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Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the proposed construction and operation of the Siskiyou Telephone Company (Siskiyou Telephone) Eddy Gulch Telecommunication Cable Project. A Rural Telecommunications Infrastructure Grant Phase 2 Application for this project was submitted to the CPUC on September 23, 2008 (Resolution T-17207). This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process.
Background
Siskiyou Telephone has filed an Application with the CPUC for the Eddy Gulch Telecommunication Cable Project (“Eddy Gulch Project”) for installation of telecommunications lines in four conduits. The objective of the project is to provide telephone and broadband service to six private residences in Siskiyou County, California.
The cable route would be located within the rights-of-way of Eddy Gulch Road, a Siskiyou County-maintained road located on the Klamath National Forest, and a private roadway. The telecommunication line would begin at the intersection of Sawyers Bar Road and Eddy Gulch Road in the community of Sawyers Bar, and would extend south within the right-of-way of Eddy Gulch Road for approximately 3.0 miles. A spur of the telecommunication line would branch off from Eddy Gulch Road and extend southeast for approximately 1.4 miles on a private road. The majority of the telecommunication line would be installed underground, but some sections would be installed aboveground over three waterways.
The proposed project is needed to provide Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) and broadband service to 6 private residences. The Eddy Gulch area is in a remote area of Siskiyou County, and residents are unable to communicate through the use of cellular phones, satellites, or radio because of their minimal effective use in the remote Eddy Gulch area. The nearest public phone for Eddy Gulch residents is located north in the community of Sawyers Bar. Telephone services are required for emergency use, personal use, and to report injuries or fires. Broadband services would be used for various needs, such as shopping, telemedicine, and telecommuting.
The heavily wooded nature of the Eddy Gulch area poses a serious risk of fire danger during the hot, dry summer months. The lack of mobile phone coverage throughout the Sawyers Bar exchange contributes not only to delays in reporting forest fires, but inefficiency in battling the costly fires. Firefighters must contend with extremely rugged terrain, much of it inaccessible by road, and having landline phone service in the area would provide temporary fire camps with not only voice service, but the dial-up service that the USFS finds indispensable in managing fire fighting operations. This same fire risk makes aboveground, pole-mounted telecommunication lines vulnerable to damage, as does heavy snow, rockslides, and falling trees. These factors have influenced Siskiyou Telephone’s decision to propose that the majority of the new telecommunication line at Eddy Gulch be placed underground where it would be protected from most such hazards. Siskiyou Telephone’s proposed Eddy Gulch Telecommunication Cable Project would consist of three phases. These phases include:
- Construction and installation of underground telephone lines, trench filling, and restoration of construction areas
- Service activation
- Telephone line maintenance
Grant funds would be used for construction and installation of telephone lines and trench filling and restoration of construction areas. Grant funds would not be used for service activation or telephone line maintenance. Siskiyou Telephone would obtain all necessary permits and permission from USFS, CPUC, Siskiyou County, and private landowners prior to any construction activities.
Figure 1: Proposed Project Location and Figure 2: Proposed Project show an overview of the proposed project area and route. Figure 3: Topography and the Proposed Project shows the topography in the project area.
Other Documents Available
None at this time.
Environmental Review
The CPUC expects that an Initial Study (IS)/Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) will be the appropriate CEQA document to be prepared for this project. The Draft IS/MND will be distributed for public review. A Final IS/MND will then be published before the CPUC makes a decision on the proposed project. Each of these documents will be available on this web site at a later date.
Draft IS/MND Publication
On March 29, 2010, the CPUC released a Notice of Intent to Adopt a MND for the Eddy Gulch Telecommunication Cable Project, showing that the proposed Project, as mitigated, would not have any significant effects on the environment.
The Draft IS/MND may be viewed by clicking here (14 MB).
Public Involvement and Comment Period
The Draft IS/MND is also available for review at the following libraries:
Etna Branch Library
115 Collier Way
Etna, CA 96027
Fort Jones Branch Library
11960 East Street
Fort Jones, CA 96032
Yreka Branch Library
719 4th Street
Yreka, CA 96097
Written comments on the Draft IS/MND must be postmarked or received by fax or e-mail no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 28, 2010. Please include your name, address, and telephone number in your correspondence. Comments can be sent to the following:
Jeffrey Smith
RMT, Inc.
4 West 4th Avenue, Suite 303
San Mateo, CA 94402
Project voicemail: (650) 340-4855
Project fax number: (650) 373-1211
Project email: eddygulch@rmtinc.com
Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (Final IS/MND)
The Draft IS/MND was circulated to interested agencies and the public on March 29, 2010. A 30-day public review period was held, ending on April 28, 2010. During that review period, no written comments were received on the Draft IS/MND.
On May 21, 2010, the CPUC prepared a Final IS/MND under CEQA for consideration of the Siskiyou Telephone Eddy Gulch Telecommunication Cable Project. The information in the Final IS/MND describes the Proposed Project and the potential environmental impacts, identifies those impacts that could be significant, and presents mitigation measures to avoid or minimize potentially significant impacts.
The Final IS/MND can be viewed by clicking here (14 MB).
CPUC Actions after Final IS/MND Publication
There is no comment period following issuance of the Final IS/MND. The CPUC will determine the adequacy of the Final IS/MND, and, if adequate, will adopt the document as being compliant with CEQA. If adequate, the CPUC will issue a Proposed Decision on the Application, which will be announced and published concurrent with a scheduled Commission meeting. After the Commission makes the decision on the Application, a Notice of Determination will be mailed to the State Clearinghouse within 5 days of the Decision. The 30-day statute of limitations for court challenges begins after the Notice of Determination is filed.
For Additional Information
The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is conducting an environmental review of the project. To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or phone, as follows:
Project email: eddygulch@rmtinc.com
Project fax number: (650) 373-1211
Project voicemail: (650) 340-4855
The CPUC’s Project Manager is:
Jensen Uchida, CPUC Project Manager
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel. (415) 703-5484
Fax (415) 703-2200
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