Palisades Goshen Transmission Line Reconstruction Project

• PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

  BPA proposes to rebuild the Palisades-Goshen line to ensure continued safe and reliable transmission service. The line's condition has gradually deteriorated due to exposure to the elements and normal wear and tear. BPA has performed routine maintenance on the line as required, but the majority of the wood poles and cross arms are part of the original structure built in 1949. If nothing is done, the existing poles will continue to deteriorate until they fail and collapse.

  In addition, there is a need to address load growth in the area served by the Palisades-Goshen line. Due to expected future growth, BPA needs to rebuild the line using a 230-kV structure so that the line could be operated at a voltage higher than 115-kV in the future. Although BPA studies have indicated that loads requiring a higher voltage may not materialize until 2027, BPA believes that it is more cost-effective to rebuild now using a 230-kV structure to accommodate these future loads.

• CURRENT STATUS:

  A Revision Sheet for the EA is available that, with the Preliminary EA, constitutes the Final EA. On May 30, 2008, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was issued. It includes a Mitigation Action Plan. BPA has decided to proceed with the Proposed Action.

  Construction will start in June 2008 and continue during the summer construction season until 2010 or until the entire line is replaced.

• PUBLIC MEETINGS:

  Public meetings were held on May 30 and May 31, 2007, in Shelley and Irwin, Idaho.

• CONTACT:

  Nancy Wittpenn, Bonneville Power Administration - KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct phone number 503-230-3297; fax number 503-230-5699; email nawittpenn@bpa.gov.

• DOCUMENTS:

  Public Letter Announcing FONSI (33Kb pdf) (05/28/08)
  FONSI (34Kb pdf) (05/30/08)
  Revision Sheet (870Kb pdf) (05/30/08)
  Revised Project Maps (2.3MB pdf) (04/07/08)
  Mitigation Action Plan (44Kb pdf) (05/30/08)
  Public Letter Announcing Preliminary EA (33Kb pdf) (04/23/08)
  Comment Form (21Kb pdf) (04/21/08)
  List of Libraries (18Kb pdf) (04/21/08)
  Preliminary EA (3.5MB pdf) (April 2008)
  Figure 1-1 (480Kb pdf) (April 2008)
  Figure 2-1 (3.4MB pdf) (April 2008)
  Appendix B - Project Maps (13.6MB pdf) (April 2008)
  Public Letter with Public Postcard to Receive Preliminary EA (89Kb pdf) (02/29/08)
  New Public Letter (31Kb pdf) (10/29/07)
  Public Postcard (40Kb pdf) (05/14/07)
  Public Letter (38Kb pdf) (05/14/07)
  Comment Form (17Kb pdf) (05/14/07)
  Project Map (348Kb pdf) (05/14/07)
  EA Determination (28Kb pdf) (04/23/07)