Seattle Post-Intelligencer 03/26/2002

THE ISSUE

The Bonneville Power Administration is proposing to build a nine-mile, 500-kilovolt transmission line across the Cedar River watershed, which provides pure drinking water to 1.3 million people in King and Snohomish counties.

The federal agency wants to install 40 new towers to run adjacent to an existing transmission line in order to improve reliability of its electrical system and prevent outages. It plans to log 160 acres of trees and vegetation and widen its current right-of-way path to 300 feet, from 150 feet.

Bonneville says that the new transmission line will meet growing demand and enhance U.S. ability to deliver power to Canada, as required under the 1961 Columbia River Treaty.

THE PROBLEM

Two years ago, the city of Seattle bought the 90,000-acre Cedar River watershed to protect the water supply and signed the 50-year Habitat Conservation Plan to end commercial logging there.

Environmentalists and city officials worry that proposed construction and related activities will result in water pollution from fuel leaks, hazardous material spills and erosion, and will threaten wildlife.

The watershed is one of the few in the nation that do not require filtration, so that melted snowpack or rainwater flows unfiltered to the region’s drinking system.

If the watershed exceeds federal water-quality standards because of pollution, the city will be forced to build water-treatment facilities.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Bill Murlin, Bonneville spokesman: “We need to have a system that can meet the demands placed on us. … It’s the preferred (route) because it’s the shortest, it’s the most direct, and goes along a right of way that we already have there.”

Margaret Pageler, Seattle city councilwoman: “BPA at the outset didn’t realize this is a water-quality issue. …We’re really nervous about it.”

Michael Shank, outreach director of Biodiversity Northwest: “We’d like to see Bonneville Power Administration seek other viable routes outside of the watershed. They didn’t examine all the potential harmful effects. We’re looking at more potential erosion, fuel leaks, ruining pristine nature of the place.”

THE MEETING

City Councilwomen Pageler and Heidi Wills sponsor a public hearing at 7 tonight in the Olympus Room of The Mountaineers, 300 Third Ave. W., Seattle. The Seattle Post- Intelligencer looks at issues unfolding in your community and encourages your involvement. Today, we focus on a proposal by the Bonneville Power Administration to run a new transmission line across the Cedar River watershed. If you’d like to take part in a P-I forum on this topic, visit seattlepi.com/forum/boards.

YOU ARE AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE IF: You live in King County

You live in Snohomish County.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Bonneville Power Administration: www.efw.bpa.gov/cgi-bin/PSA/NEPA/SUMMARIES/KangleyEchoLake

For information about tonight’s hearing: www.cityofseattle.net/councilFor Biodiversity Northwest, leading the campaign against the proposal, www.pcbp.org/Watersheds/BPAintro.htmThe P-I will provide ongoing coverage.

P-I reporter Phuong Cat Le can be reached at 206-903-0370 or phuongle@seattlepi.com

Memo:
GETTING INVOLVED
(c) Copyright 2002 Seattle Post-Intelligencer (http://seattlep-i.com). All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Record Number: 0203260180