[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14412-14413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7025]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Schultz-Hanford Area Transmission Line Project

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of Record of Decision (ROD).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the ROD to construct 
the proposed Schultz-Hanford Area Transmission Line Project in Douglas, 
Grant, Lincoln, and Spokane Counties, Washington, based on the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for this project (DOE/EIS-0325, January 
2003). The proposed action consists of constructing a new 500-kilovolt 
(kV) transmission line between the Schultz Substation north of 
Ellensburg, Washington, and a new substation, Wautoma Substation, 2 
miles south of Highway 24 in Benton County, Washington, a distance of 
about 64 miles.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and EIS may be obtained by calling BPA 
toll-free at 1-888-276-7790. The ROD and EIS Summary are also available 
on the Transmission Business Line Web site at http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/projects.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy A. Wittpenn, Bonneville Power 
Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; 
toll-free telephone number 1-800-282-3713; fax number 503-230-5699; or 
e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA has decided to implement the Agency 
Preferred Alternative identified in the Schultz-Hanford Area 
Transmission Line Project Final EIS, with the exception of Option 1 of 
the Sickler-

[[Page 14413]]

Schultz Reroute. Due to landowner concerns, BPA will now implement 
Option 2 of the Sickler-Schultz Reroute. The Agency Preferred 
Alternative will primarily use 500-kV single-circuit steel lattice 
structures. Through an agricultural area near Mattawa, for 
approximately 9 miles, 500-kV double-circuit lattice structures will be 
used to hold the new 500-kV line and the existing Midway-Vantage 230-kV 
line. New right-of-way of 150 to 180 feet will be needed for the new 
line. As part of the Agency Preferred Alternative, BPA has decided to 
construct new and upgrade existing access roads; construct a new bay 
within the existing fenced yard of the Schultz Substation; re-route the 
existing Sickler-Schultz 500-kV transmission line; construct a new 
substation called Wautoma Substation, in Benton County; loop the 
existing Hanford-Ostrander 500-kV and Hanford-John Day 500-kV 
transmission lines through the Wautoma Substation; and install fiber 
optic cable between the Vantage Substation and the new Wautoma 
Substation, and the Vantage Substation and the Columbia Substation. All 
mitigation measures have been adopted and included with the ROD. A 
Mitigation Action Plan will be prepared to be included in the 
construction specifications to ensure mitigation measures are 
implemented.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on March 17, 2003.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-7025 Filed 3-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P