Environmental Effects of Underground & Overhead ......Environmental Effects of Underground &...
Transcript of Environmental Effects of Underground & Overhead ......Environmental Effects of Underground &...
Environmental Effects of Underground & Overhead Transmission Line Construction & Maintenance in the United States
Ryan A. BrockbankHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 – 23, 2015
Environmental Concerns on ROW Management 11th International Symposium
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
John Goodrich-Mahoney, EPRI Project Manager
Ryan Brockbank Kevin McLoughlinECI Principal Investigators
Lynn Askew Heather Harder Wendy HosmanPower Engineers Principal Investigators
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
The Demand For Safe & Reliable Electricity
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
IOUs Invest $92.9 Billion on Transmission
48% 43% 46% 46%
15%15% 16% 17%
22% 28% 26% 25%
4% 3% 2% 2%11% 11% 10% 10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2014 2015 2016 2017
Security Measures/Other
Advanced Technologies
System Improvement
Line Replacement
Transmission Expansion
Source: EEI Updated November 2014
& New Build
Projected Transmission Capital Expenditures By Activity Type
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Overhead vs. Underground Transmission
Overhead (OH)Lower CostHigher Outage FrequencyShorter Outage Duration Faster Repair Time
Underground (UG)Higher Cost Lower Outage FrequencyLonger Outage DurationSlower Repair Time
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Overhead Transmission Construction
BPA McNary-John Day 500 kV Overhead Transmission Project
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Overhead Transmission Construction
BPA McNary-John Day 500 kV Overhead Transmission Project
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Underground Transmission Construction
PG&E’s Jefferson-Martin 230 kV Underground Transmission Project
Northeast Energy Link – Proposed 230 Mile Underground DC Cable
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Potentially Affected Resources
Land UseBiologicalSoil & GeologicalWaterCulturalVisual
The project does not address health issues (EMFs) or air resource impacts.
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Land Use Types
AgriculturalForests & WildernessParks, Recreation & Preservation AreasTransportation & AccessDeveloped Lands
ResidentialCommercialPublic FacilitiesIndustrial
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Land Use
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Trenchless Construction HDD Frac-Out Event
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Underground HDD Frac-Out Event
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Land Use - Wildfire
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Land Use - Wildfire
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Land Use - Wildfire
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Biological Resources
Vegetation EffectsDisruption of existing vegetationChange in habitat type or vegetation compositionHabitat fragmentationDisruption of rare, threatened, and endangered speciesIntroduction of invasive plant species
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Biological Resources - Vegetation
ROW corridors can enhance plant diversityPositive effect on some individual species, however…Habitat generalists can thriveReplacing rare plants with common onesInvasive plant impacts on native plant species
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Biological Resources
Wildlife EffectsHabitat and population fragmentationHabitat loss and reduced species abundanceWildlife displacement and disturbanceDisruption of rare, threatened, and endangered species
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Biological Resources - Wildlife
Displacement vs. Mortality
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Biological Resources - Wildlife
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Native Pollinator – Karner Blue Butterfly
Early successional habitatBlue lupine is vital to the butterfly’s survivalFederally endangered Karner Blue Butterfly thriving on WI ROW
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Soils and Geological Resources
Soil erosion Soil compactionSoil profile disruptionReclamation constraints
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Soils and Geological Resources
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Soils and Geological Resources
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Water Resources
Water resource availability, accessibility, and qualitySurface waterWetlandsFloodplainsGroundwater
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Water Resources
Research reported on long-term effects of an overhead transmission construction project in MA; discovered that cattail marsh and wooded wetland ecosystems completely recovered within a few years.
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Water Resources
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Cultural Resources
Prehistoric and Historic Archaeological ResourcesArchitectural ResourcesTraditional Cultural Properties§ 106 National Historic Preservation Act
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Cultural Resources
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
New York City 1887 Vancouver, BC 1914
Effects on Visual Resources
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Effects on Visual Resources
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Summary
Both OH and UG transmission can have beneficial and detrimental effects on the environmentUG transmission can actually have greater detrimental effects
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Summary
Out of 33 potential environmental impacts associated with OH vs UG transmission construction and maintenance:
UG can have greater detrimental effects in 33% of the impact categoriesUG can have lesser detrimental effects in 15% of the impact categories UG and OH have similar environmental impact potential in 52% of the categories
Site-specific evaluation and mitigation techniques determine actual relative impacts
Environmental Concerns in ROW Management 11th International SymposiumHalifax, Nova Scotia September 20 - 23, 2015
Thank You! Questions...
Ryan A. [email protected]