C04d_1d MJ IRSC Powerline RIght of Ways.pdf
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- Attached to
- Mitchell-Jackson IRSC
- Solicitation number
- 12363N26Q4189
- Issued by
-
Department of Agriculture Forest Service
About this file
This is an attachment containing safety protocols and requirements for logging operations conducted on or adjacent to powerline rights-of-way managed by two utilities: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and Flathead Electric Cooperative.
Bonneville Power Administration Requirements: Contractors must contact a BPA regional representative before planning any logging activities near BPA transmission lines. All overhead transmission lines must be assumed energized at all times. Key operational restrictions include: maintaining a minimum 25-foot separation between transmission line conductors and equipment/personnel; keeping haul roads and skid trails at least 50 feet from steel tower leg entry points; maintaining access roads in passable condition for emergency use; prohibiting equipment parking on rights-of-way except during emergencies (with required grounding); prohibiting log decking, slash burning, and flammable material storage on rights-of-way; limiting logging truck heights to 14 feet when traveling beneath lines; prohibiting high-lead or skyline yarding perpendicular to power lines; and maintaining 100-foot clearance for helicopter operations. Equipment near transmission lines must be properly grounded using copper wire and rods or drag chains. If trees contact transmission lines, personnel must immediately evacuate and contact BPA Dittmer Dispatch Center at (800) 392-0816. For non-emergency matters, contractors contact BPA Transmission Line Maintenance at (406) 751-7800.
Flathead Electric Cooperative Requirements: A Flathead Electric Cooperative representative must attend the prework conference. Contractors must assume transmission lines are always energized and fell trees away from conductors; if fall direction is uncertain, a Flathead Electric Cooperative certified faller must assist. Log decking on rights-of-way is prohibited, and landing piles cannot be placed within 100 feet of rights-of-way. Equipment cannot be loaded or parked on rights-of-way, and no personnel or equipment may be over 10 feet above ground when beneath transmission lines. Guard protection devices must be placed at pole bases before skidding operations, with contractors responsible for any damage. Emergency contact is the Flathead Electric Cooperative System Operator at (800) 751-4456 (24/7); non-emergency contact is Allen Thorson at (406) 751-5280 or (406) 249-3032.
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Attachment 1d- Powerline Right of Ways Bonneville Power Administration Rights-of-Way
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) wants to keep you and your logging operation safe.
Before conducting logging activities adjacent to or under BPA transmission lines, contact a BPA regional representative before planning logging activities. See the list of BPA personnel and their territories of responsibility attached below.
1. Assume all overhead transmission lines are always energized. BPA transmission lines carry high voltage electricity that can injure or kill if conducted to ground through your equipment, fallen trees, or you.
2. Do not leave strips of uncut trees between the cut unit boundary and BPA rights-of-way. Trees located near the edge of the right-of-way should be felled away from the transmission lines.
3. BPA access roads used for timber sale roads shall be kept reasonably free of equipment, forest products, and debris. BPA may need to have road access for emergencies. In this case “reasonably free” shall mean: roads could be cleared within an hour of notice; and roads would be left clear and passable when the timber sale purchaser or contractors leave the area for more than an hour at a time. After project completion, access roads should be in as good or better condition than that which existed prior to the project.
4. Logging trucks and equipment should be parked on the right-of-way only during emergencies.
When this occurs, the truck/equipment should be ground with a flexible wire connecting the chassis to an approved ground rod driven into the ground, or by making the connection to ground with a drag chain attached to the truck/equipment chassis.
5. Haul roads and skid trail locations must be at least 50 feet from the point where the steel tower legs enter the earth. If this clearance cannot be met, use of the road may be permitted if adequate protection barriers for BPA structures are provided by the use of guard devices (guard rails, posts, Jersey-type barriers, etc…). If guard devices are used, their location and design must be approved by BPA to assure they will protect the structure from vehicle and logging activity incursions.
6. Yarder used near the transmission line should be grounded with approved copper wire attached to an approved copper rod pounded six to eight feet in the ground. Skyline cables should be grounded as described above at the tail hold. Chokers should be allowed to contact the mineral earth prior to contract any personnel or equipment. Track mounted equipment is recommended for use near transmission lines to promote (drain off” of induced voltage. If rubber tire machines are used, a chain should be used to drain off voltage.
7. Maintain a minimum separation of 25 feet between transmission line conductors and equipment, personnel, and machinery.
8. No high-lead or skyline yarding should occur across/perpendicular to the power line right-of-way.
9. Avoid loaded helicopter flights over transmission facilities. If necessary, fly at right angles to the line and cross at a tower location (for better visibility), maintaining a minimum clearance of 100 feet.
10. No slash or debris burning on or near the right-of-way. Concentrated columns of smoke from slash burning off rights-of-way should be avoided to prevent possible electrical arcs. Burning necessary or authorized by the Regional Forest Service District adjacent to the right-of-way will be discussed with BPA District Maintenance personnel prior to writing the burn plan.
11. No log decking or storage of logs on the transmission line right-of-way. No storage of flammable materials or carrying of flammable materials by personnel on the right-of-way.
12. No loading of logging trucks on the right-of-way. Logging trucks shall not be loaded to a height greater than 14 feet above the roadbed when traveling underneath the line.
13. No fueling of vehicles or equipment on the right-of-way.
14. If a wildfire occurs on or near the right-of-way, immediately contact BPA Dittmer Dispatch
Center, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week: (800) 392-0816.
15. If a tree comes into contact with the transmission line, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE IT!
Quickly remove personnel from the immediate area. Immediately contact BPA Dittmer Dispatch Center, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week: (800) 392-0816.
16. Contact BPA MCC Dispatch Center immediately, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week at:
(877) 836-6632, or the Kalispell Office Line Foreman at (406) 751-7871 (office) or, (406) 260- 5466 (mobile). Please reference the transmission line, for example; 7/7 to 10/10 section of the Libby-Bonners Ferry #1 115KV- KV LINE.
Below is an example of how locations are posted on the lattice structure or wooden pole.
17. For extreme safety hazard trees near the transmission line, and with advance notification, BPA may be able to provide personnel at the work site.
18. For matters that are non-emergency in nature, contact: Bonneville Power Administration, Transmission Line Maintenance, Kalispell District Office. (406) 751-7800
For further information, please see the following information posted on the BPA webpage.
Application_for_use_of_BPA_Right_of_Way.pdf lusi-Living-and-working-safely-around-high-voltage-power-lines.pdf (bpa.gov) Landowner Safety - Bonneville Power Administration (bpa.gov) https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flegacy.bpa.gov%2FPublicInvolvement%2FLandsCommunity%2FRealProperty%2FApplication_for_use_of_BPA_Right_of_Way.pdf&data=05%7C01%7C%7C83f02c25710e41a6f51208da85dd84c5%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637969483855541058%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zqLR8HwOov5JrTNvXjqLOCUt%2FiSbDCmnEh7pDKsFV9A%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flegacy.bpa.gov%2Fnews%2Fpubs%2FGeneralPublications%2Flusi-Living-and-working-safely-around-high-voltage-power-lines.pdf&data=05%7C01%7C%7C83f02c25710e41a6f51208da85dd84c5%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637969483855541058%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4rS63NLL8jxkguVH6gADWw7CypwWbJOG5qtRj%2BpUm5k%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bpa.gov%2Fenvironmental-initiatives%2Fsustainability%2Flandowner-safety&data=05%7C01%7C%7C83f02c25710e41a6f51208da85dd84c5%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637969483855541058%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VOjGgjpKkFtobh8naOq4Vk7kp2vrnXj8Ng3g%2F%2B46PWQ%3D&reserved=0
Flathead Electric Cooperative Rights-of-Way
1. A Flathead Electric Cooperative representative shall attend the Prework Conference (C6.10) to review protocols with Contractor.
2. Assume the transmission line is always energized.
3. Trees located along the edge of the conductors should be felled away from the closest conductor. If the direction that a tree(s) will fall is uncertain, the Contractor shall not cut the tree. The Contractor shall contact a Flathead Electric Cooperative Representative directly.
Flathead Electric Cooperative can provide a Flathead Electric Cooperative certified faller to assist Contractor.
4. Log decking is not allowed on the right-of-way.
5. Landing piles are not allowed within 100 feet from right-of-way.
6. Log trucks and equipment are not to be loaded or parked on the right-of-way.
7. Flammable materials shall not be stored on the right-of-way.
8. Guy wires that extend from the poles shall be located, flagged, and protected by Contractor.
9. Prior to skidding operations, Contractor shall place guard protection devices (Jersey-type barrier, Eco Blocks, etc.) at the base of the power poles. Any damage to powerlines, powerline structures or right of way access roads is the responsibility of the Contractor.
10. No equipment or personnel shall be over ten (10) feet above the ground when below the transmission line. An exception to this may be made when passing under a line that is spanning across a canyon where the line is obviously several times higher than the normal spans.
11. Do not come into contact with the conductor or any equipment if the conductor is on the ground or any piece of equipment.
12. If a tree or equipment comes into contact with the transmission line and remains on the line, do not attempt to remove the tree or equipment. Contact the Flathead Electric Cooperative System Operator (1-800-751-4456) immediately (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). This is a non-published number that is to be used only in case of emergency.
13. If a wildfire occurs on the right of way, contact Flathead Electric Cooperative System Operator immediately.
14. For non-emergency matters, contact a Forest Service representative at (406) 283-7770 and Forest Service will contact Flathead Electric Cooperative. The Contractor can also contact Flathead Electric Cooperative directly at:
Allen Thorson Operations Superintendent 2510 Hwy 2E Kalispell, MT Telephone: 406-751-5280
Cellular: 406-249-3032
Kalispell, MT
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