NEW ENGLAND CLEAN ENERGY CONNECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOE/EA-2155 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ELECTRICITY WASHINGTON, DC JANUARY 2021 This page intentionally left blank. TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................. V FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................ V TABLES .......................................................................................................................................... V ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ VII 1. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 PRESIDENTIAL PERMITS .................................................................................................... 2 1.2 SCOPE OF DOE’S ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ................................................................ 2 1.3 RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS .......................................................................... 3 1.3.1 Department of the Army Environmental Assessment and Statement of Findings for the Above-Referenced Standard Individual Permit Application [i.e., CENAE-RDC; NAE-2017-01342]” (July 7, 2020) and Environmental Assessment Addendum; Central Maine Power Company (CMP); New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC); File No. NAE-2017-01342 (November 4, 2020). ........................................... 4 1.3.2 Order Granting Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and Approving Stipulation, State of Maine, Public Utilities Commission (May 3, 2019) ......................... 5 1.3.3 Maine Land Use Planning Commission Final Development Plan Permit (January 8, 2020) .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.3.4 Maine Department of Environmental Protection Order (May 11, 2020) ........................... 5 1.4 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ..................................................................................................... 6 1.5 COOPERATING AGENCY AND FEDERAL CONSULTATIONS ........................................ 7 2. CHAPTER 2 PROPOSED ACTION .............................................................................................. 9 2.1 PURPOSE AND NEED ........................................................................................................... 9 2.2 NECEC OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 9 2.3 DOE’S PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................................................. 9 2.4 PROPOSED PROJECT ......................................................................................................... 11 2.4.1 Transmission Lines....................................................................................................... 11 2.4.2 Substations ................................................................................................................... 12 2.5 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................................. 12 2.6 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................................... 12 2.7 ISSUES OUT OF SCOPE – IMPACTS IN CANADA ........................................................... 13 3. CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ........................................................................................................................ 15 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 15 3.1.1 Resources Considered in this Analysis .......................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Analysis Area ............................................................................................................... 15 3.2 GEOLOGY AND SOILS....................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 17 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 21 3.3 VEGETATION ..................................................................................................................... 25 3.3.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 25 iii 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 30 3.4 WILDLIFE ............................................................................................................................ 36 3.4.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 36 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 43 3.5 WATER RESOURCES AND QUALITY .............................................................................. 57 3.5.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 57 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 64 3.6 LAND USE AND RECREATION ......................................................................................... 71 3.6.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 71 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 76 3.7 VISUAL RESOURCES ......................................................................................................... 79 3.7.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 79 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 81 3.8 SOCIOECONOMICS ............................................................................................................ 93 3.8.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 93 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 95 3.9 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ............................................................................................. 97 3.9.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 97 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 106 3.10 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ..................................................................... 109 3.10.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 109 3.10.2 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 112 3.11 AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ....................................................................... 115 3.11.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 115 3.11.2 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 118 3.12 NOISE................................................................................................................................. 121 3.12.1 Noise Laws, Ordinances, Regulations, and Standards .................................................. 122 3.12.2 Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 123 3.12.3 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 124 3.13 INFRASTRUCTURE .......................................................................................................... 129 3.13.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 129 3.13.2 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 133 3.14 HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY..................................................................................... 142 3.14.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 142 3.14.2 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................... 145 3.15 HAZARDOUS MATERIAL AND WASTE ........................................................................ 149 3.15.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 149 3.15.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................