Methow Valley Citizens' Council
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The Valley VoiceNews from the Methow Valley Citizens Council Spring 1999 |
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PUD - The P Stands for Public
by Maeyowa
The Okanogan Public Utility District has released their final SEPA
Checklist along with their Final Determination of non Significance (DNS) It indicates
that the PUD believes that a new 28 mile, 90 foot tall, 115kV transmission
line will not have a significant impact to the habitat and the wildlife of the
lower Methow Valley from Pateros to Twisp. This means that an Environmental Impact
Statement will not be written for this project unless the public appeals
this decision and demands one. People for Alternatives, Conservation and
Education (PACE) is committed to making this appeal and needs your help.
When comparing the PUD's proposed lower valley route with the alternative parallel to the existing Loup line route, the considerations clearly show that the latter wins hands down. The Loup route will save Okanogan rate payers' about $5 million dollars. This route will require little or no new road construction, resulting in significant cost savings. In addition, accessibility and existing easements will make the Loup route more economical to maintain.
The PUD has gone to great lengths to attempt to discredit the peoples' alternative. In their Responses to Comments document, they report in detail potential impacts of the Loup route while glossing over the impacts of their proposed Pateros Twisp route. These impacts still need to be fully addressed. Impacts have been indirectly acknowledged in this document by the fact that mitigation plans are mentioned for mule deer, road building and the related erosion and noxious weeds, protection of shrub steppe habitat, and raptors. The mitigation plans suggested appear, however, to be an afterthought. For example, their suggestion for protecting Bald and Golden Eagles (ESA protected species) from electrocution and line collisions with the proposed new substation (located in the heart of their winter habitat) and its transmission lines is to merely plant trees which they hope will alter the raptor's flight pattern up over the lines. Much of this and area won't support trees. How does that idea strike you?
The PUD finally reveals in this new SEPA document its plans to also rebuild the existing Loup line, for use as a back up system, once they have built the new Pateros Twisp transmission line. Thus there will be two lines into the valley, providing 6 to 10 times the power currently available, costing rate payers a total of $10 million.
Who is all this power for? It is becoming increasingly evident that there is very limited water available for new development in the valley. Why bring in all this power when there will not be enough water to support the development? The PUD continues to claim this has nothing to do with development incentives. Yet there are PUD / Arrowleaf / Early Winters correspondences dating back as far as 1985 that speak of the need of more power for development in the upper valley. As you read this a large landowner in the lower valley is bulldozing building sites up French Creek in preparation for major development once the powerline is in. This developer won't pay for power to this remote area YOU WILL!!!
This power line issue IS about the entire Methow Valley. It will be a permanent 28 mile scar up the lower valley and will affect the Methow River which in turn impacts mule deer, eagles, fish and other inhabitants that rely on the health of the Valley as a whole. Agencies involved with both routes are questioning the PUD's motives and the sensibility of their lower valley route choice. The PUD is responsible for thoroughly researching and presenting all route and action alternatives for this proposal and has failed to do so. Their blatant mistruth about obvious impacts along the proposed route mirrors their disregard for community concerns and health of the lower valley.
Not one of the PUD decision makers lives in the Methow. We as a community must demonstrate our. concerns and our opposition, exercising our rights in matters that affect our home. Get your pencils sharpened and your papers ready. PACE will publish notices with addresses of where to write when the comment period dates are announced.
