[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6019-6020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3090]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Santiam-Bethel Transmission Line Project

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and 
floodplain statement of findings.

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SUMMARY: BPA is issuing this FONSI on its proposal to rebuild the first 
17 miles of the Santiam-Chemawa transmission line from Santiam 
Substation to the line's connection (tap) to Portland General 
Electric's (PGE) Bethel Substation to improve transmission system 
reliability in the Salem area of northwestern Oregon. A Floodplain 
Statement of Findings is also included.

ADDRESSES: For copies of this FONSI and/or the Environmental Assessment 
(EA), please call BPA's toll-free document request line at 1-800-622-
4520, and record your name, address, project name, and the document(s) 
you wish. The documents are also on the internet at www.efw.bpa.gov/cgi-bin/PSA/NEPA/SUMMARIES/SantiamBethel.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tish Levesque--KEC-4, Bonneville Power 
Administration, PO. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; direct 
telephone number 503-230-3469; toll-free telephone number 1-800-282-
3713; fax number 503-230-5699; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA's existing Santiam-Chemawa No. 1 230-kV 
transmission line is about 25 miles long and is located in Linn and 
Marion Counties, Oregon. BPA is proposing to rebuild the first 17 miles 
of the Santiam-Chemawa transmission line from Santiam Substation to the 
tap to PGE's Bethel Substation. BPA's Santiam-Chemawa No. 1 
transmission line serves BPA customers that in turn serve communities 
in the Willamette Valley. This line provides voltage support and also 
backs up BPA's 500-kV transmission system in case one of BPA's 500-kV 
lines or substations goes out of service.
    BPA would replace the existing single-circuit 230-kilovolt (kV) 
line with towers that could support two circuits (double-circuit) in 
the existing right-of-way. The existing line supplies both Bethel 
Substation and BPA's Chemawa Substation. The new lines would eliminate 
overloading of the existing line from Santiam Substation to the tap to 
Bethel Substation by having one new line supply Bethel Substation and 
the other new line supply Chemawa Substation. BPA has prepared an 
Environmental Assessment (DOE/EA-1366) evaluating the proposed project. 
Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA has determined that the Proposed 
Action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the 
quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required

[[Page 6020]]

and BPA is issuing this FONSI which includes a Floodplain Statement of 
Findings.
    The existing BPA Santiam-Chemawa 230-kV transmission line is at 
risk of overloading during peak winter electrical power usage (maximum 
demand). During normal and extreme winter peak load conditions, outages 
on BPA's 500-kV or 230-kV transmission grid in the area could cause the 
Santiam Substation to Bethel Substation section of the Santiam-Chemawa 
line to overload. For example, an outage of BPA's Pearl-Marion No. 1 
500-kV line during extreme cold winter peak load conditions could cause 
the line to overload. During normal winter peak load conditions, an 
outage of BPA's Santiam-Albany No. 1 230-kV line or an outage of BPA's 
Albany 230/115-kV transformer would also overload the line.
    An overload could damage electrical equipment sensitive to power 
fluctuations. An overload could cause the line to sag too close to the 
ground, which could harm people or property under the line. In 
addition, an overload could cause switches on the Santiam-Chemawa line 
to automatically take the line out of service, which could create 
blackouts in the Salem area. Overloading the line could also cause 
permanent damage to the conductor and BPA would be required to remove 
the line from service. Removing the line from service could curtail 
electrical power in the area. BPA needs to improve system reliability 
by rebuilding the Santiam-Chemawa line to a double-circuit line.
    Low, minor, short-term, or temporary impacts from construction of 
the Proposed Action would occur to the following resources: Fish and 
wildlife, soils, water quality, land use, socioeconomics, visual 
resources, and vegetation resources. Though noise would disturb 
wildlife close to the construction area, wildlife would most likely 
return after the disturbance is removed. Although unlikely, 
construction may create indirect or temporary increases in soil erosion 
to streams near the right-of-way, which could affect water quality and 
fish habitat. Mitigation measures would be used to prevent erosion. 
Potential impacts would diminish after disturbed areas are restored and 
erosion and runoff control measures take effect. Construction-related 
noise, dust, traffic disruption, and crop harvest disruption would also 
temporarily disturb human populations. Spending in the local community 
and an increase in employment would be short-term but beneficial. Minor 
visual impacts may occur from construction activities in certain 
locations along the right-of-way. The new towers would be taller than 
the existing towers. Noxious weeds could grow in the right-of-way as 
the ground surface and vegetation are disturbed during construction. 
Radio and television interference from the new line could occur 
temporarily, but BPA would promptly correct all interference.
    A biological assessment (BA) was prepared to evaluate the potential 
effect of the project on the bald eagle, northern spotted owl, Fender's 
blue butterfly, the Upper Willamette River chinook salmon 
Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), the Upper Willamette River 
steelhead ESU, Oregon chub, Nelson's checker-mallow, Bradshaw's 
lomatium, Willamette daisy, golden Indian paintbrush, water Howellia, 
and Kincaid's lupine. Based on a review of the latest Federal 
threatened and endangered species lists, review of habitat 
requirements, and use of project mitigation measures proposed in the BA 
and the EA, it is BPA's opinion that the proposed project ``may affect 
but is not likely to adversely affect'' all the listed species that may 
be present in the project area except the northern spotted owl. It is 
BPA's opinion that the proposed project would have ``no effect'' on the 
northern spotted owl. The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service concurred with these findings.
    Background research indicated that no prehistoric or historic-
period archaeological sites have been recorded within a one-mile radius 
of any tower locations or right-of-way along the 17-mile portion of 
line to be rebuilt. As part of the field study, 90 discrete areas were 
surveyed and 33 areas were investigated using shovel test probes. No 
archaeological materials were observed on the ground surface at any of 
the tower locations or within the right-of-way between the towers. One 
prehistoric artifact was recovered from a total of 34 shovel test 
probes excavated along the 17-mile portion of right-of-way. Artifact 
isolates are not recognized as sites by the Oregon State Historic 
Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the single prehistoric artifact does 
not represent a cultural resource potentially eligible for listing in 
the National Register of Historic Places. It is BPA's opinion that the 
proposed project would have no effect on cultural resources. The Oregon 
SHPO concurred with these findings. During review of the Preliminary 
EA, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde discussed with BPA the 
presence of areas of cultural sensitivity in the project vicinity. To 
ensure protection of the culturally sensitive areas, a member of the 
Tribe would be present during construction activities at those sites.
    No impacts are expected to wetlands and floodplains, or public 
health and safety.
    BPA also studied the No Action Alternative. For the No Action 
Alternative, BPA would not rebuild the Santiam-Chemawa transmission 
line. As a result, normal and extreme cold winter load conditions could 
cause thermal overloading of existing facilities.
    The Proposed Action would not violate Federal, State, or local law 
or requirements imposed for protection of the environment. All 
applicable permits would be obtained.
    Floodplain Statement of Findings: This is a Floodplain Statement of 
Findings prepared in accordance with 10 CFR part 1022. A Notice of 
Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement was published in the Federal 
Register on May 11, 2001, and a floodplain and wetlands assessment was 
incorporated in the EA. BPA is proposing to rebuild its existing 
Santiam-Chemawa No. 1 230-kV line in the existing right-of-way that 
crosses the 100-year floodplains of the North Santiam River and a 
tributary to the Pudding River. No impacts to the floodplains would 
occur because no construction activities would occur within the 
floodplains, and their floodplain characteristics would not be altered. 
The Proposed Action conforms to applicable State or local floodplain 
protection standards.
    BPA will allow 15 days of public review after publication of this 
statement of findings before implementing the Proposed Action.
    Determination: Based on the information in the EA, as summarized 
here, BPA determines that the Proposed Action is not a major Federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment 
within the meaning of NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. Therefore, an EIS 
will not be prepared and BPA is issuing this FONSI.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on January 29, 2002.
Alexandra B. Smith,
Vice President, Environment, Fish and Wildlife.
[FR Doc. 02-3090 Filed 2-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-U