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 length of the routing alternatives ranges from about 26 to 28 miles. Two substation sites are being considered for the proposed Knight Substation; the sites are within 2 miles of each other 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 also will participate in 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. In addition, cooperating agencies for the EIS may be identified as the proposed project proceeds through the NEPA process.
  
  

• CURRENT STATUS:

  
  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. BPA is compiling all scoping comments and will send a summary of the comments to the project mail list in the next few months.
  
  Project staff and contractors will be reviewing 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 sent in your Permission-to-Enter-Property form, thank you. If you haven't completed the form yet, please return your signed form to assist us in determining the impacts of building the project.
  
  

• COMMENTS:

  
  All comments received on the project before July 21, 2009 will be used to help determine the environmental impacts to be considered in the EIS; comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.
  
  Though the scoping period has closed, other opportunities to comment will be available. Comments may be submitted to BPA online or via mail to: Bonneville Power Administration, Public Affairs Office - DKE-7, P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR, 97293-4428; or by fax to (503) 230-3285. Please reference "Big Eddy-Knight Transmission Project" with your comments.
  
  

• CONTACT:

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

• DOCUMENTS:

  
  USGS Topo Map (1.9MB pdf) (06/29/09)
  Project Factsheet (716Kb pdf) (6/30/09)
  Public Scoping Letter (31Kb pdf) (06/02/09)
  Comment Form (47Kb pdf) (06/02/09)
  Project Vicinity Map (286Kb pdf) (06/01/09)
  Notice of Intent (35Kb pdf) (05/27/09)