19961003-0361, FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996 0IIIce of .., ....... r Lk.~A••. - July UJ6. IERCIIEIS .... : Final Environmental Impact Statement_ Lower Androscoggin River Basin . Hydroelectric. Projects . Maine - (FQ.C 2213-005. 11482-000) qll(~l53~( _ "'" ",., N.& • !!aF .. DC 2f. 19961003-0361 FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996 FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20426 TO THE PARTY ADDRESSED Attached is the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for two hydroelectric projects located in Androscoggin County, Maine. The FEIS documents the views of government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO), the public, and the Commission's staff and includes staff recommendations regarding the application for the new license application for the Gulf Island-Deer Rips Project (P-2283) and for the unlicensed Marcal Project (p-1l482), located in the Androscoggin River Basin in Androscoggin County, Maine. Before the Commission makes a decision on licensing, it will take into account all concerns relevant to the public interest. The Final Environmental Impact Statement will be part of the record from which the Commission will make its decision. Any Commission order issued pursuant to this document will be subject to the Commission's rehearing process under 18 C.P.R. Section 385.713. Requests for rehearing must be filed within 30 days of the date of issuance of the two subject orders. Attachment 19961003-0361 FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996 FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF HYDROPOWER UCENSING FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT REUCENSING THE GULF ISLAND-DEER RIPS HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT AND UCENSING THE MARCAL HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT IN THE LOWER ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER BASIN FERC Project Nos. 2283-005, 11482-000 Applicants: Central Maine Power Company North Augusta Office Annex 83 Edison Drive Augusta, ME 04336 Consolidated Hydro Maine, Inc. Andover Business Park 200 Bulfinch Drive Andover, MA 01810 Additional copies of this Final EIS are available from: Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First St., NE Washington, DC 20426 July 1996 19961003-0361 FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996 COVER SHEET a. Title: Relicensing the Gulf Island-Deer Rips Hydroelectric Project and licensing the Marcal Hydroelectric Project in the lower Androscoggin River Basin. b. Final Environmental Impact Statement c. Lead Agency: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission d. Abstract: Central Maine Power Company (Central Maine) filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) for new license (re1icense) for the existing 31.12 megawatt (MW) Gulf Island-Deer Rips Project located on the lower Androscoggin River, in Auburn and Lewiston, Maine. Consolidated Hydro Maine, Inc. (Consolidated Hydro) filed an application for original license for the existing 1.31 MW Marcal Project located on the Little Androscoggin River, a tributary of the Androscoggin River, in Mechanic Falls, Maine. Central Maine's application contains a proposal for increased generating capacity. Generating capacity for the two projects, as proposed, would total about 36.73 MW, an increase of 4.30 MW over existing capacity. The primary environmental resource issues are potential impacts to and effects on (1) geology and soils; (2) water quality and quantity; (3) fisheries resources; (4) vegetation and wildlife resources; (5) recreational resources; (6) aesthetic resources; (7) cultural resources; (8) air quality; and (9) cumulative interactions with other projects. The staff's recommendation is to re1icense Central Maine's project and license Consolidated Hydro's project as proposed with additional resource enhancement and mitigation measures. e. Contact: Environmental Staff Staff Counsel Allan E. Creamer David B. Wuehtmann Federal Energy Regulatoty Commilliou Federal Beergy Regulatory Commillion Office of Hydropower Licensing (HI.. 21.1) Office of General Counsel (GC 10.2) 888 First Street, NE 888 First Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20426 Washington, D.C. 20426 Tel. (202)-219-0365 Tel. (202)-208-0830 f. Transmittal: This final environmental impact statement prepared by the Commission's staff in connection with relicense and license applications filed by Central Maine for the existing Gulf Island-Deer Rips Project (FERC No. 2283) and Consolidated Hydro for the existing unlicensed Marcal Project (FERC No. 11482) is being made available to the public on or about July 19, 1996, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Commission's regulations implementing NEPA (18 CFR Part 380). iii 19961003-0361 FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996 FOREWORD The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission), pursuant to the Federal Power Act (FPA)I and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act?-is authorized to issue licenses for up to 50 years for the construction and operation of non- federal hydroelectric developments subject to its jurisdiction, on the necessary conditions: mhat the project adopted ... shall be such as in the judgement of the Commission will be best adapted to a comprehensive plan for improving or developing a waterway or waterways for the use or benefit of interstate or foreign commerce, for the improvement and utilization of water power development, for the adequate protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife (including related spawning grounds and habitat), and for other beneficial public uses, including irrigation, flood control, water supply, and recreational and other purposes referred to in Section 4(e) .... 3 The Commission may require such other conditions not inconsistent with the FPA as may be found necessary to provide for the various public interests to be served by the project. 4 Compliance with such conditions during the licensing period is required. Section 385.206 (1987) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure allows any person objecting to a licensee's compliance or noncompliance, with such conditions, to file a complaint noting the basis for such objection for the Commission's consideration. 5 16 U.s.c. f§79l(a)-82S(r), as amended by the Electric Consumers Protection Act of 1986, Public Law 99· 495 (1986) and the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Public Law 102-486 (1992). z Public Law 95·91, 91 Slat. 556 (1977). 16 U.S.C. Sec. 803(a) . • 16 U.S.C. S03(&). 18 CFR 385.206 (1987). iv 19961003-0361 FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996· TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER SHEET . • . iii FOREWORD . • . .. iv UST OF FIGURES . .. ix LIST OF TABLES .........•................................ xi ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS xvii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................•........ xix 1. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR POWER . .. 1-1 1.1. Purpose of actions ...................•............... 1-1 1.2. Need for power . • . • . • . • • • . • . • . • • • . • . • . • • • • . .. 1-2 1.3. Scope of the EIS 1-3 1.3.1 Cumulative Effects Analysis of Cumulatively Affected Resources •• 1-6 1.3.1.1. Geographic scope .•••••.•••.•••••••••••..• 1-6 1.3.1.2. Temporal scope • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • . • • • • . •• 1-7 1.4. Project interaction and cumulative affects 1-7 1.4.1. Wa.rer quality . .. 1-7 1.4.2. Resident and anadromous fisheries .. .. 1-9 1.4.3. Wetlands ..•.•............................. 1-11 1.4.4. Hydroelectric generation . .. 1-11 2. PROPOSED ACTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES 2-1 2.1. Description of the projects and current operations 2-1 2.1.1. Gulf Island-Deer Rips . 2-1 2.1.1.l. Existing project facilities ..........••........ 2-1 2.1.1.2. Existing project operation. 2-5 2.1.2. Marcal . 2-6 2.1.2.1. Existing project facilities 2-6 2.1.2.2. Existing project operation . .. 2-10 2.2. Projects as proposed 2-10 2.2.1. GulfIsland-Deer Rips. .. 2-10 2.2.1.1. Proposed project facilities. .. 2-10 2.2.1.2. Proposed project operation . .. 2-10 2.2.1.3. Proposed environmental measures. .. 2-12 2.2.2. Marcal . .. 2-13 2.2.2.1. Proposed project facilities. .. 2-13 v 19961003-0361 FERC PDF (Unofficia1) 07/31/1996 2.2.2.2. Proposed project operation .. .. 2-13 2.2.2.3. Proposed environmental measures " 2-14 2.3. Modification to proposed project operation or facilities 2-14 2.3.1. GulfIsland-Deer Rips. .. 2-14 2.3.1.1. Mandatory conditions 2-14 2.3.1.2. Agency and interested party recommendations 2-15 2.3.1.3. Staff alternatives 2-22 2.3.2. MarcaI . • . .. 2-22 2.3.2.1. Mandatory conditions 2-22 2.3.2.2. Agency and interested party recommendations 2-23 2.3.2.3. Staff alternatives 2-25 2.4. No-Action alternative. .. 2-25 2.4.1. Gulf Island-Deer Rips. .. 2-26 2.4.2. MarcaI . .. 2-26 2.5. Alternatives considered but eliminated from detailed analysis 2-26 2.6. Project retirement studies and trust funds ....•............... 2-29 2.7. Economic comparison of alternatives 2-29 2.7.l. Details of the economic studies for Gulf Island-Deer Rips 2-37 2.7.2. Details of the economic studies for Marcal . • . .. 2-41 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 3-1 3.1. General setting 3-1 3.2. Cumulative effect analysis of resources . 3-6 3.2.l. Water quality and quantity . 3-6 3.2.2. Resident and anadromous fisheries . .. 3-10 3.2.3. Wetlands ............•..................... 3-17 3.2.4. Hydroelectric generation . .. 3-17 3.3. Site specific resources 3-19 3.3.1. Gulf Island-Deer Rips . .. 3-19 3.3.1.1. Geology and soils 3-19 3.3.1.2. Water quality and quantity 3-20 3.3.1.3. Fisheries resources . .. 3-27 3.3.1.4. Vegetation and wildlife resources 3-34 3.3.1.5. Endangered and threatened species 3-35 3.3.1.6. Recreation resources . .. 3-35 3.3. I.7. Aesthetic resources . .. 3-40 3.3.1.8. Archeological and Historic resources . .. 3-41 3.3.1.9. Land use . .. 3-41 3.3.2. Marcal . .. 3-43 3.3.2.1. Geology and soils 3-43 3.3.2.2. Water quality and quantity 3-44 3.3.2.3.