[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 29 (Monday, February 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7488-7489]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2781]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS, under 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), on a proposed 
interconnection requested by PPM Energy, Inc. (PPM) to integrate 
electrical power from their proposed Klondike III Wind Project (Wind 
Project) into the Federal Columbia River Transmission System (FCRTS). 
The Wind Project is located in Sherman County, Oregon. BPA proposes to 
execute an agreement with PPM to provide them with an interconnection 
for up to 300 megawatts (MW) of generation from the Wind Project. 
Interconnection would require BPA to build and operate a new 230-
kilovolt (kV) transmission line and two substations.

DATES: Written comments on the NEPA scoping process are due to the 
address below no later than March 17, 2005. Comments may also be made 
at an EIS scoping open house meeting to be held on March 1, 2005, at 
the address below.

ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed 
scope of the Draft EIS and requests to be placed on the Wind Project 
mailing list to Bonneville Power Administration, Communications--DM-7, 
P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR 97293-4428. Comments may also be sent to 
the following Web site: http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/NewsEv/commentperiods.cfm.
    Please refer to the Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection in 
all communications. A scoping meeting will be held on March 1, 2005, 
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at St. Mary's Parish Hall, 807 Barnett Street, 
Wasco, Oregon. At this open house meeting, BPA representatives will be 
available to discuss the proposed project, answer questions, and accept 
oral and written comments. BPA representatives will provide information 
on alternative routes being considered for the proposed BPA 
transmission line, the types of transmission line structures being 
considered, and topics to be addressed in the EIS. PPM representatives 
will be available to discuss the proposed Wind Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly St. Hilaire, Bonneville Power 
Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621, 
toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct phone number 503-230-5361, 
fax number 503-230-5699, e-mail [email protected]. Additional 
information can be found at BPA's Web site: http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/PlanProj/Wind/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Proposed Action. BPA proposes to execute an agreement with PPM to 
provide interconnection services for up to 300 MW of the Klondike III 
Wind Project. As part of this agreement, BPA would agree to construct 
and operate a 230-kV transmission line about 12 miles long, and two new 
substations, one at each end of the proposed transmission line. The 
electricity from the Wind Project would interconnect to the FCRTS at 
BPA's existing John Day Substation through a new 500/230-kV substation 
which could accommodate wind developers in the area. Transmission line 
structure types being considered include H-frame wood pole, steel pole, 
and lattice steel. The line and new substations would be located on 
privately owned land primarily used for dryland wheat farming.
    In addition to these Federal actions, the EIS will consider the 
reasonably foreseeable consequence of construction and operation of 
PPM's proposed Klondike III Wind Project. The Wind Project would be 
located adjacent to the currently operating Klondike Wind Project, 
Phases I and II, on privately owned land, most of which is used for 
agriculture. The Klondike III Wind Project would add up to 165 
operational wind turbines by the end of 2006. The Wind Project includes 
wind turbines, substations, access roads, and other project facilities. 
Siting of the proposed Wind Project is under the jurisdiction of Oregon 
Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). PPM is in the process of 
applying for an EFSC Site Certificate for the Wind Project, and is also 
determining which other State and Federal permitting requirements will 
need to be met for the Wind Project.
    Construction of the BPA transmission line and substations and the 
Wind Project currently is expected to commence by March 2006. The Wind 
Project would be interconnected to BPA transmission lines in the fall 
of 2006, with a proposed operation date of December 2006. Agricultural 
activities could continue to take place directly adjacent to the 
transmission line structures and wind turbines. The Wind Project would 
operate for much of each year for at least 20 years.
    Possible Alternatives for BPA's Proposed Action. An alternative to 
the

[[Page 7489]]

proposed action of offering interconnection contract terms is to not 
offer these terms. The EIS will evaluate this ``no-action'' 
alternative. In addition, the EIS will evaluate alternatives for 
routing the proposed BPA transmission line. At this time, two 
potentially feasible alternatives have been identified:
     The Cross-County Alternative; and
     The Medler Road Alternative (see attached Project Area 
Map).
    Another alternative, the South of Wasco Alternative (see Project 
Map), was initially considered but has been eliminated from further 
consideration in the EIS due to the potential for greater visual, 
airport safety, and wetland impacts, as well as greater cost relative 
to other alternatives.
    Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues. 
BPA is the lead Federal agency under NEPA for the EIS. BPA has 
established a minimum 30-day scoping period during which affected 
landowners, Tribes, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local 
governments, State and Federal agencies, and any other interested 
parties are invited to comment on the scope of the proposed EIS. 
Scoping will help BPA identify potentially significant impacts that may 
result from BPA's proposed action and the private Wind Project, and 
ensure that all relevant environmental issues related to BPA's proposed 
action are addressed in the EIS. Based on BPA's experience, potential 
environmental issues for the Wind Project and BPA's interconnection 
facilities may include noise created by wind turbines, visual effects 
from the wind turbines and transmission line, socioeconomic impacts 
created by an influx of construction workers into a sparsely populated 
area, effects on recreation (primarily hunting), impacts on cultural 
resources, and impacts to wildlife habitat and populations, including 
migratory birds.
    When completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and 
comment, and BPA will hold a public comment meeting on the Draft EIS. 
In the Final EIS, BPA will consider and respond to comments received on 
the Draft EIS. BPA expects to publish the Final EIS in late 2005 or 
early 2006. BPA's subsequent decision will be documented in a Record of 
Decision.
    In addition to BPA's EIS process, Oregon EFSC provides opportunity 
for public participation as part of its site evaluation process. It is 
expected that representatives from the Oregon Office of Energy will 
hold public meetings for the Wind Project during 2005. BPA will 
coordinate with Oregon EFSC to ensure full consideration of all public 
and agency comments received.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on February 4, 2005.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-2781 Filed 2-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P