Greenlink West Transmission Line Project: This is a new 470 mile electric transmission line and associated facilities from Las Vegas to Reno.The project includes transmission facilities plus a series of substations. Most of the transmission line runs parallel to Hwy. 95 until it reaches an area north of Yerington where the line branches to Alt. 95 with mulitple smaller transmission lines. The lines will terminate at the Mira Loma Substation, southeast of Reno and Comstock Meadow Substation, on Hwy 439, the new parkway connecting I-80 and Hwy. 50.

A new Fort Churchill Substation will be built with three new transmission lines. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) will cross the Pony Express National Historic Trail (NHT), the Walker River-Sonora NHT and the California NHT, Carson Route, both the Desert and River branches. The proposed Direct APE Includes two segments of the California Trail and one segment of the Pony Express Trail, and the Indrect (visual) APE contains one segment of the Pony Express and three segments of the California NHT.

Greenlink North Transmission Line Project: This project spans approximately 235 miles from Ely to Yerington. This route will parallel Hwy 50 which would impact the Central Overland Trail and the Pony Express NHT. The BLM will begin preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for the right-of-way application submitted by Nevada Energy. Opposition to this project come from multiple sources since it will impact the “Loneliest Highway” designation.

Gerlach Geothermal Development Project: Impact is to the Nobles Trail. This project proposed by Ormat Technologies Inc. includes leased and unleased BLM lands and privately leased land. The project includes building two new power plants that would each produce 2.4 megawatts of electricity, an electrical substation, up to 23 total geothermal production and injection wells, approximately 4.6 miles of above ground pipelines, access roads, and an approximately 26-mile long overhead power line. OCTA has requested Consulting Party Status to review the environmental effect, including direct and indirect effects to the Nobles Trail. We are currently working with NPS on issues of the correct location of the Nobles Trail in the project area.

GRAVELLY FORD CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND VIRTUAL TOUR- LONG CANYON OPEN PIT MINE (MITIGATION)
Gravelly Ford Conservation Easement and Virtual Tour – Long Canyon Open Pit Mine (Mitigation): Resulting from ongoing mitigation discussions for the Long Canyon Mine Project on the Hastings Cutoff, efforts are still underway to formalize a conservation easement on the California NHT segments and Gravelly Ford site on land owned by Nevada Gold Mine (NGM). The conservation easement will be between NGM and non-profit Nevada Land Trust (NLT). Also as part of the Long Canyon mitigation is the creation of a virtual tour from I-80 to the Gravelly Ford site. The purpose of the virtual tour is to give the public a sense of history and to showcase some of the pristine trail segments.

OCTA has been working with NGM and California Trail Heritage Alliance developing a script for the tour.

Lava Ridge Wind Project and the Southwest Intertie Project (SWIP) North: Magic Valley Energy has submitted a proposal for a massive wind farm northeast of Twin Falls, ID. The project would have up to 400 wind turbines on mostly public lands administered by BLM. Although the proposed project area is not in direct contact with the trail, indirect effects could be visible as the wind turbines generally reach heights of 750 feet or more. An integral part of Lava Ridge is SWIP (North), a 275-mile transmission line in Idaho and Nevada. The line would run from the Midpoint substation, north of Twin Falls to Robinson Summit substation west of Ely. This is the third phase of the SWIP project that continues on to southern Nevada. The project will cross the Central Overland Trail, the Pony Express route, the Hastings Cutoff and the California Trail. OCTA has been granted “Consulting Party” status as the process moves through its various stages. Idaho chapter Preservation Officers and the CA-NV Chapter are monitoring this project.

Fire Damage Assessment: Efforts are underway to assess the trail damage caused by the recent catastrophic wildfires. The fact is, there are not enough OCTA volunteers to do field assessments. Some work is being accomplished on the Beckwourth Trail as a result of the Dixie fire and work continues in the Eldorado National Forest as a result of the Caldor fire.

Fernley Swales Saga: OCTA continues to try to find a solution to keep the Class 1 trail segments and original Central Pacific Railroad roadbed within the Fernley Historic Preservation Easement from being degraded by OHV use.