To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Russ Pinto, (707) 565-2041
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): 4th District
Title:
Title
Relocation of a pre-existing PG&E powerline easement within Shiloh Ranch Regional Park.
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Chair to execute an Easement Relocation Agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to relocate a pre-existing power line easement. (Fourth District)
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Executive Summary:
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (“PG&E”) is rewiring a 60 kV power line from the Fulton Substation to the Fitch Mountain Substation. The existing 60 kV powerline crosses a portion of Shiloh Ranch Regional Park for a distance of approximately 85 feet within an easement granted to PG&E in 1947. PG&E is requesting to shift the easement approximately 25 feet to allow for the erection of a new, taller power pole. No trees or other park resources will be impacted.
Discussion:
PG&E is implementing the “Fulton-Fitch Mountain Reconductoring Project” which involves the complete rewiring of a 60 kV power line that runs from the Fulton substation to the Fitch Mountain substation. This project has two goals: address identified system reliability issues by alleviating a potential overload condition, and increase the capacity of the power line to help meet increasing demand in the region.
The power line presently traverses a corner of Shiloh Ranch Regional Park for a distance of approximately 85 feet. It lies within a power line easement granted to PG&E in 1947.
PG&E is proposing to install a new taller and stronger power pole to carry the new wiring and is requesting to relocate the existing power line easement by 25 feet to allow for the installation of a new power pole. Most of the parklands that the power line traverses now and will traverse in the future are forested. The existing wires are above the trees and have no apparent impact on the forest. The new pole will take the wires even higher above the forest.
PG&E is proposing that the County enter into an Easement Relocation Agreement that would offer a new description of the location of the centerline of the power line easement but would otherwise leave all of the original provisions of the 1947 easement grant in place. Regional Parks supports the relocation of the easement.
Prior Board Actions:
In 2016, the Board of Supervisors reviewed the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH 2017072049) for the project (PPR19-0014), as a CEQA Responsible Agency per 14 CCR § 15096. The CPUC filed a Notice of Determination (NOD) for the project on December 19, 2017 (On File 3). They found no significant impact from the project and did include mitigation measures.
Current Environmental Review:
Following the CPUC's approval of the project, PG&E identified corrosion on the cross-arms of the tubular steel poles that could potentially cause cross-arm failure during reconductoring. PG&E therefore proposed to replace 21 poles, rather than reconductoring on the existing poles as stated in the 2017 Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND). The CPUC has reviewed the altered project and posted a supplemental IS/MND with the State Clearinghouse on August 14, 2019 (On File 4). The CPUC finds that the project, as modified, would not result in new substantial environmental impacts.
The proposed 25 feet relocation of the power poles requires the Board to approve a minor adjustment of PG&E’s existing easement across Shiloh Ranch Regional Park. This approval would be a subsequent approval under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requiring the Board to either adopt the CPUC’s review as adequate for decision-making or adopt their own independent CEQA document. The proposed resolution follows the first of these two alternatives.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The relocation of the pre-existing powerline easement will have no fiscal impacts.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
1 - Map of Shiloh Ranch Regional Park
2 - PG&E Survey Map
3 - Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
1. Proposed Easement Relocation Agreement
2. California Public Utilities Commission Fulton-Fitch Mountain Reconductoring Project
Final Supplemental Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration State Clearinghouse No. 2017072049, August 2019
3. CPUC CEQA Notice of Determination
4. CPUC CEQA Notice of Completion