Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power have filed applications with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for a right of way grant and special use permit, respectively, to construct, operate and maintain the Gateway West Transmission Line Project on federal lands.

The BLM is the lead federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and is coordinating the preparation of the environmental analysis and related environmental laws with cooperating agencies. NEPA is a federal law that requires federal agencies to prepare a detailed statement of the effects of major federal actions that can significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The BLM is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will analyze and disclose the effects of the proposed project and its alternatives. A draft EIS is currently being prepared and is expected to be available in late summer 2010 for a 90-day public comment period.

Following public review of the draft EIS, the BLM will prepare a final EIS (summer 2011), which is also made available to the public. The BLM and USFS will then prepare a record of decision (ROD, winter 2012) and decision notice, respectively; these documents will include the selected line route and any accompanying mitigation measures. Authorizations to start the project are issued following the ROD and the required appeal period.

Additional permits and authorizations are also expected to be required for the project. These can include compliance with the Clean Water Act (e.g., construction storm water, discharge of dredged or fill material to waters of the U.S.), state requirements related to stream channel alteration, Wyoming industrial siting permit, and county and municipal permits.

Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power are conducting public information meetings with various federal, state and local governmental agencies, local property owners and other interested parties as the project develops. In December 2008, the companies held initial landowner meetings in communities along the corridor where attendees received information about the project, reviewed maps and provided valuable comments to Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power staff.

During 2008 and 2009, the project team hosted approximately 40 public meetings, in addition to participating in more than 150 formal and informal meetings at the request of stakeholders and interested parties. In total, company representatives met with almost 2,000 landowners and residents along the corridor in this period.

The public also is invited by the BLM to participate throughout the NEPA process. During June 2008, the BLM invited the public to comment on the notice of intent and held scoping meetings in Idaho and Wyoming; these helped in determining issues and alternatives to be considered when preparing the draft EIS. During the 90-day draft EIS public comment period the BLM will also hold a series of public hearings. Comments may also be submitted to the BLM on the final EIS.