Gowanus Repowering Project

PROPOSED December 2018 GOWANUS GENERATING STATION GOWANUS REPOWERING PROJECT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN Astoria Generating Company, L.P. Brooklyn, Kings County, New York New York State Siting Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment Case Number – XXX Public Involvement Plan ASTORIA GENERATING COMPANY NY 77458932v1 Prepared By: Astoria Generating Company, L.P. Gowanus Generating Station 420 2nd Avenue P.O. Box 658 Brooklyn, New York 11232 Tel: 1-833-617-9547* Email: [email protected]* Submitted to: New York State Department of Public Service Empire State Plaza Agency Building 3 Albany, NY 12223 and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Region 2 4740 21st Street Long Island City, NY 11101 *Will be operational upon issuance of the final Public Involvement Plan. Public Involvement Plan ASTORIA GENERATING COMPANY NY 77458932v1 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................1 SECTION 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................3 2.1 COMPANY PROFILE .....................................................................................................3 2.2 PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................3 2.3 EXISTING GOWANUS STATION ................................................................................5 2.4 PROPOSED REPOWERING PROJECT ........................................................................6 2.5 STUDY AREA .................................................................................................................7 SECTION 3.0 IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS ......................................................8 3.1 LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES/ELECTED OFFICIALS ..................................9 3.2 FEDERAL AGENCIES ...................................................................................................9 3.3 STATE AGENCIES .......................................................................................................10 3.4 LOCAL AND CITY AGENCIES ..................................................................................10 3.5 NEARBY SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS ....................................................................10 3.6 PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS ...................................................11 3.7 ADJACENT LANDOWNERS, PROXIMATE BUSINESSES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ..............................................................................................12 SECTION 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE .......................................................................13 SECTION 5.0 PROPOSED PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN..............................................14 5.1 COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION RESOURCES ......................................14 5.2 CONSULTATION WITH AFFECTED AGENCIES/STAKEHOLDERS ...................15 5.3 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES ...................................................................15 5.4 EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ...................................................................................16 5.5 WEBSITE .......................................................................................................................17 5.6 NOTIFICATIONS .........................................................................................................18 5.7 LANGUAGE ACCESS ..................................................................................................18 FIGURE 1—Project Location and Site FIGURE 2—Study Area FIGURE 3—Potential Environmental Justice Areas APPENDIX A—Stakeholder Notification List APPENDIX B—Consultation List APPENDIX C—Tracking/Communication Log Public Involvement Plan i ASTORIA GENERATING COMPANY NY 77458932v1 SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION Astoria Generating Company, L.P. (“AGC” or “the Applicant”) operates two electric generating stations in the Gowanus/Sunset Park neighborhoods, Community District 7, Borough of Brooklyn, Kings County, City of New York, namely the existing Gowanus Generating Station (“Gowanus”) and Narrows Generating Station (“Narrows”). AGC is proposing to repower the older, less efficient electric generating units at Gowanus and replace them with new, more efficient electric generating units (the “Gowanus Repowering Project” or “the Project”).1 (Figure 1). At the initial stage of this Project, AGC has prepared this Public Involvement Plan (“PIP”) in accordance with Commissioner Policy 29 (“CP-29”) of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”), relating to environmental justice (further discussed below), and Public Service Law, Article 10, Sections 160 through 173 (“Article 10”) and regulations and guidance established by the New York State Siting Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (the “Siting Board”), in order to encourage public participation important to and necessary for the development and implementation of the Project. The current megawatt (“MW”) rating of Gowanus is 640 MW. The Project will result in a MW rating no greater than 610 MW, 30 MW less than the current facility. The current MW rating of Narrows is 320 MW. Upon the commencement of operation of the Project, AGC will retire Narrows resulting in no less than a total decrease of 350 MW of traditional generation in the Gowanus/Sunset Park neighborhood. As further discussed below, AGC believes the Project sizing with the retirement of Narrows will result in cleaner, more efficient electric generation and provide the electric reliability required for the Gowanus/Sunset Park neighborhood as renewable energy production, transmission and distribution expand over time. Furthermore, the Project, by continuing the location of the generating units on barges, will also maintain the critical infrastructure resilience demonstrated by the existing Gowanus facility. Article 10 provides the mechanism for siting power plants of a certain size in New York State. Pursuant to Article 10, Section 162(4)(b), based upon the nature of the Gowanus Repowering Project, the provisions of Article 10 do not apply. To accomplish the Project, AGC would 1 AGC had obtained permits to expand Gowanus in 2009-2010 as part of the South Pier Improvement Project (“SPIP”). The on-land expansion was never constructed due to the rapidly changing economic climate at that time as well as resiliency concerns related to on-land construction. Gowanus’ permits have been modified to delete reference to the SPIP. Public Involvement Plan 1 ASTORIA GENERATING COMPANY NY 77458932v1 normally submit an application for a permit to construct and operate the Project to the DEC pursuant to its rules and procedures found generally in the New York Code of Rules and Regulation (“NYCRR”), Title 6, and subject to environmental review procedures established by the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and regulations promulgated thereunder at 6 NYCRR Part 617. Article 10 contains a voluntary “opt-in” provision in Section 162(5) and after consultation with government officials and community leaders, AGC has decided that it will instead voluntarily proceed with an application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need pursuant to Article 10 before the Siting Board. DEC’s Commissioner Policy 29 (“CP-29”), relating to environmental justice (“EJ”), requires that any application for a permit potentially affecting a geographical area which may be considered a Potential Environmental Justice Area (“PEJA”) must be accompanied by a robust and enhanced public participation plan to invite vigorous participation from the community in the permitting and environmental review processes. According to DEC guidance, CP-29 Section V.D. requires applicants for permits covered by CP-29 to actively seek public participation throughout the environmental permit review process. Public participation in the DEC environmental permit review process means a program of activities that provides opportunities for stakeholders to be informed about and involved in the review of a proposed action. Public participation, including open and effective dialogue with stakeholders, can build relationships, provide a forum to address concerns, and help develop and promote actions that minimize impacts on the surrounding community and the environment as a whole. See Tips for Preparing a Public Participation Plan Pursuant to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Policy-29, Environmental Justice and Permitting (February 1, 2006). As further discussed below, the Project potentially will affect PEJAs. Therefore, in order to assure the greatest practical public outreach and public participation in the permitting and environmental review decision-making processes, this PIP will comply with DEC’s requirements in addition to the relevant requirements of the Siting Board found at 16 NYCRR §1000.4. As is presented in Siting Board rule 16 NYCRR §1000.4, this PIP will provide for the following activities: (1) consultation with affected agencies and other stakeholders; Public Involvement Plan 2 ASTORIA GENERATING COMPANY NY 77458932v1 (2) pre-application activities to encourage stakeholders to participate at the earliest opportunity; (3) the establishment of a website to disseminate information to the public and updates regarding the Project; (4) notifications to affected agencies and other stakeholders throughout the Project; (5) activities designed to educate

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