STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

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.

SB 156 Exemption Support Documents

• Cover Page
• SB 156 Exemption Report (DEIR)
  • Zayo's Prineville to Reno Draft EIR
  • Appendix A NOP and Scoping Comments
  • Appendix B Air Emissions Calculations
  • Appendix C Biological Resource Technical Report
    • Appendix C Attachment A Figures
    • Appendix C Attachment B Part 1 Delineation of Potential Waters of the United States
    • Appendix C Attachment B Part 2 Delineation of Potential Waters of the United States
    • Appendix C Attachment B Part 3 Delineation of Potential Waters of the United States
    • Appendix C Attachment C USFWS Consultation Letters
    • Appendix C Attachment D Part 1 Botanical Resources Report
    • Appendix C Attachment D Part 2 Botanical Resources Report
    • Appendix C Attachment D Part 3 Botanical Resources Report
    • Appendix C Attachment D Part 4 Botanical Resources Report
    • Appendix C Attachment D Part 5 Botanical Resources Report
  • Appendix D Cultural Resources Information
  • Appendix E Paleontological Resources Constraints Analysis
  • Appendix F1 Natural Vegetation Communities and Sensitive Natural Vegetation Communities
  • Appendix F2 Biological Resources Impact Areas
• Draft Conditions of CPCN Approval

Quick Links

• Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Application
  • Application
  • PEA
  • Appendix A: Maps & Drawings of Project
  • Appendix B: Air Quality, Greenhouse Gases & Energy Calculation
  • Appendix C: Biological Resources Technical Report
  • Appendix D: Cultural Resources Study (Confidential)
  • Appendix E: Detailed Tribal Consultation Report (Confidential)
  • Appendix F: Environmental Data Resources Report
  • Appendix G: Agency Consultation and Public Outreach Report
  • Appendix H: Water Body Crossings
  • Appendix I: Paleontological Resources Constraints Analysis
  • Appendix J Soils Mapbook
  • CPUC Deficiency Letter, dated October 30, 2020
  • Zayo Response Letter, dated December 7, 2020
    • Attachment A: November 13, 2020 Initial Comment Response Matrix
    • Attachment B: Personal communication with Caltrans
    • Attachment C: Revised PEA Biological Resources Section
    • Attachment D: Revised PEA Figures
    • Attachment E: Paleontological Resources Report GIS
    • Attachment F: Revised PEA Noise Section
    • Attachment G: USACE Aquatic Resources Spreadsheets
    • Attachment H: BRTR Revised Figure 3
    • Attachment I: Paleontological Resources Report Revised Table 3
  • Zayo Response Letter December 31, 2020
  • Attachment A: Revised PEA Project Description
  • Attachment B: Revised PEA Wildfire Section
    • Appendix A to the Wildfire Section: Fire Incidents in Counties Intersecting the Running Line
    • Appendix B to the Wildfire Section: Weather Station Data: wind direction and speed, relative humidity, temperature (2010-2020 provided hourly)
  • Attachment C: Revised PEA Figure 3-2
  • Attachment D: Oregon Wetland Memorandum
  • Attachment E: Nevada Wetland Delineation
  • Attachment F: Botanical Resources Field Survey Report for the Toiyabe National Forest
  • Attachment G: Invasive Plant Survey and TES Plant Habitat Assessment on Fremont-Winema Forest Lands
  • Attachment H: Botanical Resources Field Survey - Nevada
  • Attachment I: Botanical Resources Report - Prineville to Oregon Border
  • Zayo Response Letter February 2, 2021
    • Attachment A: Safety Data Sheets
    • Attachment B: FEMA Floodplain Tables
    • Attachment C: Revised Cumulative Table
    • Attachment D: Cumulative Administrative Record (51mb)
    • Attachment E: Revised Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas, Energy Emission Tables
    • Attachment F: PEA GIS
  • Zayo Response Letter, dated February 18, 2021
    • Section 4 - Description of Alternatives
    • Section 6 - Comparison of Alternatives
  • Zayo Response Letter, dated February 26, 2021
    • Section 1 - Executive Summary
    • Section 2 - Introduction
    • Section 3 - Proposed Project Description
    • Section 4 - Description of Alternatives
    • Section 5.1 - Environmental Analysis
    • Section 5.2 - Agriculture and Forestry Resources
    • Section 5.3 - Air Quality
      • Section 5.3,5.6, 5.8 Tables
    • Section 5.4 - Biological Resources
    • Section 5.5 - Cultural Resources
    • Section 5.6 - Energy
    • Section 5.7 - Geology, Soils and Paleontological Resources
    • Section 5.8 - Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Section 5.9 - Hazards, Hazardous Materials and Public Safety
    • Section 5.10 - Hydrology and Water Quality
    • Section 5.11 - Land Use and Planning
    • Section 5.12 - Mineral Resources
    • Section 5.13 - Noise
    • Section 5.14 - Population and Housing
    • Section 5.15 - Public Services
    • Section 5.17 - Transportation
    • Section 5.18 - Tribal Cultural Resources
    • Section 5.19 - Utilities and Services Systems
    • Section 5.20 - Wildfire
    • Section 5.21 - Mandatory Findings of Significance
    • Section 6 - Comparison of Alternatives
    • Section 7 - Cumulative and Other CEQA Considerations
      • Revised Cumulative Table
    • Section 9 - References
  • Zayo Response Letter, dated April 28, 2021 (Please note: All files are mark-ups)
    • Appendix A - Detailed Maps and Design Drawings (pp.1-50)
    • Appendix A - Detailed Maps and Design Drawings (pp.51-100)
    • Appendix A - Detailed Maps and Design Drawings (pp.101-150)
    • Appendix A - Detailed Maps and Design Drawings (pp.151-200)
    • Appendix A - Detailed Maps and Design Drawings (pp.201- 250)
    • Appendix A - Detailed Maps and Design Drawings (pp.251- 292)
    • Appendix B - Revised CalEEMod Assumptions
    • Appendix C - Wetland Delineation
    • Appendix C - USFWS Consultation Letters
    • Appendix C - Botanical Resources Report
    • Appendix C - Biological Resource Technical Report (clean version)
    • Appendix D - Cultural Resources Study (Confidential)
    • Appendix E - Detailed Tribal Consultation Report (Confidential)
    • Appendix F - Environmental Data Resources Report
    • Appendix G - Agency Consultation and Public Outreach Report
    • Appendix H - Water Body Crossings
    • Appendix I - Paleontological Resources Constraints Analysis
    • Appendix J - Soils Mapbook
    • Section 1 - Executive Summary
    • Section 2 - Introduction
    • Section 3 - Proposed Project Description
    • Section 4 - Description of Alternatives
    • Section 5.1 - Environmental Analysis
    • Section 5.2 - Agriculture and Forestry Resources
    • Section 5.3 - Air Quality
    • Section 5.4 - Biological Resources
    • Section 5.5 - Cultural Resources
    • Section 5.6 - Energy
    • Section 5.7 - Geology, Soils and Paleontological Resources
    • Section 5.8 - Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Section 5.9 - Hazards, Hazardous Materials and Public Safety
    • Section 5.10 - Hydrology and Water Quality
    • Section 5.11 - Land Use and Planning
    • Section 5.12 - Mineral Resources
    • Section 5.13 - Noise
    • Section 5.14 - Population and Housing
    • Section 5.15 - Public Services
    • Section 5.16 - Recreation
    • Section 5.17 - Transportation
    • Section 5.18 - Tribal Cultural Resources
    • Section 5.19 - Utilities and Services Systems
    • Section 5.20 - Wildfire
    • Section 5.21 - Mandatory Findings of Significance
    • Section 6 - Comparison of Alternatives
    • Section 7 - Cumulative and Other CEQA Considerations
    • Section 8 - List of Preparers
    • Section 9 - References
• 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
  • Response to Data Request No. 3
  • Zayo Impact Memo
  • Typical Bore Cross Section
• Zayo Response Letter, dated November 22, 2021
  • Response to Data Request No.4
  • Additional Data Request No. 4 Responses
• Zayo Response Letter, dated March 7, 2023 (contains confidential cultural resources information)

Data Request

• Data Response #2
• Data Response #3
• Data Response #4
• Data Response #5 (contains confidential cultural resources information)

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 CMCRP can be viewed here.

A number of mitigation compliance plans have been approved for the Project:

• Hazardous Material Management Plan
• Paleontological Mitigation Plan (confidential)
• Cultural Resources Monitoring and Inadvertent Discovery Plan (confidential)
• Revegetation and Restoration Plan
• Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
• Fire Response Plan
• Transportation Management Plan
• Horizontal Directional Drilling Inadvertent Returns Contingency Plan

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.

Construction Monitoring Reports

Monthly reports issed on construction progress as part of mitigation monitoring and compliance are listed here:

Schedule

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