[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 117 (Friday, June 19, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29205-29206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14448]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Central Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line Project

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: BPA intends to prepare an EIS in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on the construction, operation, and 
maintenance of a proposed 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in 
Garfield, Columbia, and Walla Walla counties, Washington. The proposed 
line would extend west from a new BPA 500-kV Central Ferry Substation 
(separately proposed to be built in northwestern Garfield County, 
Washington to interconnect proposed wind projects in that area), to 
BPA's existing 500-kV Lower Monumental Substation in Walla Walla 
County, Washington. BPA is considering two routing alternatives for the 
proposed Central Ferry-Lower Monumental transmission line; portions of 
both routes would parallel existing BPA lines in the area. One routing 
alternative for the transmission line is about 38 miles long, and the 
other is about 40 miles long. The proposed transmission line is needed 
to increase transmission capacity to respond to requests for 
transmission service in this area.
    With this Notice of Intent, BPA is initiating the public scoping 
process for the EIS. BPA is requesting comments about potential 
environmental impacts that it should consider as it prepares the EIS 
for the proposed project, as well as comments on the proposed routes 
for the transmission line and suggestions about other route options 
that may meet the technical requirements of the transmission system.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements, BPA will prepare a 
floodplain and wetlands assessment to avoid or minimize potential harm 
to or within any affected floodplains and wetlands. The assessment will 
be included in the EIS.

DATES: Written scoping comments are due to the address below no later 
than August 3, 2009. Comments may also be made at the EIS scoping 
meeting to be held on July 13, 2009, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the 
addresses below.

ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed 
scope of the Draft EIS, and requests to be placed on the project 
mailing list, to Bonneville Power Administration, Public Affairs 
Office--DKE-7, P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR 97293-4428, or by fax to 
(503) 230-3285. You also may call BPA's toll free comment line at (800) 
622-4519 and leave a message (please include the name of this project); 
or submit comments online at http://www.bpa.gov/comment. BPA will post 
all comment letters in their entirety on BPA's Web site at http://www.bpa.gov/comment.
    On Monday, July 13, 2009, an open-house style scoping meeting will 
be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Starbuck School Gymnasium in Starbuck, 
Washington. At this informal meeting, we will provide maps and other 
information about the project and have members of the project team 
available to answer questions and accept oral and written comments. You 
may stop by anytime during the open house.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tish Eaton, Environmental Coordinator, 
Bonneville Power Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 
97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-
230-3469; or e-mail [email protected]. You may also contact Theresa 
Berry, Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration--TEP-3, P.O. 
Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-
3713; direct telephone 360-619-6313; or e-mail [email protected]. 
Additional information can be found at BPA's Web site: http://www.efw.bpa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2008, BPA conducted a Network Open Season 
(NOS) process to help manage its list of requests for long-term 
transmission service. During the NOS process, utilities and power 
generators (including wind generators and power marketers) requested 
the use of BPA's transmission system to transmit their power. To 
determine if BPA could offer the service requested, BPA studied the 
transmission system and identified where existing capacity was 
available and where the system needed upgrades. The studies found that 
there was not enough available transmission capacity to accommodate all 
requests for long-term service from the Lower Snake area in southeast 
Washington to load centers west of the Cascades and to major 
transmission lines serving the regions growing energy needs. Wind 
generation facilities built and proposed in this area will increase the 
amount of power being produced in southeast Washington. Further studies 
revealed that building a new 500-kV line from a point along BPA's 
existing Little Goose-Lower Granite lines to BPA's Lower Monumental 
Substation would allow BPA to accommodate the requests for transmission 
service from proposed wind generation facilities in this area.
    BPA must respond to these requests for transmission service under 
its Open Access Transmission Tariff. This tariff, which is generally 
consistent with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's pro forma 
open access tariff, has procedures that provide access to BPA's 
transmission system for

[[Page 29206]]

all eligible customers, consistent with all BPA requirements (including 
the availability or development of sufficient transmission capacity) 
and subject to an environmental review under NEPA. The proposed Central 
Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line Project would respond to these 
requests for transmission service. BPA, therefore, will prepare an EIS 
under NEPA to assist the agency as it decides whether to build the 
proposed project, and if a decision is made to build a line, which 
alternative transmission line route should be constructed.
    BPA will be the lead agency for preparation of the EIS. In 
furtherance of existing cooperative agreements between BPA and the 
State of Washington, the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation 
Council (Washington EFSEC) also will participate in preparation of the 
EIS. Among other things, this state agency will assist BPA in 
evaluating alternative transmission line routes and identifying state 
interests that should be addressed in the EIS. In addition, cooperating 
agencies for the EIS may be identified as the proposed project proceeds 
through the NEPA process.
    Alternatives Proposed for Consideration. For the proposed 500-kV 
transmission line, BPA will consider and evaluate two routing 
alternatives in the EIS. One routing alternative for the transmission 
line is about 38 miles long, and the other is about 40 miles long. Both 
alternatives would require new transmission line right-of-way to allow 
adequate system reliability spacing of the proposed line from existing 
500-kV transmission lines in the area. BPA proposes to construct the 
new line using lattice steel towers for both routing alternatives.
    Both routing alternatives would originate at a new 500-kV 
substation, referred to as the Central Ferry Substation, that BPA is 
separately proposing to build in northwestern Garfield County, 
Washington, at a point along BPA's existing Little Goose-Lower Granite 
lines approximately two miles southeast of the Snake River near the 
Port of Central Ferry, Washington. The Central Ferry Substation is 
being independently proposed to respond to requests received by BPA for 
interconnection of proposed wind projects in the area to BPA's existing 
transmission system.
    Both routing alternatives also would terminate at the existing BPA 
500-kV Lower Monumental Substation, which is located at Lower 
Monumental Dam on the Snake River in Walla Walla County, Washington. 
Both routing alternatives would avoid crossing existing BPA 500-kV 
lines and the Snake River by remaining to the south of these features. 
The following describes the general locations of the two routing 
alternatives:
     North Alternative: This routing alternative is 
approximately 40 miles in length. From the new Central Ferry 
Substation, this route would proceed southwesterly and westerly for 
about 12 miles. This portion of the route would run parallel to and 
about 1200 feet to one half-mile south of BPA's existing Little Goose--
Lower Granite lines. At this point, the route would angle away from the 
existing Little Goose--Lower Granite lines and proceed in a 
southwesterly direction for about 6 miles before crossing the Tucannon 
River directly north of the Town of Starbuck. From the Tucannon River 
crossing, the route would continue southwest and west for about 3 miles 
before angling northwest for about 5 miles to a point approximately 
1500 feet south of BPA's two existing Lower Monumental--Little Goose 
lines. From this point, the route would proceed west for about 14 miles 
to BPA's existing Lower Monumental Substation, with much of this 
portion of the route running parallel to and approximately 1500 feet 
south of these existing lines.
     South Alternative: This routing alternative is 
approximately 38 miles in length. From the new Central Ferry 
Substation, this route would proceed southwesterly for about 3 miles, 
with this portion of the route running parallel to and approximately 
1200 feet south of BPA's existing Little Goose--Lower Granite lines. At 
this point, instead of following these existing lines as they angle to 
the west, the route would continue southwesterly and then westerly for 
about 15 miles before crossing the Tucannon River directly north of the 
Town of Starbuck. From the Tucannon River crossing, the route would 
continue westerly for about 20 miles to BPA's existing Lower Monumental 
Substation.
    BPA is also considering the No Action Alternative, that is, not 
building the proposed transmission line. Other alternatives may be 
identified through the scoping process.
    Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues. 
The potential environmental issues identified for most transmission 
line projects include land use, socioeconomics, cultural resources, 
visual resources, electric and magnetic field issues, sensitive plants 
and animals, soil erosion, wetlands, floodplains, and fish and water 
resources. BPA has established a 45-day scoping period during which 
tribes, affected landowners, concerned citizens, special interest 
groups, local and federal governments, and any other interested parties 
are invited to comment on the scope of the proposed EIS, including 
potential routing alternatives to be considered and environmental 
impacts to be evaluated. Scoping will help BPA ensure that a full range 
of issues related to this proposal is addressed in the EIS, and also 
will identify significant or potentially significant impacts that may 
result from the proposed project. When completed, the Draft EIS will be 
circulated for review and comment, and BPA will hold public meetings to 
hear comments. The Draft EIS is expected to be published in summer 
2010. BPA will consider and respond to comments received on the Draft 
EIS in the Final EIS. The Final EIS is expected to be published in 
spring-summer 2011. BPA's decision will be documented in a Record of 
Decision that will follow the Final EIS.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on June 9, 2009.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-14448 Filed 6-18-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P