Allston to Astoria Rebuild Project
The following comments were submitted in response to the open comment period described below.
Comments are numbered consecutively as they are received. Breaks in the number sequence result when comments are deleted because they
were submitted in error or have inappropriate content (such as SPAM). If you do not see your comment two business days after
you submit it, please contact (800) 622-4519.
BPA proposes to rebuild its existing approximately 22-mile-long Allston to Driscoll No. 2 and the approximately 21-mile-long Driscoll to Astoria No. 1, 115-kilovolt transmission lines (see enclosed project map). Together, the proposed rebuilding of the two lines is referred to as the Allston to Astoria Rebuild Project. The lines are located in Clatsop and Columbia counties and cross sections of lands owned by the State of Oregon. The Allston-Driscoll No. 2 and Driscoll-Astoria No. 1 transmission lines, have been in service for around 70 years and are rapidly approaching the end of their service lives. The lines are experiencing performance issues due to age, inadequate design, and overall condition which results in continued loss of service. The lines need to be rebuilt to ensure reliable electric service and the safety of the public and transmission workers. Your comments will help BPA determine the issues that should be addressed in the environmental review.
For More Information:
https://www.bpa.gov/learn-and-participate/public-involvement-decisions/columbia-river-basin-tributary-habitat-restoration/allston-to-astoria-rebuild-project
Close of comment: 6/6/2022
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paceThe link for more information,i.e., www.bpa.gov/nepa/allston-to-astoria
is not functioning. When you try to access it you repeatedly get the following message: "The resource you are looking for has been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable". The fact that BPA proposes an action without providing information re the proposal is troubling. The Allston/Astoria rebuild is a no brainer but without the information that the public requires to review the project in detail, your environmental compliance process is fatally flawed. As a result, BPA should restart the review process, provide the information required, and restart the public comment period. More generally, I have recently become aware that BPA is intentionally withholding information re projects until after the public comment period is done. E.g., this is the case for the extension of the Port Townsend contract where BPA has withheld information on the inflation rate it is using to value the project. Like Allston/Astoria, this practice requires a restart of the environmental compliance process for that project. This assumes, of course, that BPA still considers NEPA compliance necessary. If that is not the case, then just go ahead and rebuild the line. In fact, upgrades in the transmission system is a no brainer throughout the region given what is coming in terms of people rushing headlong to live a "virtual"; as opposed to a real life. That will all fail if you can't keep the lights on. And when the lights go off, environmental issues can't survive five minutes of serious discussion.
- AllAst22 0002 -
SmithHow and when will the public have access to the environmental review or surveys for this project? Will the public be able to comment on the findings? Thanks
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