STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

San Diego Gas & Electric Company's Sunrise Powerlink Project

(Applications A.05-12-014 and A.06-08-010)

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.

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. 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 two web pages for Applications A.06-0-8010 and A.05-12-014 list 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.

Second Round of Scoping on Alternatives

The CPUC and BLM will hold public meetings from February 5 through February 9, 2007 in order to hear input on alternatives to the Sunrise Powerlink Project. The meeting schedule is presented in the table below. This notice lists all alternatives that were considered by the EIR/EIS team and states whether each alternative is recommended for detailed EIR/EIS analysis or for elimination.

Notice of Second Round of Scoping Meetings on Alternatives to the Proposed Sunrise Powerlink Project

Figure 1. Sunrise Powerlink Project Overview
Figure 2. Imperial Valley Link Alternatives
Figure 3. Anza-Borrego Link Alternatives
Figure 4. Central Link Alternatives
Figure 5. Inland Valley Link Alternatives
Figure 6. Coastal Link Alternatives Retained
Figure 7. Coastal Link Alternatives Eliminated
Figure 8. Southwest Powerlink Alternatives
Figure 9. Non-Wires Alternatives
Figure 10. System Alternatives

At the scoping meetings, the CPUC and BLM will ask for public input regarding the preliminary determinations on alternatives. In addition, written comments may be submitted. All comments must be received or postmarked by February 24, 2007. You may submit comments in a variety of ways: (1) by U.S. Mail, (2) by electronic mail, (3) by fax, or (4) by attending a Public Scoping Meeting (see times and locations in the table below) and making a verbal statement or handing in written comments at the scoping meetings.

Sunrise Powerlink - Public Meetings on Alternatives
Location
Day, Date, Time
Directions
El Centro
Imperial County
Board of Supervisors
940 West Main St, Suite 219
El Centro, CA 92243
Monday,
Feb. 5, 2007
12:30 to 2:00 p.m.
From the west, take I-8 to Exit 114 directly onto northbound Imperial Ave. After 1.6 miles on Imperial Ave, turn right on West Main St. The Board of Supervisors building is across from the courthouse.
From the north, take Hwy 86 south into El Centro and turn left on West Main St. The Board of Supervisors building is across from the courthouse.
San Diego-Rancho Peñasquitos
Doubletree Golf Resort
14455 Peñasquitos Drive
San Diego, CA 92129
Monday
Feb. 5, 2007
7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
From the north, take I-15 to Exit 21/Carmel Mountain Rd. Turn right (west) at the end of the exit ramp, then take the first right. The Doubletree is immediately on the right.
From the south, take I-15 to Exit 21/Carmel Mountain Rd. Turn left (west) at the end of the exit ramp, then take the first right. The Doubletree is immediately on the right.
Julian
Wynola Pizza Express
(The Red Barn)
4355 Highway 78
Julian, CA 92036
(760) 765-3636
Tuesday
Feb. 6, 2007
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
From the west or north (Santa Ysabel and Warner Springs), take Hwy 78 through Santa Ysabel toward Julian. Wynola Pizza Express is on the left just north of the Wynola Rd intersection (3 miles from the Hwy 78/79 intersection).
From the east (Julian or Borrego Springs), take Hwy 78 for 3.7 miles toward Santa Ysabel to Wynola Pizza Express, on the right side of the highway.
Ramona
San Vicente Inn
(San Vicente Room)
24157 San Vicente Rd
Ramona, CA 92065
(760) 789-8290
Tuesday
Feb. 6, 2007
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
From the west, take Hwy 67 North and continue as it becomes Main St for 0.4 mi. Turn right at Dye Rd and continue for 1.8 mi. Dye Rd turns left and becomes Ramona St, continue for 0.4 mi. Turn right at Warnock Dr for 0.7 mi. Turn right at San Vicente Rd; continue for 4.6 miles. Pass the tennis courts to the parking lot on your right.
From the east, take SR 78 through central Ramona and turn south onto 10th St. 10th becomes San Vicente Rd; continue 6.6 mi. from Main St to San Vicente Inn on your right.
Boulevard
Boulevard Fire Department
39223 Highway 94
Boulevard, CA 91905
(619) 766-4633
Wednesday
Feb. 7, 2007
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
From the east or west, take I-8 to the Hwy 94/Boulevard exit. Turn south on Hwy 94, then right on Old Highway 80. At the fork of Old Highway 80 and Hwy 94 (Campo Rd), take the left fork along Campo Rd to the Fire Department.
Alpine
Alpine Community Center (Sage Room)
1830 Alpine Boulevard
Alpine, CA 91901
(619) 445-7330
Wednesday
Feb. 7, 2007
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
From the west, take I-8 to Tavern Rd exit. Turn right (south) on Tavern, then left on Alpine Boulevard, 0.2 miles to the Alpine Community Center on the left side of the street.
From the east, take I-8 to Tavern Rd exit. Turn left (south) on Tavern, then left on Alpine Blvd, 0.2 miles to the Alpine Community Center on the left side of the street.
Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs Resort
1112 Tilting T Drive
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
(760) 767-5700
Thursday
Feb. 8, 2007
2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
From the west, take S22, which turns to the right and becomes Palm Canyon Dr. Proceed 1.4 miles. At the turnaround, turn right (south) onto Borrego Springs Rd and drive south 1.8 miles. Turn left on Tilting T drive and follow its curves for 1.3 miles.
From the east, take S22 which turns west in Borrego Springs as Palm Canyon Dr. Turn left on Borrego Valley Rd and your first right onto Tilting T Dr.
Enter through the Borrego Springs Resort arches. The meeting room is in the main building.
Temecula
City Hall (Council Chambers)
43200 Business Park Drive
Temecula, CA 92590
(951) 693-3961
Friday
Feb. 9, 2007
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
From the north, take I-15 to Rancho California Rd in Temecula, then turn right. Continue until the third right on Business Park Dr.
From the south, take I-15 to Rancho California Rd in Temecula, then turn left. Continue until the third right on Business Park Dr.

How to Submit Scoping Comments

By Mail: If you send comments by U.S. mail, please use first-class mail and be sure to include your name and a return address. Please send written comments to:

Billie Blanchard, CPUC / Lynda Kastoll, BLM
c/o Aspen Environmental Group
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 935
San Francisco, CA 94104-3002

By Electronic Mail: E-mail communications are welcome; however, please remember to include your name and return address in the e-mail message. E-mail messages should be sent to sunrise@aspeneg.com.

By Fax: You may fax your comment letter to our information line at (866) 711-3106. Please remember to include your name and return address in the fax, to write legibly, and use black or blue ink.

September/October 2006 Scoping

On August 31, 2006, the BLM published its Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register (Volume 71, No. 169, page 51848). On September 15, 2006, the CPUC issued a Notice of Preparation/Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement. In early October 2006, the CPUC and BLM held a series of seven public scoping meetings in Imperial and San Diego Counties to take public comment on the scope and content of the environmental document. The scoping comment period ended on October 20, 2006.

A Scoping Report (Part 1) was prepared and was sent to all repositories on November 29, 2006; see the list of available documents below. The Scoping Report includes a copy of every letter submitted, as well as transcripts of the public scoping meetings and summaries of issues raised during scoping.

A second Scoping Report will be prepared in March 2007, summarizing all comments received (including oral comments made at the Public Meetings on Alternatives). This report will be posted on this website and copies will be placed in local document repository sites.

Documents Available

The following documents are available at 28 libraries and offices in the project area.

 — SDG&E's Application and Proponent's Environmental Assessment (August 4, 2006).

 — Notice of Intent (August 31, 2006)

 — Notice of Preparation (NOP) (September 15, 2006)

Figure 1. Proposed Project Overview
Figure 2. Imperial Valley Link
Figure 3. Anza-Borrego Link
Figure 4A. Central Link
Figure 4B. Proposed Central East Substation
Figure 5A. Inland Valley Link
Figure 5B. Detail of Ramona Area
Figure 6A. Coastal Link
Figure 6B. Rancho Peñasquitos Detail
Figure 7. SDG&E Alternatives Fully Evaluated and Carried Forward in PEA
Figure 8. SDG&E Alternatives Considered and Eliminated

 — Scoping Report, Part 1 (November 29, 2006)

Data Requests

The EIR/EIS Team will submit Data Requests to SDG&E when it needs specific information to support EIR/EIS preparation. These requests will be made available here at the time they are issued. Data requests submitted to SDG&E to date are provided below. Responses to these data requests can be found at SDG&E's website.

Data Request No. 1 (September 27, 2006)
Data Request No. 2 (November 15, 2006)
Data Request No. 3 (November 21, 2006)
Data Request No. 4 (December 6, 2006)
Data Request No. 5 (January 8, 2007)
Data Request No. 6 (January 26, 2007)
Data Request No. 7 (February 1, 2007)

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:

Project email: sunrise@aspeneg.com
Project fax and voicemail: (866) 711-3106

The CPUC's Project Manager is:

Billie Blanchard, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-2068
Fax (415) 703-2200
Email: bcb@cpuc.ca.gov
   
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