The Bureau of Land Management is holding additional public meetings in October to seek input on a proposed study expansion area for the 460-mile, 500-kilovolt SunZia Southwest Transmission line across New Mexico and Arizona. The line will primarily carry energy from renewable resources to Western power markets.

The BLM, which is identifying environmental impacts and alternatives for the project, held nine public meetings in June and July in communities along the proposed transmission line route. Some participants are concerned about locating the route for the line's Rio Grande crossing near San Antonio village north of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Several alternative routes were suggested, such as south of the White Sands Missile Range. The BLM is expanding the project study area so that these potential transmission line routes can be considered in the EIS process.

The BLM has extended the public comment period an additional 30 days to Nov. 27. The open-house public scoping meetings along the expanded study area will be held in Las Cruces (Court Youth Center) on Oct. 26, Alamogordo (First National Bank) on Oct. 27 and Chaparral (high school) on Oct. 28. All meetings will be from 5 to 8 p.m.

Comments also can be made via the BLM Project Web site at www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/more/lands_realty.html, via the project e-mail address at NMSunZiaProject@blm.gov, or in writing to the Bureau of Land Management, SunZia Transmission Line Project, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115.