Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation Rochester Area Reliability Project Exhibit 4 Environmental Impacts Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation Exhibit 4: Environmental Impacts Rochester Area Reliability Project Article VII Application TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page EXHIBIT 4: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS .................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4-1 4.2 Project Description ...................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.1 Proposed Overhead and Underground Transmission Line Construction ............ 4-2 4.2.2 Construction of Station 255 ............................................................................... 4-11 4.2.3 Improvements to Existing Substations............................................................... 4-11 4.3 Land Use .................................................................................................................... 4-12 4.3.1 Existing Land Use .............................................................................................. 4-12 4.3.2 New York State Open Space Conservation Plan ............................................... 4-19 4.3.3 Local Land Use Planning and Policies .............................................................. 4-20 4.3.4 Floodplains ......................................................................................................... 4-23 4.3.5 Agricultural Districts ......................................................................................... 4-24 4.3.6 Environmental Effects and Mitigation ............................................................... 4-24 4.4 Visual Resources ........................................................................................................ 4-26 4.4.1 Existing Landscape Quality ............................................................................... 4-27 4.4.2 Circuits 940 and 941 .......................................................................................... 4-44 4.4.3 Circuit 941 ......................................................................................................... 4-45 4.4.4 Circuit 40 and Station 255 ................................................................................. 4-45 4.5 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................... 4-46 4.5.1 Existing Setting .................................................................................................. 4-46 4.5.2 Area of Potential Effects .................................................................................... 4-53 4.5.3 Impact Assessment and Mitigation .................................................................... 4-54 4.6 Terrestrial Ecology and Wetlands .............................................................................. 4-58 4.6.1 Vegetation .......................................................................................................... 4-60 4.6.2 Wetlands ............................................................................................................ 4-71 4.6.3 Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 4-76 4.6.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................. 4-80 4.7 Topography and Soils ................................................................................................ 4-84 Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation 4-i Exhibit 4: Environmental Impacts Rochester Area Reliability Project Article VII Application TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd) Section Page 4.7.1 Topography ........................................................................................................ 4-84 4.7.2 Geology .............................................................................................................. 4-84 4.7.3 Soils.................................................................................................................... 4-85 4.7.4 Environmental Effects and Mitigation ............................................................... 4-86 4.8 Water Resources ........................................................................................................ 4-97 4.8.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................ 4-98 4.8.2 Environmental Effects and Mitigation ............................................................. 4-100 4.9 Noise ........................................................................................................................ 4-102 4.9.1 Acoustic Terminology ..................................................................................... 4-102 4.9.2 Applicable Noise Standards ............................................................................. 4-105 4.9.3 Existing Conditions .......................................................................................... 4-107 4.9.4 Environmental Effects and Mitigation ............................................................. 4-108 4.10 Electromagnetic Field .............................................................................................. 4-124 4.11 Summary of Environmental Impacts ....................................................................... 4-124 4.12 References ................................................................................................................ 4-129 LIST OF TABLES Table 4.3-1 Circuit 940 Zoning Districts ................................................................................ 4-14 Table 4.3-2 Circuit 941 Zoning Districts ................................................................................ 4-16 Table 4.3-3 Circuit 40 Zoning Districts .................................................................................. 4-18 Table 4.3-4 Proposed New Right-of-Way by Circuit ............................................................. 4-25 Table 4.4-1 Visual, Recreational, and Historical Resources .................................................. 4-28 Table 4.5-1 Native American Archeological Sites (Predominantly Prehistoric) Within 1 Mile of Circuits 940 and 941 ............................................................................ 4-48 Table 4.5-2 Historic Euro American Archeological Sites Within Approximately 1 Mile of Circuits 940 and 941 ............................................................................ 4-51 Table 4.6-1 Community Cover Types Intersecting the Proposed Project Corridor ................ 4-61 Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation 4-ii Exhibit 4: Environmental Impacts Rochester Area Reliability Project Article VII Application LIST OF TABLES (Cont'd) Table 4.6-2 NYSDEC-Regulated Wetlands Within the Project Corridor .............................. 4-73 Table 4.6-3 USFWS NWI Wetlands Within the Project Corridor ......................................... 4-75 Table 4.6-4 Summary of Wildlife Reasonably Expected to Occur in the Project Area ......... 4-77 Table 4.7-1 Geologic Resources ............................................................................................. 4-85 Table 4.7-2 Soil Characteristics – Construction Suitability ................................................... 4-87 Table 4.8-1 NYSDEC-Mapped Waterbodies Located Within the Project Corridor .............. 4-99 Table 4.9-1 Sound Pressure Levels (Lp) and Relative Loudness of Common Noise Sources and Soundscapes................................................................................................ 4-104 Table 4.9-2 Estimated Baseline Sound Levels in Proximity to Station 255 ......................... 4-108 Table 4.9-3 Construction Phase Noise Level for Overhead Line Construction ................... 4-110 Table 4.9-4 Construction Phase Noise Levels for Underground Line Construction ............ 4-112 Table 4.9-5 Typical Site Average Noise Levels by Construction Activity (dBA) ............... 4-115 Table 4.9-6 Transformer Sound Power Levels for Three Operational Scenarios (Lw) ........ 4-121 Table 4.9-7 Noise Sensitive Receptors within Operational Analysis Area for Station 255 . 4-122 Table 4.9-8 Acoustic Modeling Results for Station 255 with Comparison to NYDEC Guideline ............................................................................................ 4-123 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4.3-1 Agricultural Districts and FEMA Designated Floodplains Figure 4.4-1a Visual Characteristics of the Existing NYPA Right-of-Way and Proposed Circuit 40 Structures Figure 4.4-1b Visual Characteristics of the Rochester and Southern Railroad with Existing Circuit 906 Structures and Proposed Circuits 906, 940 and 941 Structures Figure 4.4-1c Visual Characteristics of the Existing Rochester and Southern Railroad and Southern Railroad and Proposed Circuits 940 and 941 Structures Figure 4.4-1d Visual Characteristics of the Existing CSX Railroad and Proposed Circuit 941 Structures Figure 4.6-1 NYSDEC Wetlands and USFWS NWI Wetlands Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation 4-iii Exhibit 4: Environmental Impacts Rochester Area Reliability Project Article VII Application LIST OF FIGURES (Cont'd) Figure 4.8-1 NYSDEC Mapped Surface Waterbodies Figure 4.9-1 Received Sound Levels Station 255 Operation Cooling Method: Oil Natural Air Natural Figure 4.9-2 Received Sound Levels Station 25 Operation