Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project

Project Specifications

Client: California Public Utilities Commission

Location: Imperial County, San Diego County

Services: Environmental Review & Permitting, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Public Participation & Involvement, Compliance & Construction Monitoring

Aspen managed the preparation of an EIR/EIS for the highly controversial 150-mile high-voltage Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project, under the direction of the BLM (El Centro Field Office) and CPUC. Aspen developed a wide range of alter­natives including 300 miles of transmission corridor alternatives and other electricity generation alternatives that would achieve the project’s objec­tive to import power, including renewable energy, from the Imperial Valley into San Diego County. The proposed project crossed seven jurisdictions including BLM, unincorpo­rated Imperial County, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California Department of Parks and Recre­ation, unincorporated San Diego County, Department of Defense – Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, the City of San Diego, and the City of Poway. In addition, many of the alter­native routes would be located on U.S. Forest Service lands within Cleveland National Forest. Aspen managed a team of 18 subconsultants to fully analyze 27 alternatives at the same level of detail as the proposed project.

Over 6,000 copies of the Notice of Preparation were mailed to interested parties, including 236 representatives of over 65 different agencies, 52 environmental groups, 64 tribal government representatives, and 41 elected officials. The first round of scoping meetings included 7 public meetings with over 260 people in attendance and an addi­tional 12 agency meetings, and the First Scoping Report summarized 323 comments.

The second round of scoping meetings on Alternatives included 8 additional meetings with over 600 people in attend­ance, and the Second Scoping Report sum­marized over 445 comments. After the Cleve­land National Forest identified a new alternative through the forest, a New Alternative Notice was mailed and an additional comment period was held with 90 comments received. The printed Draft EIR/EIS was a 7,000-page, 6-volume document. The Draft Notice of Availability was mailed to 13,616 people and published in the Federal Register. Public meetings were held on the Draft EIR/EIS and included: 11 informal workshops, 5 formal public hearings, and two additional en banc public hearings that were attended by four of the five CPUC commissioners.

As a result of new information about the project furnished by the applicant late in the process, a Recirculated Draft EIR/Supplemental Draft EIS was prepared and two addi­tional public informational workshops were held prior to publication of the Final EIR/EIS. The Final EIR/EIS responded to 3,000 pages of comment letters on the Draft EIR/EIS and nearly 900 pages of comments on the RDEIR/SDEIS. Aspen assisted the CPUC with Decision Support, including writing the CEQA Findings of Fact and portions of the Proposed Decision and has assisted with the appeals process. Aspen also wrote the draft Record of Deci­sion for the BLM and has assisted with the appeals process. The CPUC voted on December 18, 2008, to approve the Final Environmentally Superior Southern Route and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a Record of Decision approving the same route on January 20, 2009.

Aspen, on behalf of the CPUC and in conjunction with SDG&E, BLM, USFS, and other Responsible Agencies, drafted a Mitigation Monitoring Compliance and Reporting Program (MMCRP) to ensure compliance with mitigation measures approved in the Final EIR/EIS, as well as with the terms and conditions associated with the BLM right-of-way.  

Aspen conducted the pre-construction compliance review for the SDG&E requests to start construction, submitted by project component (i.e., yards, substations, underground, etc.). This review included the verification that the hundreds of Mitigation Measure pre-construction requirements were adequately satisfied and draft Notices to Proceed (NTP) with Construction were prepared for CPUC and BLM consideration. NTPs have been issued by CPUC authorizing the following construction on non-federal lands: overhead 500kV and 220kV transmission line, 220kV underground, Suncrest Substation, substation upgrades, contractor yards, and telecommunication installations. In addition, the BLM has issued NTPs for 500kV overhead construction, Imperial Valley Substation upgrades, and contractor yards on BLM lands.  The USFS Special Use Permit is anticipated to be issued in August 2011. The USFS requested Aspen’s assistance in monitoring construction on Forest Service lands.

Aspen provided on-site envi­ron­mental mon­i­tor­ing during project con­struc­tion to ensure com­pli­ance with project Mitigation Measures, and approved permit conditions and compliance plans. Aspen prepared weekly reports documenting construction status and compliance activities, which are posted on the CPUC’s project website.  Finally, Aspen reviewed and field validated Variance Requests submitted by SDG&E for project changes, and prepared recommended letters of approval/denial for CPUC and BLM.