CX-020080: Blue River-Gore Pass 230-kV Transmission Line Vegetation Management (Mechanical)

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), Rocky Mountain Region (RMR), proposes to conduct routine vegetation management along its Blue River-Gore Pass (BRU-GOT) 230-kV Transmission Line. Routine vegetation management will be conducted within WAPA’s right-of-way (ROW) in Grand and Summit Counties, Colorado, between the Blue River (BRU) Substation (Structure 0/1) and the Gore Pass (GOT) Substation (Structure 30/2). Mechanical vegetation management is only authorized between structures 0/1 to 1/3, 1/4 to 1/6, 4/1 to 8/3, 8/4 to 8/5, 11/2 to 12/3, and 12/4 to 14/2. Management of vegetation using hand cutting techniques is authorized along all other portions of the transmission line. This work will occur on private lands and public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The intent of WAPA’s vegetation management program is to secure and maintain a manageable and stable ROW that minimizes vegetative threats to transmission system safety, security, and reliability, and ultimately does not require frequent re-treatments. Achieving a desired condition is a process that may require several treatments over an extended period of time. Once a desired condition is achieved, it is intended that the desired condition will be proactively maintained. WAPA’s desired condition, as stated in WAPA Order 450.3C, is consistent with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 Part 7 and the minimum vegetation clearance distances (MVCD) as defined by North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standard FAC-003-4. The intent of this proposed activity is to continue to move the ROW closer to WAPA’s desired condition.