Champlain Hudson Power Express Project Assessment of Environmental Impacts Associated with Preferred Alternatives Appendix G TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Background ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Construction Methods ......................................................................................... 4 1.2 PUTNAM STATION PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ............................................ 4 1.2.1 Land Use ............................................................................................................. 5 1.2.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ................................................................. 9 1.2.3 Wetlands and Water Resources .......................................................................... 9 1.2.4 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................................................ 10 1.2.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 11 1.3 FORT ANN PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE .......................................................... 11 1.3.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................... 13 1.3.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ............................................................... 15 1.3.3 Wetlands and Water Resources ........................................................................ 15 1.3.4 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................................................ 16 1.3.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 17 1.4 SCHENECTADY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ................................................ 17 1.4.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................... 18 1.4.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ............................................................... 22 1.4.3 Wetlands and Water Resources ........................................................................ 22 1.4.4 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................................................ 23 1.5 SELKIRK YARD PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ................................................ 25 1.5.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................... 25 1.5.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ............................................................... 29 1.5.3 Wetlands and Water Resources ........................................................................ 30 1.5.4 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................................................ 30 1.5.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 31 1.6 CATSKILL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE .......................................................... 32 1.6.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................... 32 1.6.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ............................................................... 35 1.6.3 Wetlands and Water Resources ........................................................................ 36 1.6.4 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................................................ 37 1.6.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 38 1.7 ROCKLAND COUNTY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ..................................... 38 1.7.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................... 40 1.7.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ............................................................... 43 1.7.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 46 1.8 ASTORIA RAINEY CABLE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ............................. 46 1.8.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................... 48 1.8.2 Vegetation and Natural Communities ............................................................... 51 1.8.4 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................................................ 51 1.8.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 52 Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. i Environmental Impacts Champlain Hudson Power Express Project Amendment Application 1.9 CONVERTER STATION PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE .................................. 53 1.9.1 Construction and Operational Procedures ........................................................ 53 1.9.2 General Environmental Impacts ....................................................................... 53 1.9.3 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 57 1.10 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 58 TABLES Table 1.2-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and Putnam Station Preferred Alternative ................................................................................................................. 5 Table 1.2-2: Wetlands for Certified Route and Putnam Station Preferred Alternative ............... 10 Table 1.2-3: Comparison of Certified Route and Putnam Station Preferred Alternative ............ 11 Table 1.3-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and Fort Ann Preferred Alternative ............................................................................................................... 13 Table 1.3-2: Wetlands for Certified Route and Fort Ann Preferred Alternative ......................... 15 Table 1.3-3: Comparison of Certified Route and Fort Ann Preferred Alternative ...................... 17 Table 1.4-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and Schenectady Preferred Alternative ............................................................................................................... 18 Table 1.4-2: Wetlands for Certified Route and Schenectady Route Preferred Alternative ......... 23 Table 1.4-3: Comparison of Certified Route and Schenectady Preferred Alternative ................ 25 Table 1.5-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and Selkirk Yard Preferred Alternative ............................................................................................................... 27 Table 1.5-2: Wetlands for Certified Route and Selkirk Yard Preferred Alternative ................... 30 Table 1.5-3: Comparison of Certified Route and Selkirk Yard Preferred Alternative ................ 31 Table 1.6-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and Catskill Preferred Alternative ............................................................................................................... 32 Table 1.6-2: Wetlands for Certified Route and Catskill Preferred Alternative ........................... 36 Table 1.6-3: Comparison of Certified Route and Catskill Preferred Alternative ........................ 38 Table 1.7-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and Rockland County Preferred Alternative ............................................................................................................... 40 Table 1.7-2: Wetlands for Certified Route and Rockland County Preferred Alternative ............ 44 Table 1.7-3: Comparison of Certified Route and Rockland County Preferred Alternative ......... 46 Table 1.8-1: Land Use Classes with 600 feet of Certified Route and ARC Preferred Alternative ................................................................................................................................. 48 Table 1.8-2: Comparison of Certified and ARC Preferred Alternative ....................................... 53 Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. ii Environmental Impacts Champlain Hudson Power Express Project Amendment Application FIGURES Figure 1.2-1: Site Location Map for Putnam Station Preferred Alternative .................................. 6 Figure 1.3-1: Site Location Map for the Fort Preferred Ann Alternative .................................... 12 Figure 1.4-1: Site Location Map for the Schenectady Route Preferred Alternative .................... 19 Figure 1.5-1: Site Location Map for Selkirk Yard Route Preferred Alternative ......................... 26 Figure 1.6-1: Site Location Map for the Catskill Preferred Alternative ...................................... 33 Figure 1.7-1: Site Location Map for the Rockland County Preferred Alternative ...................... 39 Figure 1.8-1: Site Location Map for the Astoria Rainey Cable Preferred Alternative ................ 47 Figure 1.9-1: Site Location Map for the Convert Station Preferred Alternative ......................... 54 Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. iii Environmental Impacts Champlain Hudson Power Express Project Amendment Application LIST OF ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS APA Adirondack Park Agency Applicants Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. and CHPE Properties, Inc ARC Astoria-Rainey Cable BMP Best Management Practices Certificate