Wyoming is the main target for about 10,000 megawatts of new electrical transmission lines, beginning with the Gateway West project, stretching some 1,100 miles from Glenrock to Medicine Bow and finally to Boise, Idaho.

So far, the proposed routes appear as two-mile-wide swaths across the map. Ultimately those will be whittled down to easements 300 feet wide.

Landowners who might find themselves under or near the proposed routes have until July 3 to share their comments, concerns or support of the project to federal regulatory officials.

"We'll try to cement the corridors and routes in this scoping process so people aren't dealing with a moving target," Wyoming BLM project manager Walt George said.

The BLM and U.S. Forest Service held a public "scoping" meeting in Casper on Monday, an opportunity for citizens to learn about the proposed transmission line and the regulatory permitting process, and to provide comments.

The current comment period ends July 3. The agencies will issue a report in August outlining the alternative routes and other points of concern to be analyzed in an environmental impact statement. George said a draft document could be issued during the first quarter of 2009, and said a record of decision could be issued by late 2010 at the soonest.

"This is the longest transmission proposal right now in the West," he said.

A map of the proposed routes, and more information about the project, can be found on the Wyoming BLM's Web site, http://www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/cfodocs/gateway_west.

Gateway West is a joint proposal between Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power. The proposed transmission route begins near Glenrock where Rocky Mountain Power plans to build nearly 200 megawatts of new wind generation. It extends to Medicine Bow where more new wind generation is planned, along with DKRW's proposed coal-to-gasoline refinery, then follows the Interstate 80 corridor west.

George said most of the route follows existing transmission routes, as well as federally proposed energy corridors. However, Gateway West leaves the I-80 corridor west of Green River to cut across the southern portion of the Wyoming Range.

Erik Grill of Rocky Mountain Power said wind will make up a good deal of the new electrical generation that goes onto the transmission lines. But it could also come from additional coal-based generation, solar, or geothermal.

"Everything," Grill said.

He said the key point of the Gateway West project is that the demand for additional electricity is so great that Rocky Mountain Power doesn't necessarily need to know exactly what's going to be generating the new megawatts.

"You have to have transmission first," Grill said. "The need is there, and all these (proposed generation projects) are getting in the queue and they need to get the power out."

In addition to Gateway West, planning is under way for Gateway South from Wyoming to Arizona and TransWest from Wyoming to Las Vegas. George said the BLM and Forest Service will address those two electrical transmission projects under a single environmental impact statement.

Additionally, utilities are nominating commitments to the proposed Wyoming-Colorado Intertie, which project managers say will deliver about 900 megawatts of electricity from eastern Wyoming to the Colorado Front Range.

BLM officials said turnout was low for "scoping" meetings held in Idaho. The next meeting is today in Rawlins at the Jeffrey Center, 315 W. Pine St.

A meeting will be held Wednesday in Rock Springs at the BLM Field Office, 280 Hwy. 191 N., and on Thursday in Kemmerer at Kemmerer High School, 1525 Third W. Ave.

All meetings will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com.