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San Diego Gas & Electric

Tie-Line 637 Wood-to-Steel Project

(Application No. A. 13-03-003)

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) Tie-Line (TL) 637 Wood-to-Steel Project located in central San Diego County, near the communities of Ramona and Santa Ysabel, California. An application for this project was submitted to the CPUC on March 13, 2013 (Application A.13-03-003). This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process.

Background

SDG&E filed an application for a Permit to Construct the TL 637 Wood-to-Steel Project with the CPUC. The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency for this project. The project proposes to fire-harden approximately 14 miles of the existing 69-kilovolt (kV) wood pole power line (TL 637) between the Creelman and Santa Ysabel Substations. SDG&E’s purpose for the project is to increase fire safety and service reliability of the 69 kV power line in a high fire risk area of San Diego County. As proposed by SDG&E, the project would fire-harden the existing system by replacing the existing 69 kV wood pole structures with new weathering steel poles. Work would also be conducted at the Creelman and Santa Ysabel Substations to allow for the wood-to-steel conversions of TL 637. Further, SDG&E is proposing to install a new SDG&E-owned and operated fiber optic cable between the substations on the new TL 637 steel poles.

The proposed project is located in unincorporated San Diego County, between the communities of Ramona and Santa Ysabel, in central San Diego County, California. The location of the proposed project is shown in the Project Location Map.

Application and Proponents Environmental Assessment

SDG&E's application and proponent's environmental assessment (PEA) for the TL 637 Wood-to-Steel Project was submitted March 13, 2013, and is available online in the following links:

• Application A.13-03-003 (March 13, 2013)
• Proponent's Environmental Assessment (March 2013)

Data Requests

As needed during the environmental review process, the Environmental Review Team will provide SDG&E with data requests for specific information during preparation of the CEQA document. These requests and SDG&E’s responses will be published below, as they are available.

PEA Completeness Review and Data Request No. 1

The CPUC deemed SDG&E’s application complete on May 20, 2013. In addition, the CPUC identified additional data needs to support the environmental review process and provided SDG&E with Data Request No. 1. Click the following links to view the letter deeming the application complete and Data Request No. 1, as well as SDG&E’s response.

• Letter deeming application complete and Data Request No. 1 (May 10, 2013) and SDG&E Response (May 21, 2013 and May 31, 2013).

Environmental Review

Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) Publication

On October 8, 2013, the CPUC released a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Adopt a MND for the TL 637 Project, showing that the proposed project, as mitigated, would not have any significant effects on the environment. The NOI and Draft IS/MND are available by clicking on the following links:

• Notice of Intent
• Draft IS/MND
   
  • Attachment A, Detailed Alignment Maps
  • Appendix 1, Biological Resources Tables

Public Involvement and Comment Period

The Draft IS/MND is also available for review at the following libraries:

On October 17, 2013, the CPUC conducted a public meeting regarding the Tie-Line 637 Wood-to-Steel Replacement Project MND. The meeting was held at the Ramona Community Center, located at 434 Aqua Lane, Ramona, California. 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.

• October 17, 2013 Meeting Agenda
• Public Meeting Presentation
• Written comment form 

Comments on the Draft IS/MND will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on November 7, 2013. Please send comments, with the name and address of an appropriate contact person, to:

Lon Payne, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
c/o Dudek
605 Third Street
Encinitas, California 92024

Or via email to: TL637woodtosteel@dudek.com (subject line “SDG&E TL637”)

Commission Decision

The CPUC's decision on the project will be published here, when available.

Construction Progress and Mitigation Monitoring

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.

For Additional Information

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: TL637woodtosteel@dudek.com
Project voicemail: (855) 262-8317

The CPUC's project manager is:

Lon Payne
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-3175

Please report any problems to the Energy Division web coordinator.

  Related Links:

SDG&E Project Website
SDG&E TL 637 Wood-to-Steel Project