Marys Peak Bonneville Power Administration Communications Site Project Draft Environmental Assessment October 13, 2020
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BONNEVILLEPOWERADMINISTRATION Marys Peak Bonneville Power Administration Communications Site Project Draft Environmental Assessment October 13, 2020 DOE/EA-2050 USFS #50453 DOI-B M-ORWA-N020-2016-0004-EA L Table of Contents Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action.....................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Background ............................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Communications Transmission.................................................................................2 1.3 Need for Action ........................................................................................................ 3 1.4 Purposes of Action.................................................................................................... 4 1.5 Agency Roles ........................................................................................................... 4 1.5.1 Lead and Cooperating Agencies ...............................................................................4 1.5.2 Other Agencies that May Use this EA ........................................................................5 1.6 Public Involvement ................................................................................................... 5 1.6.1 Project Webpage ...................................................................................................5 1.6.2 Public Scoping Process............................................................................................5 1.6.3 Public Scoping Meetings .........................................................................................6 1.6.4 Scoping Period Comments ......................................................................................6 1.6.5 Scoping Outreach and Post-Scoping Public Involvement ..............................................8 1.7 Draft EA Content and Organization.............................................................................. 8 Chapter 2 No Action and Action Alternatives ............................................................................... 10 2.1 No Action Alternative (Alternative 1) ..........................................................................10 2.2 Action Alternatives ..................................................................................................10 2.2.1 Development of Action Alternatives ....................................................................... 10 2.3 Description of Project Components ............................................................................15 2.3.1 BPA Marys Peak Communications Site .................................................................... 15 2.3.2 USFS Marys Peak Communications Site ................................................................... 18 2.3.3 BPA Albany Substation ......................................................................................... 19 2.3.4 West Point Spur – CPI Site ..................................................................................... 20 2.3.5 BPA Prospect Hill (Alternative 4) ............................................................................ 22 2.4 Proposed Activities by Action Alternative ....................................................................22 2.4.1 Alternative 2A: Marys Peak BPA Comm. Site – BPA Albany Substation ......................... 23 2.4.2 Alternative 3C: Marys Peak Co-locate with USFS – BPA Albany Substation ................... 23 2.4.3 Alternative 4: West Point Spur Co-locate at CPI Site – BPA Prospect Hill ....................... 24 2.5 Construction Activities .............................................................................................25 2.5.1 Typical Construction Crew..................................................................................... 26 2.5.2 Access Roads....................................................................................................... 26 2.5.3 Staging of Equipment and Vehicles ......................................................................... 27 2.5.4 Site Preparation................................................................................................... 28 2.5.5 Steel-lattice Structure Construction ........................................................................ 29 2.5.6 Communications Equipment Installation ................................................................. 30 2.5.7 Building Maintenance or Construction .................................................................... 31 Marys Peak BPA Communications Site Project Draft EA i October 13, 2020 2.5.8 Fencing .............................................................................................................. 31 2.5.9 Propane Tank ...................................................................................................... 32 2.5.10 BPA Communications Site Demolition .................................................................... 32 2.5.11 Tree Cutting ....................................................................................................... 32 2.6 Site Restoration.......................................................................................................33 2.7 Construction Schedule .............................................................................................34 2.8 Operation and Maintenance .....................................................................................34 2.9 Best Management Practices and Mitigation Measures ..................................................34 2.10 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated ......................................................................34 2.10.1 Site with No Line of Sight to Existing BPA Communications Sites ................................ 35 2.10.2 Low Elevation Sites with Substantial Loss of VHF Communications Coverage ................ 35 2.10.3 Other Sites with Substantial VHF Communications Coverage Loss .............................. 35 2.10.4 Locations without an Existing Power Source............................................................ 36 2.10.5 Marys Peak – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Communications Site .................. 36 2.10.6 West Point Spur – Co-locate at Union Pacific Railroad Communications Site ................ 36 2.10.7 West Point Spur – Co-locate at Silke Communications Site ........................................ 36 2.10.8 West Point Spur – Co-locate at NW Natural Gas Communications Site ........................ 36 2.10.9 Use of Satellite Phone.......................................................................................... 37 2.10.10 Alternative 2B .................................................................................................... 37 2.10.11 Alternative 3A .................................................................................................... 37 2.10.12 Alternative 3B .................................................................................................... 37 2.10.13 Co-location at existing USFS Site in Separate Building Addition with New 100-foot Steel- Lattice Structure .................................................................................................. 38 2.10.14 Alternative 5 ...................................................................................................... 38 2.10.15 Marys Peak Co-locate at New USFS Facility with Public Access Observation Deck .......... 39 2.11 Comparison of Alternatives .......................................................................................40 2.12 Summary of Potential Resource Impacts .....................................................................41 Chapter 3 Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences and Mitigation Measures................ 51 3.1 Resources on which the Project would have Minimal or No Impacts ...............................52 3.1.1 Wetlands and Water Resources ............................................................................. 52 3.1.2 Fish.................................................................................................................... 52 3.1.3 Transportation .................................................................................................... 52 3.1.4 Public Services..................................................................................................... 52 3.1.5 Environmental Justice Populations ......................................................................... 52 3.2 Construction Disturbance Areas.................................................................................53 3.3 Land Use and Recreation ..........................................................................................54 3.3.1 Study Area .......................................................................................................... 54 3.3.2 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 54 3.3.3 Environmental Consequences –No Action Alternative (Alternative 1) .......................... 56 3.3.4 Environmental Consequences – Action Alternatives .................................................. 56 ii Marys Peak BPA Communications Site Project Draft EA October 13, 2020 3.3.5 Mitigation Measures – Action Alternatives .............................................................