[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32591-32592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15711]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Bonneville Power Administration
Transmission System Vegetation Management Program
AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS on
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principles for implementing BPA's Transmission System Vegetation
Management Program. In accordance with the Federal Columbia River
Transmission System Act of 1974, the Administrator ``shall operate and
maintain the Federal transmission system to * * * maintain the
electrical stability and electrical reliability of the Federal
(transmission) system * * *.'' In order to ensure safe and reliable
power, BPA must control the vegetation on land around the electrical
transmission facilities.
BPA has invited the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management to be cooperating agencies in this EIS process. They have
been asked to participate in the formal scoping process; to review
resource analysis; and to assist in developing alternative principles
to guide the standards, techniques, and procedures used in BPA's
Transmission System Vegetation Management Program. These agencies were
invited because they manage some of the land where BPA transmission
facilities are located.
BPA invites public comment on the range of actions, alternatives,
and impacts to be addressed in the Transmission System Vegetation
Management Program EIS.
DATES: BPA has established a scoping period during which affected
landowners, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local
governments, and any other interested parties are invited to comment on
the scope of the EIS. BPA will hold one scoping meeting (possibly more
depending on public interest) and will contact tribes, agencies, and
groups interested in BPA's Vegetation Management Program. Written
comments are due to the address below no later than July 23, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Send comment letters and requests to be placed on the
project mailing list to Communications, Bonneville Power
Administration--ACS-7, P.O. Box 12999, Portland, Oregon, 97212. The
phone number of the Communications office is 503-230-3478 in Portland
(toll-free 1-800-622-4519 outside of Portland); or comment at our
internet address at: comment@bpa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Tammie Vincent at (503) 230-3469,
Bonneville Power Administration--ECN-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland,
Oregon, 97208-3621.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA owns and operates a high-voltage
transmission system throughout Washington and Oregon, and in parts of
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and California. To ensure safe, reliable
service, vegetation is managed as part of the normal operation of the
transmission system.
Proposed Action
BPA proposes to review its Transmission System Vegetation
Management Program and set principles to guide the planning and
implementation of vegetation management techniques used in the program.
The objective of the proposed action is to provide the most cost-
effective, efficient, and environmentally acceptable means of
controlling vegetation that may threaten transmission system safety and
reliability. General issues the EIS may address include the following:
vegetation management, land management, water quality management, fish
and wildlife management, threatened and endangered species management,
cultural resources management, and economic effects. Additional issues
may be identified by the public scoping process; scoping may also
eliminate some issues from in-depth analysis. The EIS will develop
broad, program-wide standards and practices for planning and
implementing vegetation management. Site-specific analysis would then
be tiered to the Program EIS, when needed.
Information developed from other environmental reviews, especially
concerning vegetation management in the Pacific Northwest, may be
included in the BPA Transmission System Vegetation Management Program
EIS, as appropriate.
Current Practice
BPA currently manages vegetation with a mix of techniques on a
project-by-project basis. This approach does not foster consistency
across projects, jurisdictions, BPA's regions, or over time. BPA needs
to find a way to ensure consistency.
Alternatives Proposed for Consideration
Alternatives to be considered in the BPA Transmission System
Vegetation Management Program EIS would include alternative vegetation
management planning and implementation principles for each management
issue addressed. The EIS will also consider a No Action alternative,
i.e., continuing project-by-project vegetation management without
defined program-or region-wide standards and guidelines.
Identification of Environmental Issues
The environmental issues associated with transmission system
vegetation management include potential effects on land use, vegetation
communities, water quality, human health and safety, and wildlife
populations.
Issued in Portland, Oregon, on June 6, 1997.
Randall W. Hardy,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-15711 Filed 6-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6540-01-P
