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Home My WebLink About2.0 Correspondence-Meeting Conditions RSJGolonado. [Jte Electnic Association, lnc. Mr. Mark Bean Garfield County Planner 109 8th Street, Suite 200 Glenwood Springs, Colorado Dear Mark: P. O. Box 1 149 Montrose, Colorado 81402 (303) 249 4501 November 10, 1986 816 01 Rifle-San Juan 345-kv Transmission Line Garfield Countv Permit Per our conversation of November 7,1986, this letter will serve as notice that Colorado-Ute Electric Association, fnc. (Colorado-Ute) has completed all phases of the portj-on of the above referenced trans- mission line in Garfield County. Our contractor finished the rehabilitation in Garfield County early this faIl. Colorado-Ute will leave the rehabilitation bond in affecf until July l, 1987. If by this date we have no revegetation work to do, we ask the bond to be released" If I can be of any assistance, do not hesitate to call me" Very truly yours, -P*^-,.@' d-- Phyllis (Penny) J" Christensen Engineering Aide PJC: ds Garfield County Commissioners Nov 12 i9B6 GARFIELD COUTV1V r I I I Colorado. Llte Electric Association, lnc.P. O. Box 1149 Montrose, Colordo 81402 (303) 2494501 June 25, 1987 Garf ietd County Commissioners 109 8th Street, Suite 200 Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81501 ATTENTION: Mark Bean, Planning Director Dear Commissioners: Rifle-San Juan 345-kv Transmission Line Garfield County RehaPilitation Bond colorado-ute Electric Association, Inc. (colorado-ute) notified you on November 10, 1985 that cleanup and rehabilitat.ion of the above referenced line was complete. At this time you requested Cotorado-Ulg to leave the rehabilit.ation bond in effect until JuIy 1; 1987, . Contractorsproperty owners landowners that sion to cancel by writing terminated on the then return the original to PJC: ds for Colorado-Ute have obtained releases from the and Colorado-Ute knows of no concerns from are outstandinq, therefore we request your permis- the existing rehabilitation bond. If agreeable with you to release the bond, please indicate so originat bond, date and sign the bond me. Thank you for your eonsiderat.ion and the time you spent working with Colorado-Ut.e on this Project- Very truly yours, o' t -.7rhY Phyllis (Penny) J. Christensen Enqi neering Technician JUN 26 1987 f- tu :::' : :: j :.". :j;::::. o::' i.l,oi^! av"r'o'rc'llrO- .rrdr.taO rrO'rr'r <O'-"tror .-r.!G.r .vroio''!' ri'e"ic''o"'rY NI^6 38424 I of which, well and trulY to be adm i n i s tr ators, execu t,ors , severally, f irmlY bY t,hese NRE}'LAXs FI,IXDtxsuuxcf csHtaxtE5 e'iisti;i-rn-Oel'tne 'l aws of the State of New Jersey authoriied to transact business in the State of SURETY EOND KNOW ALL HEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That w€, Colorado-ute Electric Association, Inc., PO Box .|.|49, Montrose, Colorado 8.|402 (hereinafter called "Principal") as Principa), and The Arneri can i zed and , andI nsurance Company.a corporation organ Col orado (herejnafter called "sttrety"), as Surety, are he'ld firtnly bound unto Garfield County, .l00 8th Street, Gelenwood Springs, Colorado 81602 (hereinafter called "0b'l igee"), aS 0bligee, in the penal sum of One Hundred Forty Two Thousand Nine Hundred Four and No/]00 0o'l lars ($.I42,904.00 ), good and lawfu) money of the United States of America, for the PaYment made, we bind ourse'l ves, our heirs, successors, and assigns, jointly and presents. Signed, Sealed and Dated this lBth day ofDecember,7984. a certainthe 18rh )-years from the date a continuationthe Surety by stating when, not ity hereunder shal I l.lhereaS, the above bounden Principa'l has entered into written agreement wj th the above-named 0bI i 9ee, dated day of December , 1984. for described as: 5EE ATTACHED LEGAL OESCRIPTION This agreement is hereby referred to and made apart hereof as fully inO to the Same extent as if copied at length herein. Thi5 byLd qhr:J -costj-+ue i-a .force f or three (3 ot execut i on and be renewab I e by i ssu ance of cert'if icate. It may however, be cancelled by sending of notice.in writing to t!u 0bligee' less tIan Ninety f90.) days thereafter, liabiI terminate. NOllJ THEREFORE, THE CONDITION OF THE ABOVE OBLIGATIOII IS SUCH' ThAI ii tne-above bounden Principal shal'l well and truly keep, do and perfoim, each and every, a1l and singular, the matters and things'in said Agreement set forth and speclf ieO to be by the said Priniipul kept, done and performed at the time and in the rnanner .in said Agreement spec'i fied, and shall pay over' ra\e good ald reimburse to the above-nared 0b)igee, all loss and damage wlrich said 0bligee may sustain by reason of failure or default on the piri ;i siia prlncipal, then this obligation shall be void; btnerwise to be and remain in fu'l I force and effect. TE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION INC. THE AI'lERICAN INSURNACE COI'IPANY S u r e ty By <./t , -qaje.,^ ^*= -C. I,lorkrnan , Attorney- i n- Fact Wflfr [:iti'"t#,,:'.ff ;*'"'"" (303) 75&7688 rrnclp \r1q Department Of Energy Westem Area Power Administration P.O. Box 11606 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147 FIB il 1 ]9$5 Mr. Dennis Stranger Pl anning Director Garfield County P.0. Box 640 Glenwood Springs, C0 8.l602 Dear Mr. Stranger: Enclosed for your information is a copy of Western Area Power Administration's (Western) Record of Decision for the Rifle-San Juan 345 kV Transmission Line located in colorado and New Mexico. A copy of a memorandum from the Department of Energy concurring in Western's Record of Decis'ion is also enc losed. Records of signed and Rural Electrificationl4th and Independence Wash'i ngton , DC 20250 If further information is required,office at (801 ) 524-5397 . Decision from other agencies involved in this project have been are available from the following addresses: Bureau of Land Management Montrose District Off ice 2465 South Townsend Montrose, C0 Bl40l U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region I 177 West 8th Avenue Lakewood, C0 80225 Administration Avenue, S.W. please telephone Mr. Si ncere 1y, Kelly McBride of our 't- i Enc I osure d,^ra A.7l*-* fi-d;t(ar( N. Si I verrhan' Area Manager Department of Energy Washington, D.C. 20585 it.. ,, ___] li7fibcember 19, 19g4 ,__-i . ' .'. -.. -'..,**: MEIvTORANDUIT{ FOR: RoBERT L. MCPTIAIL Administrator Western Area power Administration 2ccac 4c/ao ROBERT C. ODLE, JR. Act,ing Assistant Secretary forPolicy, Safety and Environment Bg-cgrd of Deqisign lor the Rifle-San Juan 345-kv r."ns*i""ion Proi"ct, coroiffico FROM: SUBJECT: Co ncur This is in response to your october 30, Lgg4, memorandumrequesting our review and approval of the Record of Decision forthe Rifle-San Juan transmission project. We have reviewed the final Environmental Impact SEatement (EIS)for the proposed project, prepared by the Rural ElectrificationAdministration and for which the western Area Power Administration(western) acted as a cooperating agency. The document adequatelyreflects the environmental effects associated with Westernisinvolvement in the project, and, therefore, the EIS is adopted.The number assigned to t.he document is DOE/EIS-0l12. we have also reviewed (for content) the proposed Record ofDecision and have determined that it, meets the requirements ofthe Council on Environmental Quality's regulationi implementingthe procedural provisions of the National Environmentil policyAct. Accordinglyr the Record of Decision is approved. Office of the General Counsel Dare ll-l-i -g/ DateNonconcur X o?/,(- U.S. OEPARTI.IENT OF ENERGY I{ESTERII AREA PO{ER ADI.{INISTRATION RECORD OF DECISIOI{ TO CONSTRUCT THE RIFLE.SAN JUAII 345-KV TRAN$,IISSION LINE PRNECT III COLORADO AND NEII I.IEXICO AGEI{CY: U.S. Department of Energy, h{estern Area Power Administration ACTI0N: Record of Decision for Line Project, Colorado Ri fle-San Juan 345-kV Transmission trlew ltlexi co the and SUtlt'IARY: The U.S. DeparLment of Energy (DOE), Hestern Area Porer Mministration (l'lestern) has decided to fund its participation in the construction of about 283 miles of single-circuit 345-kV transmission line and associated facilities between the Colorado-llte E'lectric Assoclation, Inc., (Colorado-Ute) Rifle Substation near Rifle, Colorado, and the San Juan Generating Station near Farmington, llew l,|exico. The Rural E]ectrification Administration (REA), the lead agency in the preparation of the Rifle to San Juan 345-kV transmission line and associated facilities environnental impact statenent (EIS), issued a draft EIS (USDA-REA-UAE-EIS (ADl,l) 81-4-D) in July l98l; a supplemental draft EIS (USDA-REA-I{AE-EIS (ADl,t) 83-1-D) in July 1983; a final EIS (USDA-REA-i'IAE-EIS (ADtl) 83-1-0) in l.tarch 1984; and a record of decision (R0D) on August 14, 1984. l{estern has been involved in the REA envirormental process for the project as a cooperating agency, and has independently evaluated the alternatives presented in the REA EIS. The environ- mentally preferred corridor identified in the final EIS has r-lL-/nL/ been se'lected for the construction of a single-cir.cuit 34s-kv transmission'line from Rifle, colorado, to san Juan, llew Mexico. DOE has adopted the REA's EIS for the project and the mitigation masures identified in section 2.3 of the final EIS. After issuing the final EIs, REA requested l{estern to assune the lead agency role for project compliance rith section 106 of the lthtional Historic Preservation Act. l{estern will ensure the provisions of section 106 are met before financing its participation. FOR FURTHER II{FORI,|ATION CONTACT: Irlr. l,lark N. Silverman Area llanager llestern Area Power Administration P.0. Box 11606 Salt Lake City, UT 84L47(801) 524-6372. SUPPLEIENTARY INFORI,IATION: Thi^ee participants - Coloraao-UtJ, l{estern, and Public Service Company of Co'lorado (pSC) - will design, construct, operate, and maintain approximately 283 miles of single-circuit 345-kv transmission line from co'lorado-ute's Rifle substation in Garfield county, colorado, to the san Juan Generation- Station in San Juan County, New Mexico. Associated facilities include expansion of existing substations at Grand Junction, ilontrose, and Durango; construction of a new substation (Long Hollou) near Durango, Colorado; addition of transmission line termination facilities at colorado-we's Rifle substation and at ::- 4 1 a,,:i1::Ir:-:-t:: the san Juan Generating station switchyard; and the construction of approximately 7 miles of 115-kv transrnission line on double- cirruit towers from the proposed Long llollow substation to the existing &rrango Substation. The cost, maintenance, and capacity of the proposed line rould be shared inong the three participants. For the line section betreen Rifle and Grand Junction, the line would be shared as foilows: Colorado-Ute, 37.5 percent; Uestern, 37.5 percent; and pSC, 25 percent. For the line section between Grand Junction and the san Juan Generating Station, the line wou'ld be shared as follows: colorado-ute, 50 percent; and uestern, 50 percent. I'lestern is not pafticipating in the 7 miles of 115-kv transmission Iine from proposed Long llollow Substation to the Durango Substation. In 1979, Colorado-Ute proposed.to construct and operate a 345-kV transmission line project frm Rif'le, colorado, to the san Juan Generating station near Farmington,-ilew ttexico. REA contacted other governmental agencies and interested organizations to obtain - their opinion and guidance in fields in which tJrey may have special knowledge or authority, and the public was formally requested to provide input at scheduled public metings he'ld in Ri fl e , Grand Juncti on , Del ta , I'bntrose, llonrood , Dove Creek , cortez, and Durango, colorado, and Farmi ngton, [,ler ilexico. l{estern, the Bureau of Land Management (BLl.l), and the Forest Service (FS) became cooperating agencies. ntL-/ A draft EIS was lssued in July 1981, evaluating a double-circuit 345-kV transnission line and ass6ciated facilities from Rifle to the San Juan Generating Station. The double-circuit project, as described in the draft EIS, was jointly proposed by Colorado-ute and l{estefli. The preferred route extended frqn Rifle to the ibrth Fork Valley, to Delta, to Montrose, to l,lorrlood, to Lost Canyon, to Durango, and then to the San Juan Generating Station and l{esternrs Shiprock Substation. Alternatives to the proposed project and alternative routes were also identified and evaluated. In August 1981, REA held three public hearings to obtain conments on the draft EIS. These hearings were held in ltlontrose and lhrango, Colorado, and Farmington, llew ltlexico. t{ritten cormnts rcre also received frqn Federal, State, and local agencies and interested individuals. In the meantime,.the Colorado Public tltilities Cormission (PUC) denJed Colorado-Ute a CertificatO of Public Convenience and thcessity (certificate) for the proposed project. Consequently, REA decided not to issue a final EIS on the proposed project. In 'issuing its denial o, I.raificate, the PUC suggested that Colorado-Ute and tJestern rev'ise their plan and include PSC as a pafticipant. Colorado-Ute then developed a coordinated transmission system pl an with l{estern and PSC. Project modlfIcatlons in the coordlnated proposal resulted from Ptf, staff recormendations and input from Federal, State, and local agencies, and the public. The modified proposal, conslsting of a single-circuit 345-kV transmission line and associated facilities, from Rifle, Colorado, to the San Juan Generating Station. After studying the modified project proposal , REA, l{estern, BLl,l, and FS, determined that the modifications constituted a substantial change from the originally proposed project. As a result, under the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations, 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1500-1508, the lead and cooperating agencies decided that a supplemental draft EIS should be prepared. The purpose of the supplemental draft EIS was to evaluate the revised project, alternative corridors and other reasonable options, and allow adequate opportunity for public review of and corrnent on the revised project. Hestern part'icipated in the development of the supplemental draft EIS. The PUC issued a cert'ificate for the reyised project. The public has had an opportunity tr.o*nt on the revised project at hearings before the PUC and at several meetings held in Garfield, Mesa, Delta, and lrtontezuna Counties of Co'lorado. The public was also invited to submit additiona'l cornments to REA during public informa- tion meetings hosted by Colorado-ute in Rifle, DeBeque, Palisade, Durango, and l'tontrose, colorado, ln l{arch 1983, and in the FEDERAL REGISTER issued by REA on l,larch 18, 1983. Ihe pub'lic had further opportunity to corment on the revised project and the supplemental draft EIS at public corment hearings held in Grand Junction, l,lontrose, Durango, and Cortez, Colorado, fron July 25 through July 28, 1983. Hestern cooperated in the meetings and hearings in regard to its participation in the project. A fina'l EIS was issued in ltlarch 1984. Descri ption of Alternatives: DOE cooperated in the development and adopted the alternatives presented in the REA EIS. The alternatives include: l. Energy conserryation.2. Purchase of requi red power.3. lloncentral ized generation facilities.4. Upgrading/rebuilding existing transmission facilities.5. Installation of serieS compensation.6. Transmission system alternatives proposed by others7. Construction of a 500-kV or 755-kV transmission line.8. Construction of a 400-kV direct-current transnission 'line. 9. Construction of an underground transmission line.10. Rif'le-Grand Junction, single-circuit 345-kV; Grand Junction- Shiprock, single-circuit 230-kV transmission line. 11. -Rifle-Grand Junction, single-circuit 345-kV; Grand Junction- Shiprock, double-circuit 345-kV transnission line.12. Rifle-Shiprock, single-circuit 230-kV transmission line.13. Rif'le-Shiprock, tt{o single-circuit 115-kV transmission lines.14. Rifle-Grand Junction, doub'le-circuit 345-kV; Grand Junction- San Juan single-circuit; 345-kV transmission line.15. Rif'le-San Juan, double-circuit 345-kV transmission line(origi nal project) .16. Rifle-San Juan, single-circuit 345-kV transmission line (proposed project).17. Alternative routes and substation sites.18. Alternative torer designs. o These alternatives are descrlbed ln detall in the supplemental draft EIS. Hestern has selected the proposed action, 1.e., construition of a single-circuit 345-kv transmission line frorn Rifle, colorado, to the San Juan Generating station, New Mexico. This alternative is the environmentally preferred corridor for the construction of the project. Basis of Decision: tlestern considered power demands, reliabiIity needs, cost, enyiron- mental impacts, syststr studies, existing access, and future planning needs in its decision. Insufficient transmission capacity in southwestern Colorado would result from the no action alternative. Ihis alternatiye, wlri]e not impacting the envi ronment, nould not resolve the power supply and reliability problems associated with the existing Ri fle-curecanti 2.30-kv transnission'line. Maintaining the present system would not satisfy Western,s existing and projected long-range eneq,y requi nements. The no action alternative would necessitate Uestern to construct their own separate facilities. Ihe Rifle to Grand Junction single-circuit 345-kv; Grand Junction to Shiprock single-circuit 230-kV transmission line alternative would use somewhat smaller towers and narrower R0{ between Grand Junction and shiprock but does not meet the enerlu requirements of Hestern. This alternative would improve reliability of senrice to southwestern Colorado, but is not as effective as the proposed alternative, Rifle to San Juan single-circuit 345-kV transmission line. o o A varlatlon of the precedlng alternatlve ls the Rlfle to Grand Junction slngle-circuit 345-ky; Grand Junctlon to Striprock double- clrcult 230-kY transmission line alternative. This alternatlve satisfies the requirements for all partlcipants, but rould require larger structures, greater costs, and greater transrnission llne losses than a single-clrcult 345-kv line. Larger structures rould create more visual impacts and soil disturbance impacts from excavations of structure footings. The Rifle to shiprock single-circuit 230-kv transmission line alternative would be constructed by colorado-ute. lJestern and psc rculd have to construct their own facilities. Disadvantages of this plan include greater Iine losses and reduced interconnection capability at Shiprock. The tro Rif'le-shiprock single-circuit 115-kv transmission lines alternative would be constructed by colorado-ute. colorado-Ute rou]d be the sole owner of the lls-kv circuits. l{estern would have to construct their own facilities to maintain their a.*r- mission reliability. As previously noted, this alternative would increase costs and cause higher transmission losses and reduced interconnection capability without benefit of the transmission capacity of the proposed alternative. The Rifle to Grand Junction double-circuit 345-kv; 6rand Junction to San Juan 345-kY transmission line is similar to the proposed alternative. It places into service additional capacity before o it is required. Th'ls ls based alternative increases costs to towers in the northern section on current I oad project.ions . Th i s all participants and uses larger with increased environmental impacts. Ihe original proposal was Rifle to San Juan double-circuit 345-kv transmission line. Ihis plan was denied by pUC on February 5, 1982. It was evaluated as an a'rternative, but was not a viable plan because of the decrease in growth rate in southwestern Colorado, high cost of construction, and the denial by the pUC. The evaluation of the alternatives in the supp'lemental draft EIS indicates no 'identifiable financial advantage frqn the alternative transmission plans. Independent construction would result in greater environmental impact than the jointly proposed 345-kv plan. The construction of the proposed alternative, Rif'le to san Juan sing]e-circuit 345-kV transmisSion line is in the best interests of the public, designated participants, and the environnental concerns. ttli ti gation and Envi ronmental l,|oni tori ng : construction and operation of the proposed transmission l.ine and associated facilities ril I result in unavoidab'le imp-acts to the environment. To minimize these impacts, mitigatlon measures have been developed and are identified in section 2.3 of the final EIs. DOE adopted these mitigat'ion measures. western wi'l'l ensure that mitigation measures in the final EIS are implemented as they relate to l{estern' s parti ci pati on. 9 l{estern rlll lnspect the constructlon areas of the proposed project to ensure compllance rlth the final EIs. thring operation, the transmission line segment owned and operated by lhstern will be inspected by air every 2 months and once a year on the ground. 0ther Requi rements: rhe proposed project will cross five large rivers and several smaller streams, many of which have an intermittent flow. From map examination and aerial overflights no wetland areas were recorded that could not be easily spanned. I'letlands will be avoided during the location of the centerline, towers, access roads, ilrd substation facilities. Sediment control structures rill be used near wetlands and fill material resulting from construction will not be placed in wetlands. During the design phase of the'project, f'loodplains wiil be spanned if practicable. However, if it is not possible to completely span a f'loodplain, tjructures would be placed where the severity of f'looding is least, constructed to withstand a 10O-year f'lood, and in accordance rith state and local floodplain requirements. The provisions of DOE's 'compliance with Floodplain/ Hetlands Environmental Review Requirements" (10 cFR lozz) rould be net prior to any construction if a floodplain cannot be spanned. The Fish and bli'ldlife service (Ft{s) has been consulted on the presence of endangered species in the project area. The Fl{s 10 o ntt-/ identified specles that may be present ln the area and a biological asses$tent ras prepared. Based on the results of the assessment, it was determined that the project will not jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species or a(versely modify their critical habitats. The Ft{s has concurred with the results of the biological assessment. Ihe mitigation applicable to endangered species as described in the final EIS rill be impl emented. Known historic and archeological resources 'listed or eligible for listing on the lthtional Register for Historic Places have been avoided during the corridor delineation process. A cultural resource survey will be cmpleted for the transmission line right-of-way, access noads, and new expanded substations. Cultural resource sites discovered will. be evaluated in accordance with the Advisory council on Historic Preservation Regulations, 36 cFR 800. lth construction will be initiated until the procedures prescribed in these regulations have been carried out. If any sites are unearthed during construction, 6'rk rill be stopped until an appropriate assessment can be made in consultation rith the appropriite State Historic Preservation 0fficer. Copies of this ROD will be sent to the Co'lorado and [,hw l,lexico State Clearinghouses, appropriate Federal, State, and local 11 nl-/ agencles, and to other agencies, organizatlons, and lndlvlduals cqnmnting on the supplemental draft EIS or final EIS. Issued at Golden, Colorado, 0ctober 30, '1984 Admi ni strator T2 n\ _,/