Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the permitting and construction of the Southern California Edison (SCE) Antelope-Pardee 500 kV Transmission Line Project. This project included a 25.6-mile 500-kV single-circuit transmission line which replaced an existing 66-kV line between the Antelope Substation in Lancaster and the Pardee Substation in Santa Clarita, in northern Los Angeles County, including approximately 13 miles within the Angeles National Forest (ANF). The project also included electrical interconnections at the existing Antelope and Pardee Substations, as well as an expansion of the Antelope Substation and relocation of several existing 66-kV subtransmission lines in the vicinity of the Antelope Substation. SCE submitted an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for this project to the CPUC on December 9, 2004. SCE also submitted an application for a Special Use Easement to the USDA Forest Service. The Project was reviewed under both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the permitting, CEQA and NEPA review processes, and construction of the Project.

PROJECT STATUS

The Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIR/EIS) was certified and a Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) was granted by CPUC (Docket #A.04-12-007, SCH #2005061161) on March 1, 2007. The USDA Forest Service issued a Record of Decision (ROD) on August 23, 2007. Project construction occurred between March 2008 and September 2009.

Pre-Construction Compliance

Notices to Proceed (NTPs) were issued by CPUC by subsection of the project as requested by SCE. A summary of NTPs issued for the Antelope-Pardee Project is provided in Table 1 below, as well as any NTP modifications/addendums and Forest Service approvals. Issuance of NTPs was contingent upon SCE's compliance with pre-construction requirements as specified by the approved mitigation measures and responsible agency permitting requirements.

Other responsible agency permits required for construction, and their amendments, are listed here. Major compliance plans requiring CPUC and/or permit agency review and approval included the following.

• Sensitive Biological Habitat Survey Reports
• Bird Nesting Survey Reports
• Restoration Plans
• Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs)
• Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plans (SPCCs)
• Fugitive Dust Control Plans
• Paleontological Resources Discovery and Management Plans
• Cultural Resources Treatment Plans
• Phase I and II Site Investigation Reports
• Waste Characterization and Management Plans
• Worker Environmental Awareness Program Plans
• Health and Safety Plans
• Construction Safety and Emergency Response Plans
• Fire Prevention Plans
• Construction Transportation/Traffic Plans

Construction Monitoring & Variance Review

CPUC Environmental Monitors monitored construction activities to ensure that construction was conducted in accordance with the approved mitigation measures and permit conditions. Weekly reports documenting construction and monitoring activities are posted here.

As final engineering was completed and as construction necessitated, Variance Requests were submitted for the Project. A summary of the Variance Requests is provided in Table 2 below. Each of these requests was reviewed by CPUC to ensure that no new impacts or increase in impact severity would result from the requested change.

BACKGROUND

Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement

In accordance with CEQA and NEPA, an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement was prepared for the proposed Project. The Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIR/EIS) was certified and a Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) was granted by CPUC (Docket #A.04-12-007, SCH #2005061161) on March 1, 2007. The CPUC approved a project alignment that included the originally proposed alignment (northern and southern ends) and a combination of Alternatives 2 and 4. Maps of the approved alignment are provided below, in the link provided to the Final EIR/EIS.

The Final EIR/EIS was prepared in December 2006 and issued in early January 2007. The Final EIR/EIS consists of two volumes. Volume I is a re-printed version of the Draft EIR/EIS. Changes made to the Draft EIR/EIS in Volume I are identified as follows: inserted text is underlined and deleted text is shown in strikeout. Volume II consists of all comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS and responses to those comments, as well as the mitigation monitoring plan.

The CPUC released the Draft EIR/EIS for the proposed Project on July 21, 2006. The public comment period for this document ended on October 3, 2006. All comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS were responded to in the Final EIR/EIS, Volume II, as discussed above.
CEQA requires that the CPUC provide written responses to public agency comments at least 10 days prior to certifying an EIR (Public Resource Code 21092.5(a)). This was accomplished by sending the Final EIR to all agencies that commented.

NEPA Process and USDA Forest Service Record of Decision

The U.S. EPA's Office of Federal Activities published a Notice of Availability of the Final EIS in the Federal Register on January 19, 2007. The USDA Forest Service issued a Record of Decision (ROD) on August 23, 2007, which states the decision, identifies all alternatives considered, and describes applicable mitigation. The Forest Service also approved an alignment comprised of a combination of Alternatives 2 and 4. Two Notices of Appeal were filed on the ROD. On November 19, 2007, the USDA Forest Service Appeal Reviewing Officer (ARO) found that the Forest Supervisor's decision was appropriate and complied with existing laws, policies, and regulations.

OTHER DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE

Final Decision Granting a CPCN

USDA Forest Service Record of Decision (August 23, 2007)

Notice of Availability of the Final EIR/EIS (December 29, 2006)

Notice of Extension of the Draft EIR/EIS review period (September 13, 2006)

Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR/EIS (July 21, 2006)

Federal Register Notice of Intent to prepare a joint environmental impact statement/report (June 28, 2005)

Notice of Preparation of an EIR/EIS (June 24, 2005)

SCE's Proponent's Environmental Assessment (December 9, 2004)

More Construction photos

Informational Video (26MB)

For Additional Information