7. Protests
All of the formal protests to the A.05-12-011 oppose the route that PacifiCorp initially proposed for the final 1.6 miles of transmission upgrades, and continued to advocate into 2007. That route, known as Option 3 in the FEIR, would not follow the existing transmission corridor over the last 1.6 miles, but instead would cross a scenic, spring-filled valley in the shadow of Mt. Shasta. The protests, filed by homeowners in the valley, object to creation of a new transmission corridor across pastureland adjacent to or on their properties.9 They propose adoption of a route that follows the same path as the route the FEIR finds to be the environmentally superior alternative. The City of Weed initially filed a protest,10 but later withdrew it.11
There were no protests to A.07-01-046. Certain residents of the area covered by the Weed Segment Project gave input expressing concerns about that project at the August 28, 2007 public meeting held to take input on the DEIR.
The FEIR summarizes and responds to the comments received at that meeting as well as in writing. The FEIR also contains changes reflecting the expressed concerns. Briefly, the key changes in the FEIR are as follows:
· Environmentally Superior Route. The FEIR finds that all three route alternatives that follow the existing right-of-way along Highway 97 are environmentally superior to the route that crosses open pasture. The FEIR identifies the Mackintosh/ALJ Variation A as the environmentally superior route because it would keep the new transmission line within the existing right-of-way, thus avoiding tree trimming and removal, and would not require construction of a temporary pole line.
· Mitigation. The required mitigation for aesthetic, biological and hydrology impact is changed somewhat. This text of this decision reflects the mitigation measures required by the FEIR.
However, the FEIR concludes that those comments do not alter its conclusion that all environmental impacts of the Weed Segment Project can be mitigated, and that all impacts except the Highway 97 impact of the A.05-12-011 project are mitigable.
9 Don and Judy Mackintosh's Protest to PacifiCorp Application to Construct a New Transmission Line, filed December 30, 2005; Chris and Shelly Pappas' Protest to PacifiCorp Application to Construct a New Transmission Line, filed January 12, 2006; and Leonard and Barbara Luiz's Protest to PacifiCorp Application to Construct a New Transmission Line, filed January 17, 2006.
10 City of Weed's Protest to PacifiCorp Application to Construct a New Transmission Line, filed January 24, 2006.
11 [City of Weed's] Withdrawal of Protest, filed June 14, 2006.
