Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project (DOE/EIS-0421)

Wasco County, Oregon and Klickitat counties, Washington

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project consists of a 28-mile-long, 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that runs between BPA's existing Big Eddy Substation in The Dalles, Wasco County, Oregon, to a new Knight Substation about 4 miles northwest of Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington.

The project responds to requests for transmission service in the region by increasing transmission capability of the electrical system. For the transmission line, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) decided to build East Alternative Option 3, which was identified in the final EIS as the preferred alternative for the transmission line route. For the first 14 miles, the line uses double-circuit towers (combining the new line and an existing line on one set of towers) mostly on existing right-of-way. The remaining 14 miles of the new line is built with single-circuit towers in newly-established transmission line right-of-way. BPA also decided to build the small (about 1 mile) realignment of the East Alternative on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, as described in the final EIS. For the new Knight Substation, BPA decided to build Knight Substation on Site 1, which is on private property about 0.5 mile west of Knight Road. For the fiber optic cable necessary for system communications, BPA decided to build the Loop Back Option, which strings fiber optic cable on the new transmission towers from BPA's Big Eddy Substation to the new Knight Substation and back again. The project also includes new equipment at BPA's existing Big Eddy and Wautoma substations. BPA considered three transmission line alternatives, two Knight Substation sites, two fiber optic cable options, and the No Action Alternative.

To make an informed decision on whether to build the project and to understand the impacts of the alternatives, BPA prepared a draft and final environmental impact statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

In December 2010, BPA released the draft EIS, asked for public comments, and held two public meetings. About 370 people commented on the draft EIS, which helped BPA make adjustments to the project and refine the environmental analysis and mitigation measures. All comments we received on the draft EIS are posted below.
BPA released the final EIS in July 2011. The final EIS describes the proposed project and why it is needed, discusses the environmental impacts the project would create, lists the mitigation measures that would lessen or eliminate those impacts, and addresses comments received on the draft EIS. In September 2011, BPA issued a Record of Decision announcing the decision to build the project using East Alternative Option 3, Knight Substation Site 1, and the fiber optic cable Loop Back Option.

The project was constructed and the line and substation were energized in Fall 2015.

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Carol Leiter        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist Direct line: 306- 418-8608
Bonneville Power Administration - ECP-4  Email: cpleiter@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 362
Portland, OR 97208-3621

For project information, contact:
Emmanuel Jaramillo        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Project Manager        Direct line: 360-619-6116
Bonneville Power Administration - TEP-TPP-1 Email: ejaramillo@bpa.gov  
P.O. Box 61409
Vancouver, WA 98666-1409

DOCUMENTS

PROJECT UPDATE
Public Letter  (12/15/2015)
Public Letter  (06/06/2014)

SUPPLEMENT ANALYSIS
SA-02 Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project New Information and Design Adjustments  (11/28/2012)
SA-01 Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project Design Adjustments  (07/11/2012)

PROJECT UPDATE
Public Letter  (06/20/2012)

RECORD OF DECISION
Public Letter  (09/16/2011)
Record of Decision with Mitigation Action Plan  (09/16/2011)
Project Map  (September 2011)

FINAL EIS
Public Letter  (07/12/2011)
Fact Sheet  (July 2011)
Final EIS Volume 1  (July 2011)

Maps and Photos not embedded in the FEIS
Representative Views 
Photo Simulations
Map S-1 Project Overview
Map 1-1 Project Overview
Map 2-1 Project Overview of Proposed Action Alternatives
Map 2-2 Knight Substation Options
Map 2-3 Options Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study
Map 3-1 Land Ownership
Map 3-2 Land Cover
Map 3-3 Land Use
Map 3-4 Photo Locations
Map 3-5 Vegetation Types
Map 3-6 Landslide Areas
Map 3-7 Water Resources and Wetlands
Map 3-8 Fiber Optic Cable Overview
Map 5-1 County Zoning
Map 7-1 Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Land Use Designations


Final EIS Volume 2 - Appendices Table of Contents 
Appendix A - Living and Working Safely around High-Voltage Power Lines 
Appendix B - Aerial Photomap Series
Appendix C - Visual Resources
Appendix D - Special-Status Species and Habitats
Appendix E - Electric Fields, Magnetic Fields, Noise and Radio Interference
Appendix F - Electric and Magnetic Fields Research on Health Effects
Appendix G - Greenhouse Gases
Appendix H - Disclosure Forms
Appendix I - Washington Department of Natural Resources Lands Analysis
Appendix J - Geology and Soils
Appendix K - Environmental Justice

Final EIS Volume 3 - Comments and Responses
Aerial Photo Map  (01/19/2011)

DRAFT EIS
Draft EIS comments received
Public Letter  (12/08/2010)
Fact Sheet   (December 2010)
Draft EIS  (December 2010)

Maps and Appendices not embedded in the Draft EIS
Map S-1 Project Overview
Map 1-1 Project Overview
Map 2-1 Project Overview of Proposed Action Alternatives
Map 3-1 Land Ownership
Map 3-2 Land Cover
Map 3-3 Land Use
Map 3-4 Photo Locations
Map 3-5 Vegetation Types
Map 3-6 Landslide Areas
Map 3-7 Water Resources and Wetlands
Map 3-8 Fiber Optic Cable Overview
Map 5-1 County Zoning
Map 7-1 Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Land Use Designations
Appendix A Living and Working Safely around High-Voltage Power Lines
Appendix B Aerial Photomap Series
Appendix C Visual Resources
Appendix D Fish and Wildlife
Appendix E Electric Fields, Magnetic Fields, Noise and Radio Interference
Appendix F Electric and Magnetic Fields Research on Health Effects
Appendix G Greenhouse Gases
Appendix H Disclosure Forms
Appendix I Washington Department of Natural Resources Lands Analysis

SCOPING
Public Letter  (05/14/2010)
Public Scoping Comment Report  (January 2010)
Project Factsheet  (December 2009)

Public Letter  (12/18/2009)
Project Overview Map  (12/15/2009)
Fiber Optic Cable Map  (12/15/2009)
USGS Topo Map  (06/29/2009)

Scoping comments received
Public Letter  (06/02/2009)
Project Vicinity Map  (06/01/2009)

NOTICE OF INTENT
Notice of Intent (05/27/2009)