New Waddell-Westwing 230-KV Transmission Project, Maricopa County, Arizona: Environmental Assessment

摘要

The Western Area Power Administration (Western) proposes to construct a new 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Maricopa County, Arizona, that would extend from the New Waddell Dam on the Agua Fria River, to the Westwing Substation, about 10.5 miles southwest of the dam. The project area is roughly 45 miles northwest of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Western will complete the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) process for the line. A final environmental impact statement (EIS) was prepared by BuRec to describe the environmental impacts associated with alternatives for the construction and operation of the Regulatory Storage Division of the Central Arizona Project (CAP). The EIS was supported by 23 technical reports that covered planning, design, public involvement, social and environmental impact assessment, economics, and hydrological analysis. Since the proposed transmission system differs only slightly from that described in the EIS, Western incorporates by reference the EIS and its 23 supporting technical reports into this environmental assessment (EA). In August 1985, BuRec completed an EA on modifications to the New Waddell Dam Project design plans and issued a FONSI on these modifications; the EA did not cover the transmission line. The purpose of this EA is to document the potential environmental effects of the proposed construction of the transmission line and switchyards in order to determine if an EIS is needed or if a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) is indicated. 28 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab. (ERA citation 14:029429)