Visual Resources & CPV Valley

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1 GEORGE M. JANES & ASSOCIATES Visual Resources & CPV Valley PLANNING with TECHNOLOGY 250 East 87 th Street New York, NY George M. Janes, AICP May 13, 2009

2 Impacts disclosed in the DEIS Issues with visual components of the DEIS Transmission wires and switchyard Very large plumes Pine Hill Cemetery Community Character and consistency with local plans Other public comments

3 Viewpoint 11, Route 6, existing conditions

4 Viewpoint 11, Route 6, proposed conditions

5 Viewpoint 11, Route 6, nighttime proposed conditions

6 Viewpoint 5, Bates Gates Rd, existing conditions

7 Viewpoint 5, Bates Gates Rd, proposed conditions

8 Viewpoint 1, Paramount Theater, existing conditions

9 Viewpoint 1, Paramount Theater, proposed conditions

10 Impacts disclosed in the DEIS Issues with visual components of the DEIS Transmission wires and switchyard Very large plumes Pine Hill Cemetery Community Character and consistency with local plans Other public comments

11 Cover image missing transmission wires

12 Diagram SP3, showing plant, but not wires or ROW

13 Diagram SP3 altered to show approx. location of wires

14 Order of operations of a visual analysis 1. Define the action and build in 3D 2. Perform viewshed mapping based upon action 3. Inventory resources, field visit, and select viewpoints for analysis 4. Compose photographs from viewpoints that best show the action 5. Conduct photosimulations 6. Analyze impacts

15 If the first step is materially incorrect, then every step thereafter may also be wrong 1. The actual visibility will be larger than what is shown in the viewshed map 2. Decisions made using the viewshed map may be incorrect 3. Photo composition can be vastly different 4. Findings of significance may be different

16 Viewpoint 13, view from I-84, existing conditions

17 Proposed conditions just shows the plant, not the wires, or the disturbance they cause

18 To show the entire action, the photograph would have to be significantly different A panoramic photograph from this location could capture the entire action Approx field of view of VP 13 But it is best to limit the size of panoramas because of distortion

19 A panorama from I-84 westbound entrance ramp is better, but minimizes the power plant

20 A panorama from I-84 eastbound is probably the best

21 There may also be a switchyard on the eastern edge of the project close to where it goes underground Section 18.5 states: The Project would interconnect to NYPA s... transmission system... via an onsite overhead transmission line and an offsite underground transmission conduit... to be constructed between the Project s step up transformers and the new 145 kv switchyard to be constructed in the eastern portion of the Project s 122 acre parcel. This is the only mention of a 145 kv switchyard in the 648 pages of text

22 One 145 kv switchyard looks like this

23 Impacts disclosed in the DEIS Issues with visual components of the DEIS Transmission wires and switchyard Very large plumes Pine Hill Cemetery Community Character and consistency with local plans Other public comments

24 The Air Quality section discloses that plumes can be over 10,000 meters long and 500 meters tall 3-4% of daylight hours The plume studied in the visual simulation is 50 meters long But this section states that very long plumes may be an artifact of the model used to predict the plumes. It also states that if mega plumes do appear, they may be obscured by fog The reality of this very large plume must be assessed more fully as they might materially alter the significance of impacts

25 Viewpoint 14, Greeves Rd. shows little visual impact

26 But mega-plumes may alter that conclusion

27 Impacts disclosed in the DEIS Issues with visual components of the DEIS Transmission wires and switchyard Very large plumes Pine Hill Cemetery Community Character and consistency with local plans Other public comments

28 Pine Hill Cemetery was studied in the PDEIS...

29 ... but was omitted from the DEIS, after the Planning Board provided their input on viewpoints to be analyzed It is NOT a state listed resource, but it may be of local importance

30 The Action will be visible in the undeveloped views to the west View from the highest stone wall, looking west

31 Impacts disclosed in the DEIS Issues with visual components of the DEIS Transmission wires Very large plumes Pine Hill Cemetery Community Character and consistency with local plans Other public comments

32 My comments conclude with impacts on Community Character, where the vision for Community Character comes from the Town s Comprehensive Plan The Comprehensive Plan stresses the desire to stay rural, protect productive agricultural areas and focus growth around existing hamlet centers to maintain the scenic quality and rural character of the Town and its hamlets. The town must take a more proactive position towards economic development by encouraging clean low impact commercial enterprises, working to attract and retain target industries, and preparing shovel ready sites for development. The Comprehensive Plan states that the Town needs to improve the gateways to the Town, specifically, the degree to which a community shapes this first impression can say a great deal to visitors about the values of residents and businesses. Currently, the MI district in Wawayanda is large and allows certain uses (i.e. other manufacturing or mining) that are vague or not in line with the Town s vision. Permitted uses and/or district designations need to be redefined.

33 Public comments on visual summarized in memo Public Service Commission Orange County Planning Towns of Goshen & Wallkill Citizens Who Care of Goshen Orange Environment of Goshen The Hursts of Wawayanda Fleckenstein of Middletown Gaston of Slate Hill Greitzer of Wawayanda Other public comments

34 Next steps Most issues discussed herein can be addressed in the FEIS The issue of the missing transmission wires and eastern switchyard is very serious and may require a Supplemental DEIS

35 GEORGE M. JANES & ASSOCIATES Visual Resources &CPV Valley PLANNING with TECHNOLOGY 250 East 87 th Street New York, NY George M. Janes, AICP May 13, 2009

APPENDIX I - AREA PLANS

APPENDIX I - AREA PLANS ROUTE 37 WEST LAND USE PLAN ROUTE 37 WEST LAND USE PLAN Recent land use decisions and development trends have drawn attention to the land within the Route 37 western by-pass area between Route 50 and