BARREN RIDGE RENEWABLE TRANSMISSION PROJECT
What is the Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission ProjectLADWP is proposing the Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission Project to access clean, renewable energy resources in the Tehachapi Mountain and Mojave Desert areas of Southern California. The project is in Kern and Los Angeles Counties, and is approximately 75 miles in length from Barren Ridge Switching Station to Rinaldi Substation and 12 miles in length from Castaic Powerplant to the proposed Haskell Switching Station. The project will consist of:
1. Construction of a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the LADWP Barren Ridge Switching Station to Haskell Canyon on double-circuit structures (involving approximately 13 miles of National Forest System lands and 4 miles of BLM managed public lands);
2. Addition of a 230 kV circuit on the existing double-circuit structures from Haskell Canyon to the Castaic Power Plant (involving approximately 4 miles of National Forest System lands and 300 feet of BLM managed public lands);
3. Upgrade the existing Owens Gorge-Rinaldi 230 kV transmission line with larger capacity conductors between the Barren Ridge Switching Station to Rinaldi Substation (involving approximately 13 miles of National Forest System lands and 4 miles of BLM managed public lands);
4. Construction of a new electrical switching station at Haskell Canyon.
The Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission Project spans a distance of approximately 75 miles from the Mojave Desert south to the San Fernando Valley. The project is located within northwestern Los Angeles County and southwestern Kern County. The project study area is generally defined by the following limits: the northern boundary is the southern slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains, eastern boundary parallels State Route 14, southern boundary generally parallels the Santa Clara River, and the western boundary parallels Interstate 5. The study area measures approximately 1,280 square miles. Within this study area several routing possibilities have been identified that traverse through the Antelope Valley, across Angeles National Forest, and public lands located in the Mojave Desert. Please refer to the
Project Location map for an overview of the proposed action and preliminary alternatives being considered. Please refer to the
Preliminary Alternative Route map for a more detailed view of the
preliminary alternatives currently being considered. The routes shown in these maps are
preliminary only and do not necessarily represent the final alternatives that will be carried through for analysis in the EIS/EIR. There may be fewer or additional alternative routes to those shown on the map. Click
here to view a map with both the proposed project and preliminary alternatives.
The primary purpose and need for the proposed project is to meet Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals and reduce the environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gases (GHG) and emissions of other air pollutants. Current LADWP RPS goals call for 20% renewable energy by 2010 and 35% by 2020. GHG goals are set for CO2 emission reductions of 35% below the 1990 levels by 2030.
In order to reach these goals, a second purpose of this action is for additional transmission capacity necessary for the City of Los Angeles to reach and integrate the many proposed renewable energy projects located in the Mojave Desert and Owens Valley areas of Southern California. LADWP is developing two wind projects that would total 270 MW combined in the mountains northeast of Tehachapi. Furthermore, LADWP currently has several interconnection requests for approximately 1200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy within the same geographical area. These renewable projects are proposed to interconnect to, or deliver power through, the Barren Ridge Switching Station which is being constructed approximately 12 miles north of Mojave on the Owens Gorge-Rinaldi line (OG-RIN) to interconnect LADWP’s Pine Tree Wind Project.
The existing OG-RIN 230 kV transmission line, which has a 400 MW transfer capacity, currently is loaded with 160 MW of electrical load leaving only 240 MW of excess capacity. Maximizing the capacity of the existing OG-RIN corridor is the second need for the project to not only meet the current interconnection requests, but to utilize future renewable energy sources in this area which are projected by the California Energy Commission at over 4000 MW of wind and over 2000 MW of solar.
The third purpose of the project is to increase system reliability and flexibility. A new switching station would help LADWP meet NERC and WECC reliability requirements while providing greater flexibility in the utilization of both the proposed wind and solar energy within their electrical system.
Lastly, there is a need for LADWP to increase the efficient utilization of the Castaic Power Plant. The power plant is a pump-storage generation facility that would be used to integrate the intermittent renewable energy (wind, solar). This will allow LADWP to utilize its power plants transmission network in a more efficient manner as well as reduce its power system losses.
The Forest Service and BLM need is to respond to the applications from LADWP for a Special Use Authorization (50-year term), Right of Way Grant, and amendments to existing authorizations/grants.
LADWP is proposing the following components to meet the purpose and need of the project:
• Construct approximately 60 miles of a new 230 kV double circuit structure system from the Barren Ridge Switching Station to Haskell Canyon. This proposed line would cross approximately 13 miles of National Forest System lands and four miles of public lands managed by BLM;
• Install approximately 12 miles of a 230 kV circuit onto existing double circuit transmission line structures from Haskell Canyon to the Castaic Power Plant. This proposed line would cross approximately four miles of National Forest System lands and less than one mile of public lands managed by BLM;
• Reconductor the existing OG-RIN Transmission Line with larger capacity conductors from the Barren Ridge Switching Station to the Rinaldi Substation located in the San Fernando Valley. Approximately 13 miles of National Forest System lands and four miles of public lands managed by BLM would be affected by the reconductoring.
• Construct the new Haskell Switching Station on LADWP-owned property north of Santa Clarita and just south of the Angeles National Forest managed lands.
Please refer to the
Project Location map for an overview of the proposed action and preliminary alternatives being considered. Please refer to the
Preliminary Alternative Route map for a more detailed view of the
preliminary alternatives currently being considered. The routes shown in these map are
preliminary only and do not necessarily represent the final alternatives that will be carried through for analysis in the EIS/EIR. There may be fewer or additional alternative routes to those shown on the map.
Based on the nature and scope of the proposed project, LADWP has determined that the proposed project is a major federal and state action that may have a significant adverse impact to the environmental from construction, operation and maintenance of the project. Both the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are concerned with identifying, analyzing, and disclosing the potential environmental effects of a proposed project prior to its implementation. The Forest Service, BLM, and LADWP will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission Project. The Forest Service and BLM will serve as the NEPA co-lead agencies in preparation of the EIS. LADWP is the lead agency for compliance with CEQA and preparation of the EIR.
All public documents related to the CEQA and NEPA review process for the Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission Project will be available at this website. A
Notice of Intent was published in the Federal Register on April 9, 2008. Agencies, elected officials, organizations, Native American Tribes, and interested individuals were sent a
Notice of Preparation. A
newsletter was sent to interested individuals and all property owners within 500 feet on either side of the proposed transmission centerline and preliminary alternative routes.
Project Timeline
Draft EIS/EIR
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April 2008-June 2009
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Public Scoping Meetings
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April 2008-May 2008
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Public Meetings
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July 2009-August 2009
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Design & Engineering
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April 2008-July 2010
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Final EIS/EIR
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September 2009-January 2010
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Procurement and Construction
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Mid 2010-Mid 2013
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Target In-Service Date
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Mid 2013
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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Public input is an important part of the Barren Ridge Renewable Transmission Project. LADWP, Forest Service and BLM has conducted seven public scoping meetings within the project area. The purpose of the meetings were to share information regarding the proposed project and the decision-making processes, and listen to public and agency views on the range of issues to be considered during the preparation of the Draft EIS/EIR. All meetings were conducted in an “open house” format to allow participants to attend anytime between 5:30 and 8:30 pm. A brief presentation was be given by the project team at 7 pm followed by a general Q&A session.
Open Houses were held at the following locations:
April 22, 2008
Santa Clarita Activity Center
20880 Centre Point Parkway
Santa Clarita, CA
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April 28, 2008
Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union School
16633 Elizabeth Lake Road
Lake Hughes, CA
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April 23, 2008
Agua Dulce Women’s Club
33201 Agua Dulce Canyon
Agua Dulce, CA
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April 29, 2008
Frazier Mountain High School
700 Falcon Way
Lebec, CA
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April 24, 2008
Castaic Middle School
28900 Hillcrest Parkway
Castaic, CA
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April 30, 2008
Hillview School
40525 Peonza Lane
Palmdale, CA
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May 1, 2008
California City Middle School
9736 Redwood Blvd
California City, CA
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The following items were passed out to participants of the scoping meetings:
There were seven stations located around the room at each scoping meeting that the public was invited to view and comment or ask questions about. The stations and the boards presented at each station are available in pdf form below.
• Purpose & Need (4 main goals)
• Environmental Benefits
• Renewable Resources Maps
• Wind Map
• Solar
• Reliability and Flexibility
• Haskell Substation Aerial
• Castaic Power Plant
• Project Description / Components
• Project Map (graphic map)
• Typical Structures
• Construction Sequence diagram
• From Power Plant to You diagram
• Alternatives Route Development diagram
• Siting Study Biology Map
• Siting Study Land Use Map
• Siting Study Composite Sensitivity Map
• Preliminary Alternatives Corridors Map
• Decision Factors in Evaluating Alternatives diagram
• Project Time Line
The formal presentation consisted of the following 16 minute video available for viewing below:
Opportunities to Provide Comments
The project team welcomes comments and involvement throughout the project and appreciates your feedback. Comments concerning the scope of the environmental analysis are requested by May 8, 2008. If you have questions or comments about the project, or would like to be added to the project mailing list, please contact the project team in one of the following ways:
• Attend one of the public scoping meetings
• Call the toll free Barren Ridge Hotline (877) 440-3592
• Send written comments to: Forest Service/BLM/LADWP c/o POWER Engineers, Inc., 731 E. Ball Road, Suite 100, Anaheim, CA 92805
In addition to the on going public and agency participation process, formal opportunities for public participation would be provided upon publication of the Draft EIS/EIR.
CONTACT US!
Lead Agency Contacts
Charles Holloway
Manager of Environmental Assessment
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
111 North Hope Street, Room 1044
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Marian Kadota
Planning Forester
USDA, Forest Service
Adaptive Management Services Enterprise Team
1072 Casitas Pass Road, #288
Carpinteria, CA 93013
Linn Gum
Chief, Lands & Minerals
DOI, Bureau of Land Management
Ridgecrest Field Office
300 S. Richmond Road
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
BRRTP Project Team
Forest Service/BLM/LADWP
c/o POWER Engineers, Inc.
731 E. Ball Road, Suite 100
Anaheim, CA 92805
(877) 440-3592 toll-free