APPENDIX D TFO ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAND USE EFFECTS Attachment 1: Option 1 and Option 2 prepared by AltaLink Management Ltd. NID7 (9) Report Land Impact Assessment for the Central East Transfer-Out Project Presented to the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) in Support of the AESO Central East Transfer-Out NID May 3, 2018 Land Impact Assessment for the Central East Transfer-Out Project TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents..........................................................................................................................................2 List of Appendices.........................................................................................................................................4 Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................5 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................8 Scope.........................................................................................................................................................8 Study Area.....................................................................................................................................................8 Assessment of Alternatives.........................................................................................................................10 Routing Assumptions ..............................................................................................................................10 Single Circuit vs Double Circuit ...............................................................................................................10 Comparison of Options ...........................................................................................................................11 Land Ownership ......................................................................................................................................11 Private and Public Lands .....................................................................................................................11 Federal Lands ......................................................................................................................................11 First Nations Reserves and Métis Settlements ...................................................................................11 Transportation/Utility Corridors.........................................................................................................12 Land Uses ................................................................................................................................................12 Agriculture ..........................................................................................................................................12 Residential...........................................................................................................................................12 Industrial .............................................................................................................................................13 Existing Linear Corridors/Transmission Lines .....................................................................................13 Other Land Uses......................................................................................................................................14 Airports and Aerodromes ...................................................................................................................14 Environmental Features..........................................................................................................................15 Waterbodies and Wetlands ................................................................................................................15 Native Prairie.......................................................................................................................................16 Wildlife Sensitivity Areas.....................................................................................................................16 Protected Areas ..................................................................................................................................16 Visual Impacts .........................................................................................................................................17 Provincial Land Use Plans........................................................................................................................18 Municipal Land Use Plans .......................................................................................................................18 Red Deer County .................................................................................................................................18 Lacombe County .................................................................................................................................19 Ponoka County....................................................................................................................................20 2 Land Impact Assessment for the Central East Transfer-Out Project Camrose County..................................................................................................................................20 Buffalo Lake Intermunicipal Development Plan .................................................................................20 Substation Specific Assessment..................................................................................................................21 Gaetz 87S Substation Constraints and Analysis......................................................................................21 Wolf Creek 288S Substation Constraints and Analysis ...........................................................................21 Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................22 3 Land Impact Assessment for the Central East Transfer-Out Project LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A • Study Area Maps (SAM1) Appendix B • Data Sources 4 Land Impact Assessment for the Central East Transfer-Out Project EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AltaLink has been advised that the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is contemplating transmission reinforcements to ensure sufficient transfer out system capacity from areas with high renewable generation potential in the Central East region (the Project). These potential reinforcements would occur in both AltaLink’s and ATCO Electric’s service territories. The AESO has directed AltaLink to complete a Land Impact Assessment (LIA) addressing the requirements of NID7(9) of the Alberta Utilities Commission’s (AUC’s) Rule 007: Applications for Power Plants, Substations, Transmission Lines, and Industrial Systems (AUC Rule 007). AltaLink, in collaboration with ATCO Electric, identified study area boundaries for the purposes of carrying out this evaluation. This LIA addresses components of the AESO’s technical solutions (Options) within AltaLink’s service territory. In the Central East Transfer-Out Land Impact Assessment Specification, Project Number 7001, March 30, 2018 (the Specification), The AESO directed AltaLink to consider the following three options for the Project: • Option 1: Construction of a new 240 kV transmission line between the existing ATCO Electric Tinchebray A972S and AltaLink Gaetz 87S Substations; • Option 2: Construction of a new 240 kV transmission line between the existing ATCO Electric Tinchebray A972S and AltaLink Wolf Creek 288S Substations; and • Option 3: Construction of a new 240 kV transmission line between the existing Tinchebray A972S Substation and a point between Wolf Creek 288S and Gaetz 87S Substations. AESO advised that Option 3 is only to be considered if Options 1 and 2 were deemed unfeasible. Additionally, the AESO has directed that AltaLink assess the feasibility of a second 240 kV transmission line that will be constructed in the longer term time horizon as part of the three Options above. Options 1 and 2 were determined to be feasible. As such, Option 3 has not been considered as part of this LIA. The LIA study area is illustrated in Figure 1-1 below. The Project area is located in central Alberta in the area east of the Highway 2 corridor. AltaLink established a study area for the purposes of considering impacts associated with the above Options. The lands within the study area are comprised mostly of cultivated lands with patches of aspen and prairie vegetation. Land ownership in the study area is primarily private, with isolated parcels of Crown land. The study area has a relatively high number of residences, with residential density being somewhat higher near urban areas, and in the vicinity of Highway 2. Buffalo Lake is located in the eastern portion of the study area and is important both as a residential and recreation area, as well as for its wildlife habitat. AltaLink has not identified any constraining features that would preclude the development of either Option 1 or 2. Option 1 and 2 differ in the types of impacts expected. Transmission line routing associated with Option 1 would require a crossing of the Red Deer River, which would likely limit the available routes into Gaetz 87S Substation. The area