McNary-John Day Transmission Line Project
Oregon and Washington

• PROJECT BACKROUND:

  
  BPA will build a new 500-kilovolt transmission line that had been scheduled for construction six years ago and then put on hold. In 2002, BPA decided to construct a new 79-mile transmission line from McNary Substation to the John Day Substation along the Columbia River. BPA completed an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that analyzed the potential impacts of constructing, maintaining and operating the line. The line would have helped integrate power from many of the new generation projects considered in the area. However, other than some preliminary construction activities, the project was put on hold due to changing energy market conditions. BPA recently conducted a process, called Network Open Season (NOS), in which we received many new requests for use of transmission lines in this area. Building the McNary-John Day transmission line will address those requests. As part of this NOS process, BPA also conducted a financial analysis of the project.
  
  To help determine whether to proceed with building the McNary-John Day Transmission Line Project, BPA prepared a Supplement Analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Supplement Analysis reviewed our 2002 EIS for the project and assessed whether there have been any significant changes in the project or its environmental impacts. As part of the analysis, BPA sent letters to potentially affected publics requesting comments and held two open house style public meetings. The Supplement Analysis determined that a supplemental EIS for the project is not required, the 2002 EIS remains valid, and no further NEPA documentation is required.
  
  

• PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

  
  The line will be located next to existing transmission lines, and the route will start in Oregon, cross the Columbia River below McNary Dam, run parallel to the north side of the Columbia through Benton and Klickitat counties, and cross back into Oregon near John Day Dam. (See project map link below.)
  
  

• CURRENT STATUS:

  
  BPA continues to work with landowners regarding construction plans for the line; initial construction will start summer 2009.
  
  

• CONTACT:

  
  For further information on this project, please contact Stacy Mason, BPA Environmental Lead.
  
  

• DOCUMENTS:

  
  Supplement Analysis (SA) 3 - (11Kb pdf) (1/31/11)
  Supplement Analysis (SA) 2 - (29Kb pdf) (3/9/10)
  SA Cover Letter (29Kb pdf) (02/24/09)
  Supplement Analysis (SA) (41Kb pdf) (02/09/09)
  Project Map (299Kb pdf) (02/09/09)
  Public Comments (121Kb pdf) (02/09/09)
  Mitigation Action Plan (71Kb pdf) (02/09/09)
  Public Meeting Notice (32Kb) (10/21/08)
  Fact Sheet (320Kb) (October 2008)
  ROD Cover Letter (121Kb pdf) (11/15/02)
  Record of Decision (ROD) and Mitigation Measures (349Kb pdf) (10/30/02)
  Abbreviated Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (7.7MB pdf) (August 2002)
  FEIS Cover Letter (122Kb pdf) (08/30/02)
  
  Draft EIS (DEIS) (1.9MB pdf) (February 2002)

  Figures not embedded in draft EIS:
  Figure S-1 Vicinity Map (365Kb)
  Figure 1-1 Proposed Generation and Transmission Facilities in NE Oregon and SE Washington (1.1Kb)
  Figure 2-1 Vicinity Map (365Kb)
  Figure 2-2 Tower Configurations in Right-of-Way (293Kb)
  Figure 2-4 McNary Substation Alternatives (260Kb)
  Figure 2-5 Hanford-John Day Junction, Alternative A-North Side (211Kb)
  Figure 2-6 Hanford-John Day Junction, Alternative B-South Side (210Kb)
  Figure 2-7 Hanford-John Day Junction, Alternative C-South Side, Highway (154Kb)
  Figure 2-8 Corridor Mile 32 Alternatives, Corridor Mile 35 Alternatives (627Kb)
  Figure 3-1 Land Use, Ownership and Recreation (819Kb)
  Figure 3-2 Streams, Fish and Wetlands (755Kb)
  Figure 3-3 Vegetation Communities (770Kb)
  Figure 3-4 Wildlife (899Kb)
  Figure 3-5 Photosimulation 1, Corridor Mile 49, In Town of Roosevelt, Looking West (332Kb)
  Figure 3-6 Photosimulation 2, Corridor Mile 65, Looking West Across State Route 14 (407Kb)
  Figure 3-7 Transportation Features (646Kb)
  Appendices and Index:
  Appendix A - Agency Correspondence and Policies (273Kb)
  Appendix B - Public Involvement (560Kb)
  Appendix C - Common and Scientific Names of Plants in the Project Corridor (93Kb)
  Appendix D - Common and Scientific Names of Animals in the Project Corridor (94Kb)
  Appendix E - Socioeconomic Data (116Kb)
  Appendix F - Living and Working Safely Around High-Voltage Power Lines (2.9MB)
  Appendix G - Electric and Magnetic Fields (819Kb)
  Index (92Kb)

  DEIS Cover Letter (44Kb pdf) (03/08/02)
  Comment Form (90Kb pdf) (03/08/02)
  Post Scoping Letter (26Kb pdf) (08/14/01)
  Scoping Comments (116Kb pdf) (07/31/01)
  Scoping Letter (25Kb pdf) (05/01/01)
  Notice of Intent (13Kb pdf) (05/01/01)