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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 <br />230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences <br /> PAGE 4-217 <br />Pulling and tensioning sites would also cause short-term landscape and structure contrasts. The presence <br />of a helicopter during the stringing of the transmission line conductor wires would cause short-term <br />structure contrasts, potentially disrupting views or scenic vistas. The temporary structure work areas, turn- <br />around areas, and staging areas would cause low impacts due to the duration of landscape and structure <br />contrasts. Impacts from light sources would not occur because construction would be limited to daylight <br />hours. The potential for glare from the transmission line conductors would be reduced with the use of <br />non-specular conductors (RDF VIS-6). <br />Sensitive Viewer Impacts <br />Huntzinger Road travelers, recreationists using the Columbia River corridor below Priest Rapids Dam, <br />and John Wayne Pioneer Trail users would view weak Project contrasts in the immediate foreground and <br />foreground. From the north, the route segment would be viewed behind the existing Pomona-Wanapum <br />230 kV, Wanapum-Wind Ridge 230 kV, Vantage-Schultz No.1 500 kV, and Schultz-Wautoma No.1 500 <br />kV transmission lines from the John Wayne Pioneer Trail where the route segment and existing lines <br />cross the trail. Low impacts are expected due to the existing transmission lines visual influence and weak <br />contrasts. <br />On the east side of the Columbia River, impacts would result from SR-243 travelers viewing the route <br />segment briefly as it crosses the highway and residences viewing the route segment from Wanapum <br />Village. Both sensitive viewers would see the route segment in the context of the Priest Rapids Dam and <br />existing transmission line corridor with an industrial development character. Low impacts would result on <br />these viewers. Ginkgo Petrified Forest NNL’s Wanapum Recreation Area boat launch is located in the in <br />the seldom seen distance zone within the Project study area and views are typically screened by <br />topography. Therefore low or no impacts on the NNL are expected from Route Segment NNR-8. <br />Agency Management Compliance <br />BLM Interim VRM Class III lands are crossed between MP 0.0 and MP 0.4. Route Segment NNR-8 <br />would be compliant with the Interim VRM Class III from KOP 21 and Huntzinger Road, the nearest <br />viewpoints, because weak and weak-moderate contrasts would be seen in the immediate foreground and <br />foreground distance zones. Therefore, the route segment would be compliant with the Interim VRM Class <br />III. <br />Route Segment NNR-8 would be consistent with the Kittitas County Comprehensive Plan and Grant <br />County PUD 2010 Final Shoreline Management Plan. <br />4.8.5.18 Route Segment MR-1 <br />Visual Contrasts <br />Structure contrasts would typically be strong along most of this route segment because no existing <br />transmission lines or similar infrastructure is located in the vicinity of Route Segment MR-1. Landscape <br />contrasts are variable depending on the route segment’s proximity to existing roads, slope, and dominant <br />vegetation cover. Most of the route segment would create strong-moderate or strong Project contrast. <br />Pulling and tensioning sites would also cause short-term landscape contrasts and structure contrasts. The <br />presence of a helicopter during the stringing of the transmission line conductor wires would cause short- <br />term structure contrasts, potentially disrupting views or scenic vistas (e.g., toward the Cascade <br />Mountains). The temporary structure work areas, turn-around areas, and staging areas would cause low <br />impacts due to the duration of landscape and structure contrasts. Impacts from light sources would not <br />occur because construction would be limited to daylight hours. The potential for glare from the <br />transmission line conductors would be reduced with the use of non-specular conductors (RDF VIS-6).