HomeMy WebLinkAbout20043178.tiff Department of Energy
Western Area Power Administrat`ibn�
• ** Rocky Mountain Customer Service'.Region
I\� P.O. Box 3700
� , v Loveland, CO 80539-301:41 1'1 25 ri
RED _! =D
October 22, 2004
Weld County Commissioners
915 Tenth Street
P.O. Box 758
Greeley, CO 80632
To Whom It May Concern:
The Western Area Power Administration, Rocky Mountain Region (Western) owns, operates,
and maintains several transmission lines in your area that provide electrical power to local
municipalities, electrical co-operatives, and other customers. Western is preparing an
environmental assessment(EA) on the proposal to rebuild approximately 91 miles of existing
transmission in Morgan County and Weld County, Colorado (refer to Map 1).
The transmission line runs from the Beaver Creek Substation, located east of Brush, Colorado,
toward the south west to the Hoyt Substation located west of the town of Hoyt, Colorado. From
there it travels north to the Wiggins Substation. The last segment runs west from the Hoyt
Substation to the Erie Substation.
The project is needed to increase the capability of the line to transmit electricity. The increased
capacity of the line will help alleviate overloading problems already experienced on the line. The
existing line is approaching the predicted maximum age of a wood H-frame type line.
Anticipated maintenance costs required to continue operating the existing line will be deferred
when the line is rebuilt. To the extent possible,the proposed rebuild would use the existing
transmission line corridor and established trails and roads for access.
The existing transmission line from Beaver Creek Substation to Hoyt Substation and from Hoyt
Substation to Erie Substation is a 115-kV transmission line built on wooden H-frame structures.
Western is proposing to rebuild the transmission line as a double-circuit line on single-pole steel
structures. The need for a wider easement will depend on the transmission line design. The
section of transmission line between Hoyt Substation and Wiggins Substation will remain a
single-circuit line.
inu.rub -e-740
/oic) 2004-3178
2
Western is proposing to reroute approximately 2 miles of the line between Colorado Highway 71
and Brush because the area has become congested since the line was constructed in 1952 (refer to
Map 2). The proposed reroute would be 3 miles long and would parallel an existing transmission
line for 2.5 miles. The proposed location of the rerouted section is tentative and will be finalized
based on discussions with landowners, local government agencies, and other interested parties.
An easement will be required along the new route.
Western will prepare the EA for the proposed project to comply with the National Environmental
Policy Act(NEPA). The regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing
the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508) and the Department of Energy NEPA
Implementing Procedures (10 CFR 1021) will be followed. The EA will analyze impacts on
cultural and biological resources, farmland, air and water quality, and other resources.
Western's goal is to rebuild the transmission lines in a manner that minimizes impacts to the
natural, human, and cultural environments while improving the transmission line's capacity and
our ability to maintain and operate the transmission line in a safe and reliable manner.
Western will provide the EA for review and comment to interested parties before it is approved.
If you are interested in receiving a copy of the pre-approval EA, please let us know. The pre-
approval EA will also be sent to the State of Colorado, interested Native American tribes, and
local government agencies.
Requests to receive a copy of the EA for review and to provide comments on the environmental
review or environmental impacts may be directed to:
Jim Hartman
Environmental Manager
Western Area Power Administration
Rocky Mountain Region
P.O. Box 3700
Loveland, Colorado 80539
Phone: 970-461-7450
or, you may e-mail them to: Hartman@wapa.gov.
Sincerely,
24'4- 1—
Joel K. Bladow
Regional Manager
Enclosure
.w. tBeave� ek , � }, �„
-, 3. r
�ua. N
w.''# 'aJ w8u ^CY �� • �f �i7

^.r F _ 11 r'
111 ' y, ��
{ � r Via.
-p
. , _:. `f + �
"u., j{'fit y
P
. 1 f .
`` y�+ ., csy
i�Fniniffer
�y � 1 '✓ 44,,, _ it it r I � M mix
9t4" '�
-A17I 3 ,rc''� . ld`
4J?$: t!T
•� � �s 4p rt
5E r X56 ryryyy
. ti _ re . f . •4x n.t. .-4,,v;:„....
Map 2. The purple line is the tentative location of the rerouted section of line. The reroute is proposed
to reduce the congestion along Highway 71 and Co improve access to the line for maintenance.
•)
PO bb hake cPSCOV • •,.
GIS
IP
Hint 14 ; • . •
. .,1t e `, .
'.
r .
Meld ��- ` florg$n.
%d B.MO . ' I _
, ,5 - !0. 60 . ' •
% .i .. �; ^' ,r
. . IP W i ins Fort Moran B'
66 '° ',.' uggi s reek
t ....::::„.......r
: .
• bstation u b.
•"": .•
p.} t $5 • • . . • .,
� •
•
52
E • � enb st
1
7 •
Loch(:ui� •
Substation
_ ; • 71
224 iii —a 4tires _ _
A 4o 470 j • . .
33 _� - - __= 36
•
•.. � ._ 30 . • . . mi
Map 1. The blue lines on this map would be rebuilt. See Map 2 for a close-up of the tentative plan
for rerouting the first 2 miles of line near the Beaver Creek Substation.
Hello