EIS Background Information

Baja California Power, Inc. (BCP) and Sempra Energy Resources (SER) were issued presidential permits by DOE to separately construct double-circuit 230,000-volt (230-kV) electric transmission lines across the U.S. border with Mexico. In addition, right-of-way grants were issued to each company by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for construction of the domestic portion of both transmission lines on federal land. The transmission lines originate at new power plants in Mexico, pass west of Calexico, California, and terminate at San Diego Gas & Electric Company's (SDG&E's) Imperial Valley Substation near El Centro, California.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), DOE and its cooperating agency in that proceeding, BLM, prepared an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impacts (FONSI) prior to issuance of the presidential permits and right-of-way grants. On May 2, 2003, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California held that the EA and the FONSI did not comply with NEPA, and, on July 8, 2003, the court sent the matter back to the respective agencies for additional NEPA review. DOE and BLM prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addressing BCP's and SER's projects after conducting two public scoping meetings. Although the two transmission lines had been constructed and were in service, DOE and BLM, in accordance with the court's July 2003 order, conducted this NEPA review as if the transmission lines did not exist. The Draft EIS was published in May 2004, and the Final EIS was published in December 2004.

Follow the menu links to learn more about the transmission line projects, prior environmental review of the projects, and court actions involving these projects.