4906-17-08 Social and ecological data.

 

 

 

TO BE RESCINDED

 

4906-17-08                  Social and ecological data.

 

 

 

(A)Health and safety.

 

(1)Demographic. The applicant shall provide existing and ten-year projected population estimates for communities within five miles of the proposed project area site(s).

 

(2) Noise. The applicant shall:

 

(a) Describe the construction noise levels expected at the nearest property boundary. The description shall address:

 

(i) Dynamiting activities.

 

(ii) Operation of earth moving equipment.

 

(iii) Driving of piles.

 

(iv) Erection of structures.

 

(v) Truck traffic.

 

(vi) Installation of equipment.

 

(b) For each turbine, evaluate and describe the operational noise levels expected at the property boundary closest to that turbine, under both day and nighttime conditions. Evaluate and describe the cumulative operational noise levels for the wind facility at each property boundary for each property adjacent to the project area, under both day and nighttime operations. The applicant shall use generally accepted computer modeling software (developed for wind turbine noise measurement) or similar wind turbine noise methodology, including consideration of broadband, tonal, and low-frequency noise levels.

 

(c) Indicate the location of any noise-sensitive areas within one mile of the proposed facility.

 

(d)Describe  equipment  and  procedures  to  mitigate  the  effects  of  noise emissions from the proposed facility during construction and operation.

 

(3)Water. The applicant shall estimate the impact to public and private water supplies due to construction and operation of the proposed facility.

 

(4)Ice throw. The applicant shall evaluate and describe the potential impact from ice throw at the nearest property boundary, including its plans to minimize

 

 

 

potential impacts if warranted.

(5) Blade shear. The applicant shall evaluate and describe the potential impact from blade shear at the nearest property boundary, including its plans to minimize potential impacts if warranted.

(6) Shadow flicker. The applicant shall evaluate and describe the potential impact from shadow flicker at adjacent residential structures and primary roads, including its plans to minimize potential impacts if warranted.

(B)Ecological impact.

(1) Project area site information. The applicant shall:

(a) Provide a map of 1:24,000 scale containing a half-mile radius from the proposed facility, showing the following:

(i) The proposed project area boundary.

(ii) Undeveloped or abandoned land such as wood lots, wetlands, or vacant fields.

(iii) Recreational  areas,  parks,  wildlife  areas,  nature  preserves,  and other conservation areas.

(b) Provide  the  results  of  a  survey  of  the  vegetation  within  the  facility boundary and within a quarter-mile distance from the facility boundary.

(c) Provide  the  results  of  a  survey  of  the  animal  life  within  the  facility boundary and within a quarter-mile distance from the facility boundary.

(d)Provide a summary of any studies which have been made by or for the applicant addressing the ecological impact of the proposed facility.

(e) Provide a list of major species from the surveys of biota. "Major species" are those which are of commercial or recreational value, or species designated as endangered or threatened in accordance with the United States and Ohio threatened and endangered species lists.

(2) Construction. The applicant shall:

(a) Estimate the impact of construction on the areas shown in response to paragraph (B)(1)(a) of this rule.

(b) Estimate the impact of construction on the major species listed under paragraph (B)(1)(e) of this rule.

(c) Describe the procedures to be utilized to avoid, minimize, and mitigate both the short- and long-term impacts due to construction.

(3) Operation. The applicant shall:

(a) Estimate  the  impact  of  operation  on  the  areas  shown  in  response  to paragraph (B)(1)(a) of this rule.

(b) Estimate  the  impact  of  operation  on  the  major  species  listed  under paragraph (B)(1)(e) of this rule.

(c) Describe the procedures to be utilized to avoid, minimize, and mitigate both the short- and long-term impacts of operation.

(d)Describe any plans for post-construction monitoring of wildlife impacts.

(C)Economics, land use and community development.

(1) Land uses. The applicant shall:

(a) Provide a map of 1:24,000 scale indicating general land uses, depicted as areas on the map, within a five-mile radius of the facility, including such uses as residential and urban, manufacturing and commercial, mining, recreational, transport, utilities, water and wetlands, forest and woodland, and pasture and cropland.

(b) Provide the number of residential structures within one thousand feet of the boundary of the proposed facility, and identify all residential structures for which the nearest edge of the structure is within one hundred feet of the boundary of the proposed facility.

(c) Describe proposed locations for wind turbine structures in relation to property lines and habitable residential structures, consistent with no less than the following minimum requirements:

(i) The distance from a wind turbine base to the property line of the wind farm property shall be at least one and one-tenth times the total height of the turbine structure as measured from its tower's base (excluding the subsurface foundation) to the tip of its highest blade.

(ii) The wind turbine shall be at least seven hundred fifty feet in horizontal distance from the tip of the turbine's nearest blade at ninety degrees to the exterior of the nearest habitable residential structure, if any, located on adjacent property at the time of the certification application.

(iii) Minimum setbacks may be waived in the event that all owners of property adjacent to the turbine agree to such waiver, pursuant to rule 4906-1-03 of the Administrative Code.

(d)Estimate the impact of the proposed facility on the above land uses within a one-mile radius.

(e) Identify structures that will be removed or relocated.

(f)Describe formally adopted plans for future use of the site and surrounding lands for anything other than the proposed facility.

(g) Describe the applicant's plans for concurrent or secondary uses of the project area.

(2) Economics. The applicant shall:

(a) Estimate the annual total and present worth of construction and operation payroll.

(b) Estimate the construction and operation employment and estimate the number that will be employed from the region.

(c) Estimate the increase in county, township, city, and school district tax revenue accruing from the facility.

(d)Estimate  the  economic  impact  of  the  proposed  facility  on  local commercial and industrial activities.

(3) Public services and facilities. The applicant shall describe the probable impact of the construction and operation on public services and facilities.

(4) Impact on regional development. The applicant shall:

(a) Describe the impact of the proposed facility on regional development, including housing, commercial and industrial development, and transportation system development.

(b) Assess  the  compatibility  of  the  proposed  facility  and  the  anticipated resultant regional development with current regional plans.

(D)Cultural impact.

(1) The applicant shall indicate, on the 1:24,000 map referenced in paragraph (C)(1)(a) of this rule, any registered landmarks of historic, religious, archaeological, scenic, natural, or other cultural significance within five miles

of the proposed facility.

(2) The applicant shall estimate the impact of the proposed facility on the preservation and continued meaningfulness of these landmarks and describe plans to mitigate any adverse impact.

(3) Landmarks to be considered for purposes of paragraphs (D)(1) and (D)(2) of this rule are those districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects which are recognized by, registered with, or identified as eligible for registration by the national registry of natural landmarks, the Ohio historical society, or the Ohio department of natural resources.

(4) The applicant shall indicate, on the 1:24,000 map referenced in paragraph (C)(1)(a) of this rule, existing and formally adopted land and water recreation areas within five miles of the proposed facility.

(5) The applicant shall describe the identified recreational areas within one mile of the proposed project area in terms of their proximity to population centers, uniqueness, topography, vegetation, hydrology, and wildlife; estimate the impact of the proposed facility on the identified recreational areas; and describe plans to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse impact.

(6) The applicant shall describe measures that will be taken to minimize  any adverse visual impacts created by the facility, including, but not limited to, project area location, lighting, and facility coloration. In no event shall these measures conflict with relevant safety requirements.

(E)Public responsibility. The applicant shall:

(1) Describe the applicant's program for public interaction for the siting, construction, and operation of the proposed facility, i.e., public information programs.

(2) Describe any insurance or other corporate programs for providing liability compensation for damages to the public resulting from construction or operation of the proposed facility.

(3) Evaluate and describe the potential for the facility to interfere with radio and TV reception and, if warranted, describe measures that will be taken to minimize interference.

(4) Evaluate and describe the potential for the facility to interfere with military radar systems and, if warranted, describe measures that will be taken to minimize interference.

(5) Evaluate and describe the anticipated impact to roads and bridges associated with construction vehicles and equipment delivery. Describe measures that

will be taken to repair roads and bridges to at least the condition present prior to the project.

(6) Describe the plan for decommissioning the proposed facility, including a discussion of any financial arrangements designed to assure the requisite financial resources.

(F) Agricultural district impact. The applicant shall:

(1) Separately identify on a map(s) of 1:24,000 scale all agricultural land and all agricultural district land located within the proposed project area boundaries, where such land is existing at least sixty days prior to submission of the application.

(2) Provide, for all agricultural land identified under paragraph (F)(1) of this rule, the following:

(a) A quantification of the acreage impacted, and an evaluation of the impact of the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed facility on the following agricultural practices within the proposed facility boundaries:

(i) Field  operations  (i.e.,  plowing,  planting,  cultivating,  spraying, harvesting, etc.).

(ii) Irrigation.

(iii) Field drainage systems.

(b) A description of any mitigation procedures to be utilized by the applicant during construction, operation, and maintenance to reduce impacts to the agricultural land.

(3) Provide, for all agricultural land identified under paragraph (F)(1) of this rule, an evaluation of the impact of the construction and maintenance of the proposed facility on the viability as agricultural land of any land so identified. The evaluation shall include impacts to cultivated lands, permanent pasture land, managed woodlots, orchards, nurseries, livestock and poultry confinement areas, and agriculturally related structures. Changes in land use and changes in methods of operation made necessary by the proposed facility shall be evaluated.

Effective:                                                             06/26/2016

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates:                         04/11/2016

CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Certification

06/16/2016

Date

Promulgated Under:                           111.15

Statutory Authority:                           4906.03, 4906.20

Rule Amplifies:                                  4906.03, 4906.06, 4906.20

Prior Effective Dates:                         5/7/09