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.

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.

Under NEPA, the BLM prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that analyzed and disclosed the effects of the proposed project and its alternatives. The draft EIS was published on July 29, 2011 and was followed by a 90-day public comment period ending on October 28, 2011. Please visit the BLM website to learn more about the draft EISor download a copy of the document, at www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west/.

Following the public review of the draft EIS, the BLM is working to prepare a final EIS, which also will be made available to the public. The BLM and USFS will then prepare a record of decision (ROD) 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.

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 has been 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 considered in the draft EIS. During September and October of 2011 the BLM invited the public to comment on the draft EIS and held 17 public open house meetings along the project corridor.