United States Department ofthe Interior BUREAU OF LA ND l\lANAGEl\IENT ;\lt'dford Di~tri ct Offi t'e :\().1() 13iclcllt• Road Medford. Ort•i!on !)7:i0-1 email ncldrcss: I3Ll\1 OR_:\TO ;\lai]ublm.~o,· l:S: REPL'i 1rnrnH TO. ~!~I/ 1 7 2016 1792(0R MOSO) Dear Interested Public: The Butte Fal Is Resource Area, Medford District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has completed the environmental analysis for the proposed Sams Valley Rei nforcement Project. This letter is to inform you that the Sams Valley Reinforcement Project Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for your review on the Pac ific Power's project website at: https://www.pacificpower.net/ed/tp/sams-valley.html and BLM's national register website at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front­ office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjcctSite&projectI d=53292&dctmld=Ob0003e88091174 I. The EA analyzed the following activities proposed on ELM-administered lands located between Sams Valley, nonhwcst of the city of Medford, and Grants Pass, Oregon in the Grants Pass­ Rogue River, Evans Creek, and Gold Gill-Rogue River 5th field watersheds (sec attached map). The Sams Valley Reinforcement Project Arca is located on SLM-administered lands in T. 35S. R. 2 and 3W; T. 36S, R. 2, 3, and 4W; and T. 36N, R SW., Wi llamette Meridian; Jackson County, Oregon. What is the Sam's Va lley Rein fo rcement Project? Pacific Power proposes to construct, operate, and maintai n a new 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line which will run from the existing Grants Pass Substation in Josephine County near Grants Pass, Oregon cast to a proposed new 500-kV substation in Jackson Count y, Oregon north or Medford (sec maps). The addi tional transmission line on BLM would be constructed as part of a double circuit with the existing 11 5 kV li ne. Thi s double circuit line will carry both the existing 115-kV line and the new 230 kV line on new poles and take advantage of' the existing right-of­ way to greatest extent possible. Pacifi c Power applied fo r an amendment to a ri ght-of-way grant they currently hold to accom modate the addition of a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmi ssion line along an existing route that would cross lands managed by BLM. The power line runs between an existing substation near Grants Pass and a new proposed substation site on private lands in Sams Valley for a di stance of' approximately 18 mil es; 4.6 mi les crosses BLM-admini stered lands and the remai nder crosses private lands. The BLM is proposing to expand the right-of-way width along the 4.6 miles of existing power line ri ght-of-way from I 00 feet to 135 feet. /\n additional 4. 7 miles of line between the new substation and the ex isting Whetstone Substation would have conductors replaced; the right-of-way width would not be expanded along this section. The BLM's decision will on ly address the 4.6 miles that cross BLM land. The I3LM docs not have jurisdiction to authorize any actions on non-federal lands. The majority ofthe project (approximately 75%), including the new substation site, would be located on private land. For portions ofthe project that cross private land, additional right-of­ way easements would be negotiated with landowners. The new substation would be located on private land owned by Pacific Power. The 30-day comment period for this EA will begin when the legal notice is published in the Medford Mail Tribune newspaper on November 21, 2016. Any comments you may have regarding this project must be received by December 21, 2016 to be considered in final decisions for this proposal. Please send your comments to the Bureau of Land Management, Attention: Tony Kerwin, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97504, or e-mail your comments to [email protected] (Attention: Tony Kerwin). You may also submit comments through the BLM's national register website by selecting "Comment on Document" in the Documents section ofthe webpage for this EA. Questions on the proposed project should be directed to Tony Kerwin at 541-618-2402. Please note that all written submissions from private individuals in response to this notice, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, or other personal identifying information may be made available for public inspection and disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, unless you specifically request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your personal identifying information from public review or disclosure, you must state this at the beginning ofyour written comment and provide justification for doing so. We will honor such requests to the extent allowed by law, but you should be aware that release ofthat information may be required under certain circumstances. All submissions from organizations or businesses and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials oforganization or business will be made available for public inspection and disclosure in their entirety. Thank you for your continued interest in the Sams Valley Reinforcement Project. Your input plays an important role in our land management decisions. Sincerely, _____.,) \ ~ fVv'reresa J. Tnilock Field Manager Butte Falls Resource Area Enclosure Environmental Assessment Sams Valley Reinforcement Project DOI-BLM-ORWA-M050-2016-0002-EA Jackson and Josephine Counties November 2016 Environmental Assessment Sams Valley Reinforcement Project Contents 1 Purpose of and Need for Action ....................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Summary of Proposed Project ............................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Background ............................................................................................................................ 1-4 1.3.1 Proponent .................................................................................................................. 1-4 1.3.2 System Modeling ....................................................................................................... 1-4 1.4 Lead and Cooperating Agency ............................................................................................... 1-4 1.5 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................. 1-6 1.6 Decisions to be Made ............................................................................................................. 1-6 1.6.1 Bureau of Land Management .................................................................................... 1-6 1.6.2 Cooperating Agency .................................................................................................. 1-6 1.7 Authorizations, Permits, Reviews, and Approvals ................................................................. 1-6 1.8 Scoping and Public Involvement ............................................................................................ 1-7 1.8.1 Issues and Concerns................................................................................................. 1-8 2 Proposed Action and Alternatives .................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Alternatives Considered in Detail ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Alternative 1 – No Action ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.2 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action ................................................................................ 2-1 2.3 Proposed Action Components ............................................................................................. 2-10 2.3.1 Right-of-Way Acquisition ......................................................................................... 2-10 2.3.2 Access ..................................................................................................................... 2-11 2.3.3 Staging Areas .......................................................................................................... 2-13 2.3.4 Transmission Facilities ............................................................................................ 2-13 2.3.5 Substations .............................................................................................................. 2-18 2.3.6 System Maintenance ............................................................................................... 2-19 2.3.7 Vegetation Clearing and Management.................................................................... 2-19 2.3.8 Project Design Features .......................................................................................... 2-21 2.4 Summary of Environmental Impacts of Alternatives ............................................................ 2-26 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study .............................................. 2-32 2.5.1 Transmission Route Alternatives ............................................................................ 2-32 2.5.2 Substation Siting Alternatives ................................................................................. 2-32 3 Affected Environment