• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Council asks UPF project director to postpone removal of trees on top of Pine Ridge

Posted at 12:06 am November 20, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A letter unanimously approved by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, asks federal officials to postpone a project to remove trees and other vegetation from the top of Pine Ridge, pictured above from South Illinois Avenue in south Oak Ridge, for 161-kilovolt power lines that will provide electricity to a new substation at the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A letter unanimously approved by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, asks federal officials to postpone a project to remove trees and other vegetation from the top of Pine Ridge, pictured above from South Illinois Avenue in south Oak Ridge, for 161-kilovolt power lines that will provide electricity to a new substation at the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A letter unanimously approved by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday asks federal officials to postpone a project to remove trees and other vegetation from the top of Pine Ridge for 161-kilovolt power lines that will provide electricity to a new substation at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Among the City Council concerns: They only recently learned of the project, they don’t know what other options were considered, and they are worried about the visual impact of 79-foot transmission towers being located on top of Pine Ridge. Also, Council members said, there has been no public discussion about the project until two weeks before the logging operation was scheduled to start on Thursday, November 16.

The clearing work is part of a project to build a new substation at Y-12. It will replace an existing substation that is “nearing the end of its service life,” according to information presented to City Council and some community members. The tree removal will allow the 161-kilovolt power lines to be installed in the cleared area. The area to be cleared is on top of the ridge, about 2.1 miles long, and it will support a right-of-way that is about 100 feet wide. The electrical line would run from east to west on Pine Ridge, according to a report to City Council from Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson. All of the work would be on U.S. Department of Energy property, officials said.

The new substation will service all of Y-12, but it is being built as a subproject of the Uranium Processing Facility. It would be near UPF on the west side of Y-12.

Advertisement

Dale Christenson, UPF federal project director, presented information about the substation project to City Council during a work session on Tuesday, November 7. He said the logging work has to occur between November 16 and March 31 in order to not affect three species of bats in Tennessee. Completion of the work is related to the testing of equipment at UPF, Christenson said, and the substation project has to be done by June 2020. The UPF is expected to be completed by 2025 at a cost of no more than $6.5 billion.

Christenson said federal officials are working with the Tennessee Valley Authority, and he said the project, as presented to City Council this month, was the only option. TVA laid out options, and there are some restrictions at Y-12, Christenson said. Y-12 is a secure site that works on nuclear weapons components, among other activities, although it’s not clear if that work or site security affects where the lines might be located.

A week after the work session, on Monday, November 13, Council agreed in a 7-0 vote to send a letter to Christenson asking federal officials to postpone the tree-removal part of the project, which would be between Y-12 and two Oak Ridge neighborhoods: Scarboro and Groves Park Commons.

The letter that was approved by Council and sent by Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch said the city’s leadership was only recently briefed on the plan.

“We believe additional time is needed for your team to provide and distribute substantive information to city residents and businesses about the project,” the letter said.

“We received information at the last minute,” Gooch said after the City Council work session on November 7.

Advertisement

Also, Council members voiced “strong concerns” during the work session about the adverse impacts of the project on the city’s ridge line and “view shed,” the letter said.

“The removal of mature trees on the top ridge line and installation of more than 30 79-foot transmission towers along a 2.1-mile corridor in the heart of the city will permanently alter the fabric of our community,” the letter said. “This iconic view shed represents one of the most attractive features for residents and visitors to our city. It is our understanding that three options were provided by TVA, and our community should be fully informed about the option which was chosen.”

“There is nothing we’ve been provided in terms of information or explanation as to why it had to go at the top of the ridge,” Gooch said. “What were the other options that were presented to them? They really didn’t have an answer to that.”

The ridgetop project is scheduled to occur at the same time as the final design work on a $10 million preschool in Scarboro that would be near the route of the proposed project, the letter said.

It said the Oak Ridge community strongly supports the ongoing modernization of Y-12 and the UPF.

“However, we are requesting that your project team review the feasibility of alternate routes for the electrical substation project that would reduce or eliminate the anticipated environmental and community impact,” the letter said. “The additional time is needed to demonstrate that all feasible alternatives have been fully explored.”

Dale Christenson, Uranium Processing Facility federal project director, standing at right, talks to Oak Ridge City Council during a non-voting work session in the Jefferson Middle School Library on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. In the background are city staff members and members of the public. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Dale Christenson, Uranium Processing Facility federal project director, standing at right, talks to Oak Ridge City Council during a non-voting work session in the Jefferson Middle School Library on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. In the background are city staff members and members of the public. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

During the November 7 work session, Christenson said the project is within NEPA (the National Environmental Policy Act), and there are some limits on what he can say about it due to pending litigation. That was presumably a reference to a civil lawsuit that is related to the UPF and filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., in July.

Federal officials said they had briefed city staff on the power line project in the past few weeks, as well as community leaders in Scarboro and the mayor and city manager when they returned from a trip.

But City Council members, including Gooch, wanted to know why they hadn’t heard about the tree-clearing project sooner, among other concerns.

“We should have known about this before two weeks ago,” City Council member Ellen Smith said during the November 7 work session. “The city had no involvement. The community has not had any involvement.”

Advertisement

Public support is vital to the success of the activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency within DOE, Smith said during the November 13 Council meeting.

“This project as currently proposed is jeopardizing their community support,” she said.

Y-12 is an NNSA site, and Smith said federal officials need to consider revising the project to eliminate the public concerns that have been raised.

Oak Ridge City Council member Hans Vogel said he was surprised this particular project, although not the UPF, is as far along as it is. He said he was frustrated that the city was not copied on earlier correspondence between federal agencies, citing correspondence going back to April 16.

“I’m frustrated that this level of correspondence can go between those two agencies…and the city isn’t copied on that,” Vogel said.

Vogel said he is a former NEPA compliance officer, and NEPA requires community involvement.

A “Dear Neighbor” letter provided to City Council for the November 7 work session said the clearing work on Pine Ridge was scheduled to begin Thursday, November 16, and run from about 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. It was to start near the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane and move west. It’s not clear if any of the work has started yet.

“The biggest impact to your neighborhood most likely will be the sounds of chainsaws and other equipment,” the “Dear Neighbor” letter said. “All work will be performed on DOE property, and there will be no construction traffic in your neighborhood. Tree and vegetation removal should be complete by March 31, at which time work will begin to install poles and a transmission line.”

A letter unanimously approved by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, asks federal officials to postpone a project to remove trees and other vegetation from the top of Pine Ridge, pictured above from South Illinois Avenue in south Oak Ridge, for 161-kilovolt power lines that will provide electricity to a new substation at the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A letter unanimously approved by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, asks federal officials to postpone a project to remove trees and other vegetation from the top of Pine Ridge, pictured above from South Illinois Avenue in south Oak Ridge, for 161-kilovolt power lines that will provide electricity to a new substation at the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Jim Hopson, TVA public relations manager, said the public utility is consulting with DOE, but this project is different than most because all of the lines will be on Department of Energy property so there are no right-of-way issues involved.

Hopson said he is not certain of who determined where the lines would be located or why they would be on top of the ridge, but he said there does have to be separation between existing lines. There appear to be power lines on both sides of Pine Ridge now, with at least one set on the south side of Pine Ridge along Bear Creek Road at Y-12 and several more on the north side of the ridge.

Hopson said TVA will continue to work with DOE and local elected officials, and with the public to try to provide answers.

Besides Christenson, the letter approved by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, November 13, was copied to federal and state officials, including Bill Johnson, TVA president and chief executive officer; Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam; U.S. senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker; Congressman Chuck Fleischmann; Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally; Tennessee Senator Ken Yager; and state representatives John Ragan and Kent Calfee.

Existing power lines are pictured on the north side of Pine Ridge north of the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Existing power lines are pictured on the north side of Pine Ridge north of the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Existing power lines are pictured on the north side of Pine Ridge on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Existing power lines are pictured on the north side of Pine Ridge north of the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Existing power lines are pictured on Pine Ridge across Scarboro Road from the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Existing power lines are pictured on Pine Ridge across Scarboro Road from the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Existing power lines are pictured on the north side of Pine Ridge across Scarboro Road from the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Existing power lines are pictured on the north side of Pine Ridge across Scarboro Road from the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A communications tower is pictured on Pine Ridge north of the Y-12 National Security Complex on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A communications tower is pictured on Pine Ridge north of the Y-12 National Security Complex on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

More information will be added as it becomes available.


Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.

Copyright 2017 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, National Nuclear Security Administration, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Dale Christenson, DOE, Ellen Smith, Hans Vogel, Jim Hopson, logging work, Mark Watson, National Environmental Policy Act, National Nuclear Security Administration, NEPA, Oak Ridge City Council, Pine Ridge, power lines, Tennessee Valley Authority, transmission towers, tree removal, TVA, U.S. Department of Energy, UPF, uranium processing facility, Warren Gooch, Y-12 National Security Complex

Advertisements

Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Most of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require at least four hours to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

More Government News

Roane State helps with experiment to provide high-speed Internet access to rural communities

Roane State Community College played a crucial role in an experiment to get high-speed Internet to rural communities currently lacking what’s become an essential component of modern life. (Photo by Yvette … [Read More...]

Parking at Melton Lake Park to be closed for regatta March 13 & 14

Rowing at Melton Hill Lake (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge) The parking lots at Melton Lake Park will be closed to the public during a regatta next week. The regatta, the 2021 Oak Ridge Louisville Cardinal … [Read More...]

City of Oak Ridge Seal

Oak Ridge releases water quality report

The annual water quality report is now available for viewing on the City of Oak Ridge website, and the report says Oak Ridge water was in compliance with state and federal drinking water requirements, a press release … [Read More...]

Gov. Lee lifts nursing home restrictions, extends state of emergency

Bill Lee Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Friday said he has extended a limited state of emergency through April 28 and lifted state visitation restrictions on nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The … [Read More...]

TVA conducting maintenance at Bull Run

The Tennessee Valley Authority's Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today) The Tennessee Valley Authority is conducting routine … [Read More...]

More Government

More U.S. Department of Energy News

Granholm, a former governor, now energy secretary

Jennifer Granholm Note: This story was updated at 7:30 p.m. Jennifer Granholm, a former Michigan governor, was sworn in as energy secretary on Thursday. Granholm was the first female governor of Michigan, and … [Read More...]

Hear from ORNL scientists who worked on Perseverance mission

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mV1sYjE-zMU Video published on YouTube by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Three scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will discuss their work this afternoon on technologies for the … [Read More...]

Bienvenue named first executive director of Oak Ridge Institute

Joan Bienvenue Joan Bienvenue has been selected as the first executive director of the Oak Ridge Institute at the University of Tennessee. "The institute was established last year to align the expertise and … [Read More...]

ORISE report shows overall number of nuclear engineering degrees increases to highest level since 2016

Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today) The number of nuclear engineering degrees awarded in 2019 were at the highest level since … [Read More...]

ORAU receives National Science Foundation grant to study greenhouse gases in Arctic

Praveena Krishnan The National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs has awarded ORAU a collaborative research grant to study greenhouse gas emissions in the Arctic. The award is valued at $581,829. The grant … [Read More...]

More DOE

Recent Posts

  • Victim of Claxton shooting reported to be in critical but stable condition
  • Oak Ridge man dies in motorcycle crash on Oak Ridge Turnpike
  • Roane State helps with experiment to provide high-speed Internet access to rural communities
  • Parking at Melton Lake Park to be closed for regatta March 13 & 14
  • Regatta season starts next week
  • ORISE receives DOE silver award for GreenBuy program
  • Blasius to discuss Downtown Oak Ridge on Tuesday
  • Oak Ridge releases water quality report
  • Granholm, a former governor, now energy secretary
  • Gov. Lee lifts nursing home restrictions, extends state of emergency

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2021 Oak Ridge Today