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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment PAGE 3-138 • Policy U-5.2: Utility facilities should be permitted in all land use designations as necessary when and where utility franchises exist and if they are in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. “Decision Maker” is defined in Washington Administrative Code 197-11-730 and means the agency official or officials who make the agency’s decision on a proposal. Zoning in Grant County within the Project study area is typically “Agriculture” and “Rural Remote.” Grant County does not require a CUP for the construction of a transmission line in any of its designations. However, because the Proponent (Pacific Power) is considered a private utility, a building permit would be required for construction of the proposed Project. The GMA requires counties to develop policies and development regulations to protect the functions and values of critical areas. These are adopted in ordinance and are typically referred to as CAO. Critical areas identified by Grant County in the Project study area include “Wetlands,” “Frequently flooded areas,” “Critical aquifer recharge areas,” “Geologically hazardous areas,” “Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas,” and “Cultural resource areas.” Crossing of these areas in Grant County may require a Critical Areas Permit. 3.4.3.4 Grant County Public Utility District As a condition of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) re-licensing of the Priest Rapids Project in 2008, the Grant County PUD developed a Shoreline Master Plan (SLMP) to assist in day-to-day management activities as well as to ensure activities occurring on Priest Rapids Project lands are compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. The Priest Rapids Project is located on the Columbia River and consists of the Wanapum and Priest Rapids hydroelectric facilities. Both developments consist of reservoirs, power generation facilities, primary transmission lines, and other facilities and resources necessary to support and maintain Project operations. The shoreline along the banks of Priest Rapids Reservoir is managed by Grant County PUD. The Grant County PUD Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project is licensed by and requires consultation with FERC. The FERC and Grant County PUD identified stakeholders to complete a SLMP for the shorelines along the reservoirs created by the two dams. The FERC prepared an Environmental Assessment for Grant County PUD’s SLMP and Grant County adopted an updated SLMP in September 2014 (WDOE 2015). The SLMP, adopted in 2014, establishes Environmental Designations based upon the primary characteristics of the shoreline areas to guide the use and management of these areas. The SLMP classifies Grant County shoreline into eight shoreline environments as follows: Aquatic, Natural, Rural Conservancy, Public Recreation Conservancy, Recreation, High Intensity Public Facility, Shoreline Residential, and Low-Intensity Residential. The following designations occur within the Project study area and are defined as follows: • Natural: The purpose of the “Natural” shoreline designation is to protect those shoreline areas that are relatively free of human influence or that include intact or minimally degraded shoreline ecological functions less tolerant of human use. These systems require that only very low- intensity uses be allowed in order to maintain the ecological functions and ecosystem-wide processes. Consistent with the policies of the designation, restoration of degraded shorelines within this environment is appropriate. • Rural Conservancy: The purpose of the “Rural Conservancy” shoreline designation is to protect shoreline ecological functions, conserve existing natural resources and valuable historic and cultural areas in order to provide for sustained resource use, achieve natural floodplain processes where applicable, and provide recreational opportunities. In addition to existing agriculture uses,