16 U.S.C. § 410aaa–51 — Utility rights-of-way

(a) Continuation of rights-of-way and other activities; upgrading transmission lines; emergency access plans (1) Nothing in this part cancels any validly issued right-of-way, or Southern California Edison's normal operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement work in it, on land inside the preserve but outside wilderness areas. This work must minimize harm to preserve resources. (2) Nothing in this part stops Edison from upgrading two named existing transmission lines (Eldorado-Lugo and Mojave-Lugo) to carry more power, including building a replacement line, subject to detailed limits: (A) the Eldorado-Lugo right-of-way may never hold more than three transmission lines; (B) in the Mojave-Lugo right-of-way and any adjacent right-of-way, the old line must be removed and the site restored within three years after upgrade construction begins, after which only one line may remain there; (C) if the Eldorado-Lugo right-of-way has no more than two lines, the Mojave-Lugo area may have two lines; (D) no extra land may be added to the Eldorado-Lugo or Mojave-Lugo rights-of-way for this upgrade unless it would reduce harm to preserve resources; (E) no more than 350 feet of extra land may be added south of the Mojave-Lugo right-of-way unless a bigger addition would reduce harm; and (F) all upgrade work, including work using helicopters, must minimize harm to preserve resources. (3) Within 180 days after October 31, 1994, the Secretary had to work with Southern California Edison to prepare plans for its emergency access to its rights-of-way. (b) Pipeline capacity (1) Nothing in this part cancels any validly issued right-of-way or Southern California Gas Company's normal operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, upgrade, or renewal work for its pipeline, on land inside the preserve but outside wilderness areas. This work must minimize harm to preserve resources. (2) Within 180 days after October 31, 1994, the Secretary had to work with Southern California Gas Company to prepare plans for its emergency access to its rights-of-way. (c) Communications cables or lines Nothing in this part cancels any validly issued right-of-way, or the normal operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of existing communications cables or lines, on land inside the preserve but outside wilderness areas. This work must minimize harm to preserve resources. (d) Other rights-of-way Nothing in this part cancels any validly issued right-of-way, or the normal operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, or renewal work, granted to Molybdenum Corporation of America, Molycorp Incorporated, or Union Oil Company of California (doing business as Unocal Corporation), on land inside the preserve but outside wilderness areas. This work must minimize harm to preserve resources.