Public Comments

Title:	Radio System Upgrades at Willow Creek Summit and Windy Devil Annex
Description:	The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a Co-lead Agency, has prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed Radio System Upgrades at Willow Creek Summit and Windy Devil Annex. The EA describes the project and why it is needed, discusses the environmental impacts the project would create, and lists the mitigation measures that would lessen those impacts. The project’s potential environmental impacts are also compared with those of a No-Action alternative under which there would be no communication station development. This letter requests your comments on the EA and outlines the next steps for the project. BPA is proposing to develop two communication stations in Custer County, Idaho with one in the existing Willow Creek Summit Communication Site on BLM-managed land and one in an annex of the existing Windy Devil Communication Site on US Forest Service (USFS)-managed land. The project would be important for the safe operation, maintenance, and continued reliability of the Federal Columbia River Transmission System for electricity customers in BPA’s Idaho Falls Radio Region. The project would upgrade and modernize the two-way radio system in the area, the foundation of which is Very High Frequency (VHF)-based field voice transmission and reception. The two proposed communication stations would expand the VHF coverage for field communications by BPA personnel, and create linkage in a path for voice data routing to central dispatch sites. How to Comment: The EA can be viewed at the project website, www.bpa.gov/goto/WillowCreekWindyDevil. If you requested a hard copy, it is enclosed. If you would like to request a hard copy (219 pages including appendices), please call our toll-free line listed below. Please send your comments on the EA by Friday, July 23 and reference the project: Radio System Upgrades at Willow Creek Summit and Windy Devil Annex. We will consider all comments submitted during the comment period and provide responses to substantive comments in the final EA. In addition, comments will be available on the project website. There are several ways to comment: Mail: Bonneville Power Administration Toll-free: 800-622-4519 Public Affairs – DKE-7 FAX: 503-230-4019 P.O. Box 14428 Online: www.bpa.gov/comment Portland, OR 97291-4428
Start Date:	6/24/2021
End Date:	7/23/2021
Related information:	www.bpa.gov/goto/WillowCreekWindyDevil

Comments for Radio System Upgrades at Willow Creek Summit and Windy Devil Annex