Notice2023-23834
Notice of Availability of Amended Record of Decision for Issuing a Presidential Permit to Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC, for the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission Line Project
Primary source
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Published
October 30, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The Grid Deployment Office (GDO) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of an Amended Record of Decision (ROD) published under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and DOE's NEPA implementing regulations. This Amended ROD supports DOE's decision to amend the existing Presidential permit issued to Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC (ESJ), to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a double-circuit, 230,000-volt (230-kV) electric transmission line (ESJ Tie Line) across the U.S.-Mexico border in eastern San Diego County, California.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 208 (Monday, October 30, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 208 (Monday, October 30, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 74164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23834]
[[Page 74164]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. PP-334-1]
Notice of Availability of Amended Record of Decision for Issuing
a Presidential Permit to Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC,
for the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission Line Project
AGENCY: Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Grid Deployment Office (GDO) of the Department of Energy
(DOE) gives notice of an Amended Record of Decision (ROD) published
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and DOE's
NEPA implementing regulations. This Amended ROD supports DOE's decision
to amend the existing Presidential permit issued to Energia Sierra
Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC (ESJ), to construct, operate, maintain,
and connect a double-circuit, 230,000-volt (230-kV) electric
transmission line (ESJ Tie Line) across the U.S.-Mexico border in
eastern San Diego County, California.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Gomer, Grid Deployment
Office (GD-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20585, by phone at (240) 474-2403, or by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#284d444d4b5c5a414b415c51064d5058475a5c5b684059064c474d064f475e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f59099909681879c969c818cdb908d859a878186b59d84db919a90db929a83">[email protected]</span></a>.
For general information on the DOE NEPA process, contact Brian
Costner, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-54), U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20585; by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#81e0f2eacfc4d1c0c1e9f0afe5eee4afe6eef7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="89e8fae2c7ccd9c8c9e1f8a7ede6eca7eee6ff">[email protected]</span></a>; or by facsimile at (202) 586-
7031.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The potential environmental impacts
associated with issuance of a Presidential permit to authorize the
construction of ESJ's proposed transmission line and operation of the
line with a capacity to transmit up to 1,250 megawatts (MW) were
analyzed in the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission Line Project
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)(DOE/EIS-0414) issued in
2012 and Supplemental to the Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission
Line Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) (DOE/EIS-0414-
S1) issued in 2018.
Although DOE analyzed the environmental impacts of up to 1,250 MW
in the FEIS and SEIS, DOE issued a Record of Decision (ROD) and
Presidential Permit No. PP-334, both in August of 2012, which
conditioned the maximum non-simultaneous rate of transmission over the
permitted facilities to no-greater-than 400 MW (Article 3, of PP-334).
The permit condition limiting the rate of transmission to 400 MW was
not based on any concerns about environmental impacts disclosed in the
FEIS. Rather, this limit was included in the permit because grid
reliability studies at the time were completed only for the
interconnection of an initial 400 MW of electrical output.
On May 18, 2022, ESJ submitted an application requesting that DOE
amend Article 3 of PP-334 to increase the maximum authorized rate of
transmission across the approved facilities to 700 MW (Proposed
Action). GDO has evaluated the environmental effects of the Proposed
Action in Supplemental Analysis Regarding the Energia Sierra Juarez
U.S. Transmission Line Project Final Environmental Impact Statement
(SA) (DOE/EIS-0414-S1-SA-1). In this ROD, DOE announces its decision to
issue an amended Presidential permit (PP-334-1) to increase the
operational limit from 400 MW to 700 MW. The FEIS, SEIS, SA, and ROD
are available on the DOE NEPA website at: <a href="http://www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/doeeis-0414-amended-record-decision">www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/doeeis-0414-amended-record-decision</a>.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on October 24,
2023, by Maria D. Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, pursuant
to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with
the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For
administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of
the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal
Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the
document in electronic format for publication, as an official document
of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way
alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on October 24, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-23834 Filed 10-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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