During project planning, PGE environmental personnel work with project teams to assess potential impacts to wildlife and habitat resources. Considerations include site-specific factors such as local wildlife species and habitat, local land use, topography, line and equipment configuration, and other project details. PGE biologists have reviewed available internal, state, and federal data on wildlife and habitat in the project vicinity and the possible impacts of this project. Overall, the area is low-risk for sensitive species and habitats. The proposed project follows existing roadway and utility corridors which further minimizes impacts to avian and wildlife species and habitat. Additional measures around vegetation removal will be implemented to further reduce any potential impacts. PGE documents and monitors any reports related to bird and wildlife impacts from our facilities. PGE has an Avian Protection Plan which implements several measures used to evaluate and reduce risks to avian species while increasing system reliability. Key measures include training employees on bird protection issues and procedures; tracking bird and nest issues to assist in minimizing impacts; building nest platforms to reduce pole-top nesting and outages; implementing design features to poles and transformers that reduce bird risk; and, collaborating with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee on strategies that reduce bird and power interactions.