4906-15-07 Ecological impact analysis.

 

 

 

TO BE RESCINDED

 

4906-15-07                  Ecological impact analysis.

 

 

 

(A)   The applicant shall provide a summary of any studies that have been made by or for the applicant on the natural environment in which the proposed facility will be located. The applicant shall conduct and report the results of a literature search, including map review, for the area within one thousand feet on each side of a transmission line alignment and the area within the immediate vicinity of a substation or compressor station site. On-site investigations shall be conducted within one hundred feet on each side of a transmission line centerline or within one hundred feet of a substation or compressor station site to characterize the potential effects of construction, operation, or maintenance of the proposed facility.

 

(B)   The applicant shall provide for each of the site/route alternatives a map(s) of not less than 1:24,000 scale, including the area one thousand feet on each side of the transmission line alignment and the area within the immediate vicinity of a substation site or compressor station site. The map(s) shall include the following:

 

(1)  Proposed transmission line alignments.

 

(2)   Proposed substation or compressor station locations.

 

(3)     All  areas  currently  not  developed  for  agricultural,  residential,  commercial, industrial, institutional, or cultural purposes including:

 

(a)   Streams and drainage channels.

 

(b)   Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.

 

(c)   Marshes, swamps, and other wetlands.

 

(d)  Woody and herbaceous vegetation land.

 

(e)   Locations of threatened or endangered species.

 

(4)   Soil associations in the corridor.

 

(C)  The applicant shall provide for each of the site/route alternatives a description of each stream or body of water (and associated characteristics including floodplain) that is present and may be affected by the proposed facility, including but not limited to the following:

 

 

 

(1)      Construction: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the construction of the proposed facility on streams and bodies of water. This shall include the impacts from route clearing.

(2)   Operation and maintenance: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility after construction on streams and bodies of water. This shall include the permanent impacts from route clearing.

(3)   Mitigation procedures: The applicant shall describe the mitigation procedures to be used during construction of the proposed facility and during the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility to minimize the impact on streams and bodies of water.

(D)   The applicant shall provide for each of the site/route alternatives a description of each wetland that is present and may be affected by the proposed facility. The applicant shall describe the probable impact on these wetlands, including but not limited to the following:

(1)      Construction: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the construction of the proposed facility on wetlands and wildlife habitat.

(2)   Operation and maintenance: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility after construction on wetlands and wildlife habitat. This would include the permanent impacts from route clearing and any impact to natural nesting areas.

(3)   Mitigation procedures: The applicant shall describe the mitigation procedures to be used during construction of the proposed facility and during the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility to minimize the impact on wetlands and wildlife habitat.

(E)   The applicant shall provide for each of the site/route alternatives a description of the naturally occurring vegetation that is present and may be affected by the proposed facility. The applicant shall describe the probable impact to the environment from the clearing and disposal of this vegetation, including but not limited to the following:

(1)      Construction: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the construction of the proposed facility on the vegetation. This would include the impacts from route clearing, types of vegetation waste generated, and the method of disposal or dispersal.

(2)   Operation and maintenance: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility after construction on species described above. This would include the permanent impact from route clearing and any impact to natural nesting areas.

(3)   Mitigation procedures: The applicant shall describe the mitigation procedures to be used during construction of the proposed facility and during the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility to minimize the impact on species described above.

(F)   The applicant shall provide for each of the site/route alternatives a description of each major species of commercial or recreational value and species designated as endangered or threatened, in accordance with U.S. and Ohio species lists, that is present and may be affected. The applicant shall describe the probable impact to the habitat of the species described above, including but not limited to the following:

(1)      Construction: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the construction of the proposed facility on commercial, recreational, threatened, or endangered species. This would include the impacts from route clearing and any impact to natural nesting areas.

(2)   Operation and maintenance: The applicant shall estimate the probable impact of the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility after construction on species described above. This would include the permanent impact from route clearing and any impact to natural nesting areas.

(3)   Mitigation procedures: The applicant shall describe the mitigation procedures to be used during construction of the proposed facility and during the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility to minimize the impact on species described above.

(G)   The applicant shall provide for each of the site/route alternatives a description of the areas with slopes and/or highly erodible soils (according to the natural resource conservation service and county soil surveys) that are present and may be affected by the proposed facility. The applicant shall describe the probable impact to these areas, including but not limited to the following:

(1)   Construction: The applicant shall provide a description of the measures that will be taken to avoid or minimize erosion and sedimentation during the site clearing, access road construction, facility construction process, and any other temporary grading. If a storm water pollution prevention plan is required for the  proposed  facility,  the  applicant  shall  include  the  schedule  for  the

preparation of this plan.

(2)     Operation and maintenance: The applicant shall describe and estimate the probable impact of the operation and maintenance of the proposed facility after construction on the environment. This would include permanent impacts from sites where grading has taken place.

(3)   Mitigation procedures: The applicant shall describe the mitigation procedures to be used during construction of the proposed facility and during operation and maintenance of the proposed facility to minimize the impact on the environment due to erosion from storm water run-off.

(H)    The applicant shall provide site-specific information that may be required in this particular case to adequately describe other significant issues of concern that were not addressed above. The applicant shall describe measures that were taken and/or will be taken to avoid or minimize adverse impacts. The applicant shall describe public safety-related equipment and procedures that were and/or will be taken.

Effective:                                                             12/11/2015

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates:                         10/03/2014

CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Certification

11/30/2015

Date

Promulgated Under:                           111.15

Statutory Authority:                           4906.03

Rule Amplifies:                                  4906.06, 4906.03

Prior Effective Dates:                         10/10/78, 3/20/87, 8/28/98, 12/15/03