PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A highly anticipated environmental impact statement was released Wednesday regarding one of the most expensive projects ever in the Northwest.
The Bonneville Power Administration has plans to build a new, high voltage power line costing $700 million. The EIS shows the likely route between Cowlitz County and Troutdale.
The BPA says a new transmission line is needed to meet demand but local residents say their land will be scarred forever if the new route is built. And the EIS doesn’t make opponents feel any better.
“There’s too many unanswered questions and so many things about this project that don’t make sense,” says Ray Richards with A Better Way for BPA.
The BPA won’t make a decision on the EIS until the end of the year.
“We’re going to look a little longer, most of the rest of the year and see if there isn’t something else we can do before we decide to build or not,” Mark Korsness with the BPA tells KOIN 6 News.
The release of the EIS was already delayed once. It was originally scheduled to be released in November.
Filed under: Environment, Local News, News, Oregon, Washington
