Vantage to Pomona FEIS Index 34 - Laserfiche WebLink

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT SPOKANE DISTRICT EIS #: DOI-BLM-OR-134-2013-0002-EIS Project Name: Vantage to Pomona Heights 230 kV Transmission Line Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Lead Agency: U. S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Spokane District, Washington Cooperating Agencies: U.S. Army Joint Base Lewis-McChord Yakima Training Center Bureau of Reclamation Bonneville Power Administration Federal Highway Administration U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Washington State Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Washington State Department of Natural Resources Washington State Department of Transportation Grant County Kittitas County Yakima County Project Location: Benton, Grant, Kittitas and Yakima Counties, Washington BLM Contact Person: Roberta Estes BLM Prineville-Oregon State Office 3050 NE Third Street Prineville, OR 97754 (541) 416-6728 restes@blm.gov Applicant: Pacific Power c/o John Aniello; Project Manager 825 NE Multnomah, Suite 1700 Portland, Oregon 97232 (503) 813-6030 john.aniello@pacificorp.com Abstract: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) has been prepared in consultation with twelve (12) Cooperating Agencies and in compliance with the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing National Environmental Policy Act (40 Code of Federal Regulations 1500). This FEIS is not a decision document. The FEIS addresses public comments received on both the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) and considers the No Action Alternative and all nine of the Action Alternatives analyzed in the DEIS and SDEIS. The nine Action Alternatives considered in this FEIS range from 40.5 to 66.8 miles in length. The Action Alternatives cross federal land managed by U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM ), Joint Base Lewis-McChord Yakima Training Center (JBLM YTC), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), state land managed by Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Washington Department of Natural Resources. Yakima, Kittitas, Benton, and Grant counties are crossed by the Action Alternatives considered in this FEIS. In order to provide maximum flexibility to the federal, state and local decision makers and to incorporate all public review and input from the Cooperating Agencies, tribes and interested parties, all alternatives are available for consideration up to the issuance of decision documents by the BLM, JBLM YTC, Reclamation, and the other Cooperating Agencies with authorizations to grant and decisions to make regarding the proposed Project. The following issues were identified for analysis in the FEIS based on public scoping and agency concerns: potential impacts on Greater Sage-Grouse; special status wildlife species and protected birds; avian collision potential; impacts to sagebrush and native grassland communities; endangered and threatened plant species; introduction, spread, and control of noxious weeds; impacts on cultural resources, prehistoric and historic sites, and traditional cultural properties; electric and magnetic field health effects; impacts on residential areas and planned development; effects on productive or revenue generating state lands; effect on recreational areas and opportunities; financial impacts to farming and agricultural operations; effect on property values; effects on low-income and minority populations or communities; potential for increased public access on roads; private property aesthetic impacts; effects on BLM Visual Resource Management objectives and WSDOT-established visual quality; effect to fire management/suppression activities and risk of wildfire; and impacts on JBLM YTC training operations.