Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
On December 1, 2023, the BLM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to amend Resource Management Plans (RMPs) for Section 368 Energy Corridor Revisions and Prepare an Associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Section 368 energy corridors are managed as the preferred locations for development of energy transportation projects on lands managed by the BLM. Each corridor has a defined centerline, width, and compatible use (underground-only, electric-only, or multi-modal). The BLM will evaluate modifications (i.e., revisions, deletions, or additions) to seven designated Section 368 energy corridors, encompassing approximately 673 corridor miles on BLM-administered land. The planning effort would require amending 19 land use plans in seven western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).
The planning effort prioritizes consideration of amendments to only the seven designated corridors identified and described in the NOI, which require interstate coordination and national-level planning to be implemented efficiently and effectively. The BLM has found that portions of these corridors are not as effectively situated as they could be to meet changing demand from new energy sources, including wind and solar, and that changes to the presence of sensitive resources have inhibited the ability for designated Section 368 energy corridors to be used as intended. Non-BLM managed lands as well as physical pinch points also present limitations on potential future development. The regional review found that the some changes to the corridors could alleviate these concerns and provide effective connectivity for energy transmission across the western United States.
The corridors to be evaluated in this planning effort include:
- Corridor 16-104 (California, Nevada)
- Corridor 18-23 (California, Nevada)
- Corridor 27-41 (California, Nevada)
- Corridor 30-52 (Arizona, California)
- Corridor 81-213 (Arizona, New Mexico)
- Corridor 113-114 (Nevada, Utah)
- Corridor 138-143/Wamsutter Power-Rim Corridor Addition (Colorado, Wyoming)
Planning Criteria
The BLM has published planning criteria for the Section 368 Energy Corridor Revisions EIS/RMPAs. Planning criteria lay the groundwork to guide effects analysis by identifying preliminary management concerns and analytical frameworks that the BLM will use to analyze issues in the NEPA document. The planning criteria helps focus analysis of the issues identified in scoping and structure the preparation of the EIS.
Analysis of the Management Situation
The BLM has also published the Analysis of the Management Situation (AMS). The AMS provides the foundation for the EIS/RMPA. The AMS describes:
- existing resource conditions
- current resource management practices
- resource trends and forecasts
The AMS also provides the basis for formulating reasonable alternatives and analysis of the environmental impacts of the alternatives.
Additional information about the Section 368 Energy Corridor Revisions EIS will be posted to this website and to the BLM project website as it becomes available.
