BLM News Release, July 30, 1975

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Gary Rowe (801) 524-4259

CONTACT Rm. 243 Salt Lake Federal

Building Annex

new1 Relea1e

DEPARTmenr

OF

THE

lnTERIOR

July 30, 1975

The draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on the proposed 3,000 megawatt Kaiparowits power generating project in southern Utah was released today by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Private citizens, special interest groups,

in-dustry and government officials are invited to review and comment on the draft report. The EIS assesses potential environmental impacts associated with industry-proposed

development of the coal-fired, electric generating station and related facilities on Utah's Kaiparowits Plateau that would deliver power to market areas in Arizona and southern California.

In announcing availability of the report, Curt Berklund, Director of the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, said, "This draft EIS identifies and -analyzes both local and regional impacts associated with the proposed development of the

project and related facilities. It also analyzes the indirect impacts of increased human populations that would affect other resource values such as archaeological sites, plant communities and wildlife."

Applicants for the project include Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Arizona Public Service Company. If the project is approved, twelve million tons of coal would be mined from four underground mines; a 500 kv transmission system and supporting communication system would span almo,st 1,460 miles in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California; and a limestone quarry approximately 20 miles north of Bryce Canyon National Park would produce 237,000 tons of limestone annually for prevention of coal dust explosions and for other purposes.