- What is the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposing?
- What is the Board of Clark County Commissioners’ position on the project?
- What are county commissioners doing?
- Why is BPA reluctant to use the existing power corridor east of Interstate 5?
- What can I do?
- Where can I get more information?
What is the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposing?
BPA is in the early stages of selecting a route for a new 70-mile-long 500-kilovolt transmission line through Clark County, from Castle Rock, Washington, to Troutdale, Oregon. The federal agency wants to improve its transmission grid to meet future electricity needs and provide greater reliability.
What is the Board of Clark County Commissioners’ position on the project?
Although commissioners generally support efforts to increase power transmission systems, they also have heard from many county residents who have understandable concerns about this project.
What are county commissioners doing?
Commissioners intend to participate in the federal process and advocate on behalf of county residents.
Specifically, the county will ask to become a “party of record” under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which will require the BPA to notify the county of major developments every step of the way.
Commissioners also will ask BPA to:
- Include a new alignment alternative located to the east in the project’s current scoping effort. This new alignment would be primarily on public lands and away from private property and rural population areas.
- Evaluate power transmission options that would be installed below the ground (versus overhead power lines).
- Study the effect power lines can have on property values and public health.
- Form a BPA citizen advisory committee, consisting primarily of county residents, to provide continuous input to the federal agency through this process.
- Extend comment periods and provide enhanced opportunities for citizen input as this process unfolds.
- Board of Clark Commissioners' letter to the Bonneville Power Administration - Dec. 1 (PDF)
Why is BPA reluctant to use the existing power corridor east of Interstate 5?
BPA worries that placing a second line adjacent to the existing 230-kilowolt line would place both lines at risk in case of a forest fire, plane crash or other disaster and could disrupt power transmission to a large area.
What can I do?
Get involved in the process and make your thoughts known to the BPA. It’s a good idea to become familiar with the National Environmental Policy Act since the federal law will guide BPA’s alignment selection process.
You can also contact your congressional delegation to voice your concerns about this federal process.
The Honorable Patty Murray |
The Honorable Maria Cantwell |
The Honorable Brian Baird |
Where can I get more information?
Visit the project’s Web site, www.bpa.gov/go/i5. You can review more “frequently asked questions” there, as well as a guide to the National Environmental Policy Act. Click on the “Get Involved” link to find out more about how you can make your voice heard.
