GRAPEVINE CANYON WIND PROJECT

​Foresight Flying M, LLC,  proposes to construct a wind energy generation project up to 500 megawatts. The project would be located on privately owned ranch lands and trust lands administered by the Arizona State Land Department. The project location is approximately 22 miles southeast of Flagstaff and about 18 miles south of the I-40 Twin Arrows interchange. To support delivery of the power generated by the project, Foresight proposes to build a new transmission tie-line to interconnect with Western’s existing Glen Canyon-Pinnacle Peak transmission lines. The transmission tie-line would cross lands administered by Coconino National Forest. The project area would be accessed by the existing F.S. 126 road, south of the Twin Arrows I-40 exit.

Foresight has applied to interconnect the proposed project to WAPA’s power transmission system. WAPA prepared a draft environmental impact statement to address the proposed interconnection and any necessary modifications to WAPA facilities to accommodate the interconnection. The EIS also addressed the potential environmental impacts of constructing, operating and maintaining Foresight’s wind generation facility and associated facilities. The Coconino National Forest and the ASLD are cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.

 

RECORD OF DECISION ISSUED FOR PROJECT, SEPT. 11, 2012

After considering the environmental impacts, WAPA decided to allow Foresight’s request for interconnection to WAPA’s transmission system on its Glen Canyon-Pinnacle Peak transmission lines and to construct, own, and operate a new switchyard to accommodate the interconnection. The record of decision (pdf) was published in the Federal Register (77 FR 55829) Sept. 11, 2012.

 

PROJECT DOCUMENTS

FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AVAILABLE

• Notice of Availability for the Grapevine Canyon Wind Project Final EIS, June 8, 2012

• Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume I (47.2 MB)
  Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume II – Appendices (61.6 MB)

• Volume I
  

  • Executive Summary and Table of Contents (1.25 MB)
  • Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need (511 KB)
  • Chapter 2 – Proposed Action and Alternatives (2.25 MB)
  • Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences (5.86 MB)
  • Chapter 4 – Cumulative Effects (283 KB)
  • Chapter 5 – List of Agencies, Organizations, and Individuals Provided Draft EIS (33.4 KB)
  • Chapter 6 – List of Preparers (51 KB)
  • Chapter 7 – Disclosure Statement (26.9 KB)
  • Chapter 8 – References (143 KB)
  • Chapter 9 – Glossary (90.9 KB)
  • Chapter 10 – Public Comment and Response (32 MB)Attachment A – Visual Resources — Photographic Simulations

• Volume II
  

  • Table of Contents (539 KB)
  • Appendix A – Standards and Regulations (192 KB)
  • Appendix B – Scoping (51.5 MB)
  • Appendix C – Best Management Practices (765 KB)
  • Appendix D – Biological Resources (8.51 MB)

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Volume I (complete) (7.2 MB pdf)

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Volume II (complete) (22.2 MB pdf)

• Environmental Protection Agency’s comments: http://www.epa.gov/region9/nepa/otherindex.html#wapa.

OTHER DOCUMENTS

• Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (55 kb pdf)

• Project area map (173 kb pdf)
• Project area land ownership map (311 kb pdf)
• Scoping comment form (90 kb pdf)
• Scoping meeting announcement (75 kb pdf)
• Scoping meeting news release
• EPA’s Federal Register DEIS Notice of Availablility (56 kb pdf)

CONTACT INFORMATION

Matt Blevins
Western Area Power Administration
Mail: P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228
Telephone: 720-962-7261
Fax: 720-962-7263
E-mail: GrapevineWindEIS@wapa.gov