Transmission System Vegetation Management Program

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration

Transmission System Vegetation Management Program

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy

(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS on

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principles for implementing BPA's Transmission System Vegetation

Management Program. In accordance with the Federal Columbia River

Transmission System Act of 1974, the Administrator ``shall operate and

maintain the Federal transmission system to * * * maintain the

electrical stability and electrical reliability of the Federal

(transmission) system * * *.'' In order to ensure safe and reliable

power, BPA must control the vegetation on land around the electrical

transmission facilities.

BPA has invited the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land

Management to be cooperating agencies in this EIS process. They have

been asked to participate in the formal scoping process; to review

resource analysis; and to assist in developing alternative principles

to guide the standards, techniques, and procedures used in BPA's

Transmission System Vegetation Management Program. These agencies were

invited because they manage some of the land where BPA transmission

facilities are located.

BPA invites public comment on the range of actions, alternatives,

and impacts to be addressed in the Transmission System Vegetation

Management Program EIS.

DATES: BPA has established a scoping period during which affected

landowners, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local

governments, and any other interested parties are invited to comment on

the scope of the EIS. BPA will hold one scoping meeting (possibly more

depending on public interest) and will contact tribes, agencies, and

groups interested in BPA's Vegetation Management Program. Written

comments are due to the address below no later than July 23, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send comment letters and requests to be placed on the

project mailing list to Communications, Bonneville Power

Administration--ACS-7, P.O. Box 12999, Portland, Oregon, 97212. The

phone number of the Communications office is 503-230-3478 in Portland

(toll-free 1-800-622-4519 outside of Portland); or comment at our

internet address at: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Tammie Vincent at (503) 230-3469,

Bonneville Power Administration--ECN-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland,

Oregon, 97208-3621.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA owns and operates a high-voltage

transmission system throughout Washington and Oregon, and in parts of

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and California. To ensure safe, reliable

service, vegetation is managed as part of the normal operation of the

transmission system.

Proposed Action

BPA proposes to review its Transmission System Vegetation

Management Program and set principles to guide the planning and

implementation of vegetation management techniques used in the program.

The objective of the proposed action is to provide the most cost-

effective, efficient, and environmentally acceptable means of

controlling vegetation that may threaten transmission system safety and

reliability. General issues the EIS may address include the following:

vegetation management, land management, water quality management, fish

and wildlife management, threatened and endangered species management,

cultural resources management, and economic effects. Additional issues

may be identified by the public scoping process; scoping may also

eliminate some issues from in-depth analysis. The EIS will develop

broad, program-wide standards and practices for planning and

implementing vegetation management. Site-specific analysis would then

be tiered to the Program EIS, when needed.

Information developed from other environmental reviews, especially

concerning vegetation management in the Pacific Northwest, may be

included in the BPA Transmission System Vegetation Management Program

EIS, as appropriate.

Current Practice

BPA currently manages vegetation with a mix of techniques on a

project-by-project basis. This approach does not foster consistency

across projects, jurisdictions, BPA's regions, or over time. BPA needs

to find a way to ensure consistency.

Alternatives Proposed for Consideration

Alternatives to be considered in the BPA Transmission System

Vegetation Management Program EIS would include alternative vegetation

management planning and implementation principles for each management

issue addressed. The EIS will also consider a No Action alternative,

i.e., continuing project-by-project vegetation management without

defined program-or region-wide standards and guidelines.

Identification of Environmental Issues

The environmental issues associated with transmission system

vegetation management include potential effects on land use, vegetation

communities, water quality, human health and safety, and wildlife

populations.

Issued in Portland, Oregon, on June 6, 1997.

Randall W. Hardy,

Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-15711 Filed 6-13-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6540-01-P