NEPA analysis of US-Canadian power transactions under the Columbia River Treaty
- Boneville, Power Administration, Portland, OR (United States)
- CH2MHILL, Portland, OR (United States); and others
The Columbia River Treaty of 1961 led to the development of three hydroelectric projects on the Columbia River in Canada and one in the United States. Canada sold its share of the downstream power generation benefits of these facilities to US utilities for 30 years. The administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) of the US Department of Energy is the {open_quotes}United States Entity{close_quotes} under the Columbia River Treaty with Canada. BPA prepared the {open_quotes}Delivery of the Canadian Entitlement{close_quotes} Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate alternative means for the US to return to Canada the Canadian share of the downstream benefits when these 30-year agreements expire. Alternatives on both sides of the US-Canada border included new high-voltage transmission lines; new generating and conservation resources; and power sales, exchanges, and other transactions. BPA developed an EIS methodology and graphical representation technique for comparing the diverse options associated with the Delivery of the Canadian Entitlement that were instrumental in helping managers understand the impacts of alternatives in a timely manner. A graphical, modular approach helped convey complex relationships in ways that were easy to read and understand. In addition, analysis of potential environmental impacts in Canada was developed in order to provide relevant information to US decision-makers, without compromising the Canadian environmental review process. As a result, environmental analysis was fully integrated into the decision process. The EIS approach used in this project has become a prototype for other Department of Energy NEPA documents, both site-specific and programmatic.
- Research Organization:
- National Association of Environmental Professionals, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 125994
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9506115-; TRN: 95:006735-0089
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 20. National Association of Environmental Professionals annual conference and exposition: environmental challenges - the next twenty years, Washington, DC (United States), 10-13 Jun 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Environmental challenges: The next 20 years. Proceedings; PB: 932 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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