Agencies make power-line report available
North County Times


An 800-page report that describes the proposed Sunrise Powerlink transmission line in detail and lists all public comments made about the project in is now available online and at several San Diego County public libraries.

"It's a fantastic resource, and hats off to the government for making it available to the public," said Kelly Fuller, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County chapter of the Sierra Club and a vocal opponent. "Through this, we can really see what the concerns are."
San Diego Gas & Electric Co. has proposed to string 500-kilovolt and 230-kilovolt wires from metal towers as tall as 150 feet along a meandering 150-mile path through the desert of Imperial County and the backcountry of San Diego County. The line would go through the communities of Ramona, Rancho Penasquitos and Santa Ysabel, and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

The report, a compilation of project facts and concerns raised by government agencies, businesses and individuals, was prepared for the California Public Utilities Commission and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. More than 100 people spoke during the October hearings and more than 200 submitted written comments.

The state and federal agencies are preparing to launch an exhaustive study of the potential environmental and community impacts. Last week's release of the so-called Part 1 of the Sunrise public scoping report sets the stage for that study to get under way.

The environmental review is expected to be completed by August 2007, with a decision approving or rejecting the project by January 2008.

Stephanie Donovan, SDG&E spokeswoman, said the agencies are expected to decide by year's end which project alternatives to carry forward. Then in February 2007, the agencies plan to hold additional hearings on their choice of alternatives to analyze in the environmental study.

The report can be read online at www.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/aspen/sunrise/toc-scoping.htm.

Copies of the report may viewed at the Poway, Ramona, Rancho Penasquitos, Scripps Miramar Ranch, San Diego and Julian libraries