U S Army Corps of Engineers New England
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U. S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Karen Adams EIS Project Manager U. S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Integrated Sequence of NEPA and the Corps of Engineers Regulatory Permitting Processes
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 2. 0 Project Purpose & Need • Introduction • Purpose & Scope of the EIS/EIR/DRI • Project Purpose & Need
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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.
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
Expansion at Searsburg VT. (Existing 6 MW Facility) Expansion at Princeton MA. (Existing Facility) Skinner / Kibby Township Maine Redington Black Nubble Mt. Maine City of Greenfield Landfill Massachusetts Military Reservation / Otis Air Force Base Hoosac Mountain Range CT. DOT Site (Brownfield) On-Shore Sites Considered
N Quebec New Brunswick ME Ontario Vinalhaven Island Nova Scotia VT Portland NH NY Cape Ann New Bedford Nantucket Sound Boston Atlantic Ocean MA Block Island CT PA NJ Nantucket Shoals # South of Martha’s Vineyard RI Off-Shore Sites Considered 60 0 60 Miles
Onshore Alternative Massachusetts Military Reservation, MA
Shallow Water Alternatives Nantucket Sound, MA
Deeper Water Alternative South of Tuckernuck Island, MA
Combined Locations New Bedford, MA Nantucket Sound, MA
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 4. 0 Project Description of Proposed Alternative Wind turbine generators Decommissioning Configuration Solid & Hazardous Materials Foundation Transmission System Construction Operations & Maintenance Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure Plan Security Safety
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
Proposed Location Horseshoe Shoal, Nantucket Sound, MA Meteorological Tower
5. 0 Affected Environment and Environmental & US Army Corps Environmental Consequences of Engineers New England District • • 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
5. 0 Affected Environment and environmental & US Army Corps environmental consequences of Engineers New England District • • Water Quality Cultural Resources & Visual Studies Noise Transportation Electric & Magnetic Fields Telecommunications Systems Air & Climate Socioeconomics
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 6. 0 Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring Program Pre-construction Construction Post-construction
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 7. 0 Regulatory Authorities and Consistency with Statutory and Regulatory Standards and Requirements Federal, State & Local Regulatory Jurisdictions
US Army Corps of Engineers Report to the US Commission on Ocean Policy Northeast Meeting Boston, MA – 24 July 2002 Colonel Thomas L. Koning Commander New England District
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.
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 8. 0 Response to Cape Cod Commission Development of Regional Impact Scope Regional Policy Plan Consistency Statement Response to Development of Regional Impact Scope
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 9. 0 DRAFT MEPA SECTION 61 FINDINGS • 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 10. 0 Cooperating Agencies • List of NEPA cooperating agencies • Roles • POC
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 11. 0 Public Involvement • State & Federal – Hearings – Information Meetings – MTC Stakeholders • Applicant – Local, state & federal agencies – Local public interest groups – Renewable energy groups
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 12. 0 List of Preparers • Corps of Engineers • ESS Group • TRC
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District • 13. 0 Index • 14. 0 Acronym and Abbreviations • 15. 0 Appendices
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Schedule
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District 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
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District How to Contact Us Information: www. nae. usace. army. mil Comments: wind. energy@usace. army. mil Karen Adams EIS Project Manager 978 -318 -8828 U. S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District 696 Virginia Road, Concord, Massachusetts 01742 -2751
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District
US Army Corps of Engineers New England District
