Prineville to Reno Fiber Optic Project
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021030143
Public Agency
California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC)
Document Title
Prineville to Reno Fiber Optic Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/14/2023
Document Description
Zayo Group, LLC (Zayo or Applicant), a California telephone corporation, proposes the construction and operation of an underground fiber optic network from Prineville, Oregon, to Reno, Nevada, spanning a total of 433.8 miles. The Proposed Project components include a new fiber optic cable, in-line amplifiers (ILAs), and vaults and line markers. Along the majority of the route, conduit to house the new fiber optic cable would be buried 36 to 42 inches deep using a combination of plowing or trenching construction techniques. Alternatively, horizontal directional drilling would be used to cross under 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 ILA sites. Fiberglass vaults would be installed flush to the ground approximately every 2,500- to 3,500 feet along the Proposed Project alignment to provide maintenance access and at splice locations. Line markers, which would be co-located with the vaults along the Proposed Project corridor, are 4-foot-tall flexible fiberglass posts that would be used to mark the location of the buried conduit. Construction staging areas would be located within the right-of-way adjacent to the Proposed Project alignment, and materials storage yards would be located at existing industrial or commercial space in Alturas, Madeline, Termo, and Standish. All construction activities would be conducted in compliance with Caltrans requirements and county longitudinal utility encroachment permit procedures. Zayo plans to install conduit beyond the immediate need of the current Project to ensure future capacity.
Contact Information
Name
Connie Chen
Agency Name
California Public Utilites Commission
Job Title
CPUC Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Alturas
Counties
Modoc
Regions
Northern California
State Highways
US 395
Other Location Info
The Proposed Project alignment would enter California near the town of New Pine Creek, Oregon and travel south through Modoc County (59.8 miles), including through the City of Alturas (1.6 miles), then through Lassen County (129.6 miles), and across the northeastern corner of Sierra County (3.1 miles) into Nevada at the town of Cold Springs. The Proposed Project alignment 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, Litchfield, Standish, Buntingville, Milford, and Doyle. In Sierra County, the Project does not pass through any cities or census-designated communities.
The majority of the Proposed Project alignment (185.6 miles) would be within the U.S. Highway 395 (US 395) right-of-way, which is managed by the California Department of transportation (Caltrans). A portion of the line between the communities of Standish and Buntingville in Lassen County would follow the country roads 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. Staging areas, materials storage areas, and Inline Amplifiers (ILAs) would be located on private land outside of the rights of way.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code Section 21080.51 (SB 156)
Reasons for Exemption
Zayo’s Prineville to Reno Fiber Optic Project meets the requirements under Public Resources Code Section 21080.51 for the SB 156 CEQA Statutory Exemption. The SB 156 Exemption Report is available for review on CPUC’s project website: https://ia.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/ecorp/prineville/index.html
County Clerks
Lassen, Modoc, Sierra
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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