SDEIS Appendix D for the Tri-Lakes Reliability Project

The Tri-Lakes 46 kV Reliability Project (the Project) consists of the construction and operation of a 46 kV electric transmission line. The Visual Impact Assessment (“VIA”) for the Project analyzes existing conditions and inventories visual resources within a five-mile buffer of the Project site. Visual impact is assessed in terms of the anticipated change in visual resources, including whether there will be a change to the visual character or quality of significant scenic and aesthetic resources. The methodology used for the evaluation of potential visual impacts generally follows NYSDEC’s policy for Assessing and Mitigating Visual Impacts (DEP-00-2), as well as APA’s Visual Analysis Methodology, and Policy on Agency Review of Proposals for New Telecommunications Towers and Other Tall Structures in the Adirondack Park (“Towers & Tall Structures” policy). The purpose of the VIA is to assess the visual impact of the Project on the surrounding area, and to provide information to aid in decision making during both the APA project review and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) review.

The following is a discussion of the potential visual impacts of the proposed Route 56 West Alternate (the West Alternate), including resource inventory and evaluation. The West Alternate is being considered as an alternate to the permitted route in an SDEIS. The Visual Impact Assessment considers existing conditions, identification of viewpoints within a five-mile buffer from which the West Alternate may be visible, viewshed analyses, and impact assessments for representative viewpoints.

APA’s “Policy on Agency Review of Proposals for New Telecommunications Towers and Other Tall Structures in the Adirondack Park” policy emphasizes achieving “substantial invisibility” when citing and building tall structures within the park. The policy defines substantial invisibility as when a structure:

...and its appurtenant support facilities and access road(s) will not be readily apparent as to size, composition, or color and the structures(s) will, to the maximum extent practicable, blend with the existing background vegetation, other structures or other landscape features as seen from all significant potential public viewing points and as documented by simulation and other visual analysis methods. Potential public viewing points include public roads, navigable waters, and other public places. Substantial invisibility is intended to be applied on a site-specific basis and may be achieved by consolidation of existing visual intrusions… and/or by providing substantial screening or concealment of the structure itself.

The policy states that one way for substantial invisibility to be achieved is by the “consolidation of visual intrusion.” Consolidation of visual intrusion is achieved by colocating equipment on a single, existing tower. Achieving “substantial invisibility” in developed areas, such as Hamlets, where utility poles and lines tend to blend in with the built environment, is more easily obtained than in undeveloped areas, such as “Rural Use” and “Resource Management” areas, where man-made structures stand out more readily. Statutory purposes and policies for these specialized areas are set forth in the Adirondack Park Land Use and Development Management Plan.

Substantial invisibility in the Route 56 corridor will be achieved by consolidation of intrusions by placing the transmission line near the existing road corridor except along the northern segment (see Figure 1, “Project Location”) where the line will be constructed on the west side of Route 56 and will be off set between ±150 and ±400 feet from the road. Here there will be no visual impacts along the road corridor. In some cases, the transmission line and its ROW will overlap the NYSDOT ROW. The proposed transmission line must be located as far from the NYSDOT edge of pavement as practicable. The proposed transmission line is being located as close to the NYSDOT ROW as practicable in order to minimize the visual intrusion. In this particular location, it is important to keep the transmission line along the road corridor to prevent segmentation of Forest Preserve lands. The Bypass Route, as permitted, would prevent uninterrupted expansion of the Forest Preserve to the west.

The Towers & Tall Structures policy is intended to maintain the visual quality and character of project areas, and to avoid undue adverse impacts to scenic vistas, locally important viewsheds, and historic resources. Preferred methods to reduce visibility include: avoid siting of facilities on mountaintops and ridgelines; concealing structures by careful siting, using a topographic or vegetative foreground or backdrop; minimizing structure height and bulk; and using color to blend with surroundings. The use of shorter poles and push braces, along the Forest Preserve lands instead of span guys, will also minimize the visual intrusion of the transmission line.

2. Project Description

A. General

This visual assessment has been conducted in an effort to show the affects of the transmission line ROW clearing adjacent to lands in the Forest Preserve. See Figure 1, “Project Location.” This visual assessment was conducted to analyze the affects of the transmission line on lands adjacent to the Forest Preserve, however, the impacts of the proposed transmission line north of the Forest Preserve lands (north of proposed Pole 183) are addressed in the Visual Impact Summary at the end of this report.

The existing poles along the northern segment of the West Alternate are of the vertical configuration. Poles that will be placed on private lands will be of the vertical configuration. The structures needed to support the proposed 46 kV line will be wood poles that vary in height from 38 to 70 feet above grade. The structures located adjacent to Forest Preserve lands will be the horizontal configuration and will range in height from 38 to 57 feet above grade, with the majority of those at 40 feet above grade. The height of the poles will generally be less than that of the surrounding vegetation.

B. Description of the Route

The West Alternate has a total length of approximately 3.3 miles. The northern 1.9 miles of the West Alternate will be located on the western side of Route 56, set back between ±150 and ±400 feet. This portion of the route is located on private lands and when the route reaches the edge of Forest Preserve, it switches to the east side of Route 56 except for the Hamm’s parcel. At this point, the transmission line will remain on the east side of Route 56 and will be all new construction where no line currently exists.

C. Configuration

The poles along the portion of the West Alternate that runs along Forest Preserve lands will be of a horizontal configuration with a cross arm, creating the “T” shape. The horizontal configuration allows for shorter poles, which allows for the use of push braces and avoids span guys. To shorten the height of the poles adjacent to the Forest Preserve the Applicant is not providing space on the poles for cable or telephone distribution. The poles throughout the segment of the West Alternate that are along private property will be the vertical configuration pole. These poles are taller, and require span guys in some locations. They are used, however, because cable, telephone and multiple phase local distribution are necessary.

D. Right-of-Way

The sub-transmission line ROW for this section of the West Alternate is on lands that will be removed from the Forest Preserve by Constitutional Amendment. The sub-transmission line ROW in this section is 32 feet from the centerline in encumbered Forest Preserve lands. The width of the transmission line ROW toward the NYSDOT ROW will vary depending on how close to the road the transmission line is located. The width of clearing will, in most cases, be minimized because the sub-transmission line ROW is adjacent to the existing NYSDOT ROW, and in many cases overlaps the NYSDOT ROW. Outside the cleared sub-transmission line ROW, danger tree removal will occur on a selective basis and will vary in width and extent depending on the vegetation present.

3. Regional and Local Landscape

Landscape character is largely determined by the topography, land use, vegetation and water features that contribute to area views. In terms of climatic, geological, ecological, and spatial characteristics, the Adirondack Park can be considered a single regional landscape, and thus the study area is entirely within this single regional landscape.

Low population density, moderate to heavy forest cover and rolling topography characterize the Project environs. The Project area is located within the Adirondack lowlands. The St. Lawrence River Valley is located to the north and northwest of the Project area, and the Adirondack highlands are located to the east. The region’s rolling variable topography limits long vista opportunities. Dense deciduous forest, meandering streams, and shallow wetlands limit view opportunities from woods and water.

4. Methodology

The VIA evaluates existing conditions in order to determine the anticipated change in visual resources, including whether there would be a change in character or quality of the view with respect to significant scenic and aesthetic resources. The methodology used for the evaluation of potential visual impacts generally follows APA’s Visual Analysis Methodology policy¹ and NYSDEC’s Visual Resources Assessment Policy (NYSDEC Program Policy DEP-00-2)². Viewpoints were selected based on review of the area, zone of potential visibility analysis, correspondence with the APA, and field visits.

First, an inventory of cultural, historic and aesthetic resources is conducted for the immediate region. The Project design is then electronically modeled and inserted into a USGS base plan. The zone of visibility map was created with the benefits of vegetative screening. The digital elevation model (DEM) used for the analysis is a 10-meter resolution model and was created by the New York State Department Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) from USGS topography. Vegetation is assumed to be sufficiently dense to block views when it is an intervening feature between the viewer and the target and was assumed to be an average of 50 feet in height. In many cases, vegetation along the West Alternate route is at least 50 feet tall.

Based on an analysis of the Zone of Potential Visibility maps done in the DEIS, it was determined that there are no views of the West Alternate ROW from any other point in the zone except the Route 56 roadway corridor.

Zones of potential visibility are field verified and photos taken. These photos are used to create simulations of the West Alternate Route upon completion. A comparison of the “before” and “after” photos is made and discussed in the context of landscape character and receptor activity. Mitigation is identified if warranted, based upon the anticipated degree of impact.

Visual assessments are supported with the use of photographs taken from particular vantage points, important viewpoints or topographic features, and during field investigations. Photographs are taken at two focal lengths. The standard focal lengths are 50mm and 80mm.

Photographs are taken with a 50mm focal length in order to accurately portray human eyesight. The angle of view produced with a 50mm focal length is 45 degrees, which is roughly the same as that of the human eye. The angle of view produced by a 50mm focal length is therefore an accurate representation of what a viewer sees in the field when looking at a particular object. A photograph taken with a 50mm focal length maintains the same proportions as was seen in the field.

An 80mm focal length is used to more closely replicate what the human actually sees in terms of detail. Photographs taken at this focal length are used to identify objects and locate balloons (used as a tool for visual analysis in the field) in the photographs which may be hard to see at the 50mm focal length.

Photo simulations are generally done using the photographs taken with the 50mm focal length to accurately portray what a viewer is likely to see.

For this VIA, a 35mm focal length was also used in order to portray a wider view of the roadway corridor. Some of the simulations use the 35mm photos to show a complete view of the corridor.

A. Zone of Potential Visibility Maps

Two map figures were initially created for the DEIS to identify zones within the five-mile buffer of the preferred and alternate routes where views of the now permitted project (2005325) would potentially exist. A typical pole height of 61 feet was used (±20 feet taller than the poles being installed adjacent to Forest Preserve lands). Computer software is used to determine zones where views may exist and zones where views are screened. These maps were used for fieldwork and preliminary investigations. It was determined from these maps that there are no views of the corridor except when traveling within the Route 56 corridor. Therefore, all of the photos and visual analysis for this VIA were taken within the corridor.

B. NYSDEC Visual Policy Resource Inventory This section addresses an inventory of visual resources located within the project study area

(i.e. within a five-mile buffer of the West Alternate Route) in accordance with NYSDEC’s Visual Resources Assessment Policy, see Figure 2, “Aesthetic Resources.” An inventory of various cultural resources within the study area was compiled from various databases.

o A property on or eligible for inclusion in the National or State Register of Historic Places?

§ None within the 5-mile buffer of the permitted project (2005-325).

o State Parks?

§ None within the 5-mile buffer of the permitted project (2005-325).

o Urban Cultural Parks?

§ None within the 5-mile buffer of the permitted project (2005-325).

o The State Forest Preserve?

There are four State Forest Preserves within the 5-mile buffer of the permitted project (2005-325). They are the Grass River Forest Preserve, Raquette Boreal Forest Preserve, Shaker Mountain Forest Preserve, and Wilcox Lake Forest Preserve.

o National Wildlife Refuges, State Game Refuges, or State Wildlife Management Areas?