Record of Decision; Boardman-to-Ione 69-kV Transmission Line, 24768-24770 [2019-11140]
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24768
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 29, 2019 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
FE Docket Nos.
Notice of Orders Issued Under Section
3 of the Natural Gas Act During April
2019
FE Docket Nos.
COMANCHE TRAIL PIPELINE,
LLC.
DRIFTWOOD LNG LLC ...........
BLUE ROADS SOLUTIONS,
LLC.
MARITIMES & NORTHEAST
PIPELINE, L.L.C.
EXCELERATE ENERGY GAS
MARKETING, LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP.
EL PASO MARKETING COMPANY, L.L.C.
OMIMEX CANADA, LTD ..........
FERUS NATURAL GAS
FUELS INC.
19–36–NG
SOLENSA S.A. DE C.V ...........
DOMINION ENERGY FUEL
SERVICES, INC.
19–42–LNG
19–49–NG
Office of Fossil Energy,
Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of orders.
AGENCY:
The Office of Fossil Energy
(FE) of the Department of Energy gives
notice that during April 2019, it issued
orders granting authority to import and
export natural gas, to import and export
liquefied natural gas (LNG), and a
procedural order. These orders are
summarized in the attached appendix
and may be found on the FE website at
https://www.energy.gov/fe/listing-doefeauthorizationsorders-issued-2019.
SUMMARY:
16–144–LNG
19–37–LNG
19–38–NG
19–39–NG
19–40–NG
19–48–NG
19–41–LNG
They are also available for inspection
and copying in the U.S. Department of
Energy (FE–34), Division of Natural Gas
Regulation, Office of Regulation,
Analysis, and Engagement, Office of
Fossil Energy, Docket Room 3E–033,
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585,
(202) 586–9478. The Docket Room is
open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 23,
2019.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Division of Natural Gas Regulation.
Appendix
DOE/FE ORDERS GRANTING IMPORT/EXPORT AUTHORIZATIONS
4368 ................
04/09/19
19–36–NG .....
Comanche Trail Pipeline, LLC ............
PO ...................
04/10/19
16–144–LNG
Driftwood LNG LLC .............................
4369 ................
04/16/19
19–37–LNG ...
Blue Roads Solutions, LLC .................
4370 ................
04/16/19
19–38–NG .....
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C
4371 ................
04/16/19
19–39–NG .....
Excelerate Energy Gas Marketing,
Limited Partnership.
4375 ................
04/17/19
19–40–NG .....
El Paso Marketing Company, L.L.C ....
4376 ................
04/22/19
19–48–NG .....
Omimex Canada, Ltd ..........................
4377 ................
04/28/19
19–41–LNG ...
Ferus Natural Gas Fuels Inc ...............
4378 ................
04/28/19
19–42–LNG ...
Solensa S.A. de C.V ...........................
4379 ................
04/28/19
19–49–NG .....
Dominion Energy Fuel Services, Inc ...
[FR Doc. 2019–11158 Filed 5–28–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Record of Decision; Boardman-to-Ione
69-kV Transmission Line
Bonneville Power
Administration (Bonneville),
Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Record of decision (ROD).
AGENCY:
The Bonneville Power
Administration has decided to
implement a portion of the Agency
Preferred Alternative from the Final
Environmental Impact Statement and
Proposed Land Use Plan Amendments
for the Boardman to Hemingway
Transmission Line Project (DOI–BLM–
ORWA–V000–2012–0016–EIS, OROR–
065375, IDI–036029 and DOE/EIS–0507,
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:45 May 28, 2019
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Order 4368 granting blanket authority to import/export natural gas from/to Mexico.
Procedural Order Dismissing Industrial Energy
Consumers of America’s Motion to Intervene and
Protest and accepting late-filed comments.
Order 4369 granting blanket authority to import/export LNG from/to Canada/Mexico by truck.
Order 4370 granting blanket authority to import/export natural gas from/to Canada.
Order 4371 granting blanket authority to import
LNG from various international sources by vessel.
Order 4375 granting blanket authority to import/export natural gas from/to Canada/Mexico.
Order 4376 granting blanket authority to import/export natural gas from/to Canada.
Order 4377 granting blanket authority to import/export LNG from/to Canada by truck.
Order 4378 granting blanket authority to export
LNG to Mexico by truck.
Order 4379 granting blanket authority to import/export natural gas from/to Canada.
November 2016) (B2H Project Final
EIS). More specifically, Bonneville has
decided to enter into an amended land
use agreement with the U.S. Navy
(Navy) concerning Bonneville’s existing
69-kilovolt (kV) Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line. This amended land
use agreement authorizes Bonneville’s
ongoing access to certain land on the
Navy’s Naval Weapon Systems Training
Facility Boardman (NWSTF Boardman)
in Morrow County, Oregon for
approximately 14 miles of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line,
while also including terms to trigger the
phased removal of this line off of
NWSTF Boardman if the B2H Project is
constructed.
Idaho Power Company (IPC) has
proposed to construct the approximately
290-mile-long B2H Project, a portion of
which would occupy the Boardman-toIone transmission line right-of-way. The
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environmental effects of removing the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
from NWSTF Boardman were analyzed
in the B2H Project Final EIS, and
removal of this line was identified as
part of the Agency Preferred Alternative
in the Final EIS. The U.S. Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) was the lead
federal agency under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for
preparation of the B2H Project Final
EIS. Bonneville and nineteen other
public entities were involved in the EIS
as cooperating agencies under NEPA.
Bonneville hereby adopts the relevant
portions of the Final EIS to support its
decision to amend the Boardman-toIone transmission line land use
agreement.
Several other federal agencies—
including the BLM, the U.S. Forest
Service, and the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation—have issued approvals to
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 29, 2019 / Notices
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IPC for portions of the B2H Project
under their jurisdiction. These
approvals have been for a B2H Project
route alignment that follows the Agency
Preferred Alternative in the Final EIS.
Bonneville’s decision to amend the
existing Boardman-to-Ione land use
agreement to allow for removal of the
line for the B2H Project is consistent
with these approvals.
ADDRESSES: This ROD will be available
to all interested parties and affected
persons and agencies. Copies of this
ROD can be obtained from Bonneville’s
Public Information Center, P.O. Box
3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208–3621; by
calling Bonneville’s nationwide toll-free
request line at 1–800–622–4520; or by
accessing Bonneville’s Project website
at: www.bpa.gov/goto/
BoardmanHemingway.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jamie Murray, Supervisory Realty
Specialist, Bonneville Power
Administration—TERR-Kalispell; 2520
US Highway 2 E., Kalispell, MT 59912;
toll-free telephone number 1–800–622–
4519; or email jcmurray@bpa.gov or
Katey Grange, Environmental Protection
Specialist, Bonneville Power
Administration—ECT–4, P.O. Box 3621,
Portland, Oregon, 97208–3621; toll-free
telephone number 1–800–622–4519; or
email kcgrange@bpa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Bonneville is a federal agency that
owns and operates the majority of the
high-voltage electric transmission
system in the Pacific Northwest. This
system is referred to as the Federal
Columbia River Transmission System
(FCRTS). The 69-kV Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line is part of the FCRTS.
This line extends about 30 miles from
Bonneville’s Boardman Substation to
near the Ione Substation, both of which
are located in Morrow County, Oregon.
About 14 miles of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line is located along the
eastern and southern boundary of the
NWSTF Boardman, which is managed
by the Navy. This 14-mile-long section
currently occupies a 90-foot-wide rightof-way. The structures in this section of
right-of-way have height restrictions
(100 feet) based on requirements to
operate within NWSTF Boardman. The
existing land use agreement between
Bonneville and the Navy was executed
in February of 1971 and subsequently
amended in March 2013. This existing
land use agreement allows Bonneville to
construct, reconstruct, operate,
maintain, and access the Boardman-toIone transmission line in its current
location on NWSTF Boardman.
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17:45 May 28, 2019
Jkt 247001
In 2007, IPC formally proposed the
B2H Project by initiating an application
process with the BLM to construct,
maintain, and operate the B2H Project
on BLM-managed lands. As proposed by
IPC, the project includes about 290
miles of single-circuit 500-kV
transmission line and other ancillary
facilities extending from the proposed
Longhorn Substation in Morrow County,
Oregon, to the existing Hemingway
Substation in Owyhee County, Idaho.
The BLM initiated a NEPA process for
consideration of IPC’s application by
publishing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS for the B2H Project in the
Federal Register on September 12, 2008.
Various federal agencies (including
Bonneville), state agencies, counties,
and other entities agreed to act as
cooperating agencies for the EIS. The
BLM then published a revised NOI in
the Federal Register on July 27, 2010 to
address 2010 revisions to the B2H
Project application by IPC.
The BLM, in coordination with the
cooperating agencies, published a Draft
EIS for the B2H Project on December 19,
2014. The Final EIS for the B2H Project
was published on November 28, 2016.
The Final EIS identified an Agency
Preferred Alternative for the B2H Project
that was composed of various segments
of the Project analyzed in the EIS. This
Agency Preferred Alternative included
the removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line from NWSTF
Boardman, along with potential
relocation of this line to nearby private
lands.
In November of 2017, the BLM issued
a ROD that authorized issuance of a
right-of-way grant to IPC for a 250-footwide right-of-way for the B2H Project on
85.6 miles of BLM-managed lands,
consistent with the route alignment for
the Agency Preferred Alternative
identified in the Final EIS. In February
of 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
published a ROD authorizing a right-ofway grant to IPC for the portion of the
B2H Project right-of-way that crosses
about one mile of U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation lands under the Agency
Preferred Alternative. In November of
2018, the U.S. Forest Service issued a
ROD that selected the Agency Preferred
Alternative and approved an Electric
Transmission Line Easement Special
Use Authorization and associated forest
plan amendments, including terms and
conditions to IPC contained in an
easement. The RODs documenting other
federal agencies’ decisions are in
process.
On April 17, 2018, IPC submitted to
the Navy an application to obtain an
easement to construct about seven miles
of the B2H Project within Bonneville’s
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24769
existing Boardman-Ione transmission
line right-of-way on NWSTF Boardman,
consistent with the Agency Preferred
Alternative identified in the B2H Project
Final EIS. The easement application
states that if IPC constructs the B2H
Project within a portion of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
right-of-way on NWSTF Boardman, then
IPC will remove the entire Bonneville
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
currently on NWSTF Boardman. The
removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line will potentially occur
in phases. IPC’s application was deemed
complete by the Navy on May 16, 2018.
Alternatives Considered
Specific to the removal of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
from NWSTF Boardman, the B2H
Project Final EIS identified and
evaluated three design options for the
removal and relocation of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line.
Design Option 1 involves partial
removal of this transmission line from
NWSTF Boardman. Design Option 2
involves full removal of this line from
NWSTF Boardman. Finally, Design
Option 3 also involves full Removal of
this line from NWSTF Boardman but
also includes construction of a new
step-down substation. These design
options are described in Section 2.5.2.1
of the Final EIS.
As part of implementing any of these
design options, amendment of the
existing land use agreement between
Bonneville and the Navy for the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line on
NWSTF Boardman is required. The
amended land use agreement requires
the following conditions be met before
Bonneville relinquishes the right-of-way
for this line on the NWSTF Boardman:
• A new transmission line and
associated infrastructure on the east side
of Bombing Range Road be constructed
to allow Bonneville to continue service
to its customer(s);
• Bonneville is able to secure
transmission service under reasonable
terms and conditions or own capacity
on the new line to continue to provide
cost effective and reliable service to its
customer(s);
• The B2H Project funds the costs
associated with Bonneville
relinquishing the right-of-way and
replacing the existing service capability
and reliable service to its customer; and
• The resolution of any associated
real property or commercial issues.
Under the amended land use
agreement, if these conditions are
realized, Bonneville will relinquish,
potentially in phases, its right-of-way
along the boundary of NWSTF
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 29, 2019 / Notices
Boardman. The Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line removal timing, the
design of the transmission line to
replace the Boardman-to-Ione line, and
other supporting infrastructure needed
to meet service requirements will
depend on the construction of other
transmission infrastructure on the east
side of Bombing Range Road, across the
roadway from NWSTF Boardman.
Ultimately, if all Bonneville service and
reliability conditions are met and the
B2H Project is constructed, under the
amended land use agreement, the entire
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line will
be removed from NWSTF Boardman
within 10 years of the B2H Project being
placed in service.
If the B2H Project is not constructed
on NWSTF Boardman or the Navy does
not grant an easement to the B2H
project, all terms of the existing land use
agreement, including all previous
amendments, between Bonneville and
the Navy for the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line right-of-way will
remain in place and unchanged.
The B2H Project Final EIS also
included a No Action Alternative.
Under the No Action Alternative,
Bonneville would not amend the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line’s
land use agreement. The B2H Project
would not be constructed within the
existing Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line right-of-way. There would be no
changes to the location, operation,
maintenance, or Bonneville access for
the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
on NWSTF Boardman. Because there
would be no ground disturbance or
other new environmental impacts
related to this portion of the existing
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line, the
No Action Alternative would be
considered the environmentally
preferable alternative for Bonneville’s
action that is the subject of this ROD.
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Bonneville’s Rationale for Decision
In making its decision to amend the
land use agreement with the Navy for
the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line,
Bonneville has considered and balanced
a variety of relevant factors. Bonneville
considered the environmental impacts
described in the Final EIS, as well as
public comments received throughout
the NEPA process and on the Draft and
Final EISs. Bonneville also considered
the following Bonneville purposes (i.e.,
objectives) identified in the Final EIS:
• Maintain Bonneville’s transmission
system reliability and performance
• Meet Bonneville’s contractual and
statutory obligations
• Minimize impacts on the
environment
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17:45 May 28, 2019
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• Minimize costs while meeting
Bonneville’s power and transmission
service needs
Finally, Bonneville considered the
decisions by the BLM, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, and U.S. Forest Service to
grant respective approvals, in part,
based on the analysis contained in the
Final EIS for the B2H Project, for rightsof-way over the lands they manage for
the Agency Preferred Alternative. After
considering and balancing all of these
factors, Bonneville has decided to
amend the land use agreement with the
Navy that authorizes the on-going
operation and maintenance of the 69-kV
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line on
NWSTF Boardman in Morrow County,
Oregon.
Amending the land use agreement
will not interfere with or otherwise
affect Bonneville’s ability to maintain
the stability and reliability of its
transmission system or for Bonneville to
meet contractual or statutory
obligations. The implementation of the
removal actions based on the reliability
and customer conditions identified in
the amended land use agreement will
ensure that any change in transmission
infrastructure will continue to meet
Bonneville’s system stability and
reliability needs and to provide service
to its customer(s).
The removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line from NWSTF
Boardman and any supporting
infrastructure construction, such as a
stepdown substation or access roads,
will likely result in impacts to soils,
land uses, vegetation, wildlife habitat,
and, potentially, some sensitive
resources. The impacts associated with
these activities were analyzed in the
B2H Project Final EIS, which also
identifies numerous mitigation
measures and required design features
to reduce, avoid, or compensate for B2H
Project impacts. IPC has committed to
implement these design features and
mitigation measures as part of the
development of the B2H Project.
Specific to removing the line, methods
would be used to minimize ground
disturbance and restrict vehicle access
in order to minimize potential
environmental impacts. In addition,
final removal plans would be
coordinated with NWSTF Boardman
personnel as well as Morrow County
Public Works, Oregon Department of
Transportation, adjacent landowners,
and other relevant agencies. As
additional site-specific information to
refine the location and nature of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line’s
removal activities are further known,
Bonneville may identify additional
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necessary minimization and/or
mitigation actions.
Should the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line be removed to
accommodate the B2H Project, the
estimated cost of the removal and
replacement activities will be about $16
million dollars, which will be paid for
by the B2H Project. Should the B2H
Project not be built, the Boardman-toIone transmission line will remain in
place and there will be no costs
associated with removal and
replacement activities. Either way, costs
to Bonneville would be minimal to nonexistent.
Mitigation
A complete list of required
environmental protection measures
designed to avoid and/or minimize
environmental harm from B2H Project
construction, operation, and
maintenance activities, is available in
Chapter 2 (Table 2–7) of the Final EIS
and in Appendix D of BLM’s ROD. All
the mitigation measures that apply to
removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line from NWSTF
Boardman are adopted. IPC will be
responsible for implementing mitigation
measures for their actions identified in
the EIS. As additional site-specific
information to refine the location and
nature of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line’s removal activities
are further known, Bonneville may
identify additional necessary
minimization and/or mitigation actions.
Before Bonneville takes any action to
begin removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line, Bonneville will
prepare a Mitigation Action Plan for all
mitigation it intends to implement.
Signed on the 13th day of May 2019.
Elliot E. Mainzer,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019–11140 Filed 5–28–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
Docket Numbers: ER18–855–000.
Applicants: Panoche Valley Solar,
LLC.
Description: Report Filing: Refund
Report of Panoche Valley Solar, LLC to
be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 5/21/19.
Accession Number: 20190521–5109.
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24768-24770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11140]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Record of Decision; Boardman-to-Ione 69-kV Transmission Line
AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville), Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Record of decision (ROD).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bonneville Power Administration has decided to implement a
portion of the Agency Preferred Alternative from the Final
Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Land Use Plan Amendments
for the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (DOI-BLM-ORWA-
V000-2012-0016-EIS, OROR-065375, IDI-036029 and DOE/EIS-0507, November
2016) (B2H Project Final EIS). More specifically, Bonneville has
decided to enter into an amended land use agreement with the U.S. Navy
(Navy) concerning Bonneville's existing 69-kilovolt (kV) Boardman-to-
Ione transmission line. This amended land use agreement authorizes
Bonneville's ongoing access to certain land on the Navy's Naval Weapon
Systems Training Facility Boardman (NWSTF Boardman) in Morrow County,
Oregon for approximately 14 miles of the Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line, while also including terms to trigger the phased removal of this
line off of NWSTF Boardman if the B2H Project is constructed.
Idaho Power Company (IPC) has proposed to construct the
approximately 290-mile-long B2H Project, a portion of which would
occupy the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line right-of-way. The
environmental effects of removing the Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line from NWSTF Boardman were analyzed in the B2H Project Final EIS,
and removal of this line was identified as part of the Agency Preferred
Alternative in the Final EIS. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
was the lead federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) for preparation of the B2H Project Final EIS. Bonneville and
nineteen other public entities were involved in the EIS as cooperating
agencies under NEPA. Bonneville hereby adopts the relevant portions of
the Final EIS to support its decision to amend the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line land use agreement.
Several other federal agencies--including the BLM, the U.S. Forest
Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation--have issued approvals to
[[Page 24769]]
IPC for portions of the B2H Project under their jurisdiction. These
approvals have been for a B2H Project route alignment that follows the
Agency Preferred Alternative in the Final EIS. Bonneville's decision to
amend the existing Boardman-to-Ione land use agreement to allow for
removal of the line for the B2H Project is consistent with these
approvals.
ADDRESSES: This ROD will be available to all interested parties and
affected persons and agencies. Copies of this ROD can be obtained from
Bonneville's Public Information Center, P.O. Box 3621, Portland,
Oregon, 97208-3621; by calling Bonneville's nationwide toll-free
request line at 1-800-622-4520; or by accessing Bonneville's Project
website at: www.bpa.gov/goto/BoardmanHemingway.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Murray, Supervisory Realty
Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration--TERR-Kalispell; 2520 US
Highway 2 E., Kalispell, MT 59912; toll-free telephone number 1-800-
622-4519; or email [email protected] or Katey Grange, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration--ECT-4, P.O. Box
3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; toll-free telephone number 1-800-
622-4519; or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Bonneville is a federal agency that owns and operates the majority
of the high-voltage electric transmission system in the Pacific
Northwest. This system is referred to as the Federal Columbia River
Transmission System (FCRTS). The 69-kV Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line is part of the FCRTS. This line extends about 30 miles from
Bonneville's Boardman Substation to near the Ione Substation, both of
which are located in Morrow County, Oregon. About 14 miles of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line is located along the eastern and
southern boundary of the NWSTF Boardman, which is managed by the Navy.
This 14-mile-long section currently occupies a 90-foot-wide right-of-
way. The structures in this section of right-of-way have height
restrictions (100 feet) based on requirements to operate within NWSTF
Boardman. The existing land use agreement between Bonneville and the
Navy was executed in February of 1971 and subsequently amended in March
2013. This existing land use agreement allows Bonneville to construct,
reconstruct, operate, maintain, and access the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line in its current location on NWSTF Boardman.
In 2007, IPC formally proposed the B2H Project by initiating an
application process with the BLM to construct, maintain, and operate
the B2H Project on BLM-managed lands. As proposed by IPC, the project
includes about 290 miles of single-circuit 500-kV transmission line and
other ancillary facilities extending from the proposed Longhorn
Substation in Morrow County, Oregon, to the existing Hemingway
Substation in Owyhee County, Idaho.
The BLM initiated a NEPA process for consideration of IPC's
application by publishing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS
for the B2H Project in the Federal Register on September 12, 2008.
Various federal agencies (including Bonneville), state agencies,
counties, and other entities agreed to act as cooperating agencies for
the EIS. The BLM then published a revised NOI in the Federal Register
on July 27, 2010 to address 2010 revisions to the B2H Project
application by IPC.
The BLM, in coordination with the cooperating agencies, published a
Draft EIS for the B2H Project on December 19, 2014. The Final EIS for
the B2H Project was published on November 28, 2016. The Final EIS
identified an Agency Preferred Alternative for the B2H Project that was
composed of various segments of the Project analyzed in the EIS. This
Agency Preferred Alternative included the removal of the Boardman-to-
Ione transmission line from NWSTF Boardman, along with potential
relocation of this line to nearby private lands.
In November of 2017, the BLM issued a ROD that authorized issuance
of a right-of-way grant to IPC for a 250-foot-wide right-of-way for the
B2H Project on 85.6 miles of BLM-managed lands, consistent with the
route alignment for the Agency Preferred Alternative identified in the
Final EIS. In February of 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
published a ROD authorizing a right-of-way grant to IPC for the portion
of the B2H Project right-of-way that crosses about one mile of U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation lands under the Agency Preferred Alternative. In
November of 2018, the U.S. Forest Service issued a ROD that selected
the Agency Preferred Alternative and approved an Electric Transmission
Line Easement Special Use Authorization and associated forest plan
amendments, including terms and conditions to IPC contained in an
easement. The RODs documenting other federal agencies' decisions are in
process.
On April 17, 2018, IPC submitted to the Navy an application to
obtain an easement to construct about seven miles of the B2H Project
within Bonneville's existing Boardman-Ione transmission line right-of-
way on NWSTF Boardman, consistent with the Agency Preferred Alternative
identified in the B2H Project Final EIS. The easement application
states that if IPC constructs the B2H Project within a portion of the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line right-of-way on NWSTF Boardman, then
IPC will remove the entire Bonneville Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line currently on NWSTF Boardman. The removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line will potentially occur in phases. IPC's application
was deemed complete by the Navy on May 16, 2018.
Alternatives Considered
Specific to the removal of the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
from NWSTF Boardman, the B2H Project Final EIS identified and evaluated
three design options for the removal and relocation of the Boardman-to-
Ione transmission line. Design Option 1 involves partial removal of
this transmission line from NWSTF Boardman. Design Option 2 involves
full removal of this line from NWSTF Boardman. Finally, Design Option 3
also involves full Removal of this line from NWSTF Boardman but also
includes construction of a new step-down substation. These design
options are described in Section 2.5.2.1 of the Final EIS.
As part of implementing any of these design options, amendment of
the existing land use agreement between Bonneville and the Navy for the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line on NWSTF Boardman is required. The
amended land use agreement requires the following conditions be met
before Bonneville relinquishes the right-of-way for this line on the
NWSTF Boardman:
A new transmission line and associated infrastructure on
the east side of Bombing Range Road be constructed to allow Bonneville
to continue service to its customer(s);
Bonneville is able to secure transmission service under
reasonable terms and conditions or own capacity on the new line to
continue to provide cost effective and reliable service to its
customer(s);
The B2H Project funds the costs associated with Bonneville
relinquishing the right-of-way and replacing the existing service
capability and reliable service to its customer; and
The resolution of any associated real property or
commercial issues.
Under the amended land use agreement, if these conditions are
realized, Bonneville will relinquish, potentially in phases, its right-
of-way along the boundary of NWSTF
[[Page 24770]]
Boardman. The Boardman-to-Ione transmission line removal timing, the
design of the transmission line to replace the Boardman-to-Ione line,
and other supporting infrastructure needed to meet service requirements
will depend on the construction of other transmission infrastructure on
the east side of Bombing Range Road, across the roadway from NWSTF
Boardman. Ultimately, if all Bonneville service and reliability
conditions are met and the B2H Project is constructed, under the
amended land use agreement, the entire Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line will be removed from NWSTF Boardman within 10 years of the B2H
Project being placed in service.
If the B2H Project is not constructed on NWSTF Boardman or the Navy
does not grant an easement to the B2H project, all terms of the
existing land use agreement, including all previous amendments, between
Bonneville and the Navy for the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line
right-of-way will remain in place and unchanged.
The B2H Project Final EIS also included a No Action Alternative.
Under the No Action Alternative, Bonneville would not amend the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line's land use agreement. The B2H
Project would not be constructed within the existing Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line right-of-way. There would be no changes to the
location, operation, maintenance, or Bonneville access for the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line on NWSTF Boardman. Because there
would be no ground disturbance or other new environmental impacts
related to this portion of the existing Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line, the No Action Alternative would be considered the environmentally
preferable alternative for Bonneville's action that is the subject of
this ROD.
Bonneville's Rationale for Decision
In making its decision to amend the land use agreement with the
Navy for the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line, Bonneville has
considered and balanced a variety of relevant factors. Bonneville
considered the environmental impacts described in the Final EIS, as
well as public comments received throughout the NEPA process and on the
Draft and Final EISs. Bonneville also considered the following
Bonneville purposes (i.e., objectives) identified in the Final EIS:
Maintain Bonneville's transmission system reliability and
performance
Meet Bonneville's contractual and statutory obligations
Minimize impacts on the environment
Minimize costs while meeting Bonneville's power and
transmission service needs
Finally, Bonneville considered the decisions by the BLM, U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Forest Service to grant respective
approvals, in part, based on the analysis contained in the Final EIS
for the B2H Project, for rights-of-way over the lands they manage for
the Agency Preferred Alternative. After considering and balancing all
of these factors, Bonneville has decided to amend the land use
agreement with the Navy that authorizes the on-going operation and
maintenance of the 69-kV Boardman-to-Ione transmission line on NWSTF
Boardman in Morrow County, Oregon.
Amending the land use agreement will not interfere with or
otherwise affect Bonneville's ability to maintain the stability and
reliability of its transmission system or for Bonneville to meet
contractual or statutory obligations. The implementation of the removal
actions based on the reliability and customer conditions identified in
the amended land use agreement will ensure that any change in
transmission infrastructure will continue to meet Bonneville's system
stability and reliability needs and to provide service to its
customer(s).
The removal of the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line from NWSTF
Boardman and any supporting infrastructure construction, such as a
stepdown substation or access roads, will likely result in impacts to
soils, land uses, vegetation, wildlife habitat, and, potentially, some
sensitive resources. The impacts associated with these activities were
analyzed in the B2H Project Final EIS, which also identifies numerous
mitigation measures and required design features to reduce, avoid, or
compensate for B2H Project impacts. IPC has committed to implement
these design features and mitigation measures as part of the
development of the B2H Project. Specific to removing the line, methods
would be used to minimize ground disturbance and restrict vehicle
access in order to minimize potential environmental impacts. In
addition, final removal plans would be coordinated with NWSTF Boardman
personnel as well as Morrow County Public Works, Oregon Department of
Transportation, adjacent landowners, and other relevant agencies. As
additional site-specific information to refine the location and nature
of the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line's removal activities are
further known, Bonneville may identify additional necessary
minimization and/or mitigation actions.
Should the Boardman-to-Ione transmission line be removed to
accommodate the B2H Project, the estimated cost of the removal and
replacement activities will be about $16 million dollars, which will be
paid for by the B2H Project. Should the B2H Project not be built, the
Boardman-to-Ione transmission line will remain in place and there will
be no costs associated with removal and replacement activities. Either
way, costs to Bonneville would be minimal to non-existent.
Mitigation
A complete list of required environmental protection measures
designed to avoid and/or minimize environmental harm from B2H Project
construction, operation, and maintenance activities, is available in
Chapter 2 (Table 2-7) of the Final EIS and in Appendix D of BLM's ROD.
All the mitigation measures that apply to removal of the Boardman-to-
Ione transmission line from NWSTF Boardman are adopted. IPC will be
responsible for implementing mitigation measures for their actions
identified in the EIS. As additional site-specific information to
refine the location and nature of the Boardman-to-Ione transmission
line's removal activities are further known, Bonneville may identify
additional necessary minimization and/or mitigation actions. Before
Bonneville takes any action to begin removal of the Boardman-to-Ione
transmission line, Bonneville will prepare a Mitigation Action Plan for
all mitigation it intends to implement.
Signed on the 13th day of May 2019.
Elliot E. Mainzer,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-11140 Filed 5-28-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
