Laserfiche WebLink
Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 <br />230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences <br /> PAGE 4-138 <br />Route Segment 3b would cause approximately 20.1 acres of long-term impacts on military land use on the <br />perimeter of the JBLM YTC in Training Areas 5 and 6. Military operations in this area would be <br />minimally affected; however, because the route segment would be on the perimeter of training activity <br />areas and new transmission line structures would be located adjacent to an existing fire break road, <br />impacts would be moderate because activities could continue to occur. <br />Non-agricultural Prime Farmland would be affected by this route segment. Long-term impacts would <br />occur to Farmland of Unique Importance, Farmland of Statewide Importance, and Prime Farmland if <br />Irrigated totaling 7.6, 1.1 and 0.6 acre, respectively, causing moderate impacts. <br />Potential impacts would also occur where the route segment parallels and crosses the John Wayne Pioneer <br />Trail between MP 17.3 and 19.0, where the route segment would potentially conflict with the use of the <br />trail. The existing ROW corridor for the trail (railroad corridor), where the route segment would be <br />located within this corridor, is 200 feet. High impact would occur as a result of potential conversion of <br />recreational land to non-recreational uses (new transmission line structures) (also see Section 4.5 - <br />Recreation). Also, the proposed Wanapum NAP is crossed along this segment, causing moderate impacts. <br />Short-term impacts would occur on Huntzinger Road and SR-243, where road users would be affected by <br />disruption of traffic flow during construction (see Section 4.7 - Transportation). <br />Route Segment 3b would be in compliance with the Yakima County Comprehensive Plan (2007) and all <br />applicable development regulations, the Benton County Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and the Spokane <br />District 1985/1987 RMP and 1992 RMP Amendment/ROD. <br />Overall, high impacts would total 1.7 miles and moderate impacts would total 8.9 miles for this route <br />segment. <br />4.4.4.10 Route Segment 3c <br />See discussion regarding short-term construction impacts, Prime Farmlands, loss of agricultural and <br />grazing land due to new transmission line structure footprints, potential financial impacts, impacts on <br />aerial spraying, GPS operation, and other general short-term and long-term impacts on agricultural and <br />grazing lands as described in Section 4.4.4.3 - Route Segment 1c. Short term impacts would occur on <br />60.1 acres of undeveloped/grazing lands and 33.5 acres of irrigated cropland. <br />A portion (4.0 miles of 25.0 miles) of this route segment parallels the Hanford-Vantage No. 1 500 kV <br />transmission line corridor with 3.4 miles being in a BLM designated utility corridor located within the <br />Saddle Mountains Management Area (MA). A portion of the route segment that parallels the existing <br />BLM utility corridor is located in an open road designation within the Saddle Mountains MA (1.8 miles, <br />see Section 4.7 - Transportation). Approximately 1.6 miles located within the BLM Saddle Mountains <br />MA and utility corridor is located in a road restricted area. Most of the BLM land in the Saddle <br />Mountains MA is under grazing leases, and long-term impacts on these lands would total 5.7 acres. BLM <br />oil and gas lease land would also be affected by the route segment, with 0.6 acres of long-term <br />disturbance occurring as a result of this route segment. Rangeland and recreational use impacts would be <br />low because the grazing would continue on these lands and off-road vehicles would be able to move <br />under and around the new transmission line structures. Moderate impacts to land used for residential <br />purposes would occur at MP 10.3-10.4, MP 23.6-23.7, MP 22.5-22.5, and MP 23.7-23.8. <br />EDP Renewables has secured a wind testing and monitoring ROW in the Saddle Mountains as part of the <br />proposed Saddle Mountains West Wind Farm in the Project study area. Route Segment 3c would cross a <br />portion of these BLM lease lands in the Saddle Mountains MA and the entire length of the route segment <br />in the Saddle Mountains MA would be in the wind testing and monitoring ROW. Moderate impacts could