Orono_Route_Permit_Application - Docket # W002/TL-11-223

Home Browse Search

Appendix B-6 shows wetland locations and Table 13 summarizes the wetlands located within the 75 -foot -wide easement and 400 -foot -wide corridor width associated with the Proposed Route. Table 13 Wetlands within the Proposed Route Township Range Section Wetland Wetlands Within 75 -foot -wide Easement Type' Wetland Area (acres) 118 23 29 PEM 0.44 118 23 30 PEM 2.85 Subtotal 3.29 Wetlands Within 400 -foot -wide Route Width 118 23 29 PEM 2.15 118 23 30 PEM 11.48 Subtotal 13.63 Based on the USFWS - Cowardin Classification System for wetlands. Wetland types include: PEM — (Palustrine Emergent). Approximately 3.29 acres of wetlands are located within the 75 -foot wide easement area and 13.63 acres of wetlands are located within the 400 foot wide route width of the Proposed Route. Because the proposed transmission line easement will be 75 feet wide, potential permanent impacts to wetlands will be limited to the areas where structures will be located and operated, as well as removal of vegetation for construction and operation of the overhead transmission line. Therefore, permanent wetland impacts are anticipated to be much less than the wetland areas indicated in Table 13, and a minimal amount of wetland conversion is expected for the Project. Temporary impacts from construction vehicles and equipment would occur in the areas needed to access the transmission structure locations for construction. The final locations of the transmission structures has yet to be determined. Similar to the Proposed Route, the USFWS' Cowardin System classifies the majority of wetlands affected by Alternative Routes 1, 2, 3 and 4 as Palustrine Emergent Seasonally Flooded or wet meadows. Approximately 2.05 acres of wetlands are located within the 75 -foot wide easement area of Alternative Route 1, approximately 1.26 acres for Alternative Route 2, approximately 2.05 acres for Alternative Route 3 and approximately 4.08 acres for Alternative Route 4. For similar reasons noted above, wetland impacts within the Alternative Routes are expected to be much less than the area of wetlands located within the easement area. Wetlands crossed by the Proposed and Alternative Routes may be jurisdictional to the USACE under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Once the route is finalized and permitting requirements determined, Xcel Energy will submit the Minnesota Local/State/Federal Application Form for Water/Wetland Projects to the USACE's St. Paul District, MnDNR, and Hennepin County Soil and Water Conservation District ("SWCD"), if needed. Xcel Energy anticipates the Project will be authorized, if needed, under the USACE's General Permit ("GP")/Letter of Permission ("LOP") permitting program. Application materials will include information necessary for the USACE to make its jurisdictional determination for impacted wetlands. The joint application will also be subject to MnDNR, Hennepin County SWCD and MCWD review and regulation under the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act. Orono Project June 7, 2011 MPUC Docket No. E002/TL-11-223 56