Zayo Prineville-to-Reno Fiber Optic Project
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021030143
Lead Agency
California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC)
Document Title
Zayo Prineville-to-Reno Fiber Optic Project
Document Type
NOP - Notice of Preparation of a Draft EIR
Received
Document Description
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is preparing an EIR for the Project identified below and is requesting comments on the scope and content of the EIR. Zayo Group, LLC, a California telephone corporation, in its CPUC application (A.20-10-008), filed on October 1, 2020, seeks to modify its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) in connection with its proposed construction and operation of an underground fiber optic network from Prineville, Oregon, to Reno, Nevada, spanning 433.8 miles. The portion of the project that crosses California would extend 193.9 miles across portions of Modoc, Lassen, and Sierra counties. Along the majority of the route, conduit to house the new fiber optic cable would be buried using a combination of plowing or trenching construction techniques. Alternatively, horizontal directional drilling would be used to cross water bodies and roads, and where necessary to avoid existing infrastructure or biological or cultural resources. For some water- or road-crossing locations, the conduit may be affixed to the side or underside of bridges. Ancillary equipment would be installed at three small buildings that would serve as amplifier sites (ILAs). Fiberglass vaults would be installed flush to the ground along the running line to provide maintenance access and at splice locations.
According to the applicant, the purpose of this 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 underserved communities in these areas.
The CPUC is the lead agency under CEQA and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the federal lead agency for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, which will be conducted separately from the CEQA process.
Contact Information
Name
Anne Surdzial
Agency Name
Consultant
Contact Types
Consulting Firm
Phone
Name
Connie Chen
Agency Name
CPUC Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Alturas
Counties
Lassen, Modoc, Sierra
Regions
Northern California
Other Information
The Project would be located along US 395 within the right-of-way managed by Caltrans in Modoc, Lassen, and Sierra counties. The running line generally follows United States Highway 395 (US 395) but also county roads between the communities of Standish and Buntingville in Lassen County, where it follows Standish Buntingville Road (Lassen County Road A3) for 7.35 miles and Cummings Road for 1.15 miles before returning to the right-of-way parallel to US 395.
The project crosses through unincorporated communities in Modoc County, including New Pine Creek, Davis Creek, Ramsey, and Likely, as well as the City of Alturas. Within Lassen County, the project traverses the communities of Sage Hen, Pinnio, Madeline, Brockman, Moran, Termo, Viewland, Litchfield, Standish, Buntingville, Milford, and Doyle. In Sierra County, the project does not pass through any cities or census designated communities.
Notice of Completion
State Review Period Start
State Review Period End
State Reviewing Agencies
California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, North Central Region 2 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Northern and Eureka Region 1 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Transportation, District 2 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, District 3 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Redding Region 5 (RWQCB), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Sacramento Region 5 (RWQCB), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lahontan South Lake Tahoe Region 6 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Historic Preservation, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, California Natural Resources Agency
State Reviewing Agency Comments
California Natural Resources Agency
Development Types
Other (Fiber Optic Network)
Local Actions
None
Project Issues
Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Utilities/Service Systems
Attachments
Draft Environmental Document [Draft IS, NOI_NOA_Public notices, OPR Summary Form, Appx,]
Notice of Completion [NOC] Transmittal form
State Comment Letters [Comments from state reviewing agencies]
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.