[Federal Register: January 22, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 14)]
[Notices]
[Page 3020]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ja03-49]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Bonneville Power Administration
Grand Coulee-Bell 500-kV Transmission Line Project
AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability of Record of Decision (ROD).
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the ROD to construct
the proposed Grand Coulee-Bell 500-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line
Project in Douglas, Grant, Lincoln, and Spokane Counties, Washington,
based on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for this project
(DOE/EIS-0344, December 2002). The proposed action consists of
constructing a new 500-kV transmission line in Washington between the
Bureau of Reclamation's Grand Coulee 500-kV switchyard near Grand
Coulee and BPA's Bell Substation near Spokane, a distance of 84 miles.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and EIS may be obtained by calling BPA
toll-free at 1-888-276-7790. The ROD and EIS Summary are also available
on the Transmission Business Line Web site at http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/projects
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Inez S. Graetzer, Bonneville Power
Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621;
toll-free telephone number 1-800-282-3713; fax number 503-230-5699; or
e-mail isgraetzer@bpa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action involves removing an
existing 115-kV transmission line and replacing it with a 500-kV line
on existing right-of-way for most of its length. The line will be
constructed using a single-circuit design, with the exception of two
short distances of slightly less than one mile where double-circuit
towers will be used because the right-of-way is constrained. As part of
the proposed action, BPA has decided to expand the existing fenced yard
at Bell Substation by about 11.7 acres; slightly expand the fenced area
at Grand Coulee Switchyard to accommodate new line termination
facilities and other equipment; install one group of series capacitors
on an expanded site at BPA's Dworshak 500-kV Substation in Clearwater
County, Idaho; and replace existing series capacitors within the
current boundary of BPA's Garrison 500-kV Substation in Powell County,
Montana. All mitigation measures have been updated, adopted, and
included with the ROD. A Mitigation Action Plan will be prepared to be
included in the construction specifications to ensure mitigation
measures are implemented.
Issued in Portland, Oregon, on January 10, 2003.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-1333 Filed 1-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P