Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (DOE/EIS-0507)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has electric power supply and transmission service obligations that serve six preference customers (i.e., those customers with preference status under the Bonneville Project Act) located in southeastern Idaho (Southeast Idaho Load Service [SILS] customers). One possible option to serve the southeastern Idaho customers considered was for BPA to participate in the proposed Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (B2H Project) as a joint owner and to acquire partial ownership in other existing transmission facilities in the region so that BPA could have contiguous ownership of power transmission between the Federal Columbia River Power System and its southeastern Idaho customers.

On March 23, 2023, BPA decided to execute contracts to serve the SILS customers identified under the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H) with Transfer Service plan of service. Under the B2H with Transfer Service plan of service, BPA’s role as permitting partner and potential future partial owner of the B2H Project was removed from the B2H ownership structure. BPA transferred its B2H permitting interest share to Idaho Power in a Purchase, Sale, and Security Agreement. Further information about the B2H with Transfer Service can be found in the 2022 and 2023 letters to the region located at https://www.bpa.gov/learn-and-participate/projects/southeast-idaho-load-service.

As part of implementing the B2H Project, BPA’s Boardman-Ione transmission line may be removed to allow the B2H Project to be built in a portion of the existing Boardman-Ione transmission line right-of-way located on the U.S. Navy’s Northwest Weapon Systems Training Facility Boardman (NWSTF Boardman) in Morrow County, Oregon.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) analyzing the environmental effects of construction and operation of the B2H Project, including the removal of the Boardman-Ione transmission line from NWSTF Boardman. BPA and nineteen other public entities were involved in the EIS as cooperating agencies under NEPA. Additional information about the B2H EIS is available at BLM’s https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/68150/510. 

CURRENT STATUS

BPA has decided to amend an existing land use agreement with the U.S. Navy that authorizes BPA’s ongoing access to certain land on NWSTF Boardman in Morrow County, Oregon, as well as operation and maintenance of the approximately 14 miles of the Boardman-Ione transmission line that is located on that land. The amendment to the land use agreement includes terms to initiate the phased removal of the Boardman-Ione transmission line from NWSTF Boardman if the B2H Project is constructed.

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Amy Mai                   Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist Direct Line: 503-230-7349
Bonneville Power Administration - EC-4           Email: aemai@bpa.gov  
PO Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

For general project information, contact:
Katie Sheckells          Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Associate Director Transmission Marketing and Sales Direct Line: 360-418-2772
Bonneville Power Administration-TSB-TPP-2   Email: kksheckells@bpa.gov  
PO Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

Boardman-Ione Land Use Agreement Amendment ROD
Public Letter  (05/21/2019)  
Record of Decision  (05/13/2019)
Federal Register Notice of Availability  (05/29/2019)

Final EIS
BLM Public Letter

Final EIS
Cover and abstract
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6

Draft EIS
BLM Public Letter

Draft EIS
Cover and abstract
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6