HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 27 LEAPS ProjectCity of Lake Elsinore
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Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
www.lake - elsinore.org
Ne °— IKikr- ' City Council Agenda Report
File Number: ID# 19 -674
Agenda Date: 7/14/2020 Version: 1 Status: Approval Final
In Control: City Council / Successor Aqency File Type: Council Business
Item
Agenda Number: 27)
Status of the Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumping Station (LEAPS) Project
Receive a presentation from staff regarding the status of the Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumping Station
(LEAPS) Project, provide comments, and give direction to staff.
City of Lake Elsinore Page 1 Printed on 71912020
CITY OF
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REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Grant Yates, City Manager
Prepared by: Grant Taylor, Community Development Director
Date: July 14, 2020
Subject: Status of the Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumping Station (LEAPS) Project
Recommendation
Receive a presentation from staff regarding the status of the Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumping
Station (LEAPS) Project, provide comments, and give direction to staff.
Background
The LEAPS Project first proposed in 2004 consists of an upper reservoir (Decker Canyon in the
Cleveland National Forest), lower reservoir (Lake Elsinore) and tunnels running between. The
pump /powerhouse facility (Santa Rosa Powerhouse) would be located near the lake on the west
side of Grand Avenue in the Lakeland Village Area of unincorporated Riverside County.
When electricity is plentiful, pumps take water from the lower reservoir (Lake Elsinore) to the
upper reservoir with a capacity of 5,750 acre feet. When electrical energy is in demand the water
in the upper reservoir is released through tunnels flowing down to turbines at the powerhouse.
LEAPS also includes construction of 32 miles of 500 kV transmission lines and towers that run
through the Cleveland National Forest.
Analysis
The applicant, Nevada Hydro, Inc. submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) on October 2, 2017 that FERC classified as a Major Unconstructed Project.
The City of Lake Elsinore along with other local, State and Federal Agencies as well as private
parties commented on the project and /or requested additional studies. Comments and concerns
included but were not limited to water quality, wildlife, geotechnical, fire safety, recreation, cultural
resources, traffic, and property values. Nevada Hydro addressed the list of deliverables provided
by FERC, resubmitted the application and FERC on June 18, 2020 issued a "Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Soliciting Scoping Comments ". The
deadline for filing scoping comments is August 17, 2020. The purpose of the scoping
comments is to obtain all available information, identify issues that should be analyzed in the EIS,
determine resources issues, and identify issues that require detailed analysis.
The City of Lake Elsinore and County of Riverside are very concerned about significant impacts
on the lake, residents, businesses and properties and encourage concerned persons to provide
comments. Due to the COVID -19 pandemic FERC has declined to conduct a Scoping Meeting
Status of the Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumping Station (LEAPS) Project
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in person so the City and County are planning a joint Community Outreach Meeting tentatively
scheduled for July 30, 2020.
Staff will be making a PowerPoint presentation on the status of the LEAPS Project, the joint
Community Meeting, and where comments can be submitted to FERC electronically or in writing
and how to access the FERC Online Support Service.
Fiscal Imoact
Unknown at this time.
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