State consumer advocate sues Sierra Pacific, feds over utility line

Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997 | 3:54 a.m.

The suit, filed last week in U.S. District Court here, seeks a delay in the project until the completion of more environmental studies on the line's route through Washoe County.

"We're seeking an injunction to prevent Sierra Pacific from building the line," Chris Van Dyck, an assistant attorney general for the consumer advocate, said Friday.

"We're asking for a court ruling to make the (federal government) conduct an additional environmental impact study of the route."

Also named in the suit are the Bureau of Land Management and Interior Department.

At issue is a 12-mile realignment of the line north of Reno from Peavine Peak to U.S. Highway 395. Property owners near the new path are objecting to the change.

Nevada Consumer Advocate Fred Schmidt maintains the BLM is required to consider the environmental effects of the realignment since it's the lead federal agency for the project.

The fact the new alignment doesn't cross any additional BLM land is irrelevant, he says.

John Owens, Sierra Pacific's project manager for the line, said further studies are unnecessary because the route through Washoe County is a change in the original plan, not a new project.

BLM has backed Sierra Pacific, saying it wouldn't review the new route because it's not on BLM land.

The suit will proceed despite Nevada Public Service Commission approval of the line Thursday. The Washoe County Commission and Reno City Council earlier approved the project.

The line still needs approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nevada Department of Transportation and California Public Utilities Commission.

The Reno-based utility hopes to start construction on the 345,000-volt electric transmission line this fall.

The line would provide northern Nevada with an additional 300 megawatts of electricity from utilities in the Pacific Northwest. The company says the additional power is needed to meet growing needs.