Beatty Town Advisory Board hears Greenlink West update at Feb. 23 meeting

BEATTY — The Beatty Town Advisory Board met Feb. 23 to receive an update on NV Energy’s Greenlink West transmission project, hear questions from residents about dust and lighting impacts, and approve routine financial and administrative items.

Shahzad Lattef, NV Energy project director for the Greenlink project, told the board that construction of the 500-kilovolt transmission line connecting Las Vegas to Yerington is progressing along the U.S. 95 corridor.

“Construction is just north of Cold Creek Road right now,” Lattef said. “We have one crew working, and they’re erecting about three structures per day, but that pace will increase over the next month.”

The first segment of the project runs from Las Vegas to the Silver Substation. Steel structures are currently being erected there, with wire installation expected this summer.

“The wire pull will be done using a helicopter,” Lattef said. “That’s the most efficient way to do that work, but it also has to be coordinated with Department of Defense activity in the area.”

Construction on the second segment, from the Sagebrush Substation to the Esmeralda Substation near Tonopah, is expected to begin in late spring. Current activity includes plant salvage, surveying and flagging work while awaiting final Bureau of Land Management approvals for access roads.

During public comment, Beatty resident Karl Olson raised concerns about dust from construction traffic and asked whether additional dust-control measures could be used.

“The watering ain’t working,” Olson said. “There’s a ton of other things that could be put on the roads that suppress the dust.”

Lattef said the project is currently limited to water because the work is taking place on federal land.

“If there is any kind of chemical suppressant we could use, we would have to evaluate whether it’s authorized by the Bureau of Land Management,” Lattef said. “Everything has to be returned to its original state.”

Lighting requirements for the transmission line also drew questions from residents during public comment.

Another Beatty resident asked whether lights on towers could affect Beatty’s dark skies.

“I remember hearing that this project would be dark-sky compliant. If those lights are visible from Oasis Valley, that’s going to be a disturbance to the night sky.”

Lattef said lighting decisions are being determined by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense.

“If there is anything acceptable to them that reduces lighting, we will consider it,” Lattef said. “Our intention is to preserve the dark skies as much as possible while maintaining aviation safety.”

Resident Laura Cunningham also asked where lighted marker balls on the transmission wires might be located.

“We don’t have a complete map yet,” Lattef said, explaining that determinations are still pending for hundreds of wire spans along the route.

Board members also asked about what will happen to roads and staging areas built during construction.

“As the materials move to the right-of-way, those material yards will close,” Lattef said. “Some existing roads will remain improved, but any new roads built only for construction may be required to be returned to their natural state.”

In other business, the board approved the minutes from its Feb. 9 meeting and authorized payment of town vouchers totaling $4,427.30.

The board also voted to submit its annual comment letter to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection regarding renewal of the U.S. Ecology Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit.

The board then adjourned the meeting.

Thomas Hite is a freelance reporter living in Beatty.