AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY File No.: 160960595 November 2012 Prepared for: Windlectric Inc. (c/o Algonquin Power Co) 2845 Bristol Circle Oakville, ON L6H 7H7 Prepared by: Stantec Consulting Ltd. Suite 1 – 70 Southgate Drive Guelph, Ontario N1G 4P5 AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Executive Summary Windlectric Inc. (Windlectric) is proposing to develop, construct, and operate the 56 - 75 megawatt (MW) Amherst Island Wind Energy Project (the Project) within Loyalist Township (the Township) in the County of Lennox and Addington (the County) in eastern Ontario, in response to the Government of Ontario’s initiative to promote the development of renewable electricity in the province. The Project Study Area includes Amherst Island, an approximately 3 - 15 kilometre wide corridor stretching between the Island and the mainland where the submarine cable is proposed. The mainland portion of the Project Study Area stretches from the mainland shoreline, north of the Invista Transformer Station and is generally bounded by i) County Road 4 to the West; ii) the Canadian National Railway line to the North; and iii) approximately 500 m East of Jim Snow Drive to the East. The basic components of the proposed Project include up to 36 Siemens wind turbines. The turbine model proposed utilizes the same 36 turbine pad locations that have been subject to the assessment required under REA. The layout includes 34 Siemens SWT-2.3-113 2300 kW and two (2) Siemens SWT-2.3-113 2221 kW model wind turbines. The final layout will result in a total installed nameplate capacity of approximately 56 - 75 MW. The number of wind turbines will be dependent upon final selection of the model of the wind turbine most appropriate to the proposed Project. The proposed Project will also include a 34.5 kilovolt (kV) underground and/or overhead electrical power line collector system, fibre optic data lines from each turbine and/or wireless technology for the communication of data, a transmission line, truck turnaround areas, a submarine cable, an operations and maintenance building, permanent dock, a substation, a switching station, an un-serviced storage shed, one connection point to the existing electrical system, cable vault areas, meteorological tower(s) (met tower(s)), access road(s) to the met tower site(s), and turbine access roads with culvert installations, as required, at associated watercourse crossings. Temporary components during construction may include staging areas for the turbines, access roads, met tower(s), collector lines and transmission lineas well as crane paths, a temporary dock, site office(s), batch plant, central staging areas, and associated watercourse crossings. The electrical power line collector system would transport the electricity generated from each turbine to the substation, along the submarine cable to the mainland and then to a switching station located near to an existing Hydro One Networks Inc. (HONI) 115 kV transmission line. Windlectric Inc. has retained Stantec Consulting Ltd. (Stantec) to prepare a Renewable Energy Approval (REA) application, as required under Ontario Regulation 359/09 - Renewable Energy Approvals under Part V.0.1 of the Act of the Environmental Protection Act (O. Reg. 359/09). E.1 AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents This Natural Heritage Assessment and Environmental Impact Study report has been prepared in accordance with O. Reg. 359/09 and Natural Heritage Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNR 2011a). The Natural Heritage Assessment (NHA) report is provided to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for confirmation in advance of submission as part of the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) application to the Ministry of Environment (MOE). ii WINDLECTRIC INC. AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………………...E.1 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1.1 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 1.1 1.2 REPORT REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................. 1.2 1.3 GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................... 1.4 2.0 RECORDS REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 5 2.1 METHODS .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 Wetlands .............................................................................................................. 7 2.2.1.1 Provincially Significant and Coastal Wetlands ...................................................... 7 2.2.1.2 Locally-Significant Wetlands ................................................................................. 8 2.2.1.3 Unevaluated Wetlands ......................................................................................... 8 2.2.1.4 Summary .............................................................................................................. 8 2.2.2 Woodlands ........................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Valleylands ........................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4 Wildlife Habitat ..................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas ............................................................................11 2.2.4.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitats ........................................17 2.2.4.3 Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ......................................................20 2.2.4.4 Animal Movement Corridors ................................................................................23 2.2.5 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs) ..................................................23 2.2.6 Natural Features in Specified Provincial Plan Areas ............................................24 2.2.7 Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves ......................................................24 2.3 SUMMARY OF NATURAL FEATURES AND BOUNDARIES IDENTIFIED ........................24 3.0 SITE INVESTIGATION ......................................................................................................27 3.1 METHODS .........................................................................................................................27 3.1.1 Alternative Site Investigation Methods .................................................................28 3.1.2 Vegetation Community and Vascular Plants Assessment ....................................28 3.1.3 Wetland Confirmation and Delineation ................................................................28 3.1.4 Woodlands ..........................................................................................................29 3.1.5 Valleylands ..........................................................................................................29 3.1.6 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) ....................................................29 3.1.7 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................29 3.1.7.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas of Animals...........................................................30 3.1.7.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitats ........................................34 3.1.7.3 Species of Conservation Concern .......................................................................40 3.1.7.4 Animal Movement Corridors ................................................................................42 3.2 RESULTS ..........................................................................................................................43 3.2.1 Vegetation Community and Vascular Plants Assessment ....................................43 3.2.2 Wetlands .............................................................................................................43 i AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents 3.2.2.1 Provincially Significant Wetlands .........................................................................44 3.2.2.2 Unevaluated Wetlands ........................................................................................44 3.2.3 Woodlands ..........................................................................................................44 3.2.4 Valleylands ..........................................................................................................45 3.2.5 ANSIs ..................................................................................................................45 3.2.6 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................45 3.2.6.1 Seasonal Concentration