Preliminary Alternatives

The BLM has developed preliminary alternatives based on the results from the regional review and will continue to develop additional alternatives responsive to the purpose and need based on early engagement as well as from comments received during the scoping period. The range of alternatives that could result in a variety of alternatives to currently designated corridor segments, including potential changes to corridor width, as well changes not identified during the regional review.

• No Action Alternative — Under the No Action Alternative, the seven Section 368 energy corridors would remain as designated in the 2009 WWEC Programmatic EIS ROD (or as modified by a subsequent RMP amendment). The proposed Wamsutter-Powder Rim corridor addition would not be designated as a Section 368 energy corridor.
• Action Alternative A — Adopt the Recommendations in the Section 368 Energy Corridor Review Final Report:
  • Corridor 16-104 — Remove entire corridor designation.
  • Corridor 18-23 — Shift entire corridor along existing 1000-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and narrow corridor width to 250-ft.
  • Corridor 27-41 — Shift corridor east at Milepost (MP) 130 along existing 500 kV transmission line and extend corridor east to Laughlin, Nevada.
  • Corridor 30-52 — Add a corridor braid along the Ten West Link 500 kV Project authorized right-of-way (ROW) between MP 94 and MP 200. Realign the corridor between MP 190 and MP 200 with the existing transmission line as the northern boundary of the corridor to avoid the Big Horn Mountain Wilderness Area and widen the corridor at MP 169 to maintain corridor width where a land conveyance to La Paz County was identified.
  • Corridor 81-213 — Add a corridor braid to the north along the Southline Transmission Line Project authorized ROW and the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project authorized ROW. Revise the corridor along existing 500 kV transmission line from MP 0 to MP 18 to avoid overlap with the Afton Solar Energy Zone (SEZ).
  • Corridor 113-114 — Add a corridor braid from MP 0 to MP 104 along the TransWest Express Transmission Line authorized ROW as well as an east-west connector at MP 30, connecting the designated corridor to the TransWest Express Transmission Project authorized ROW in eastern Nevada.
  • Corridor 138-143 — Remove entire corridor designation.
  • Wamsutter-Powder Rim — Replace Corridor 138-143 with a new corridor along the TransWest Express Transmission Project authorized ROW. The northern end of the corridor would begin at the intersection with Corridor 73-138 (MP 15) in Wyoming and the southern end would terminate at the intersection with Corridor 126-133 (MP 45) in Colorado.
• Additional Action Alternatives — Additional action alternatives for individual corridors may be identified by Cooperators, Federal agencies, Tribes, State and local agencies, and the public during the scoping process or by the BLM during its NEPA review. Any action alternatives would need to be responsive to the purpose and need.

The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for additional alternatives.