Apr 14 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Albuquerque Journal, N.M.



The Bureau of Land Management has scheduled a new public meeting later this month to discuss alternative routes for the 460-mile-long SunZia Southwest Transmission Project in response to concerns from White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base and Fort Bliss Army Base.

The meeting will be April 27 from 5-8 p.m. at the Socorro County Fairgrounds in Socorro.

The project, proposed by SunZia Transmission LLC, would consist of a 500-kilovolt transmission line, or two parallel lines, to deliver electricity from primarily renewable energy sources to western power markets. It would stretch between the eastcentral plains of New Mexico from south of the Moriarty area south to the Las Cruces area then west to the Casa Grande, Ariz., area just outside of Phoenix.

The BLM, which will oversee an environmental impact study for the project, held 12 public meetings last year. In response to those, preliminary studies and meetings with interested parties, the agency will consider the potential for additional feasible routes, according to a BLM news release.

 In New Mexico, the agency plans to evaluate alternative routes north of Socorro in Lincoln, Torrance, Valencia and Socorro counties, suggested as optional routes to the original proposed and alternative routes north of the White Sands Missile Range.

The alternatives were suggested to avoid impacts to operations at the missile range, Holloman Air Force Base and Fort Bliss Army Base, the release said.

In Arizona, alternative routes will be evaluated within Pima County in the Tucson area. A meeting is planned April 29 at the Holiday Inn, 4550 South Palo Verde Road, in Tucson. It also will be from 5-8 p.m.

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