Hooper Springs Project
Caribou County, Idaho
-
BACKGROUND:
In May 2009, BPA completed and issued a Preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-1567) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for BPA's proposal to construct, operate, and maintain Hooper Springs Substation and to partially fund Lower Valley Energy's (LVE's) construction, operation, and maintenance of a new 22 mile double-circuit 115-kilovolt (kV) Hooper Springs-Lower Valley transmission line. The proposed line considered in the Preliminary EA extended from the proposed Hooper Springs Substation generally northeast across a portion of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Caribou-Targhee National Forest, U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and private land along the Blackfoot River, connecting with LVE's existing Lanes Creek-Valley transmission line at a point about 2 miles southeast of the intersection of Blackfoot River Road and Diamond Creek.
Based on comments received on the Preliminary EA, BPA discovered that the proposed route identified in the Preliminary EA crossed four contaminated mining sites (Conda, Ballard, Wooley Valley, and North Maybe Phosphate Mines) that are the subject of an ongoing Superfund Site investigation for selenium soil contamination under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Each of these Superfund Site investigation areas is currently under review to determine the nature and extent of contamination. Given the presence of these Superfund sites and the routing of the line as originally proposed either through or near those sites, BPA has determined that preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is appropriate.
-
PROPOSAL:
BPA intends to prepare an EIS in accordance with NEPA on the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance of a 115-kV transmission line and a 138/115-kV substation (collectively referred to as the Hooper Springs Project). The proposed project would address voltage stability and reliability concerns of two of BPA's full requirements customers, LVE and Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative (Fall River) that purchase all or most of the electric power required to serve their loads from BPA under existing contracts.
BPA has identified three proposed action alternatives that vary the transmission line by route, connection point, length, and voltage. Two of these alternatives would originate from the same proposed Hooper Springs Substation as was described in the May 2009 Preliminary EA, while the third alternative would originate from PacifiCorp's existing Three Mile Knoll Substation located next to the proposed Hooper Springs Substation site. The three proposed action alternatives are as follows:
-
Hooper Springs Substation and Northernmost Route (Proposed Action): Under this alternative, BPA would construct, operate, and maintain a new 32 mile, single-circuit 115-kV, transmission line. The transmission line would begin at BPA's proposed Hooper Springs Substation, extending generally north along Highway 34 before heading east to connect with LVE's existing 115-kV Lane Creek Substation east of the City of Wayan, Idaho. The transmission line would cross both private land and public land (USFS and BLM lands), but would remain south of Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge and outside the four known contaminated mining sites to the maximum extent practicable.
-
Hooper Springs Substation and Easternmost Route, with Line Adjustments: Under this alternative, BPA would construct, operate, and maintain a new 22 to 30 mile, double-circuit 115-kV transmission line. The transmission line would connect PacifiCorp's existing Threemile Knoll Substation with the proposed BPA-constructed, operated, and maintained Hooper Springs Substation, extending generally northeast and then east before connecting with LVE's existing Lane Creek-Valley Line at a point about 2 miles southeast of the intersection of Blackfoot River Road and Diamond Creek Road. This alternative is similar to the action originally proposed in the Preliminary EA (refer to Documents for information pertaining to the Preliminary EA), except that BPA, rather than LVE, would retain ownership, operation, and maintenance of the line, and would route the line around known Superfund Sites, which would also lengthen the line from the proposal in the Preliminary EA.
-
Threemile Knoll Substation and Northernmost Route: Under this alternative, BPA would not construct Hooper Springs Substation. BPA would construct, operate, and maintain a new 32 mile, single-circuit 138-kV (230-kV construction) transmission line, connecting PacifiCorp's existing Threemile Knoll Substation with LVE's existing 138/115-kV Lane Creek Substation, using the route specified in the Proposed Action.
In addition to these three action alternatives, BPA also will consider a No Action Alternative. Under this alternative, BPA would not construct the Hooper Springs Substation or a transmission line. Other alternatives may be identified through the scoping process.
BPA will be the lead agency for preparation of the EIS. The USFS and BLM will act as cooperating agencies to assist with preparation of the EIS, including assisting BPA in evaluating transmission line alternatives and identifying issues that should be addressed in the EIS. If, after completion of the environmental review in the EIS, BPA decides to proceed with constructing, operating, and maintaining a new line, both the USFS and BLM would be able to use the information in the EIS to support their respective decisions to grant Special Use Permits to BPA, as appropriate, where the line would cross lands they manage. Additional cooperating agencies for the EIS may be identified as the proposed project proceeds through the NEPA process.
-
CURRENT STATUS:
On July 29, 2010, BPA held an open-house style public scoping meeting in Soda Springs, Idaho, on the proposed project and scope of the EIS. The scoping period closed on August 9, 2010. BPA is in the process of developing a draft EIS which should be available in summer 2012. Once this draft EIS becomes available, BPA will be sending out a notice asking for public review and comment. If you want a CD or printed copy and have not already informed us, contact us toll-free at 800-622-4519. Please be sure to reference the "Hooper Springs Transmission Project".
-
COMMENTS:
All comments we receive on the project are posted on the Hooper Springs Transmission Project comments webpage.
-
CONTACTS:
For further information on this project, please contact:
John Barco, Environmental Project Lead, Bonneville Power Administration ? KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-230-3223; or e-mail: jwbarco@bpa.gov.
Erich Orth, Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration ? TEP-TPP-3, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct telephone 360-619-6559; or e-mail: etorth@bpa.gov.
-
DOCUMENTS:
EIS
Public Scoping Letter (28Kb pdf) (06/30/10)
Comment Form (20Kb pdf) (06/30/10)
NOI (30Kb pdf) (06/29/10)
Preliminary Project Map (1.7MB pdf) (June 2010)
EA
Public Letter Announcing Preliminary EA (44Kb pdf) (05/12/09)
Comment Form (18Kb pdf) (May 2009)
Preliminary EA (1.5MB pdf) (May 2009)
This project was formerly called the Caribou Valley Energy Project. The documents below were released before the project name was changed.
Photomap of Proposed Transmission Line Route (698Kb) (06/18/07)
Public Letter (34Kb pdf) (06/16/06)
Open House Information (63Kb pdf) (June 2006)
Comments from Open House (10Kb pdf) (June 2006)
Project Map (1.2MB pdf) (05/24/06)
EA Determination (32Kb pdf) (April 2006)
Map of Southeast Idaho Electrical System (682Kb pdf) (July 2003)
|
