Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the Prineville to Reno Fiber Optic Project (project) proposed by Zayo Group, LLC (applicant). An application (A.20-10-008) for the project was submitted to the CPUC on October 1, 2020 and includes the Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA) prepared pursuant to Rule 2.4 of the CPUC's Rules of Practice and Procedure. Click here to access the Formal Proceeding website. The site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process.
In accordance with CEQA, the CPUC, as the Lead Agency, is required to conduct a review of the environmental impacts of the proposed project. CPUC published a Notice of Preparation (NOP) on March 8, 2021 and began preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation in July 2021 regarding service of Broadband in California, which is identified as Senate Bill 156-Chapter 112, Statutes of 2021 (SB 156). The purpose of this legislation is to help bridge the digital divide, provide reliable and affordable internet access to all Californians, Expand the State's broadband fiber infrastructure, and increase internet connectivity for families and businesses. SB 156 also created a statutory exemption from the requirements of CEQA for qualifying middle mile projects. On April 28, 2022, the applicant filed a Motion to Amend the Assigned Commissioner's Scoping Memo and Ruling and Find Project Exempted from CEQA under Public Resources Code Section 21080.51. The Draft EIR (DEIR) prepared for Zayo's Prineville to Reno Fiber Optic Project confirms that the Project meets the requirements for the Public Resources Code Section 21080.51 for SB 156 Exemption Report demonstrating compliance with the exemption requirements. Mitigation Measures identified in the DEIR will now be considered by the CPUC as conditions of approval of Zayo's CPCN modification.
This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the environmental review process. Additional project information and documentation will be posted as it becomes available.
Zayo Group, LLC, a California telephone corporation, proposes the construction and operation of an underground fiber optic network from Prineville, Oregon, to Reno, Nevada, spanning 433.8 miles. The applicant intends to construct fiber optics infrastructure and associated facilities (such as conduits, fiber optics cable, handholes and manholes) in connection with the transport and transmission of communications. The three state project includes a 193.9 mile route through California. The project primary travels along U.S. Route 395 from the Oregon border through Modoc, Lassen and Sierra counties and into Nevada. Figure 1: (Project Overview Map PDF) shows the route in California.
According to the applicant, the purpose of the project is to improve the quality of rural broadband in south-central Oregon, northeastern California, and northwestern Nevada, and to make affordable broadband internet services available to currently undeserved communities in these areas.
The portion of the project that crosses California would extend 193.9 miles across portions of Modoc, Lassen, and Sierra counties. The project generally follows U.S. Route 395 but also county roads between the communities of Standish and Buntingville in Lassen County, where it follows Lassen County Road A3 for 7.35 miles and Cummings Road for 1.15 miles before returning to the right-of-way parallel to U.S. Highway 395. Conduit to house the new fiber optic cable would be buried using a combination of plowing or trenching construction techniques.
The lands underlying the Caltrans right-of-way are owned or administered by various state, federal, and private entities, including (BLM); U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; California State Lands Commission; unincorporated Modoc, Lassen, and Sierra counties; the City of Alturas; and several tribal entities. The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency. This website provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review processes and mitigation monitoring. For information on the NEPA process, please refer to the BLM’s eplanning website for the project at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/1503554/510
SB 156 Exemption Support Documents
Quick Links
- Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Application
- Zayo Response Letter February 2, 2021
- Zayo Response Letter, dated February 18, 2021
- Zayo Response Letter, dated February 26, 2021
- Zayo Response Letter, dated April 28, 2021 (Please note: All files are mark-ups)
- CPUC Completeness Letter - February 3, 2021
- Notice of Preparation (NOP) - March 8, 2021
- Public Scoping Report - April 23, 2021
- Zayo Response Letter, dated July 23, 2021
- Zayo Response Letter, dated November 22, 2021
- Zayo Response Letter, dated March 7, 2023 (contains confidential cultural resources information)
Data Request
Construction and Mitigation Monitoring
The CPUC developed a Conditions Monitoring, Compliance and Reporting Program (CMCRP) in coordination with Zayo to provide guidance and procedures for environmental monitoring during project construction. The CMCRP is a tool to ensure compliance with the Conditions of Approval for the Project's Modification of Existing Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), which was approved by the CPUC on August 10, 2023. The CMRCP was finalized in December 2023and was revised in June 2024 due to a change in personnel.
The December 2023 CMCRP can be viewed here.
The June 2024 Revised CMCRP can be viewed here.
A number of mitigation compliance plans have been approved for the Project:
Notice to Proceed
The CPUC issues Notices to Proceed (NTP) to the applicant for construction activity after confirming that Zayo has complied with pre-construction environmental requirements for that geographic area and/or project activity. NTPs for the project are listed below.
NTP
No. |
Description |
NTP Request from Zayo |
Date NTP Approved |
1
|
All construction activities including vegetation removal, trenching, drilling, etc. with the exception of areas within 1,000 feet of three cultural resources sites on BLM-managed land |
October 25, 2023 |
November 27, 2023 |
2 |
Two of the three cultural resources of prior concern will be avoided, and construction will not occur within 1,000 feet of the third cultural resouce |
May 16, 2024 |
August 10, 2024 |
Minor Project Refinement Request
Zayo may submit Minor Project Refinement (MPRs) for project changes that are not major enough to warrant potential revision of the certified CEQA document. The CPUC will review any MPRs submitted by Zayo per the process described in the CMCRP. Each MPR request submitted for the project is listed in the table below.
Number |
Description |
Date of Approval |
MPR #1 |
Reroute MP 60.06 to MP 59.74 |
8/7/24 |
MPR #2 |
Reroute MP M51.5 to MP51.2 |
8/7/24 |
MPR #3 |
Reroute MP M47.55-MP47.75 |
8/7/24 |
MPR #4 |
Reroute to avoid two road crossings |
9/6/24 |
Construction Monitoring Reports
Monthly reports issued on construction progress as part of mitigation monitoring and compliance are listed here:
Non-Compliance Reports
Non-compliance reports (NCR) are issued by the CPUC to Zayo for non-compliance incidents. NCRs include a non-compliance level of 1, 2, or 3, depending on the potential or actual risk to environmental resources caused by the non-compliance event. More information about the levels and NCRs is included in the CMCRP.
NCR No. |
Type of Incident/Resource at Risk |
Level |
1 |
Paleontology monitors not present when drill was entering into a paleontology monitoring zone |
1 |
Schedule
Milestone |
Date |
Applicant files Application and PEA |
October 1, 2020 |
Application deemed completed by CPUC |
February 3, 2021 |
Publish Notice of Preparation (NOP) |
March 8, 2021 |
Scoping Meeting |
March 24, 2021 |
Post Scoping Report |
April 22, 2021 |
Senate Bill (SB) 156 Exemption Report Available |
June 2,2023 |
CPUC Issues Decision |
August 10, 2023 |
Notice of Exemption (if CPCN approved) |
August 14, 2023 |
CPUC Issue notice to proceed and start construction (if CPCN approved) |
November 27, 2023 |
Construction Initiation |
February 2024 |
Finish construction (10 months) |
October 2024 (estimated) |
For Additional Information
To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact the CPUC's Project Manager.
Connie Chen, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Email:zayoproject@ecorpconsulting.com
Fax: (909) 307-0056
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