Midway-Moxee / Midway-Grandview Draft EA
The following comments were submitted in response to the open comment period described below.
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BPA has prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) for our proposed Midway-Moxee Rebuild and Midway-Grandview Upgrade Transmission Line Project. BPA is proposing to rebuild its 34-mile long Midway-Moxee transmission line and its 26-mile long Midway-Grandview transmission line. The lines were built in the 1940s and are deteriorating due to age and exposure to weather. Both lines need to be rebuilt to ensure reliable electric service. For both transmission lines, the project would include replacing all wood-pole transmission structures and conductor (wires), improving existing access roads, and creating new access, where needed.
For More Information:
http://www.bpa.gov/goto/MidMoxRebuild
Close of comment: 10/9/2015
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Malland
Regarding the Midway-Moxee Rebuild and Midway-Grandview Upgrade Transmission Line Project (DOE/EA-1951) , how will this project impact power supply for residents during the construction period? During the Fall, when construction is projected to start on this project, many farms in the Moxee area are in their harvest period and any power outages would greatly impact their productivity. Can you help me understand any impacts this project might have on the power supply to farms in the area?
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Miller/Benton REAPlease view Attachment.
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ReedPlease, please, please - finish whatever building modifications you were making at the substation located on Retreat-Kanaskat Road in Ravensdale, WA. We are nearby neighbors and are sick of seeing the buildings wrapped in "VYTEK" paper. It looks so junkie the way everything is now.
Thanks for listening,
Denise Reed
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Anderson/Anderson RanchPlease view Attachment.
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StillwaughPlease view Attachment.
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BPA public meetingPlease see attachment
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McPherron/US Fish and Wildlife ServiceAttached is your copy of the Service's comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Midway-Moxee Rebuild and Midway-Grandview Upgrade Transmission Line Project.
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Gonseth/Washington State Department of TransportationPlease view attachment
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PaceThis comment focuses on what I believe is the most significant weakness in the draft environmental analysis (EA) as a whole and, specifically, the finding of no significant impact (FONSI): BPA’s failure to address impacts of this project on maintenance of habitat for and, ultimately, reintroduction of Brachylagus idahoensis (pygmy rabbit) populations despite clearly acknowledging that pygmy rabbit is one of eight ESA-listed species known to occur—or have the potential to occur—within the project area. EA, p. 3-76 and 4-2 (“All listed species are threatened except for pygmy rabbit and gray wolf, which are endangered.”) BPA’s failure to address impacts of the Midway-Moxee rebuild and enhancement on potential recovery of pygmy rabbit populations in eastern Washington in the draft EA apparently was carried over into its consultation(s) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which are described on p. 4-2, et seq., as follows: “BPA entered into pre-consultation with USFWS concerning potential impacts on ESA-listed species from the Proposed Action. On April 25, 2013, a site visit was conducted on the DOE Hanford Site with staff from BPA, USFWS, DOE-RL, and WDNR. * * * * * BPA prepared a BA for USFWS that addresses effects of the Proposed Action on ESA-listed and proposed species that may occur in the project area. BPA included ESA-listed species in the BA that are known to occur in the project area OR IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THEY MAY OCCUR, due to the presence of potential habitat for a species. Umtanum desert buckwheat is the only ESA-listed species that is known to occur in the project area. BPA made a No Effect determination for all ESA-listed and proposed species. THE NO EFFECT DETERMINATION, BASED ON A LACK OF POTENTIAL HABITAT IN THE PROJECT AREA, WAS MADE FOR … pygmy rabbit.” Similarly, in Appendix B-, the draft EA reads as follows: “Unlikely No pygmy rabbits or their sign were observed during the surveys for the Proposed Action (Tetra Tech 2014). Yakima County is not within the expected historical distribution of the species, and the most recent observation in Benton County was unverified and occurred in 1979.” Now the fact that Tetra Tech observed no pygmy rabbits when it conducted its site visit(s) does not address potential impacts on potential habitat. Similarly, the fact that the most recent observation of pygmy rabbits was not verified and occurred some time ago is of little import. What is important is that during the first half of the 20th century, Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit populations occurred in portions of six counties in eastern Washington (includes Benton County). See U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2012. “Recovery Plan for the Columbia Basin Distinct Population Segment of the Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis),” https://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/documents/Columbia_Basin_Pygmy_Rabbit_Final_RP.pdf. The fact that portions of the proposed project have the potential to adversely affect, and run counter to, recovery planning for species requires BPA take the requisite ‘hard look’ at such impacts. Instead BPA appears to simply dismiss impacts on pygmy rabbit out of hand and fails to address habitat required for recovering the species. And, to summarize, that is why I suggest that the draft EA really needs to address potential impacts on habitat required for long-term recovery.
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Buck/Wanapum BandPlease view attachment.
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