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Lovell to Yellowtail Transmission Line No. 1 and No. 2 Rebuild Project
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area » Lovell to Yellowtail Transmission Line No. 1 and No. 2 Rebuild Project » Document List
An Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project described below is on public review until August 22nd. Comments on the EA may be mailed to the address below or send via e-mail to LovellYellowtailEA@wapa.gov.
Western Area Power Administration, Rocky Mountain Customer Service Region (Western) proposes to rebuild the Lovell-Yellowtail (LV-YT) No. 1 and No. 2 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines, located in Big Horn County, Wyoming and Big Horn and Carbon Counties in Montana and the Basin-Lovell (BA-LV) 115-kV transmission line in Big Horn County, Wyoming. The LV-YT No. 1 and 2 transmission lines parallel each other and are approximately 47 miles in length with termination points at the Yellowtail Substation near Fort Smith, Montana and the Lovell Substation near Lovell, Wyoming. The BA-LV transmission line is approximately 39 miles in length with termination points at the Basin Substation near Basin, Wyoming and the Lovell Substation. The Nahne Jensen Substation is connected to the BA-LV transmission line near Greybull, WY. The rebuilt lines would be upgraded with a larger conductor and would continue to operate at 115 kV.
The LV-YT No. 1 and No. 2 and BA-LV transmission lines were constructed on wood pole H-frame structures. Western is proposing to use wood pole H-frame structures for the rebuild project as well. The majority of the new 115-kV structures would be up to 10 feet taller than the existing 115-kV structures in order to accommodate the larger conductor. Different structure types may be used in challenging terrain or environmentally sensitive areas. These structure types include glue-laminated self-supporting wood pole structures, single-pole steel structures, and three-pole wood structures with guys. The combined right-of-way (ROW) for the transmission lines is currently 150 feet for LV-YT No. 1 and No. 2, and 75 feet for BA-LV. The ROW would not be expanded for the rebuild project.
The Proposed Project would be constructed in two phases. Phase I would involve construction of a 15-mile section of the LV-YT No. 1 and No. 2 transmission lines located mostly within the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (Bighorn Canyon NRA). As part of Phase I, redundant and abandoned access roads associated with the transmission lines within the Bighorn Canyon NRA would be reclaimed by the National Park Service (NPS). This would be done after construction at Western's cost under an interagency agreement between Western and the NPS (See Appendix I). Construction for Phase I would begin in 2011. Phase II construction would include the rebuild of the remaining 32 miles of the LV-YT No.1 and No. 2 lines as well as the 39 miles of BA-LV transmission line and would begin in 2013.
For the most part, existing access roads would be used and improved if necessary to control erosion. One-half mile of new access roads would be constructed within the Bighorn Canyon NRA to avoid cultural sites. Spur roads would be constructed where necessary to access new structure sites. The identified access roads would continue to be used for maintenance on the rebuilt transmission lines. Access roads and spur roads needed only for construction and not needed for maintenance would be reclaimed. All roads would be reseeded.
Substation equipment at the Yellowtail, Lovell, Basin, and Nahne Jensen Substations would be replaced as needed to match the rating of the rebuilt lines. The substation equipment consists of breakers; disconnect switches, instrument transformers, and associated buswork and jumpers. Substation work would be accomplished within the existing facilities and would not require expansion of the substations.
A7400, Natural Resources Office
Western Area Power Administration
P.O. Box 281213
Lakewood, CO 80228
Western Area Power Administration, Rocky Mountain Customer Service Region (Western) proposes to rebuild the Lovell-Yellowtail (LV-YT) No. 1 and No. 2 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines, located in Big Horn County, Wyoming and Big Horn and Carbon Counties in Montana and the Basin-Lovell (BA-LV) 115-kV transmission line in Big Horn County, Wyoming. The LV-YT No. 1 and 2 transmission lines parallel each other and are approximately 47 miles in length with termination points at the Yellowtail Substation near Fort Smith, Montana and the Lovell Substation near Lovell, Wyoming. The BA-LV transmission line is approximately 39 miles in length with termination points at the Basin Substation near Basin, Wyoming and the Lovell Substation. The Nahne Jensen Substation is connected to the BA-LV transmission line near Greybull, WY. The rebuilt lines would be upgraded with a larger conductor and would continue to operate at 115 kV.
The LV-YT No. 1 and No. 2 and BA-LV transmission lines were constructed on wood pole H-frame structures. Western is proposing to use wood pole H-frame structures for the rebuild project as well. The majority of the new 115-kV structures would be up to 10 feet taller than the existing 115-kV structures in order to accommodate the larger conductor. Different structure types may be used in challenging terrain or environmentally sensitive areas. These structure types include glue-laminated self-supporting wood pole structures, single-pole steel structures, and three-pole wood structures with guys. The combined right-of-way (ROW) for the transmission lines is currently 150 feet for LV-YT No. 1 and No. 2, and 75 feet for BA-LV. The ROW would not be expanded for the rebuild project.
The Proposed Project would be constructed in two phases. Phase I would involve construction of a 15-mile section of the LV-YT No. 1 and No. 2 transmission lines located mostly within the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (Bighorn Canyon NRA). As part of Phase I, redundant and abandoned access roads associated with the transmission lines within the Bighorn Canyon NRA would be reclaimed by the National Park Service (NPS). This would be done after construction at Western's cost under an interagency agreement between Western and the NPS (See Appendix I). Construction for Phase I would begin in 2011. Phase II construction would include the rebuild of the remaining 32 miles of the LV-YT No.1 and No. 2 lines as well as the 39 miles of BA-LV transmission line and would begin in 2013.
For the most part, existing access roads would be used and improved if necessary to control erosion. One-half mile of new access roads would be constructed within the Bighorn Canyon NRA to avoid cultural sites. Spur roads would be constructed where necessary to access new structure sites. The identified access roads would continue to be used for maintenance on the rebuilt transmission lines. Access roads and spur roads needed only for construction and not needed for maintenance would be reclaimed. All roads would be reseeded.
Substation equipment at the Yellowtail, Lovell, Basin, and Nahne Jensen Substations would be replaced as needed to match the rating of the rebuilt lines. The substation equipment consists of breakers; disconnect switches, instrument transformers, and associated buswork and jumpers. Substation work would be accomplished within the existing facilities and would not require expansion of the substations.
Contact Information
Jim HartmanA7400, Natural Resources Office
Western Area Power Administration
P.O. Box 281213
Lakewood, CO 80228