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov •
BLM:
Lead federal agency for the NEPA process, with the • primary
responsiblity for public involvement.
Determines the range of reasonable alternatives to be •
carried into environmental analysis together with the
companies’ proposed route.
Conducts environmental analysis of proposed routes and •
alternatives by preparing an EIS.
Determines if the proposed transmission line is consistent •
with BLM and USFS land use plans.
Selects the most appropriate location for the transmission •
line on public land and issues a right of way grant.
Conducts public involvement activities consistent with the •
NEPA process.
Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power:
Applied to the BLM and USFS for authorization to build, •
operate and maintain the proposed transmission lines on
federal property.
Researches proposed and alternative routes.•
Conducts public outreach to landowners, elected officials • and
other stakeholders about the project.
Identifies and modifies, if desired, the proposed route.•
Works with property owners to acquire rights of way for •
transmission lines on private land.
Works with other permitting agencies, such as public utility •
or service commissions, and county governments, for other
necessary permits.
Roles and responsibilitiesHow were the proposed and alternative routes selected?
BLM BLM
Thank you
BLM thanks everyone who submitted comments, attended meetings
and visited our Web site. Your feedback is an important component of
this process. Please be aware that the BLM responds to comments in
the final environment impact study. The BLM welcomes your continued
participation and we look forward to hearing from you during the draft EIS
comment period in summer 2010.
Contact information
Walt George
Gateway West Project Manager
Bureau of Land Management
PO Box 20879
Cheyenne, WY 82003
Call: 307-775-6116
E-mail: Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov
Web site: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west/
The Bureau of Land Management
has announced the proposed and
alternative routes for the Gateway West
Transmission Line Project, which will
be carried forward and analyzed in the
draft environmental impact statement.
See inside for full details.
United States
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Gateway West Project
PO Box 20879
Cheyenne, WY 82003
Gateway West Transmission Line Project
