• At the state level, the Arizona Corp. Commission's Line Siting Committee voted to recommend approval of requested amendments to the CEC (Arizona cert. of environmental compatibility). Final say on the CEC will be made by the Commission soon, following October public comment (see News page)


• Status Update and Summary:

  LSPWA Appeal to Conservation Groups



• Amended DEIS (draft environmental impact statement) released. 90-day comment period has ended
  
  
  • Link to DEIS and appendices
    
    
  • BLM's SunZia documents page
    
    
  • BLM's DEIS Introduction. Summarizes proposed revisions to the original 2015 EIS
    
    
  • BLM's FAQ on the DEIS
    
    
  
  
  
• Documentation of curent SunZia-related activity can be found in the Federal Register


• To be on the BLM's SunZia Project mailing list, click here


• SunZia Schedule of Permits provides a partial picture of the project status

In June of 2021, SunZia initiated an amendment process against their 2015 Environmental Impact Statement. This means they must go back through the NEPA process which includes a scoping comment period [now passed], the creation of an amended Draft EIS (DEIS), a public comment period on the DEIS and, possibly an amended Final EIS. As of April 2022, we are awaiting the release of the DEIS, at which point CWG will need to analyse and respond with our comments.

In general, permitting for the proposed SunZia project occurs at both Federal and State-levels. Federal level permits would be issued by the BLM, Arizona permits by the ACC (Arizona Corporation Commission) and New Mexico permits by the NMPRC (New Mexico Public Regulation Commission).
In 2015, SunZia's FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Statement) was issued, and the BLM made it's ROD (Record of Decision) which allowed the project to move to the next step. This completed the project's NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) requirements.
In February of 2016, the ACC issued its CEC (Certificate of Environmental Compatibiliy)
In September 2016, the BLM issued it's ROW (Right-of-Way) grant over Federal lands.
In September 2018, the NMPRC denied SunZia's location ?
June 2021, SunZia filed an amended to it's EIS

SunZia's 'anchor' customer is expected to be the SunZia Wind Project (both the line and wind project owned by Pattern Energy) https://patternenergy.com/projects/sunzia-wind/
A Filing with the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) tells us that that Pattern Energy wants to buy a significant share of the SunZia project from SWPG (Southwestern Power Group, owned by MMR).
Another FERC filing tells us that permission has been granted for 100% of SunZia's transmission capacity to go to the anchor customer. If Pattern succeeds in buying a majority share in SunZia, it could be the only customer using SunZia, making the project a 520 mile long, private 'Tie Line'. more