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[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 238 (Monday, December 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 77352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31443]

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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 intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) and notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS on the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of a 59-mile-long 500-kilovolt 
(kV) single-circuit transmission line in Kittitas, Yakima, Grant, and/
or Benton Counties, State of Washington. In accordance with DOE 
regulations for compliance with floodplain and wetlands environmental 
review requirements, 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 assessment and a floodplain statement of findings 
will be included in the EIS being prepared for the proposed project in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

DATES: BPA has established a 30-day scoping period. Written comments 
are due to the address below no later than January 25, 2001. Comments 
may also be made at EIS scoping meetings to be held on January 9, 10, 
and 11, 2001.

ADDRESSES: BPA invites comments and suggestions on the proposed scope 
of the Draft EIS. To comment, phone toll-free 1-800-622-4519; send an 
e-mail to the BPA Internet address [email protected]; or mail comments to 
Communications, Bonneville Power Administration--KC-7, P.O. Box 12999, 
Portland, Oregon, 97212. To be placed on the project mail list, call 1-
800-622-4520.
    Three EIS scoping meetings will be held: (1) Tuesday, January 9, 
2001, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Sage Brush Senior Center, 442 Desert 
Aire Drive, Desert Aire, Washington; (2) Wednesday, January 10, 2001, 4 
p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Yakima County Courthouse, Room 420, Yakima, 
Washington; and (3) Thursday, January 11, 2001, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 
the Hal Holmes Community Center, 201 North Ruby Street, Ellensburg, 
Washington. At the informal meetings, several members of the project 
team will be available to answer questions and accept oral and written 
comments. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lou Driessen, Project Manager, 
Bonneville Power Administration--TNP-3, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, 
Oregon, 97208-3621; telephone 503-230-5525; or e-mail 
[email protected]. You may also contact Nancy Wittpenn, Environmental 
Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, 
Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; telephone 503-230-3297; fax 503-230-5699; 
or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed 59-mile-long 500-kV single-
circuit transmission line would be constructed from the existing 
Schultz Substation near Ellensburg, Washington, to the existing Hanford 
or Ashe Substation on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation or to a new 
substation west of the reservation, near Benton Rural Electric 
Association's Blackrock Substation. The new line is necessary to 
relieve constraints on several transmission paths (lines) that move 
electricity across Washington. The new line would also provide more 
operational flexibility and meet market needs by increasing 
transmission capacity for additional interstate transfer of 
electricity. BPA has identified several possible alternative routes for 
the new line. The new routes have the potential to cross private land, 
the Yakima Firing Center, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the Columbia 
River, and the Saddle Mountain Wildlife Refuge. BPA is in the process 
of contacting the U.S. Department of the Army, the U.S. Bureau of Land 
Management, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service to determine whether they would like to be cooperating 
agencies in the EIS process.
    This action may involve floodplain and wetlands located in 
Kittitas, Yakima, Grant, and Benton Counties, State of Washington. When 
completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and comment, and 
BPA will hold several public comment meetings for the Draft EIS. BPA 
will consider and respond in the Final EIS to comments received on the 
Draft EIS.
    Maps and further information are available from BPA at the address 
above.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on December 1, 2000.
Steven G. Hickok,
Acting Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-31443 Filed 12-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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