Appendix O. Utility Corridor Analysis

Transcription

1 Appendix O Utility Corridor Analysis

2 CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AREA PLAN UTILITY CORRIDOR ANALYSIS Alta East Wind Project Kern County, California April 2011 Prepared For: Alta Windpower Development, LLC El Camino Real, Suite 100 San Diego, CA Prepared By:

3 CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AREA PLAN UTILITY CORRIDOR ANALYSIS Alta East Wind Project Kern County, California April 2011 Submitted to Bureau of Land Management California Desert District Calle San Juan De Los Lagos Moreno Valley, CA Prepared for Alta Windpower Development, LLC El Camino Real, Suite 100 San Diego, CA Prepared by Westwood Professional Services, Inc Anagram Drive Eden Prairie, MN Project No Utility Corridor Analysis Page 1 Alta East Wind Project

4 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 3 Table 1 BLM Parcels Proposed for Wind Energy Development... 3 SITE ASSESSMENT... 4 Table 2 Utility Easement Matrix... 5 Section 28 Township 32 Range Section 26 Township 32 Range Section 34 Township 32 Range Section 32 Township 32 Range Section 34 Township 12 Range CONFLICT ANALYSIS... 7 ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS WITH EXISTING USES... 7 ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS WITH FUTURE USES... 7 ANALYSIS OF COMPATIBILITY WITH CORRIDOR DESIGNATION... 8 APPENDIX... 9 Utility Corridor Analysis Page 2 Alta East Wind Project

5 INTRODUCTION The Alta East Wind Project is proposed to be located on approximately 3,200 acres on the north and south sides of State Route (SR) 58 in southeastern Kern County, California, within an area of existing wind development. The Project area is approximately 3 miles northwest of the Town of Mojave and approximately 11 miles east of the City of Tehachapi. On May 12, 2010, Alta Windpower Development, LLC (AWD) submitted an Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands (Standard Form 299) to the BLM to secure a Right-of-Way Grant for the Alta East Wind Project. On May 12, 2010 a Type 3 Grant Application (CACA ) was filed for the proposed project. Additional information on the project, along with a revised Form SF-299, was filed on October 15, The location of the Project site is shown in Figure 1: Regional Vicinity Map. (Courtesy of CH2M Hill) The proposed development is a wind energy facility, consisting of up to 120 wind turbine generators ( WTG or turbines ) with a nameplate capacity rating of up to 360 megawatts (MW), their ancillary facilities, and supporting infrastructure, pursuant to Chapter of the Kern County Zoning Ordinance. Up to 120 WTGs, access roads, and transmission line routes would be located on a portion of the 3,200 acre project area that encompasses land managed by Kern County and the BLM. Approximately 65 percent of the Project area would be located on land managed by BLM, and approximately 69 to 72 percent of the WTGs would be located on land managed by BLM. Specifically, the Project would be located on portions of parcels managed by the BLM, as listed in Table 1 below. Table 1 BLM Parcels Proposed for Wind Energy Development Township 1 Range 1 Section 1 Assessor Parcel Number 32 South 35 East 26 SW ¼, W ½ SE ¼ South 35 East 34 All South 35 East 28 Lots 1-4, N ½, SE ¼ South 35 East North 13 West 34 All Notes: 1 San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian, Kern County, CA Utility Corridor Analysis Page 3 Alta East Wind Project

6 A preliminary estimate of total land area within the Project area is approximately 3,200 acres, of which approximately 2,083 acres are under the jurisdiction of BLM. Wind energy development area is anticipated to cover approximately 2,431 acres onsite, of which 1,750 are on BLM land. Two options (Option A and Option B) for turbine layout on the project site have been identified. One turbine layout will ultimately be selected during final design and constructed. The layout for each option is provided in Figures 2a and 2b: Project Area and Wind Energy Development Area Option A and Option B. (Courtesy of CH2M Hill) This Utility Corridor Analysis has been prepared at BLM s request to determine if the proposed Project is consistent with the BLM s California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan. The CDCA plan was approved in 1980, and is the management plan for the BLMadministered portion of the 25-million-acre CDCA designated by Congress in 1976 through the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The BLM manages about 10 million acres of the CDCA with the CDCA Plan. This analysis was requested by the BLM California Desert District (CDD) because the Project would be located on BLM land and partially within CDD Designated Utility Corridor A. This corridor is approximately 2 miles wide and partially covers the eastern quarter of the project on both BLM and private land as shown on Figure 3: Utility Corridor Map. There are two 230kV transmission lines as well as two concrete-channel aqueducts, all owned by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP), currently located within the CDD Corridor. The entire existing infrastructure within the Corridor is located beyond the limits of the project. This analysis has been prepared to respond to BLM s request and is intended to provide supplemental information on the potential compatibility and conflict issues associated with the proposed Project s use of the requested right-of-way. SITE ASSESSMENT Ownership and rights-of-way within CDD Utility Corridor A and BLM land in the vicinity of the project boundary area were determined by examining the Project ALTA Survey and a search of the BLM LR 2000 database. Figure 4: BLM and Kern County Land Use Designations (Courtesy of CH2M Hill) summarizes the existing uses of the land surrounding the project area. Table 2 below summarizes the known easements within the project boundary on BLM land and the CDD Designated Utility Corridor A. Many of the easements listed in the table are blanket in nature or lack supporting documentation that specifies the location of the easement or right-of-way. Utility Corridor Analysis Page 4 Alta East Wind Project

7 Table 2 Utility Easement Matrix Owner Section Township Range Southern California Edison Co Echo Mining Co Karma Mining Co Queen Esther Mining Co CA Dept Transportation SBC California - Cindy Lee F.A. Berry and Patrick J. O'Neill Unknown State of California Public Works Water Pipes State of California Public Works Location Relative to the BLM Project Area Use(s) Width (feet) A transmission line rightof-way with no supporting documents or location Transmission provided. Line N/A A pipeline right-of-way dated back to March 20, 1906 with no specific location described. Water Plants N/A A pipeline right-of-way dated back to March 20, 1906 with no specific location described. Water Plants N/A A pipeline right-of-way dated back to March 20, 1906 with no specific location described. Water Plants N/A A drainage right-of-way with no specific location Fed Aid described. Highway N/A Power line and poles following the northern boundary of state highway 58. This falls outside of the proposed turbines for the project. No supporting document was found Tel & Teleg Line Utility Corridor Analysis Page 5 Alta East Wind Project N/A BLM Serial File Number CACA CALA CALA CALA CAS CARI Oil & Gas Lease N/A N/A Highway right-of-way runs east and west through section 28. Road 400 N/A Water pipe easement that's blanket in nature Water Pipes 100 N/A Highway right-of-way runs east and west through section 28. Road 400 N/A N.D. Oswald Unknown Quitclaim deed N/A N/A General Public Easement for public to use road within Cache Circle. Road N/A N/A Public General Wind Energy Company Soledad Pipeline Easement for ingress, egress and road for utility purposes Road 30 N/A A right-of-way grant for the energy company to put up wind turbines. Northeast of project boundary. Turbines N/A N/A Easement for interest in Soledad Pipeline Pipeline N/A N/A

8 Section 28 Township 32 Range 35 There are eight right-of-ways located in section 28 township 32 range 35 within the project boundary on BLM land. All but one of the listed easements in this section are unplottable as the supporting documents do not show up in the title search or the easements were blanket in nature. The State of California Public Works has a 400 right of way for State Highway 58, which runs east and west through section 28. The following easements are listed in the title search but do not specify locations within the section: Southern California Edison Company transmission line easement Echo Mining, Karma Mining and Queen Esther Mining Company pipeline easement California Department of Transportation drainage easement SBC California telephone easement line Unplottable easements in section 28 include an oil and gas lease that belongs to F.A. Berry and Patrick J. O Neill. Section 26 Township 32 Range 35 In section 26 township 32 range 35 there are two right-of-ways found in the title report. Neither of the following easements falls inside of the project boundary. The first easement is for water pipe lines which traverse north to south along the southern central of the section. This 100 easement is approximately located per the assessor s map. The second easement is for the State of California Public Works has a plotted easement for State Highway 58 which runs east and west through the section. Section 34 Township 32 Range 35 There are no easements returned in title search for section 34 township 32 and range 35. Section 32 Township 32 Range 35 In section 32 township 32 and range 35 there are five easements in the title report, however none of the easements are located within the project boundary. There is a general public easement for ingress, egress and roads for utility purposes which are found directly west of the proposed project boundary. Northeast of the proposed project boundary lies a right-ofway grant for a wind energy company which allowed the company to construct existing turbines. The final plotted easement is in favor of the general public for road purposes through Cache Creek. There are two unplottable easements in this section. The first easement is for interest in Soledad Pipe Line that is blanket in nature. The second blanket in nature easement is a quitclaim deed by N.D. Oswald dated back to Section 34 Township 12 Range 13 There are no easements returned in title search for section 34 township 12 and range 13. Utility Corridor A is an approximately a two-mile-wide corridor that lies partially within the study area. It runs in a northeast to southwest direction, partially along the proposed eastern quarter of the project boundary. It currently contains four overhead, high-voltage transmission lines that transport electrical power consumed in southern California. The Other utility found in the corridor near the project site is the 200 LADWP aqueduct easement. Utility Corridor Analysis Page 6 Alta East Wind Project

9 CONFLICT ANALYSIS ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS WITH EXISTING USES The project proposes to place wind turbines on both private and BLM land, with parts of the BLM land falling under the CDD Designated Utility Corridor A shown on figures 2A and 2B. The development area will be fenced according to the Kern County zoning ordinance. The fencing will either encompass the entire project perimeter or be localized at wind turbine generators sites and supporting infrastructure such as the project substation, maintenance facility, and interior roads. Based on the ALTA Survey provided by Smithco Surveying Engineering, Inc., there are no plotted easements that fall inside the project boundary. Therefore construction will not impact any plotted easements. There are easements that are blanket in nature that fall within the BLM lands within the project sections, but it is not anticipated that construction will affect any existing utilities. In summary, the proposed project will not be in conflict with any existing uses. ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS WITH FUTURE USES Portions of the CDCA Utility Corridor A will fall within the fenced project areas required by Kern County Zoning Ordinance. At this time there are no other pending applications for rights-of-way in CDD Utility Corridor A in the project area. However, because the proposed BLM Right-of-Way Grant for the project has a 30 year duration, future applications may be submitted. The proposed wind turbine generators will be stable as they will be constructed on spread concrete foundations; therefore, underground utilities constructed with a directional bore or open trench will not impact the installed wind turbine generators. Additionally the wind turbine generators will be installed in linear rows with approximately 1,000 to 2,000 feet between turbine rows. This space could be utilized for future underground utility corridors. There will be approximately 1,000 feet between adjacent turbine rows in the project and the closest transmission line right-of-way to the east within the Utility Corridor A. Assuming a 500 foot setback for the turbine and an individual right-of-way width of 200 feet per transmission line, this area could accommodate up to two new high voltage transmission lines and associated structures on the project side of the corridor for future use. The other half of the corridor will remain one mile wide and unaffected by the project, thus leaving the entire half of the corridor open for future utilities. Underground collection lines will generally follow roads constructed for the project, and will remain easily identified. The existence of roads in the project area will actually be beneficial to accessing the site for future uses. Utility Corridor Analysis Page 7 Alta East Wind Project

10 ANALYSIS OF COMPATIBILITY WITH CORRIDOR DESIGNATION AWD s selection of the project site is compatible with BLM s utility corridor designation purpose. BLM s Record of Decision for the Designation of Energy Corridors on BLM- Administered Lands in the 11 Western States (2009) explains that the Section 368 (of the Energy Policy Act of 2005) corridors were sited to avoid, to the maximum extent possible, significant known resource and environmental conflicts and to promote renewable energy development in the West. These goals are fulfilled by situating the project, a 360 MW renewable energy project to fulfill California s Renewable Portfolio Standard, near Utility Corridor A. As proposed, the project would allow the existing utility corridors to accommodate existing, currently proposed, and future right-of-way without conflict. There are no existing easement conflicts through the proposed project site. After construction, up to two new transmission lines could be accommodated into the Utility Corridor A between the project and the existing LADWP transmission line and other development activities could be undertaken in the mile of unaffected corridor located east of the existing LADWP transmission line. A resolution in favor of joint use of this area is requested, to allow both the development of the project and to provide for future growth of energy transmission through this corridor. Utility Corridor Analysis Page 8 Alta East Wind Project

11 APPENDIX A: Figures Referenced in Study Figure 1: Figure 2a: Figure 2b: Figure 3: Figure 4: Regional Vicinity Map Project Site Map-Option A Project Site Map-Option B Utility Corridor Map Kern County and BLM Land Use Utility Corridor Analysis Page 9 Alta East Wind Project

12 VICINITY MAP Project Location ^_ LEGEND ^_ Alta East Project Area ^_ Project Location $ 0 50, , ,000 Feet FIGURE 1 Regional Vicinity Map Alta East Wind Project Alta Wind Energy Center Project BAO \\ZINFANDEL\PROJ\TERRAGENPOWERLLC\387639ALTAWINDCENTER\2_GENERAL\GIS\387639ALTAWINDCENTER\MAPFILES\SUNCREEK\2010\REGIONALVICINITY.MXD BKAHLER 4/30/ :15:30

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15 2009 Westwood Professional Services, Inc S 35 E Los Angeles Dept of Water & Power Aqueduct Los Angeles Dept of Water & Power 230 kv Los Angeles Dept of Water & Power 230 kv Map Document: (P:/ /gis/ blm01B_ mxd) 4/6/ :31:09 PM 4 12 N 13 W 12 N 12 W 11 N 13 W 11 N 12 W Data Source(s): BLM California State Office (2011), BLM GIS Website (Accessed April 2011); Terra-Gen Power, LLC (2011) and Westwood (2011). FIGURE 3 Project Boundary Existing Turbine Easement State Route CDD Designated Utility Corridor A Utility Corridor Map Proposed Turbines (Layout A) Proposed Turbines (Layout B) Proposed Access Roads Proposed Transmission Line Wind Energy Facilities Existing Transmission Lines Transmission Line Easement Water Pipe Easement General Public Easement (For ingress, egrees and road for utility) Road Highway ROW Township Railroad Section Railroad Easement Land Ownership LADWP Aqueduct Bureau Of Land Management Private/Other Ownerships Feet 0 2,000 Alta East Wind Project Alta Wind Energy Center Project

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