EPS’ core staff has over 100 years of combined experience in right of way, property management, and permitting. That experience is coupled with almost 100 International Right of Way Association right of way specific courses attended, as well as real estate licensing and other industry related courses. EPS has acquired rights of way and permits for many transmission lines and overhead and underground distribution lines throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Our permitting experience includes coordinating, developing and obtaining agency approvals and project permits on the local, state and federal levels.
The following is a representative sample of our team’s right of way and permitting experience:
Eklutna 230 kV Transmission Line Re-build
This rebuild of the Eklutna Transmission Line between the power-generation facility near Eklutna Lake and Fossil Creek near Fort Richardson, took it from its 1950 configuration as a wood pole H-Frame 115 kV single circuit line to a 230 kV double circuit line on single steel poles. All existing rights of way for the 22.5 mile line required review and a determination if the existing grants authorized the upgrade. Property interests on 96 properties were analyzed resulting in the identification and acquisition of additional easement rights for 45 parcels, and the acquisition of 3 parcels for a 3 mile re-alignment. The project was controversial due to a disgruntled minority co-owner of the project. A major public involvement effort for the right of way process before the local communities was required as a result of the actions of the co-owner. Despite the co-owner’s actions, rights of way were acquired without resorting to eminent domain and a contested Bureau of Land Management right of way was granted after an appeal to the Interior Board of Land Appeals. Easements were obtained across a military base, municipal park lands, as well as lands under the jurisdiction of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. A SWPPP was prepared and permits were acquired from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Municipality of Anchorage (MOA), and the Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT).
Eklutna Transmission Line
O’Malley 138 kV Transmission Line and 12.5 kV and 34.5 kV Underground
The improvements included burying a 12.5 kV and 34.5 kV circuit, and construction of a new overhead 138 kV circuit. This project involved the route analysis, cost estimating, value estimating, administration of surveying, parcel platting, SWPPP preparation, and environmental stipulation compliance, title examination, regulatory permitting and the acquisition and purchase of 14 transmission line parcels, 22 underground distribution line parcels, and six temporary construction easements, as well as notifications to all adjacent property owners along the route including 15 with service drop changeovers. One parcel required an appraisal and condemnation. Permits were obtained from the Alaska Railroad Corporation, the DOT, MOA, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and USACE.
69 kV Marathon to Ivanoff Lake Intertie
EPS (D&L) provided professional and engineering services necessary to permit, acquire legal access, design and prepare for construction a nominal 69 kV / 115 kV transmission line that created a double-ended transmission system between Bernice Lake and Soldotna Substations. This project required extensive efforts to resolve conflicts between the operational aspects of the Kenai Airport facilities and the project which was located partially on airport lands. EPS obtained all regulatory permits required by the FAA, USACE, Kenai Peninsula Borough, DOT, State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the City of Kenai. Appraisals were performed for key parcels in aid of acquisition of agency owned properties, Alaska Native Corporations and private individuals. A total of eight individual parcels were acquired based on the appraised valuations.