Project Roles

Lead Agency: Western Area Power Administration

• Mission statement: Safely provide reliable, cost-based hydropower and transmission to our customers and the communities we serve.

• Lead NEPA agency

• Responds to interconnection request

• Receives NEPA support from SWCA Environmental Consultants

Cooperating Agencies

Cooperating agencies include those Federal, State, and local agencies that have jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise (40 CFR 1508.5). The role of cooperating agencies may include participating in the scoping process, developing information and environmental analysis at the request of the lead agency, and providing support staff to enhance the lead agency’s interdisciplinary capacity. WAPA sent letters to 12 agencies at the Federal, State, and local level inviting participation as a cooperating agency in preparation of the EIS. Seven agencies accepted invitations to participate: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8; Wyoming Office of Governor Mark Gordon; Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality; Wyoming Game and Fish Department; Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office; Wyoming State Parks; and Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments.

Tribal Consultation

WAPA is conducting formal consultation with interested tribes on a government-to-government level, according to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act as noted in section 5.2.2, “Government to Government and Section 106 Consultation.” WAPA has invited 16 federally recognized tribes to participate in the Section 106 consultation process. Invitation letters were sent on February 27 and September 8, 2020. Tribes that have accepted WAPA’s invitation are the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux, Yankton Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the Ute Tribe of Uintah and Ouray Reservation. In, addition, WAPA has had phone conversations with the Northern Arapaho Tribe’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office and the Yankton Sioux Tribe’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office to discuss the Section 106 consultation process and address any questions or requests. Ten tribes have yet to respond, but consultation remains open to any tribe that wishes to participate. The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe has deferred consultation to the other tribes.

Project Proponent-Developer: ConnectGen Albany County LLC

• Independent renewable energy company focused on the development of greenfield wind, solar, and energy storage projects across the United States

• Headquartered in Houston, Texas, and backed by Quantum Energy Partners

• Requested interconnection to WAPA transmission system

• Permitting support from Tetra Tech, Inc.