Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power have applied to the BLM for a right-of-way grant to use public lands for portions of the Gateway West Transmission Line Project. The companies have also applied for a special use permit to the Medicine Bow and Caribou-Targhee National Forests, as the proposed line also crosses these federally-managed lands.

The BLM and national forests use the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process (40 CFR 1500) to assist their decision-making. The BLM is the lead federal agency for the NEPA process and will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in compliance with NEPA and other federal laws.

To learn more about the NEPA process, check out A Citizen's Guide to NEPA (PDF).

The final environmental impact statement was released on April 26, 2013 and is now available for public review and comment. The public comment period will run from April 26 through June 28. The final EIS is available for viewing on the BLM website and BLM Field Offices, or you may request a CD. To access and learn more about the final EIS visit the EIS page on this website.