PR 06-18

BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2018
 

Portland, Ore. – Bonneville Power Administration security officials report that a recent break-in at the McNary Substation in Umatilla, Oregon, resulted in the theft of 29 copper ground wires. The substation is McNary Dam’s first point of integration to the region’s power grid. 

A BPA employee discovered the theft Monday morning during a routine inspection. Officials say the crime likely occurred over the weekend, between April 13 and 16. 

“This is a serious concern on several levels,” said Doug Dailey, BPA physical security specialist. “The number of copper grounds stolen creates a safety issue for our transmission employees and could have caused significant damage to equipment had it not been discovered.”

Officials say there was no interruption of power transmission and that they are evaluating the damage to determine what resources are needed to make necessary repairs.

The BPA Security Office is taking additional steps to further secure property, equipment and materials to minimize and prevent theft at other BPA facilities.

“We learned that this break-in is one of four similar incidents at utility substations in the area over the past couple of months,” said Dailey. “We are coordinating closely with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, our people have been checking other BPA substations near McNary to determine if any of those locations have been affected.” 

Anyone with information about the theft is encouraged to contact the Umatilla County Sheriff’s office at 541-966-3600.

About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 143 electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA delivers power via more than 15,000 circuit miles of lines and 260 substations to 511 transmission customers. In all, BPA markets about a third of the electricity consumed in the Northwest and operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid. BPA also funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world, and, with its partners, pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain affordable, reliable and carbon-free electric power for the Northwest.   www.bpa.gov

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced that it is seeking public nominations for positions on 30 citizen-based sounding boards for BLM initiatives, proposals, and policy changes.

Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) provide advice and recommendations for the BLM to consider on a range of resource and land management issues. The BLM maintains 37 such chartered advisory committees located in the West. Of those committees, 30 are RACs. Each Council consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities, and they assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues. Established by charter, RACs are critical in assisting the BLM in continuing to be a good neighbor in the communities that the agency serves.

"The BLM Resource Advisory Councils are an important forum for the community conversation that is a key component of public land management," said BLM State Director Jamie E. Connell. "By ensuring that RAC representation reflects a variety of perspectives, RAC members provide a valuable service to the Bureau by delving into issues and proposing solutions on a wide variety of land and resource uses issues."

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on a Council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be reviewed on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the Council’s geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. Letters of reference must accompany all nominations from any represented interests or organizations, a completed RAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.

Each of the 30 RACs has different positions open in the following categories:

Category One – Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, the commercial timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation.

Category Two – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations.

Category Three – Representatives of State, county, or local elected office; representatives and employees of a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources; representatives of Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized, Alaska Natives as appropriate to the state of Alaska; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.

The BLM administers 8 advisory councils and committees in Oregon and Washington. More information, including an Oregon/Washington RAC boundary map, can be found online at https://www.blm.gov/get-involved/resource-advisory-council/near-you/oregon-washington.

As published in a notice in today’s Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days (until June 4, 2018).  Requests for more information, nominations and completed applications for RACs should be sent to the appropriate BLM personnel listed below:

Coastal Oregon RAC

Megan Harper, BLM Coos Bay District Office, 1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459, 541-751-4353.

 

Eastern Washington RAC

Jeff Clark, BLM Spokane District Office, 1103 North Fancher Road, Spokane, WA 99212, 509-536-1297.

 

John Day-Snake RAC

Lisa Clark, BLM Prineville District Office, 3050 NE 3rd Street, Prineville, OR 97754, 541-416-6864.

 

Northwest Oregon RAC

Jennifer Velez, BLM Northwest Oregon District Office, 1717 Fabry Road SE, Salem, OR 97306, 541-222-9241.

 

San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee

Marcia de Chadenedes, BLM San Juan Islands National Monument Office,

P.O. Box 3, 37 Washburn Avenue, Lopez Island, Washington  98261, 360-468-3051.

 

Southeast Oregon RAC

Larisa Bogardus, BLM Lakeview District Office, 1301 S. G Street, Lakeview, OR 97630, 541-947-6237.

 

Southwest Oregon RAC

Christina Breslin, BLM Medford District Office, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97504, 541-618-2371.

 

Steens Mountain Advisory Council

Tara Thissell, BLM Burns District Office, 28910 Highway 20 West, Hines, OR  97738, 541-573-4519.

 

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $75 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2016—more than any other agency in the Department of the Interior. These activities supported more than 372,000 jobs.