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Categorical exclusion · example

Eugene Alderwood No. 1 115-kV Rebuild and Upgrades

BPA would rebuild about 9.5 miles of the Alderwood Tap section of the Eugene-Alderwood 115-kV line, replacing 159 wood poles with steel monopoles. The old wood poles, insulators and conductors are at the end of their service life and have failed in extreme weather.2

Facts from Bonneville Power Administration public records, each linked by number to its source; checked November 13, 2026. Section notes by ePlan.

At a glance

Where
Along Oregon state highway 36 near the southern Willamette Valley, Lane County, Oregon, from the Highway 99 and OR 36 intersection two miles south of Junction City through Cheshire and Goldson to Alderwood Substation.2
Size
About 9.5 miles of transmission line; 159 structures replaced; about 35 acres temporarily and 28 acres permanently disturbed2
Lead agency
Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Department of Energy2
Review
Categorical exclusion, documented in a categorical exclusion determination2
Legal citation
10 C.F.R. Part 1021, Appendix B categories B1.3, B1.13, B4.6 and B4.132
Status
Categorical exclusion determination issued; the project page is dated July 8, 2026. Work was planned to start mid-July 2026.2

Timeline

  1. Cultural consultation initiated2
  2. SHPO responded and assigned number2
  3. Cultural survey report sent2
  4. Consulting party response period expired2
  5. First construction phase starts2
  6. Project page posted1
  7. Estimated completion2

Documents Bonneville Power Administration published

What the documents say

CX-036093.pdf

Description of the Proposed Action
Rebuilds 9.5 miles of line with 159 steel monopoles averaging 70 feet tall, plus access roads, culverts, landings, gates and a 1-acre storage yard.2
Findings
BPA finds the action fits a class in Appendix B, was not segmented, and has no extraordinary circumstances, so it is categorically excluded.2
Project Site Description
The 9.5-mile corridor runs along OR 36 through rural residential and farm land, crossing the Long Tom River and several creeks, mostly in delineated wetland areas.2
1. Historic and Cultural Resources
Tribes and SHPO were consulted; a no adverse effect finding drew no comments, with a work-stoppage condition for inadvertent discoveries.2
2. Geology and Soils
New footings, anchors, storage yard and roads disturb soil and rock, about 194 cubic yards for structure footings; rated no significance with conditions.2

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A project like Eugene Alderwood No. 1 115-kV Rebuild and Upgrades? Describe yours and ePlan drafts the categorical exclusion memo (or short EA) in the agency's format. Where will the project happen?

More examples

NEPA Categorical Exclusion Memo · All Federal NEPA projects

Sources

  1. DOE NEPA categorical exclusion determination pageenergy.gov
  2. CX-036093.pdfenergy.gov