Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project
Wasco County, Oregon and Klickitat County, Washington

• PROJECT PROPOSAL:

  
  BPA is proposing to build a new 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and substation in Wasco County, Oregon and Klickitat County, Washington. The new BPA transmission line would extend generally northeast from BPA's existing Big Eddy Substation in The Dalles, Oregon, to a new substation (Knight Substation) proposed to be connected to an existing BPA line about four miles northwest of Goldendale, Washington.
  
  BPA is considering three routing alternatives and a no action alternative for the proposed transmission line; portions of all three routes parallel existing BPA lines in the area. The routing alternatives range from about 27 to 29 miles long. Two substation sites are being considered for the proposed Knight Substation; the sites are on adjacent properties along an existing BPA transmission line. The proposed Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project is needed to increase transmission capacity to respond to requests for transmission service in this area.
  
  To make an informed decision on whether to build the line and substation, and to understand the impacts of the alternatives, BPA is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
  
  BPA will be the lead agency for preparation of the EIS. In furtherance of existing cooperative agreements between BPA and the states of Washington and Oregon, the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council and the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council will be cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Among other things, these state agencies will assist BPA in evaluating alternative transmission line routes and identifying state interests that should be addressed in the EIS.
  
  

• CURRENT STATUS:

  
  In summer 2009, BPA held two open house-style public meetings on the proposed project and scope of the EIS. One meeting was held on June 30, 2009 in The Dalles, OR, and the second meeting was held on July 1, 2009 in Goldendale, WA. In response to the comments received and additional preliminary design work, the proposed project was further refined. BPA distributed a fact sheet that explained the refinements and requested further public input. BPA is currently reviewing the additional comments received and is working on the draft EIS to be published this spring.
  
  Project staff and contractors continue to review the project area and proposed routes to collect information for the draft EIS. These specialists will stay on existing rights-of-way and cross properties where landowners have given BPA permission to enter their property. If you have a question, contact our Realty Specialist (contact information below).
  

• COMMENTS:

  
  All comments we receive on the project are posted on the Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project comments webpage. Comments received during the initial public scoping period from June-September 2009 have been summarized in a Public Scoping Comment Report (see document below).
  
  

• CONTACT:

  
  For further information on this project, please contact:
  
  Stacy Mason, Environmental Coordinator, Bonneville Power Administration - KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-230-5455; or e-mail slmason@bpa.gov.
  
  Steve Prickett, Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration - TNP-3, P.O. Box 61409, Vancouver, WA 98666-1409; toll-free telephone 800-282-3713; direct telephone 360-619-6379; or e-mail slprickett@bpa.gov.
  
  Shelley Fenton, Realty Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration - TERR-3, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-230-4797; or e-mail snfenton@bpa.gov.
  
  

• DOCUMENTS:

  
  January 2010 Public Scoping Comment Report (271Kb pdf) (January 2010)
  December 2009 Project Factsheet (1.1MB pdf) (December 2009)
  December 2009 Public Letter (29Kb pdf) (12/18/09)
  December 2009 Project Overview Map (1.1MB pdf) (12/15/09)
  December 2009 Fiber Optic Cable Map (1.6MB pdf) (12/15/09)
  June 2009 Project Factsheet (716Kb pdf) (6/30/09)
  June 2009 USGS Topo Map (1.9MB pdf) (06/29/09)
  June 2009 Public Scoping Letter (31Kb pdf) (06/02/09)
  June 2009 Project Vicinity Map (286Kb pdf) (06/01/09)
  Notice of Intent (35Kb pdf) (05/27/09)