Bayonne Energy Center Project Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Assessment PREPARED FOR Bayonne Energy Center, LLC c/o Pure Energy Resources, LLC 25 Mall Road, Suite 404 Burlington, MA 01803 PREPARED BY ESS Group, Inc. 888 Worcester Street, Suite 240 Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482 Project No. P273-003 September 30, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 2.0 METHODS ......................................................................................................................................... 1 2.1 Field Collection...................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 Laboratory Analysis ............................................................................................................... 2 3.0 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Taxonomic Richness .............................................................................................................. 4 3.2 Faunal Density ...................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Percent Dominant Taxa.......................................................................................................... 5 4.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................................... 6 TABLES Table 1 Macroinvertebrate sampling data for Bayonne Energy Center Project Submarine Cable Area, May 2008 Table 2 Macroinvertebrate dominance within the Bayonne Energy Center Submarine Cable Area, May 2008 Table 3 Overall relative abundance of macroinvertebrates sampled within the Bayonne Energy Center Submarine Cable Area, May 2008 FIGURES Figure 1 Benthic Grab Locations from 2008 Marine Survey Copyright ©ESS Group, Inc., 2008 j:\p273 bec project\regulatory\article vii\draft appendices\app 4.7a benthics\bayonne benthic report 093008.doc 1.0 INTRODUCTION ESS Group, Inc. (ESS) conducted an assessment of the benthic macroinvertebrate community in the vicinity of the proposed Bayonne Energy Center Project submarine cable route (Submarine Cable Area) in May 2008. The submarine portion of the proposed cable will enter the Kill Van Kull at the Bayonne Energy Center and make landfall in Brooklyn near the Con Edison Gowanus Substation. The Submarine Cable Area includes portions of Kill Van Kull, Upper New York Bay and Gowanus Bay. For the purposes of this assessment, benthic macroinvertebrates are defined as those organisms greater than 500 microns (μm) in length that either live on or beneath the substrate, including segmented worms, mollusks and crustaceans, among others. The information presented in this section is derived from field investigations conducted in support of the Bayonne Energy Center Project and placed in the context of previous studies of the macrobenthic community within the region. 2.0 METHODS 2.1 Field Collection A single surface grab benthic sample was obtained from 19 locations along the proposed submarine cable route (Table 1 and Table 2). The benthic sample locations correspond to 19 of the 29 vibracore sediment sampling locations that were sampled as part of the Project (Figure 1). Sample locations are anticipated to adequately characterize the benthic community in the Submarine Cable Area since the full range of benthic habitats encountered along the route was included in sampling. The survey vessel was anchored at each sample location, and sample positions were recorded using a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) unit. The benthic samples were taken with a portable gravity dredge (or grab) sampler deployed over the side of the survey vessel. A modified Van Veen grab sampler was used throughout the study and provided adequate sample recovery across sediment types and water depths encountered in the study area. The modified Van Veen sampler (measuring 14.25 inches x 14.25 inches at the sampling interface) was lowered through the water column with the sampler open and locked. The grab sampler was lowered steadily and decisively into the sediment to minimize disturbance to the sample. Upon reaching the sea floor the sampler was set and returned to the deck for field logging, sub-sampling and preservation. Copyright ©ESS Group, Inc., 2008 j:\p273 bec project\regulatory\article vii\draft appendices\app 4.7a benthics\bayonne benthic report 093008.doc Bayonne Energy Center Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Assessment September 30, 2008 Upon retrieval of the sampler, field descriptions of the sample were made including: sample identification, sampling date, nature of the substrate material, depth of water at the sample site, and the depth and area of sediment removed from the dredge. Knowing the effective bottom area sampled allowed benthic data to be presented as individuals per square meter of bottom area, which enabled quantitative comparisons among the samples. In all instances, a gloved hand was used to remove a sub-sample of the collected material, measuring 6 inches by 14.25 inches wide and including the top two inches (5 centimeters) of sediment from the grab. Samples were placed in a 500 µm bucket sieve for onboard sieving. Each sample was washed by gently dipping the bucket sieve in and out of a rinse water bucket. The sieving process removes silts and clays while retaining the target benthic organisms in good condition for subsequent laboratory analysis. Samples (bottom material and benthos) were then placed in a pre-labeled one-quart sample jar. Immediately thereafter, each sample was preserved by adding sufficient formalin solution to yield a concentration of approximately 10% buffered formalin and 90% sample/seawater. The formalin solution was gently mixed throughout the sample so that benthic organisms were adequately preserved but not damaged. The preserved samples were returned to ESS for laboratory analysis. 2.2 Laboratory Analysis Upon receipt at the laboratory, each sample was logged in and the liquid portion of each sample (formalin and seawater) was decanted through a 500 µm sieve. The sieve retained any animals or sediment present in the sample. The solid portion of each sample (sand, stones, shells, plant matter, etc.) was then emptied into the same 500 µm sieve and gently washed with tap water to remove extraneous fine sediments. The material in the sieve was gently washed to one side, minimizing the opportunity for organisms to become damaged from the direct flow of water from the tap. The rinsed material retained in the sieve was then rinsed into a grid-lined tray. Subsequently, the sieve was checked to ensure that all organisms had been removed. Any organisms found on the sieve were carefully transferred with forceps and added to the tray. The sample material was then spread evenly throughout the tray and a random number sheet was used to select one section of the grid for sorting. The contents of this grid section were examined using a dissecting microscope (7X to 45X magnification) and high-intensity fiber optic lamp. Grid sections were randomly selected and sorted until either at least 100 organisms had been picked out or half the sample had been sorted. Organisms found during the sorting process were removed with forceps, sorted into four broad taxonomic groups (worms, mollusks, crustaceans and others) and placed in separate vials of 75% ethanol. Each vial was labeled with the collection date, sample identification number and taxonomic group. All residue from the sorted portion of each sample was preserved in a separate jar in 75% ethanol and labeled with collection date, sample identification number and the words “sorted residue.” The unsorted portion of each sample was returned to the original sample jar and preserved in 75% ethanol. Copyright ©ESS Group, Inc., 2008 Page 2 j:\p273 bec project\regulatory\article vii\draft appendices\app 4.7a benthics\bayonne benthic report 093008.doc Bayonne Energy Center Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Assessment September 30, 2008 All sorted organisms were subsequently identified by a qualified taxonomist to the lowest taxonomic level possible using a dissecting microscope and readily available taxonomic keys. The primary taxonomic references used for this task included: • Smith, R.I. 1964. Keys to the Marine Invertebrates of the Woods Hole Region. Marine Biological Laboratory. • Martinez, A.J. 1999. Marine Life of the North Atlantic, Canada to New England. Down East Books. • Gosner, K.L. 1978. The Peterson Field Guide Series. A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Hatteras. Houghton Mifflin Company. • Weiss, H.M. 1995. Marine Animals of Southern New England and New York. Identification Keys to Common Nearshore and Shallow Water Macrofauna. Bulletin 115 of the State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. Department of Environmental Protection. Voucher specimens of each taxon identified from within the study area were labeled and compiled into a project reference collection. For quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) purposes, a second appropriately trained staff member performed a quality check on 10% of the samples analyzed. The quality check included the sorting phase of the analysis to ensure that no organisms or groups of organisms were being inadvertently excluded