AT&T Japan-U.S. Cable Network Decommissioning (JUS S8 and JUS S9 Cables) Project

The California State Lands Commission has authorized a General Lease for Right-of-Way Use, designated as Lease 8203, for AT&T Enterprises, LLC. This lease allows for the use of sovereign land offshore of Manchester State Beach in Mendocino County for a 10-year term beginning July 1, 2026. The lease specifically covers five existing nonoperational 5-inch-diameter steel conduits and two 1.2-inch-diameter fiber optic cable segments. This authorization is part of the broader AT&T Japan-U.S. Cable Network Decommissioning Project involving the JUS S8 and JUS S9 submarine cable systems. Project activities are centered in San Luis Obispo and Mendocino Counties, specifically near Montaña de Oro and Manchester State Parks. Scope of work includes open water cable recovery, onshore cable cutting, and dive support vessel operations for excavation and conduit removal. The project is categorically exempt from environmental review under Class 1 for existing facilities, as it is not expected to cause significant physical changes or environmental effects. Compliance is required across several regulatory frameworks, including the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, the Magnuson-Stevens Act for Essential Fish Habitat, and the National Historic Preservation Act. The project is subject to a Mitigation Monitoring Program to address air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and the protection of marine biological and cultural resources. Specific protocols are in place for the treatment of inadvertent discoveries of archaeological resources or human remains in accordance with state and federal law.