Stagecoach Advisory Board recommends approval of NV EnergyGreenlink 345-kV transmission route

Stagecoach Advisory Board members voted on June 3 to forward a recommendation to approve NV Energy's Conditional Use Permit request for three 345-kV transmission lines, part of the Greenlink Nevada Transmission Project. The motion, made by board member Timothy Frank and seconded by board member David Palmer, passed 4-1; board member Amanda Brinnand voted no. The board meeting was held at the Stagecoach Community Center.

The presentation was given by Charles Hutchinson, Permitting Manager for WSP, a contractor for NV Energy, who described the route and mitigation measures. Hutchinson and his team answered questions about environmental impacts, construction staging and operations. Attendees were told the combined route length within the jurisdiction is approximately 103 miles and that the project affects portions of 26 parcels (APNs 014-061-02; 014-051-02; 014-091-02, -03, -20, -21, -22, -23; 014-101-01; 015-711-04; 015-691-01; 015-701-03; 015-681-01; 015-551-04; 015-521-19; 015-451-12; 015-511-03; 015-531-20; 015-451-26, -27, -28, -29; 016-021-24, -26, -28; and 016-023-07) under application PLZ-2026-024.

Project representatives addressed specific concerns raised by residents and board members. Tiffany Beech stated that the project team expects "some limited power outages" but said redundancies are in place so customers should not be affected. She also said the project will monitor environmental impacts for "4-7 years post construction" and that a 150-foot right-of-way has been planned to mitigate potential electromagnetic field effects. Presenters said construction work is planned on Saturdays but not Sundays or nights, that workers will be housed in staging areas or off-site lodging rather than living on the construction site, and that helicopters are not planned to erect towers but may be used late in the project to pull lines across towers.

Board discussion touched on local impacts such as dust from staging or laydown yards; board member Amanda Brinnand noted complaints about extreme dust at an NV Energy laydown yard and said the County had issued a Corrective Action Letter. Hutchinson said the route approval process includes environmental review and that planning for wildlife and other environmental impacts is covered by the BLM environmental impact agreement. Questions about a separate Nighthawk Substation were answered: presenters said Nighthawk is a different project and not part of this application.

The board's favorable recommendation now goes to the Lyon County Planning Commission and the Lyon County Board of Commissioners for their review and decision. Commissioner Tammy Hendrix noted she would defer her regular report so people could view large maps of the proposed route after the meeting. The advisory board adjourned at 8:50 p.m.