Public meetings set for Eastern Plains Transmission Project

A second series of public meetings on proposed transmission facilities in eastern Colorado and western Kansas is set for 10 communities between Feb. 12 and Feb. 23.

Western Area Power Administration seeks your comments on proposed and alternative routes for the Eastern Plains Transmission Project. Based on comments received at the public scoping meetings in August and September 2006, and during the public comment period, Western identified proposed transmission line routes and alternative routes to evaluate in the Environmental Impact Statement. Western has modified some of the alternative routes presented at the meetings in August and September in response to comments. We encourage you to attend one of the upcoming meetings to review the revised proposals and provide your comments.

The open-house meetings will provide you an opportunity to see how previously received comments have been incorporated into the alternatives that will be evaluated in the EIS, to review the proposed routes and alternative routes and comment on the alternatives. In addition, you can continue to provide comments on other issues and concerns related to the preparation of the EIS.

Open-house meetings will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. at all locations except as otherwise noted.

• Feb. 12, Brush, Colo.—Carroll Building, 418 Edison St.
• Feb. 13, Limon, Colo.—Limon Community Building, South Room, 477 D Ave.
• Feb. 14, Burlington, Colo.—Burlington Education and Community Center, 420 South 14th St.
• Feb. 15, Wray, Colo.—City Hall, Community Room, 245 West 4th St.
• Feb. 16, Byers, Colo.—Byers High School, Meeting Room #537/#538, 444 East Front St.
• Feb. 19, Lakin, Kan.—Veterans Memorial Building, 207 North Main St.
• Feb. 20, Sharon Springs, Kan.—Community Activity Building (CAB), Wallace County Fairgrounds -
  MOVED to Wallace County High School, 521 North Main, Sharon Springs
• Feb. 21, Lamar, Colo.—Lamar Community Building, Multi-Purpose Building, 610 South 6th St.
• Feb. 22, Hanover, Colo.—Hanover Junior/Senior High School, Cafeteria/Auditorium, 17050 South Peyton Highway, Colorado Springs (Hanover). NOTE: This meeting begins at 4 and ends at 8 pm.
• Feb. 23, Avondale, Colo.—McHarg Park Community Center Gym, 405 Second Street

Written comments, questions, and information on the scope of the EIS may be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to Mr. Jim Hartman, Environmental Manager, Western Area Power Administration, Rocky Mountain Region, P.O. Box 3700, Loveland, CO 80539; fax (970) 461-7213; or e-mail eptp@wapa.gov. For persons wishing to leave voice messages, the toll-free number is (888) 826-4710. Comments need to be submitted by March 9 to be factored into route refinements that will be presented in the Draft EIS.