DOE/EIS-0332; McNary-John Day Transmission Line Project Draft ...

Summary
Environmental Consequences—Short-Line Routing Alternatives
The potential impacts of the short-line routing alternatives are presented in Table S-2.
Mitigation
The following mitigation measures would minimize impacts to significant cultural
resources.
� Locate structures, new roads, and staging areas so as to avoid known cultural resource
sites.
� If archaeological or historic materials are discovered during construction, further
surface-disturbing activities at the site would cease and Bonneville, state historic
preservation offices, and tribal personnel would be notified to ensure proper handling
of the discovery.
� Utilize existing access road system to the extent possible to reduce the need for new
access roads.
� Limit construction equipment to tower sites, access roads and conductor tensioning
sites.
� Limit the number of contractors to cultural resource site sensitive information on a
need-to-know basis.
� The Umatilla Tribes CRPP identified ten TCP areas. Based on file and literature
searches and oral history interviews with tribal elders, the CRPP recommends that a
tribal monitor be present during all ground disturbing activities throughout the
construction process. The CRPP further requests that the Tribe be consulted with
through the entire construction process, including the planning phase and until the
completion of the transmission line project. Furthermore, the CRPP recommends that
Jones & Stokes and Bonneville meet with the Cultural Resources Commission and
the Board of Trustees to set up consultation protocols on site mitigation and
management because the law requires consultation.
� The Umatilla Tribes would like Bonneville to ensure that the cultural and natural
resources are protected. The Umatilla Tribes would like Bonneville to guarantee that
traditional use of this area, in accordance with treaty reserved rights, be able to be
utilized.
Environmental Consequences—No Action Alternative
Under the No Action Alternative, cultural resources in the project area would not be
disturbed by the proposed transmission line construction. The existing transmission line
corridor would remain at its present width, with no additional disturbance to known or
S-24
McNary-John Day Transmission Project
Draft EIS
February 2002