Lower Grasse River Ice Breaking Demonstration Project - Community Health and Safety Plan Grasse River Study Area Massena, New York
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SDMS Document 113228 Lower Grasse River Ice Breaking Demonstration Project - Community Health and Safety Plan Grasse River Study Area Massena, New York Q ALCOA Alcoa Inc. Massena, New York March 2007 Table of Contents Section 1. Introduction 1-1 1.1 Objective 1-1 1.2 Site Description 1-1 1.3 Demonstration Project Background and Overview 1-1 1.4 Sclieduie for the Demonstration Project 1-3 1.5 Document Organization 1-3 Section 2. Potential Project Areas of Evaluation and Notification Measures 2-1 2.1 Overview 2-1 2.2 River Access/Recreational Use 2-1 2.2.1 Notification 2-2 2.2.2 Posting of Access/Egress Points 2-3 2.2.3 Emergency Planning/Response 2-4 2.3 Noise 2-5 2.3.1 l\/litigation of Noise 2-5 2.3.2 Noise Monitoring 2-6 Section 3. Project Personnel 3-1 3.1 Overview 3-1 3.2 Key Site Personnel 3-1 Section 4. Community Relations Plan 4-1 4.1 Overview 4-1 Section 5. References 5-1 Tables Table 2-1 Known Primary Snowmobile Access and Egress Points Table 2-2 Proposed Posting Locations Table 2-3 Emergency Contacts Table 2-4 Sound Levels at Perimeter of Site Table 3-1 Site Contact Information Table 4-1 Anticipated Media Contact List Table 4-2 Known Area Snowmobile/Outdoor Clubs Figures Figure 1-1 Grasse River - Location Map Figure 2-1 Known Snowmobile Access and Egress Locations and Proposed Posting Locations Figure 2-2 Ice Breaking Warning Sign Posting 3/8/07 F:\USERS\AM1LLERV2007\0467112l4Jce Breaking CHASP Texl.doc 1. Introduction 1.1 Objective This Community Health and Safety Plan (CHASP) prepared by Alcoa Inc. (Alcoa) describes community health and safety considerations associated with implementation of a United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)-directed ice breaking demonstration project that, pending USEPA approval, will be conducted in spring 2007 in the lower Grasse River. This demonstration project includes mechanical breaking and clearing of the intact ice cover in an approximate 7-mile reach of the lower Grasse River prior to the natural breakup of ice in the upstream reaches of the river (i.e., upstream of Massena). This ice breaking demonstration project is being conducted to evaluate the feasibility of mechanical ice breaking as an interim measure for mitigating ice jams and potential sediment scour from these ice jams in the lower Grasse River. These activities are expected to provide the increased flow capacity needed to reduce the likelihood of ice jams capable of disturbing bottom sediments from forming in the lower Grasse River. The overall objective of this CHASP is to outline actions to be taken to protect the community from potential concerns during implementation of the demonstration project and provide a mechanism for addressing these concerns. 1.2 Site Description The Grasse River is located along the northern boundary of New York State (NYS) in the town of Massena. The lower Grasse River is defined as the portion of the river extending from the confluence with the Power Canal to the confluence with the St. Lawrence River. Ice breaking activities will be conducted in an approximate 7-mile reach of the lower river, extending from about 500 feet downstream of the Alcoa Bridge to the first open water encountered downstream of the confluence with the St. Lawrence Seaway (Figure 1 -1). The first open water on the downstream extent of the ice breaking area is typically at the confluence of the St. Lawrence Seaway with the St. Lawrence River (approximately 950 feet from the mouth of the Grasse River). However, open water can extend up to the mouth of the Grasse River, as evidenced in past years during which ice breaking on the St. Lawrence Seaway has been conducted prior to ice out of the Grasse River. 1.3 Demonstration Project Background and Overview Routine monitoring of the river during and after the spring ice breakup in 2003 indicated that an ice jam had formed in the lower Grasse River and disturbed capping materials that had been placed as part of the 2001 Capping Pilot Study in addition to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-containing sediments beneath the cap. An intensive follow-up investigation in 2003 and 2004 indicated that the 2003 ice jam-related scour did not cause any system-wide changes to PCB levels in the sediments, water column and fish; however, some local effects were observed. This investigation also provided evidence that ice-jam related scour events occur at a frequency of approximately once every 10 years (Alcoa, April 2004) and occur in the upper two miles of the lower river. As a result, Alcoa and USEPA identified the need to evaluate ice control measures to mitigate the potential for ice jam-related scour events. To this end, a pier type ice control structure (ICS) in the river upstream of Massena was evaluated for inclusion as a component of the 2005 Remedial Options Pilot Study (ROPS) as an interim and possible longer-term measure to prevent future ice jams in the lower Grasse River. However, based on community concerns related 3/8/07 1-1 F:\USERS\AMILLERV2007\0467n214 Ics Breaking CHASP Text.doc to the proposed location of the structure, installation of an ICS at this location was not pursued. The assessment of structural ice control methods as a longer term ice control measure is continuing through the evaluation of a pier type structure located within the lower Grasse River, and through the evaluation of the possibility of integrating ice control into a proposed hydroelectric project on the river that is currently under evaluation by the Massena Electric Department (MED). An additional component of the 2005 ROPS that was anticipated to limit the potential impact of future ice jam events was the targeted dredging of PCB-containing sediments from the ice jam (and resulting sediment scour) prone section of the river. While PCB-containing sediments were removed, a lower than anticipated removal volume was achieved due to a number of difficulties encountered during the conduct of the work (i.e., difficult site conditions, persistent PCB residuals in removal areas, containment system maintenance issues, and several high flow events). In response to these events, possible interim measures for preventing future ice jam events were evaluated. Results of this work identified that ice breaking in the lower river prior to the natural breakup of ice in the upstream reaches of the river is the only potentially feasible non-structural interim measure. Available methods of ice breaking, especially in relation to the Grasse River, were evaluated at the direction of USEPA through a review of previous research conducted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) Cold Regions Research Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), interviews with equipment and service providers, phone inquiries with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and other agencies, and a site visit and interview with the Canadian Coast Guard. The analysis to date indicates that ice breaking could be feasible as an interim means of mitigating ice jams in the lower Grasse River, and that a demonstration study for ice breaking is necessary to further evaluate the likelihood of success. Consequently, USEPA directed Alcoa to move forward with the ice breaking project. The objectives of the Grasse River ice breaking demonstration project are as follows: • Evaluate the feasibility of ice breaking as an interim measure for mitigating ice jam related scour in the lower Grasse River; and • Develop information to support an understanding of the impact of site conditions (e.g., ice thickness, river flow, weather conditions) on the schedule and associated cost of ice breaking services. Prior to initiation of the demonstration project, Alcoa will monitor river ice conditions (e.g., extent of cover, thickness, etc.) throughout the winter to determine if ice breaking is necessary. If necessary, ice breaking will be accomplished using two excavators on a flat deck barge propelled by a shallow draft tug boat. Starting at the downstream extent of the intact ice cover, the two excavators will mechanically break and clear the ice from an approximate 250 foot width of river channel. Ice breaking will proceed upstream to allow broken ice to move downstream into open water, and will continue until the approximate 7-mile channel between the confluence with the St. Lawrence River and the Alcoa Bridge has been cleared of ice. A key project objective specific to this CHASP is an evaluation of the notification measures to minimize potential safety issues associated with winter recreational use of the river during the period of the year when an ice cover exists on the lower river. This specific objective and notification measures/monitoring to be implemented are discussed further in Section 2. Additional information regarding the ice breaking activities is provided in the Lower Grasse River Ice Breaking Demonstration Project - Final Work Plan (Work Plan; Alcoa, March 2007). It should be noted that community health and safety measures identified in this CHASP supersede those identified in the Work Plan in the instance that any conflicts exist. A general schedule for ice breaking activities is presented in Section 1.4. 3/8/07 1 -2 FAUSERS\AM]LLER\2007\(M6711214_Ice Breaking CHASP Text doc 1.4 Schedule for the Demonstration Project The preliminary schedule for implementation of the demonstration project is as follows: • December 2006: Mobilization of a tug boat and barge to the St. Lawrence River at Alcoa's East Plant for over-winter storage; • December 2006 through February 2007: Monitor river ice conditions to determine necessity of ice breaking activities; • January through March 2007: Distribution of community-related information; • March 2007: Determine necessity of ice breaking activities, and if necessary, provide public notification and complete ice breaking activities; and • July 2007: Projected timeframe for submittal of a report documenting ice breaking activities.