CU-18-00001 Vantage Pomona Heights Master File

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August 30, 2018 Lindsey Ozbolt Kittitas County Planning Official 411 North Ruby St., Suite 2 Ellensburg, WA 98926 RE: WDFW Comments on CU-18-00001 Vantage to Pomona Dear Ms. Ozbolt, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Conditional Use Permit for the Vantage to Pomona Transmission Line Project (CU-18-0001), “the project”. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has reviewed the application and supporting documents. WDFW has previously been engaged in discussions of the project regarding the impacts to terrestrial habitats. Impacts for terrestrial habitat have been resolved through a signed mitigation package. The subject of this letter is potential need for the project to obtain a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) for several stream crossings on the transmission line route. A HPA is needed if the project is expected to that will use, divert, obstruct, or change the natural flow or bed of any of the waters of the state, either perennial or seasonal. For this project, tower construction or more likely access roads along the project line could require an HPA permit. Vegetation removal on the stream banks may also meet the HPA requirement as that activity has the potential to affect the bed and banks. With the materials provided, it is difficult to fully determine if the transmission line and towers fully span all of the waters of the state without need to do work within either the bed or banks of the stream. Some of the roads, both existing and planned appear to cross defined streams and thus further detail is also needed on the work that is planned at these crossings. Preliminary review based upon the information provided in the application, seems likely that some work may occur in the streams, needing an HPA permit issued by WDFW. Approval of the Conditional Use Permit should include a provision that the applicant work with WDFW to clarify and determine if an HPA is needed for work on the project. If WDFW determines than an HPA permit is required, the applicant must obtain a permit prior to any work involving those stream crossings. Please contact me at (509) 457-9307 or Scott.Downes@dfw.wa.gov, if you have any questions or concerns regarding these comments and thank you again for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Index # 26