Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the proposed Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line Project. Applications for this project were submitted to the CPUC on December 14, 2005 (A.05-12-014) and August 4, 2006 (A.06-08-010). This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review processes. The CPUC voted on December 18, 2008 to approve the Final Environmentally Superior Southern Route (see Decision D.08-12-058) and a Notice of Determination was submitted to the State Clearinghouse. The BLM issued a Record of Decision approving the same route on January 20, 2009.

Background

SDG&E has filed an application with the CPUC to construct the Sunrise Powerlink Project (SRPL). The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the lead agency under NEPA. The CPUC and BLM are preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR, under CEQA) and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS, under NEPA), which will be published as a single joint document, an EIR/EIS.

This project was approved by the California Independent System Operator on August 3, 2006. The Proponent's Environmental Assessment was filed with the CPUC on August 4, 2006 and is available on SDG&E's project website.

The CPUC maintains other web pages for documents related to its proceeding on the SRPL, where it makes available documents filed by parties to that proceeding. The web page for Application A.06-08-010 incorporates the earlier filing, and lists documents and rulings filed in the proceedings. The CPUC also maintains a page of general information on the SRPL project.

The SRPL Project, as proposed by SDG&E, includes a new, approximately 90-mile, 500 kV line from Imperial Valley Substation (in Imperial County, near the City of El Centro) to a new Central East Substation (in central San Diego County, south of the intersection of County Highways S22 and S2). The 500 kV portion would approximately follow the eastern boundary of BLM lands west of El Centro and SR 78, and would pass through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

The SRPL Project also proposes approximately 60 miles of 230 kV transmission lines from the new Central East Substation to SDG&E's existing Peñasquitos Substation (in the City of San Diego). SDG&E proposes to construct two segments underground (one segment south of Ramona and another in the community of Ranchos Peñasquitos, San Diego). Figure 1 shows an overview of the proposed project route.

Final EIR/EIS

The Final EIR/EIS was released to the public on October 13, 2008. The Final EIR/EIS is available here and is also available at numerous area libraries and government offices. Copies of the Executive Summary of the Final EIR/EIS along with a DVD of the complete document may be requested. The CPUC and BLM also have a limited number of copies of the complete four-volume Final EIR/EIS document available to the public. Requests for documents should be made to (866) 711-3106 (phone or fax) or via email to sunrise@aspeneg.com.

The Notice of Availability provides further information on the approval processes for the CPUC and the BLM. Pursuant to NEPA requirements, the Final EIR/EIS and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment will be available for review for 30 calendar days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register, which is expected to occur on October 17, 2008. The review period would end on November 15, 2008.

Copies of the Executive Summary of the Final EIR/EIS along with a DVD of the complete document may be requested. The CPUC and BLM also have a limited number of copies of the complete four-volume Final EIR/EIS document available to the public. Requests for documents should be made to (866) 711-3106 (phone or fax) or via email to sunrise@aspeneg.com.

Draft EIR/EIS

The CPUC and BLM published the Draft EIR/EIS in January 2008. Please note that the Final EIR/EIS (described above) includes the entire text of the Draft EIR/EIS, modified where necessary in response to comments on the Draft EIR/EIS. The original text of the Draft EIR/EIS document is available here.

EIR/EIS Alternatives

Throughout 2007, the CPUC and BLM gathered information on alternatives to the proposed Sunrise Powerlink Project through an extensive public involvement process. Information and documents from that process are available here.

Documents Available

In addition to the EIR/EIS, other documents that were published during the CEQA and NEPA processes are available here. Documents and letters that were compiled following publication of the Final EIR/EIS, such as SDG&E Biological Assessment, USFWS Biological Opinion, BLM Section 106 Programmatic Agreement, and appeals to the BLM Interior Board of Land Appeals, are also included.

In response to concerns from the Lakeside community, a fact sheet that summarizes past public notification and consideration of alternative routes in the community of Lakeside is available here (posted February 24, 2009).

Data Requests

The EIR/EIS Team submits Data Requests to SDG&E and other entities when it needs specific information to support EIR/EIS preparation. These requests are available here at the time they are issued.

Requests for Technical Information Related to the Draft EIR/EIS

During the 90-day public comment period on the Draft EIR/EIS, various parties submitted requests for technical information related to that document. The information provided has available here.

For Additional Information

To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or phone, as follows:

The CPUC's Project Manager is: