U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District

1
U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers New England
District
2
Karen AdamsEIS Project ManagerU.S. Army Corps
of Engineers New England District
3
Integrated Sequence of NEPA and the Corps of
Engineers Regulatory Permitting Processes
4
Table of Contents

• 1.0 Executive Summary
• 2.0 Project Purpose and Need
• 3.0 Alternatives Analysis
• 4.0 Project Description of Proposed Alternative
• 5.0 Affected Environment and Environmental
  Consequences
  
  Proposed Alternative
• 6.0 Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring
  Program
• 7.0 Regulatory Authorities and Consistency with
  Statutory and Regulatory Standards and
  Requirements Proposed Alternative

5
Table of Contents

• 8.0 Response to Cape Cod Commission
  Development of Regional Impact Scope
• 9.0 Draft MEPA Section 61 Findings
• 10.0 Cooperating Agencies and their Roles
• 11.0 Public Involvement
• 12.0 List of Preparers
• 13.0 Index
• 14.0 Acronym and Abbreviations
• 15.0 Appendices

6
1.0 Executive Summary

• Introduction and Coordinated Review
• Project Proponent, Name and USACE / EOEA / DRI
  Number
• Summary of Project Purpose and Need
• Alternatives Considered
• Project Summary Proposed Alternative
• Summary of Public Issues and Concerns
• List of Required Permits and Approvals Proposed
  Alternative
• Summary of Potential Project Environmental
  Benefits - Proposed Alternative
• Summary of Potential Project Environmental
  Effects and Mitigation Proposed Alternative
•       

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• How
• Why

7
2.0 Project Purpose Need

• Introduction
• Purpose Scope of the EIS/EIR/DRI
• Project Purpose Need

8
Corps of Engineers role

• Authority - Section 10 of the Rivers Harbors
  Act of 1899 for work in navigable waters of the
  United States, including structures on the Outer
  Continental Shelf
• Process - Permit review includes evaluation of
  broad range of Public Interest Factors and is
  done in accordance with National Environmental
  Policy Act Environmental Impact Statement is
  required.

9
3.0 Alternatives Analysis

• Assessment of Energy Generating Technologies
• Screening of Upland Offshore Wind Sites
• Comparison of Alternative Sites
• Comparison of Nantucket Sound Sites
• Comparison of Transmission Cable Routes

10
Process

• EIS scoping Spring 2002
• Alternative sites suggested through public
  comment
• Start with a long list of offshore onshore
  sites throughout NE
• Using available information screen out /
  eliminate sites do not warrant further evaluation
• Compare impacts benefits of the remaining sites

11
Expansion at Princeton MA. (Existing Facility)
Expansion at Searsburg VT. (Existing 6MW Facility)
Skinner / Kibby Township Maine
Redington Black Nubble Mt. Maine
Massachusetts Military Reservation / Otis Air
Force Base
City of Greenfield Landfill
Hoosac Mountain Range
On-Shore Sites Considered
CT. DOT Site (Brownfield)
12
(No Transcript)
13
Onshore AlternativeMassachusetts Military
Reservation, MA
14
Shallow Water Alternatives
Nantucket Sound, MA
15
Deeper Water Alternative
South of Tuckernuck Island, MA
16
Combined Locations
Nantucket Sound, MA
17
4.0 Project Description of Proposed Alternative

• Wind turbine generators
• Configuration
• Foundation
• Transmission System
• Construction
• Operations Maintenance

• Decommissioning
• Solid Hazardous Materials
• Spill Prevention Control Countermeasure Plan
• Security
• Safety

18
Project Description

• 420 MW capacity offshore wind power project
• Location at Horseshoe Shoals in Nantucket Sound
• Originally 170 structures, now 130
• Spread over 24 sq. mi. (1/3-1/2 mi spacing)
• 420 feet above MLLW
• 16-foot diameter piles will occupy 2 acres
• Providing power to ISO-NE grid, AC transmission
  lines

19
Proposed Location Horseshoe Shoal, Nantucket
Sound, MA
Meteorological Tower
20
5.0 Affected Environment and Environmental
Environmental Consequences

• Geology Sediment
• Physical Oceanographic condition
• Benthic Shellfish resources
• Finfish Resources Commercial/Recreational
  Fisheries
• Protected Marine Species
• Terrestial Ecology, Wildlife Protected Species
• Avian
• Coastal Freshwater Resources

21
5.0 Affected Environment and environmental
environmental consequences

• Water Quality
• Cultural Resources Visual Studies
• Noise
• Transportation
• Electric Magnetic Fields
• Telecommunications Systems
• Air Climate
• Socioeconomics

22
6.0 Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring Program

• Pre-construction
• Construction
• Post-construction

23
7.0 Regulatory Authorities and Consistencywith
Statutory andRegulatory Standards and
Requirements

• Federal, State Local Regulatory Jurisdictions

24
US Army Corps of Engineers Report to the US
Commission on Ocean PolicyNortheast
MeetingBoston, MA 24 July 2002

• Colonel Thomas L. Koning
• Commander
• New England District

25
Jurisdiction for Federal Approval of Activities
in Waters of the United States

• Non-extraction projects in US waters do not have
  a complete ocean policy formulation.
• Wind and wave energy projects in ocean waters are
  currently not subject to lease.
• Action Define a national policy for
  non-extraction ocean energy projects and
  commercial ventures.

26
8.0 Response to Cape Cod Commission Development
of Regional Impact Scope 

• Regional Policy Plan Consistency Statement
• Response to Development of Regional Impact Scope

27
9.0 DRAFT MEPA SECTION 61FINDINGS

• Benthic
• Fisheries
• Protected Marine Species
• Terrestrial Ecology, Wildlife, Protected
  Species
• Avian
• Freshwater Coastal Resources

• Water quality
• Visual, cultural archaeological
• Noise
• Transportation
• EMF/Communications
• Air Climate
• Socio-economic
• Construction Decommissioning

28
10.0 Cooperating Agencies

• List of NEPA cooperating agencies
• Roles
• POC

29
11.0 Public Involvement

• State Federal
• Hearings
• Information Meetings
• MTC Stakeholders

• Applicant
• Local, state federal agencies
• Local public interest groups
• Renewable energy groups

30
12.0 List of Preparers

• Corps of Engineers
• ESS Group
• TRC

31

• 13.0 Index
• 14.0 Acronym and Abbreviations
• 15.0 Appendices

32
Schedule
33
Distribution

• Hardcopies
• Required local, state federal agencies
• Local libraries
• Other publically accessible locations?
• CD
• Postcards will be sent to all on our mailing list
  to request a CD

34
Effective participation

• Provide comments
• Substantive comments for us to address in FEIS
• Errors or omissions
• Avoid subjective/opinions
• Within comment period
• Written or at a hearing

35
How to Contact Us
Information www.nae.usace.army.mil Comments
wind.energy_at_usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England
District 696 Virginia Road, Concord,
Massachusetts 01742-2751
36
U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers New England
District
37
(No Transcript)