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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment PAGE 3-143 the former railroad where this route segment would be located between JBLM YTC and the Columbia River north to the Kittitas County line that provides limited development opportunity. According to the Kittitas County Comprehensive Plan 2013, the Auvil Orchard is designated as “Commercial Agriculture.” Land within this designation is not characterized by urban growth, is primarily devoted to agriculture and has long-term significance for agriculture. Other lands along the route segment are designated as “Rural Lands.” Land uses reflect traditional rural lifestyles, landscapes, and economies. The Grant County PUD “Shoreline Management Plan” also designates land uses on the east and northeast sides of the route segment (Grant County PUD 2010a). Approximately one mile upstream and downstream of the Priest Rapids Dam east of the route segment, the land use is designated as “Project Facilities” and are managed for the electrical power generation, transmission and associated facilities with the Priest Rapids Project, as well as for lands with the potential for such uses in the future. North of the lands designated as “Project Facilities,” the land east of the route segment is designated as “Resources Management” and are managed to preserve and enhance conservation and protection of fish, wildlife, scenic, historic, archaeological, and cultural resources. The plan classifies land around the Vantage Substation and the Wanapum Dam and Grant County PUD’s Priest Rapids-Vantage 230 kV transmission line as “Project Facilities.” The Wanapum Dam, a Grant County PUD operated hydroelectric facility, is located approximately 0.8 mile north of Route Segment 3b at the river crossing. 3.4.4.10 Route Segment 3c The existing land uses along this route segment include rangeland, irrigated cropland (orchards, vineyards, and row crops), high voltage transmission lines, the Priest Rapids Project and special management areas (the BLM’s Saddle Mountains MA and McCoy Canyon ACEC, the WDFW Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area-a unit of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area, Burkett Lake Recreation Area Grant County PUD). The Columbia River is crossed west of the Hanford Reach National Monument at MP 2.3 to 2.6. Private land is crossed for 15.6 miles, BLM lands for 4.4 miles, and Reclamation lands for 5.2 miles. Dispersed agriculturally related residential areas are crossed along the Wahluke Slope and Beverly area. The route segment crosses recreational use areas along the Milwaukee Corridor and the Nunnally Lake area. The western portion of BLM’s Saddle Mountains MA is used for recreation, principally for off- highway vehicle riding and rockhounding/petrified wood collection. Some hang-gliding and paragliding use also takes place, but the primary launch point is on private land. Special management areas are described in greater detail in Section 3.6 and recreation areas are detailed in Section 3.5. Nine communication towers are located near the summit of the Saddle Mountains east of the route segment. This route segment would cross 79 privately-owned land parcels owned by 27 landowners. A total of 15 residences are located within 1000 feet of this route segment, fourteen of which are within 500 feet. Grazing leases are also crossed for a total of 4.2 miles on BLM lands along this route segment. This route segment parallels the BPA Hanford-Vantage No. 1 500 kV transmission line in a BLM designated Utility Corridor for four miles and on other non-BLM lands for 2.5 miles, crossing the BPA transmission line in three locations: MP 14.6, 22.2, and 25.1. The BPA Midway-Vantage 230 kV and BPA Schultz-Wautoma 500 kV transmission lines are also crossed by this route segment at MP 5.1. Along the section of the route segment parallel to Road N SW, between State Route 243 and the foothills south of the Saddle Mountains, the adjacent land use is irrigated cropland consisting of numerous center pivot irrigation systems and a system of concrete-lined irrigation canals and ditches, including one that parallels Road N SW. There is one livestock (cattle) feeding operation located west of the route segment midway between Road 24 SW and a Reclamation irrigation canal, the Wahluke Branch Canal. The route