CARDINAL-HICKORY CREEK 345 kV TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT MACRO-CORRIDOR STUDY Submitted to: United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (“RUS”) Applicant to RUS: Dairyland Power Cooperative Other participating utilities in the Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line Project: • American Transmission Company LLC, by its corporate manager ATC Management Inc. • ITC Midwest LLC September 28, 2016 Macro-Corridor Study Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Basis for this Macro-Corridor Study.................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Environmental Review Requirements and Process ............................................. 1-2 1.3 Project Overview ................................................................................................. 1-3 1.4 Overview of Utilities’ Development of a Study Area, Macro-Corridors and Alternative Corridors ........................................................................................... 1-4 1.5 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................ 1-2 1.6 Outreach Process .................................................................................................. 1-2 1.7 Required Permits and Approvals ......................................................................... 1-3 2.0 TECHNICAL ALTERNATIVES UNDER EVALUATION ................................... 2-1 2.1 Transmission Alternatives – Both High and Low Voltage .................................. 2-1 2.2 Non-Transmission Alternatives ........................................................................... 2-3 2.3 No-Action Alternative ......................................................................................... 2-3 3.0 THE UTILITIES’ MCS METHODOLOGY .......................................................... 3-1 3.1 Overview of MCS Requirements ......................................................................... 3-1 3.2 The Utilities’ Application of the MCS Requirements ......................................... 3-1 3.2.1 Identification and Evaluation of Mississippi River Crossing Locations ............................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.2 Development of the Project Study Area Based on Feasible River Crossing Locations, the Two End Points, and an Intermediate Substation.............................................................................................. 3-6 3.2.3 Collect Data and Receive Feedback about the Project Study Area ...... 3-8 3.2.4 Define Macro-Corridors........................................................................ 3-8 3.2.5 Refine Macro-Corridors into Alternative Corridors ............................. 3-9 3.2.6 Based on State Law Requirements, Select Two Alternative Routes in Wisconsin and One Alternative Route in Iowa ................................ 3-9 3.2.7 Reasonable Alternative Corridors for the Scoping Process ................ 3-11 4.0 PROJECT STUDY AREA CHARACTERISTICS .............................................. 4-1 4.1 Physiography and Geology .................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Physiography......................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Geology ................................................................................................. 4-1 4.2 Land Use and Land Cover ................................................................................... 4-5 4.2.1 Land Use and Land Cover - Wisconsin ................................................ 4-5 4.2.2 Land Use and Land Cover - Iowa ......................................................... 4-8 4.3 Sensitive Areas..................................................................................................... 4-8 4.3.1 Sensitive Areas – Wisconsin ................................................................. 4-8 4.3.2 Sensitive Areas – Iowa........................................................................ 4-11 Dairyland Power Cooperative TOC-1 Cardinal-Hickory Creek T-Line Project Macro-Corridor Study Table of Contents 4.3.3 Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge ............. 4-11 4.4 Wildlife Resources ............................................................................................. 4-12 4.5 Wetlands ............................................................................................................ 4-13 4.5.1 Wetlands - Wisconsin ......................................................................... 4-13 4.5.2 Wetlands - Iowa .................................................................................. 4-16 4.6 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................. 4-16 4.6.1 Cultural Resources - Wisconsin .......................................................... 4-16 4.6.2 Cultural Resources - Iowa ................................................................... 4-16 4.7 Hydrology (Open Water, Streams, Floodplains) ............................................... 4-21 4.7.1 Hydrology - Wisconsin ....................................................................... 4-21 4.7.2 Hydrology - Iowa ................................................................................ 4-21 4.7.3 Floodplains .......................................................................................... 4-21 4.7.4 Outstanding and Exceptional Waters .................................................. 4-24 4.8 Transportation Corridors and Sites (Major Highways, Rail, Airports) ............. 4-24 4.8.1 Major Highways.................................................................................. 4-24 4.8.2 Railroads ............................................................................................. 4-31 4.8.3 Airports ............................................................................................... 4-31 4.9 Socioeconomic Characteristics .......................................................................... 4-31 4.10 Recreational Resources ...................................................................................... 4-34 4.11 Existing Transmission Lines .............................................................................. 4-41 4.12 Other Utility Corridors ....................................................................................... 4-41 5.0 PROCESS THE UTILITIES USED TO DEVELOP THE MACRO- CORRIDORS ..................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 State Routing Laws .............................................................................................. 5-1 5.1.1 Public Service Commission of Wisconsin ............................................ 5-1 5.1.2 Iowa Utilities Board .............................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Electrical System Requirements .......................................................................... 5-2 5.3 The Utilities’ Comprehensive Outreach Program................................................ 5-2 5.3.1 Tribal Nations ....................................................................................... 5-2 5.3.2 Governmental Agencies ........................................................................ 5-3 5.3.3 Public Officials ..................................................................................... 5-3 5.3.4 Utilities .................................................................................................. 5-3 5.3.5 Other Interested Parties ......................................................................... 5-4 5.4 Identification of Opportunities and Constraints ................................................... 5-8 5.4.1 Routing Opportunities Considered ....................................................... 5-8 5.4.2 Routing Constraints Considered ......................................................... 5-12 6.0 THE UTILITIES’ MACRO-CORRIDORS ........................................................... 6-1 6.1 Identification of Potential Macro-Corridors ........................................................ 6-1 6.2 Opportunities and Constraints Evaluation by Siting Area ................................... 6-1 6.2.1 Cardinal–to-Montfort Siting Area - Wisconsin .................................... 6-4 6.2.2 Montfort-to-Mississippi River Siting Area - Wisconsin ....................... 6-4 6.2.3 Mississippi River-to-Hickory Creek Siting Area - Iowa ...................... 6-5 6.3 Opportunity and Constraint Review of Potential Macro-Corridor Segments ...... 6-7 6.4 Macro-Corridor Analysis by Siting Area ............................................................. 6-7 Dairyland Power Cooperative TOC-2 Cardinal-Hickory Creek T-Line Project Macro-Corridor Study Table of Contents 6.4.1 Cardinal Substation-to-Montfort Siting Area - Wisconsin ................... 6-7 6.4.2 Montfort-to-Mississippi River Siting Area – Wisconsin ...................... 6-0 6.4.3 Mississippi River to Hickory Creek Substation Section - Iowa ........... 6-2 7.0 THE UTILITIES’ ALTERNATIVE CORRIDORS ................................................ 7-1 7.1 Alternative Corridors in Cardinal Substation-to-Montfort Siting Area ............... 7-1 7.1.1 Macro-Corridors Narrowed or Eliminated from