20160930-3010 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 09/30/2016 MULTI-PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR HYDROPOWER LICENSE Opekiska Lock and Dam Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 13753-002 Morgantown Lock and Dam Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 13762-002 West Virginia Point Marion Lock and Dam Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 13771-002 Grays Landing Lock and Dam Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 13763-002 Maxwell Locks and Dam Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 13766-002 Monongahela Locks and Dam 4 Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 13767-002 Pennsylvania Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of Energy Projects Division of Hydropower Licensing 888 First Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20426 September 2016 20160930-3010 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 09/30/2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................... v ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................... ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ xi 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Applications................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose of Action and Need For Power...................................................... 11 1.2.1 Purpose of Action .......................................................................... 11 1.2.2 Need for Power.............................................................................. 11 1.3 Statutory and Regulatory Requirements ..................................................... 12 1.3.1 Federal Power Act ......................................................................... 12 1.3.2 Clean Water Act ............................................................................ 13 1.3.3 Endangered Species Act................................................................ 14 1.3.4 Coastal Zone Management Act ..................................................... 16 1.3.5 National Historic Preservation Act................................................ 17 1.4 Public Review and Comment...................................................................... 18 1.4.1 Scoping .......................................................................................... 18 1.4.2 Interventions .................................................................................. 20 1.4.3 Comments on the License Applications........................................ 20 1.4.4 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Terms and Conditions .............. 21 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES................................................... 23 2.1 No-action Alternative .................................................................................. 23 2.2 Applicants’ Proposals.................................................................................. 23 2.2.1 Existing Corps Facilities................................................................ 23 2.2.2 Existing Corps Operations............................................................. 25 2.2.3 Proposed Project Facilities ............................................................ 25 2.2.4 Project Safety................................................................................. 30 2.2.5 Proposed Project Operation........................................................... 30 2.2.6 Proposed Environmental Measures ............................................... 33 2.3 STAFF ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................ 35 2.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY................................................................................... 36 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS......................................................................... 38 3.1 General Description of the River Basin ...................................................... 38 3.2 Scope of Cumulative Effects Analysis........................................................ 39 3.2.1 Geographic Scope.......................................................................... 39 i 20160930-3010 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 09/30/2016 3.2.2 Temporal Scope............................................................................. 40 3.3 Proposed Action and Action Alternatives................................................... 40 3.3.1 Geology and Soil Resources.......................................................... 41 3.3.2 Aquatic Resources ......................................................................... 47 3.3.3 Terrestrial Resources ................................................................... 122 3.3.4 Threatened and Endangered Species........................................... 140 3.3.5 Recreation and Land Use Resources ........................................... 147 3.3.6 Aesthetic Resources..................................................................... 169 3.3.7 Cultural Resources....................................................................... 171 3.4 No-action Alternative ................................................................................ 189 4.0 DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS ...................................................................... 190 4.1 Power and Developmental Benefits of the Projects.................................. 190 4.2 Comparison of Alternatives ...................................................................... 196 4.2.1 No-action Alternative .................................................................. 200 4.2.2 Applicants’ Proposals.................................................................. 200 4.2.3 Staff Alternative .......................................................................... 201 4.3 Cost of Environmental Measures .............................................................. 202 5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................... 265 5.1 Comprehensive Development and Recommended Alternative ................ 265 5.1.1 Measures Proposed by the Applicants......................................... 265 5.1.2 Additional Staff-recommended Measures................................... 267 5.1.3 Measures Not Recommended by Staff........................................ 281 5.2 Unavoidable Adverse Effects.................................................................... 284 5.3 Fish and Wildlife Agency Recommendations........................................... 286 5.4 Consistency with Comprehensive Plans ................................................... 287 6.0 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ...................................................... 289 7.0 LITERATURE CITED......................................................................................... 290 8.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ........................................................................................ 301 ii 20160930-3010 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 09/30/2016 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1. Location map of the Monongahela River Projects, Allegheny Project, and Ohio River Projects ................................................................... 2 Figure 1-2. Location map of the Opekiska Project .......................................................... 5 Figure 1-3. Location map of the Morgantown Project..................................................... 6 Figure 1-4. Location map of the Point Marion Project .................................................... 7 Figure 1-5. Location map of the Grays Landing Project ................................................. 8 Figure 1-6. Location map of the Maxwell Project ........................................................... 9 Figure 1-7. Location map of the Charleroi Project ........................................................ 10 Figure 2-1. Grays Landing Project headwater rating curve for normal operation......... 32 Figure 3-1. Modeled DO concentrations downstream of the Opekiska Project during an average year (2009) and dry year (1999).................................... 83 Figure 3-2. Modeled DO concentrations downstream of the Morgantown Project during an average year (2009) and dry year (1999).................................... 84 Figure 3-3. Modeled DO concentrations downstream of the Point Marion Project during an average year (2009) and dry year (1999).................................... 85 Figure 3-4. Modeled DO concentrations downstream of the Grays Landing Project during an average year (2009) and dry year (1999)........................ 86 Figure 3-5. Modeled DO concentrations downstream of the Maxwell Project during an average year (2009) and dry year (1999).................................... 87 Figure 3-6. Modeled DO concentrations downstream of the Charleroi Project during an average year (2009) and dry year (1999).................................... 88 Figure 3-7. Modeled minimum DO concentrations along the Monongahela River between June 15 to September 30, 2009 (average year)........................... 116 Figure 3-8. Modeled minimum DO concentrations along the Monongahela River between June 15 to September 30, 1999 (dry year) .................................. 117 Figure 3-9. Difference in DO concentrations upstream of the Ohio River Projects, with and without the Monongahela and Allegheny River