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Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the environmental review of the proposed construction of the San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) Master Special Use Permit (MSUP) and Permit to Construct (PTC) Power Line Replacement Projects located in and around the Cleveland National Forest (CNF) in San Diego County, California. The CPUC and the United States Forest Service (USFS) serve as joint lead agencies on the MSUP/PTC Projects because the Proposed Projects are subject to review under both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Proposed Projects involves federal lands (the CNF) under the jurisdiction of the USFS and power lines in and around the CNF under the jurisdiction of the CPUC. This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA and NEPA review processes.
QUICK LINKS
Background
Permit to Construct (PTC) Application and Plan of Development (POD)
Data Requests
Other Documents Available
Public Participation
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR)
Commission Decision
Construction Progress and Mitigation Monitoring
For Additional Information
On September 6, 2012, SDG&E filed an updated application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands (Standard Form 299) with the USFS. On October 17, 2012, SDG&E filed an application for a Permit to Construct the Cleveland National Forest Power Line Replacement Projects with the CPUC (Application No. A. 12-10-009).
In addition to combining previously issued use permits and easements for existing SDG&E facilities within the CNF into one MSUP, the Proposed Projects include fire hardening along 11existing 69 kV power lines and 12 kV distribution lines, as well as the relocation and undergrounding of certain electric lines within and around the CNF.
The CPUC and the USFS have developed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (completed on January 23, 2012) that will govern the preparation of a joint Environmental Impact Report /Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the MSUP/PTC Projects. The CPUC, as the lead agency under California law, and the USFS, as the lead agency under federal law, will prepare a Draft and Final EIR/EIS to comply with CEQA and NEPA.
On June 26, 2013, SDG&E filed an amended PTC application. The CPUC requested that SDG&E add information to the Plan of Development (POD; Volume II of II of the application) in order to include additional details on two study corridors (transmission line 626 and distribution line C157) requested by the USFS, for the environmental review process.
SDG&E’s proposed MSUP Project would consolidate over 70 previously issued special use permits and easements for 69 kilovolt (kV) power line and 12 kV distribution line facilities (collectively, electric lines), access roads, and other ancillary facilities within the CNF into one MSUP to be issued by the USFS. This would allow the continued maintenance and operation of SDG&E’s existing 69 kV power lines and 12 kV distribution lines and ancillary facilities, as well as approximately 45 miles of existing access roads required to operate and maintain the existing electric lines located within the administrative boundary of the CNF. The Permit to Construct, which requires CPUC approval, would include fire hardening along 11existing 69 kV power lines and 12 kV distribution lines, as well as the relocation and undergrounding of certain electric lines in and around the CNF.
The location of the Proposed Project is shown in the Project Location Map.
SDG&E’s application was deemed complete by CPUC on August 7, 2013. Letter can be viewed here.
The amendment to application (Volume I of II) and the Revised POD (Volume II of II), the original application (Volume I of II), and the Preliminary POD (Volume II of II) for the CNF MSUP Project are available here:
As needed during the environmental review process, the EIR/EIS team will provide SDG&E with data requests for specific information during preparation of the EIR/EIS. These requests and SDG&E’s responses are published here, when available:
- Data Request No. 1 (October 30, 2012) and Response (December 3, 2012)
- Data Request No. 2 (December 20, 2012) and Response (January 25, 2013)
- US Forest Service POD review comments (December 7, 2012) and SDG&E Response (February 15, 2013)
- Data Request No. 3 (February 27, 2013) and SDG&E’s Responses (April 19, 2013, April 22, 2013, and April 25, 2013, Supplemental Response). Also see the Revised POD.
Memorandum of Understanding - CPUC and USFS
In January 2012, the CPUC and USFS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the purpose of documenting the cooperation between the CPUC and the USFS serving as joint lead agencies responsible for the CEQA and NEPA environmental analysis of SDG&E’s revised application for a Master Special Use Permit on the Cleveland National Forest and for related fire hardening in and around the Cleveland National Forest. A copy of the MOU is available here:
On September 23, 2013, the CPUC published an NOP of an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Master Special Use Permit Project and Permit to Construct Power Line Replacement Projects (A.12-10-009). The NOP will have an extended public review period (45 days) from September 23, 2013 to November 7, 2013. All scoping comments must be received by November 7, 2013.
On September 23, 2013 the USFS published the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register in conjunction with the NOP for preparation of a joint EIS/EIR.
Public Scoping Meetings
In order to provide the public and regulatory agencies with an opportunity to learn more about the project and to comment on the scope and content of the environmental information to be included in the Draft EIS/EIR, the CPUC and USFS held two public scoping meetings during the 45-day scoping period (at the following two locations below).
| Tuesday, October 22, 2013 |
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 |
| Julian Elementary School |
Alpine Community Center |
| 1704 Cape Horn |
1830 Alpine Boulevard |
| Julian, California 92036 |
Alpine, California 91901 |
| 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
Click the following links to view the meeting agenda and public meeting presentation. In addition, a copy of the written comment form is available here for download.
Scoping comments on the content of the environmental information to be included in the Draft EIS/EIR will be accepted through November 7, 2013.
Please send comments, with the name and address of an appropriate contact person, to:
Lisa Orsaba, California Public Utilities Commission
Will Metz, United States Forest Supervisor, Cleveland National Forest,
c/o Dudek
605 Third Street
Encinitas, California 92024
Or via email to: cnfmsup@dudek.com (subject line “SDG&E Master Permit”).
The Draft EIS/EIR will be published here, when available.
The Final EIS/EIR will be published here, when available.
The Commission’s Decision on the project will be published here, when available.
Reports issued by the CPUC, reports on construction progress, and reports issued as part of the Mitigation Monitoring Program will be published here, when available.
The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is conducting an environmental review of the project. To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us by email or phone, as follows:
Project email: CNFMSUP@dudek.com
Project voicemail: (866) 467-4727
The CPUC's project manager is:
Lisa Orsaba
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-1966
Fax (415) 703-2200
The USFS Contacts:
Robert Hawkins/Debbie Hobbs
United States Forest Service
Cleveland National Forest
10845 Rancho Bernardo Road, Ste. 200
San Diego, CA 92127
Tel: (707) 562-8699(Hawkins) / (858) 674-2904(Hobbs)
Fax: (858) 524-0130
 Please report any problems to the Energy Division web coordinator.
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