Rebuild of the Libby (FEC) to Troy Section of the Libby-Bonners Ferry 115-kilovolt Transmission Line

• PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

  
  BPA is proposing to rebuild a 17-mile-long section of BPA's Libby to Bonners Ferry 115-kilovolt transmission line. This rebuild would replace an existing 115-kV wood pole transmission line that runs west from Flathead Electric Cooperative's (FEC) Libby Substation near the town of Libby, to BPA's Troy Substation, east of Troy, Montana. The proposed rebuild would be located primarily in BPA's existing right-of-way corridor with three potential realignments - one to avoid immediately adjacent residences along Kootenai River Road near Pipe Creek, a second to bypass landowners in the Big Horn Terrace subdivision and the third to avoid the Kootenai Falls area by moving the river crossing approximately 3/4 mile east of the present crossing of the Kootenai River. The project is needed to continue to provide safe and reliable service to the local communities.
  

• CURRENT STATUS:

  
  BPA has decided to implement the Proposed Action with the Kootenai River Crossing realignment option as described in the EIS. The Record of Decision (ROD) was signed on July 25, 2008. Project construction will commence sometime after contract terms are determined and other permits and approvals are granted.
  
  

• CONTACT:

  
  For further information on this project, please contact Tish Eaton, BPA Environmental Lead, Bonneville Power Administration - KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621, toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct phone number 503-230-3469, fax number 503-230-5699, email tkeaton@bpa.gov.
  
  

• DOCUMENTS:

Notice of Construction Public Letter (42 Kb pdf) (05/22/09)

ROD Public Letter (34Kb pdf) (07/25/08)

Record of Decision with Mitigation Action Plan (159Kb pdf) (07/25/08)

Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Related Documents

Final EIS Public Letter (37Kb pdf) (05/22/08)

Final EIS (2.5MB pdf) (May 2008)

Comment Letters, Figures and Appendices not embedded in the Final EIS:
Comment Letters (2.1MB pdf)
Figure S-1 Project Location Map (1.4MB pdf)
Figure S-2 Typical Suspension Structure Types (125Kb pdf)
Figure 1-1 Project Vicinity Map (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 2-1 Project Location Map (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 2-5 Pipe Creek Realignment (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 2-6 Quartz Creek Realignment (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 2-7 Kootenai River Crossing Realignment (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-1 Land Types (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-2 Water Resources (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-3 Land Ownership (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-4 Old Growth (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-5 Wetlands (1.6MB pdf)
Figure 3-6 Forest Plan Management Areas and Planning Subunits (1.8MB pdf)
Figure 3-7 Grizzly Bear (1.3MB pdf)
Figure 3-8 Bald Eagle (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-9 Proposed Road Closures in Grizzly Bear Habitat (546Kb pdf)
Figure 3-10 Threatened and Endangered Fish (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-11 Visual Quality Objectives, Viewpoints and Forest Management Areas (1.7MB pdf)
Figure 3-12 Viewpoint 1 (327Kb pdf)
Figure 3-13 Viewpoint 2 (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-14 Viewpoint 3 (482Kb pdf)
Figure 3-15 Viewpoint 4 (1MB pdf)
Figure 3-16 Viewpoint 5 (1.6MB pdf)
Figure 3-17 Viewpoint 6 (628Kb pdf)
Figure 3-18 Viewpoint 7 (792Kb pdf)
Figure 3-18a Viewpoint 8 (1.6MB pdf)
Figure 3-18b Viewpoint 9 (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-18c Viewpoint 10 (1.3MB pdf)
Figure 3-19 Recreation (1.7MB pdf)
Figure 3-25 Transportation (1.9MB pdf)
Figure 3-26 PM-10 and PM-2.5 Non-Attainment Area (1.1MB pdf)
Figure L-1 Project Area Topographic Map (3.3MB pdf)
Appendix A Tribal Involvement(36Kb pdf)
Appendix B Water Yield Modeling (64Kb pdf)
Appendix C Sensitive Plant Species Found on the Kootenai National Forest (22Kb pdf)
Appendix D Noxious Weed Species of Concern on the Kootenai National Forest (16Kb pdf)
Appendix E Forest Service Manual 2080 Noxious Weed Management (60Kb pdf)
Appendix F ESA and Kootenai National Forest Plan Determinations for the Proposed Libby to Troy Rebuild Project (53Kb pdf)
Appendix G Cultural Sites (23Kb pdf)
Appendix H Electrical Effects (405Kb pdf)
Appendix I Living and Working Around High-Voltage Power Lines (271Kb pdf)
Appendix J Assessment of Research Regarding EMF and Health and Environmental Effects (172Kb pdf)
Appendix K Contractor Disclosure Forms (814Kb pdf)
Appendix L Comparison of Impacts - Additional Summary Tables (367Kb pdf)

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Related Documents

Project Update (45Kb pdf) (10/31/07)

Public Comments

Public Meeting Materials for DEIS (83Kb pdf) (08/15/07)

Draft EIS Public Letter (38Kb pdf) (07/17/07)

Draft EIS (2MB pdf) (July 2007)

Figures & Appendices not embedded in the Draft EIS:
Figure S-1 Project Location Map (1.5MB pdf)
Figure S-2 Typical Suspension Structure Types (108Kb pdf)
Figure 1-1 Project Vicinity Map (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 2-1 Project Location Map (1.3MB pdf)
Figure 2-5 Pipe Creek Realignment (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 2-6 Quartz Creek Realignment (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 2-7 Kootenai River Crossing Realignment (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-1 Land Types (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-2 Water Resources (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-3 Land Ownership (1MB pdf)
Figure 3-4 Old Growth (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-5 Wetlands (1.6MB pdf)
Figure 3-6 Forest Plan Management Areas and Planning Subunits (1.8MB pdf)
Figure 3-7 Grizzly Bear (1.3MB pdf)
Figure 3-8 Bald Eagle (1.3MB pdf)
Figure 3-9 Proposed Road Closures in Grizzly Bear Habitat (547Kb pdf)
Figure 3-10 Threatened and Endangered Fish (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-11 Visual Quality Objectives, Viewpoints and Forest Management Areas (1.5MB pdf)
Figure 3-12 Viewpoint 1 (331Kb pdf)
Figure 3-13 Viewpoint 2 (1.4MB pdf)
Figure 3-14 Viewpoint 3 (482Kb pdf)
Figure 3-15 Viewpoint 4 (1MB pdf)
Figure 3-16 Viewpoint 5 (1.6MB pdf)
Figure 3-17 Viewpoint 6 (628Kb pdf)
Figure 3-18 Viewpoint 7 (792Kb pdf)
Figure 3-19 Recreation (1.8MB pdf)
Figure 3-25 Transportation (1.8MB pdf)
Figure 3-26 PM-10 and PM-2.5 Non-Attainment Area (1.1MB pdf)
Appendix A Tribal Involvement (36Kb pdf)
Appendix B Water Yield Modeling (64Kb pdf)
Appendix C Sensitive Plant Species Found on the Kootenai National Forest (22Kb pdf)
Appendix D Noxious Weed Species of Concern on the Kootenai National Forest (16Kb pdf)
Appendix E Forest Service Manual 2080 Noxious Weed Management (60Kb pdf)
Appendix F ESA and Kootenai National Forest Plan Determinations for the Proposed Libby to Troy Rebuild Project (41Kb pdf)
Appendix G Cultural Sites (20Kb pdf)
Appendix H Electrical Effects (405Kb pdf)
Appendix I Living and Working Around High-Voltage Power Lines (271Kb pdf)
Appendix J Assessment of Research Regarding EMF and Health and Environmental Effects (130Kb pdf)
Appendix K Contractor Disclosure Forms (814Kb pdf)

Public Letter (30Kb pdf) (10/11/06)

Updated Project Map (04/04/06)

Public Letter (37.7Kb pdf) (04/04/06)

Public Letter (141Kb pdf) (01/09/06)

EMF Public Meeting Invitation Letter (32Kb pdf) (10/21/05)

Public Meeting Materials (1.6MB pdf) (09/12/05)

Public Scoping Letter (42Kb pdf) (09/06/05)

Public Meeting Materials (132Kb pdf) (05/19/05)

Public Scoping Letter (46Kb pdf) (05/02/05)

Notice of Intent (51Kb pdf) (05/05/05)