L7b -07744 Routing Analysis Siloam Springs to Chambers Spring 161-Kv Transmission Line Benton County, Arkansas an Employee-Owned Company
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200b JUN - I A 9: 55 L7b -07744 Routing Analysis Siloam Springs to Chambers Spring 161-kV Transmission Line Benton County, Arkansas An employee-owned company Document No. 060039 PBS&J Job No. 441634 ROUTINGANALYSIS SILOAM SPRINGS TO CHAMBERS SPRING 161-KV TRANSMISSIONLINE BENTONCOUNTY, ARKANSAS Prepared for: Southwestern Electric Power Company Prepared by: PBS&J 6504 Bridge Point Parkway Suite 200 Austin, Texas 78730 May 2006 Printed on recycled paper 6504 Bridge Point Parkway Austin, TX. 78730 Telephone 512.327.6840 Fax 512.327.2453 - www.pbsj.com Contents Page ..... ........................................................................................................ iv ....................................................................................................................... iv Acronyms and Abbreviations ................ ........ ...... ....... 1.O PROJECT DESCRIPTION........................................................................................................................... 1 1 .I PURPOSE AND NEED FOR PROJECT. ..................................................................... 1 1.2 AGENCY ACTIONS .............................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................................................... 3 3.0 RESULTS ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 LAND USE AND SOCIOECONOMICS ..................................................................................... 3.2 GEOLOGIC RESOURCES ................................................................................................................ ..5 3.2.1 Physiography and Topography ............................................................................................ 5 3.2.2 Geology 3.2.3 Soil Associations ......................................................................................................... 3.3 VEGETATION.. .......................................................... 3.3.1 Water Resources ........................................................... 3.3.2 Surface Waters .............................................................. 3.3.3 Waters of the U.S., Including Wetlands ........ 3.4 FEDERALLY LISTED ENDANGERED AND/OR THR HABITATS OF CONCERN ................................................................................................................. 12 3.4.1 Invertebrates ....................... 12 3.4.2 Fish ....... 3.4.3 Birds .................................................................................................................................... 14 3.4.4 Mammals ..... .... 14 3.4.5 Plants................................................................................................................................... 15 3.5 CULTURAL HISTORY ............................. 3.5.1 Prehistoric B 3.5.1.1 3.5.1.2 Archaic Period.. 3.5.1.3 3.5.1.4 3.5.2 HISTORIC 3.5.3 RESULTS OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW/RECORDS SEARCH 4.0 IMPACTS ASSESSMENT, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS ....................................... 19 4.1 LAND USE IMPACTS ........................................... ................................................................... 19 4.1 .I Environmental Justice .......................... 4.2 POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO PHYSIOGRAPHY/GEOLO 4.3 POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO WATERS OF THE U.S.,INCLUDING WETLANDS ........................... 25 4.4 POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO FEDERALLY LISTED ENDANGERED AND THREATENED .... .................................... ............................................... .27 4.4.1 Protected Migratory Bird Species .................................................................................... ..28 441 6341060039 ii Contents Page 4.5 IMPACTS ON CULTURAL RESOURCES................................................ 4.5.1 Site 3BE32 ..................................................................................... 4.5.2 Site 3BE33 .............................. .................................................................... .29 4.5.3 Additional Cultural Resources Sites within 1,000 feet of Proposed Right of Way ..........29 4.6 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS ........................... ..................................................................... 30 5.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................ 30 ... 441 6341060039 111 Contents Figures Page 1-1 Proposed Line Route ........................................................................................................... map pocket) 1-2 Delta Braced Post, Steel .......... 2-1 Environmental and Land-Use Constraints within the Study Area 3-1 Population Projections for Benton County and th 3-2 Labor Force and Unemployment Rates for Bent Tables Page 3-1 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Species of Possible Occurrence in Benton County, Arkansas.. ... ..... 4-1 Environment Alt ........................................................................ .20 4-2 Type of Structure and Distance to ROW ..................... 441 634/060039 iv Acronyms and Abbreviations ADE Arkansas Department of Education ADEQ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality AGC Arkansas Geological Commission AGFC Arkansas Game and Fish Commission amsl above mean sea level ANHC Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission APSC Arkansas Public Service Commission BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics BOC US. Bureau of the Census CCN Certificate of Convenience and Necessity DWS Department of Workforce Services EJ Environmental Justice EO Executive Order EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FAA Federal Aviation Administration FCC Federal Communications Commission FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service IEA Institute of Economic Advancement kV kilovolt MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act MW megawatt NARPC Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission NO1 Notice of Intent NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service NRHP National Register of Historic Places NW Nationwide Permit ROW right of way scs Soil Conservation Service SH State Highway SWEPCO Southwestern Electric Power Company SWPPP Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan UALR University of Arkansas - Little Rock USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USFS U.S. Forest Service USGS U.S. Geological Survey 441 634/060039 V 1.o PROJECT DESCRIPTION Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) is proposing to construct approximately 7.5 miles of 161-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the existing Siloam Springs Substation to the existing Chambers Spring Substation in Benton County, Arkansas. Currently, there are four proposed routes (routes A-D), all of which generally extend southeast from the Siloam Springs Substation to the Chambers Spring Substation (Figure 1-1). The new 161-kV transmission line will be constructed using direct embedded, steel single-pole structures with delta configuration (Figure 1-2). 1 .I PURPOSE AND NEED FOR PROJECT Benton County, as well as surrounding counties in northwest Arkansas, is growing rapidly as commercial and residential development continues in the area. Construction and operation of the proposed Siloam Springs to Chambers Spring 161-kV line in northwest Arkansas will help achieve diversification of generation sources. 1.2 AGENCY ACTIONS This route analysis has been prepared by PBS&J in support of SWEPCO’s application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) with the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC). This report is in support of the filing requirements as specified in Section 7 of the APSC Rules of Practice and Procedure. This report may also be used in support of any other local, state, or federal permitting requirements, if necessary. Some additional approvals that may be required for this project include: Coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Little Rock District regarding permit requirements for impacts to USACE jurisdictional waters of the U.S. that might result from proposed construction. Cultural Resources clearance will be obtained from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program for the proposed project right of way (ROW). Depending on the location of the transmission line structures, floodplain development permits and road crossing permits may be required by state and/or county entities. A Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) will be required by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and a Notice of Intent (NOI) will be required prior to initiation of construction. Threatened and endangered species clearance will be required from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Ecological Services Field Office in Conway, Arkansas. Construction documents, specifications, or other instructions will indicate any special construction measures needed to comply with the regulatory requirements listed above. 441 634/060039 1 E I I IS I 11- Ill- I II I I I I I Engineering mj - Environmental Consulting * Surveying I Figure 1-2 DELTA BRACED POST, STEEL Source, American Electric Power Company, Inc. I I \pro~ec1s\hcl\aep\441634\cad\f1gurel-2.a1 23 2.0 METHODOLOGY The APSC recommends adherence to the following criteria for electric transmission line routing analyses: Cost of the facility Health and safety Engineering and technical concerns EcologicaVenvironmental disruption Disruption