[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 91 (Thursday, May 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11557]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 12, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration

 

Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for BPA's Operational Fiber 
Optics Project

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), DOE.

ACTION: Notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: BPA proposes to upgrade the existing operational 
telecommunications equipment throughout their service area (within the 
states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana). This upgrade will 
involve replacing existing analog radios with digital radios and fiber 
optic equipment. Fiber optic cable will be strung on existing 
structures or a new parallel line within BPA's existing transmission 
line rights-of-way.
    A site specific project has been identified for the first segment 
of this proposed telecommunication upgrade. It includes installing 
fiber optic cable and related equipment from BPA's Ross Substation near 
Vancouver, Washington, to Franklin Substation near Pasco, Washington. 
This distance is approximately 340 kilometers (217 miles). Most of the 
cable will be installed on existing structures, however, in certain 
areas additional poles will be needed to carry the cable when existing 
towers cannot carry the additional load. The line will span both 
floodplains and wetlands located in the counties of Clark, Skamania, 
Klickitat, Benton, and Franklin in Washington; and Sherman, Gilliam, 
Morrow, Wasco, and Umatilla counties in Oregon.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR part 1022), BPA 
will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment and will perform this 
proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or minimize potential harm 
to or within the affected floodplain and wetlands.
    The floodplains and wetlands assessment will be included in the 
environmental assessment (EA) being prepared for the proposed project 
in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA). A floodplain statement of findings will be included 
in any finding of no significant impact that may be issued following 
the completion of the environmental assessment.

DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than May 31, 
1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: John M. Taves--EFBG, Bonneville Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621, phone 
number 503-230-4995, fax number 503-230-3984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EA covers two different levels of 
environmental analysis: One is the programmatic approach that would 
describe future telecommunication upgrades throughout BPA's service 
area and the other is a site specific analysis covering the first 
segment of a proposed upgrade from BPA's Ross Substation near 
Vancouver, Washington, to Franklin Substation located near Pasco, 
Washington. The programmatic EA would cover a discussion of the 
affected environment and a general overview of potential impacts and 
possible mitigation. For each segment of BPA's system proposed for 
telecommunication upgrading, a site-specific analysis would be 
completed within a separate NEPA process.
    The site specific portion of the EA will involve crossing the 100-
year floodplain of several major rivers and tributaries. At major river 
crossings, the fiber optic cable would be placed on existing structures 
so no new towers would be located in floodplains. The smaller rivers 
and tributaries would be spanned using either existing towers or new 
poles. The poles would not be located within a floodplain. Potential 
impacts to floodplains could occur due to clearing of riparian 
vegetation and improvement of access roads. However, with mitigation, 
impacts would be eliminated or minimized to the fullest extent 
possible. The first segment of this proposed upgrade, from Ross 
Substation to Franklin Substation, will cross 100-year floodplains 
associated with the following rivers/creeks (moving west to east): 
Burnt Bridge Creek, Lacamas Creek, Matney Creek, Little Washougal 
River, Washougal River, Rock Creek, Wind River, Little White Salmon 
River, White Salmon River, Klickitat River, Fivemile Creek, Columbia 
River (crossed three times), Fifteenmile Creek, Deschutes River, Fulton 
Canyon Creek, Spanish Hollow Creek, John Day River, Quinton Canyon 
Creek, Jones Canyon Creek, China Creek, Willow Creek, Sixmile Creek, 
Umatilla River.
    Permanently-flooded wetlands and small seasonal and riparian 
wetlands occur in the 100-year floodplains of some of the rivers and 
creeks mentioned above. Several of the larger wetlands occur in 
sections 3, 9, 10, 16, & 17 in Township 2 North, Range 7 East, in 
section 31 in Township 5 North, Range 27 East, and in section 15, 
Township 4 North and Range 25 East. The greatest potential to affect 
wetlands comes from the installation of new parallel structures or 
access road improvements. Affects to wetlands could include filling 
wetlands, alteration of plant communities, alteration of the hydrology, 
or water quality degradation. These effects can be minimized or 
eliminated by avoiding disturbance to wetlands through careful planning 
and construction methods. For more specific information on floodplains 
and wetlands in the project area contact Ms. Kevin Ward, Environmental 
Coordinator--EFBG, Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. Box 3621, 
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621, (503) 230-5511.
    Maps and further information are available from BPA at the address 
above.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on May 4, 1994.
John M. Taves,
NEPA Compliance Officer, Engineering Services.
[FR Doc. 94-11557 Filed 5-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P