MOU with Thurston Counties for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
APPROVE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ) RESOLUTION NO. 18- 1 bS
BETWEEN LEWIS AND THURTON COUNTIES FOR )
SKOOKUMCHUCK WIND ENERGY PROJECT
WHEREAS, Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC is seeking to site, permit, construct and operate a
wind energy generation facility(Project) to be located in both Lewis and Thurston Counties; and
WHEREAS, a Special Use Permit (SUP) application, requiring a decision by a Hearings Examiner, a
Substantial Development permit application and an Environmental Checklist have been submitted to
Thurston County; and
WHEREAS, Shoreline Substantial Development permit application and a State Environmental Policy Act
Checklist has been submitted to Lewis County; and
WHEREAS, at the request of Thurston County, Lewis County has assumed lead agency for complying
with SEPA's procedural requirement for this Project as authorized by WAC 197-11-050; and
WHEREAS,Thurston County is a cooperating agency, having physical and regulatory jurisdiction for a
portion of the Project; and
WHEREAS, it appears to be in the best public interest to approve the Director signing the Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU).
NOW THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED the Counties agree to coordinate their respective regulatory roles
for Project review as described in the MOU; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners approves the
MOU with Thurston County and authorizes the Director to sign the same on behalf of Lewis County.
DONE IN OPEN SESSION THIS In DAY OF AA/tTk -, 2018.
APPROVED AS TO FORM: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Jonathan Meyer, Prosecuting Attorney LEWIS COUNTY,WASHINGTON
By: Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney E: - . Fund, Chair if
/
ATTEST: •••••• Robert C. Jackson, Vice Chair
••5 COUNT •• I
•Q , • �4 6ARD O N'ys •
•0444 i 4> tt•
Rieva Lester, Clerk of the Board • \SINCE Gary Sta •er, Co missi•ner
I i o!
••\ 1845
o,
•••o`IbrrstssO:•
••••••
LEWIS COUNTY&THURSTON COUNTY AGREEMENT FOR REGULATORY
PROCESS AND SEPA LEAD AGENCY:
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR
SKOOKUMCHUCK WIND ENERGY FACILITY PROPOSAL
This Agreement for Regulatory Process and SEPA Lead Agency("Agreement")is entered
into by Lewis County(Lewis)and Thurston County(Thurston),collectively,the"Parties,"
pursuant to WAC 197-11-944.
RECITALS
A. Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC (SKOOKUMCHUCK or"Project
applicant") is seeking to site, permit, construct and operate a wind energy generation
facility("Project").
B. The Project includes but is not limited to construction of an office building and
maintenance yard in Thurston County and improvements to Thurston County roads
necessary to access the Project and deliver equipment, including the turbines. The
Project also includes thirty-eight (38)wind turbines and a transmission line and related
facilities to be located in Lewis County, in the state of Washington, on real property
described in Exhibit A hereto. The Project is briefly described in Exhibit A to this
Agreement and the proposed location is illustrated in the map attached as Exhibit B. The
Project facilities described and shown in Exhibits A and B are to be permitted and
developed by SKOOKUMCHUCK.
C. The Project is not subject to the site certification and operational oversight jurisdiction
of the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.
D. As of the date of this Agreement, a Special Use Permit ("SUP") application requiring a
Type III quasi-judicial decision by a Hearings Examiner, pursuant to TCC 20.60.020, as
well as a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit application and Environmental
Checklist,have been submitted to Thurston County.
E. As of this date, a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Checklist and a Shoreline
Substantial Development Permit application have been submitted to Lewis County.
F. RCW 43.21C ("SEPA")will apply to the proposed facilities described in Exhibits A
and B and must be complied with prior to approval of Thurston County's Special Use
Permit. Other related permits are likely to be required by Thurston County as well.
G. The project applicant stipulates to the issuance of a Determination of Significance under
SEPA and preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement("EIS").
H. Lewis and Thurston County(Counties) acknowledge that it is in the interest of the
public to maintain a transparent and coordinated approach to each party's respective
regulatory process in furtherance of the Local Project Reform Act, RCW 36.7013.
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 1
I. The Counties acknowledge that, in preparation of its EIS, SKOOKUMCHUCK must
assess and review potential impacts from the proposed facilities described in Exhibits A
and B, which impacts affect both jurisdictions. Lewis County will act as lead SEPA
agency and, in its review of the EIS, will follow the general policy for avoiding
duplication, promoting certainty, and emphasizing important environmental impacts and
alternatives for the project as a whole, pursuant to WAC 197-11-030.
J. The Counties desire to set forth, in this Agreement, the respective roles of each agency
in conducting and coordinating regulatory review, including without limit a description
of each agency's duties, aspects on how information will be shared, how appeals of
decisions made hereunder shall be managed, and under what circumstances the MOU
can be dissolved.
NOW,THEREFORE, the Counties agree to coordinate their respective regulatory
roles for Project review as follows:
1. SEPA: Lewis County is the lead agency for complying with SEPA's
procedural requirement for this Project as authorized by WAC 197-11-050.
Thurston County is a cooperating agency, having physical and regulatory
jurisdiction over a portion of the Project.
1.1. Lewis County's Responsibilities:
Lewis County shall take sole lead responsibilities, including without limit,
threshold determinations, scoping, preparation and content of environmental
impact statements, contractor selection, and related public processes. In
discharging these duties, Lewis County has primary responsibility for
compiling and assessing information on all the environmental aspects of the
proposal.
Lewis County's SEPA responsible Official is directly responsible for ensuring
adequate environmental analysis is done and that SEPA procedural requirements
are met. Lewis County is willing to assume such duties and responsibilities.
All SEPA document(s), including without limit,environmental checklists,
technical studies,agency and interested party comments, whether written or
transcribed from oral presentation, shall be received by and maintained in the
records of Lewis County;provided,however,that Lewis County shall forward
verbatim copies to Thurston County of all SEPA documents upon request.
The adopted SEPA public notice and hearing procedures, and local appeal
procedures of Lewis County shall govern this proposal. Venue, for SEPA
purposes, shall be in Lewis County.
1.2 Thurston County's Responsibilities:
Thurston County shall assume the responsibilities of a cooperating agency only. As a
cooperating agency, Thurston County will provide adequate staffing resources to
ensure active participation in the environmental review process, and shall contribute
data and information relevant to the process for the full extent of the Project.
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 2
Upon request by Lewis County, Thurston County shall timely provide comments and
furnish information,including without limit,comments on draft SEPA documents
and information and records related to any applications and regulatory actions taken
by Thurston County concerning the Project.
1.3 Cost-reimbursement:
Both parties understand that the Project applicant will financially reimburse the
respective Counties for any costs incurred in relation to compliance with applicable
regulatory processes and SEPA. The parties shall seek cost-reimbursement and enter
agreements separately with the Project applicant,as needed.
2. Permitting and Regulatory Review: Each county shall have sole and independent
authority to review and make final decisions on any application filed with it. The Counties agree to
openly coordinate and share information pertaining to regulatory review without limitation as
follows:
2.1. Sharing of Information and Data:
Upon request by the other,the Counties shall openly discuss the status of any
regulatory review process and timely furnish any information and data related to
either county's respective regulatory review.
2.2. Public Process and Appeals:
Each county shall coordinate the timing and locations of any quasi-judicial
hearing needed for issuance of its respective permits. For purposes of appeals, the
record shall be kept separate for each respective hearing, and any administrative
or judicial review shall occur separately and according to the jurisdiction making
the final decision on a given application.
3. Dissolution: Either County may voluntarily withdraw from this Agreement.
Provided however,that the county seeking to withdraw must first deliver to the other county a
Notice of Intent to Withdraw(NOI),transmitted electronically. Upon delivery of the NOI,the
counties shall attempt to seek resolution of any dispute in good faith within 14 days of receipt of
the NOI.
4. Effective Date. The effective date of this Agreement is the date appearing
below. This Agreement shall continue until terminated in accordance with Section 3 above,
withdrawal of the Applicant's proposal prior to issuance of all its required permits, or upon
completion of all SEPA environmental review processes and application review, including
conclusion of all appeals challenging any final decision.
5. Notices. The following persons shall be the contact persons for all
communications:
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 3
For Lewis: For Thurston:
Re Agreement: Robert Smith
Lee Napier Senior Planner, Community Planning
Director, Community Development and Economic Development Department
2025 NE Kresky Ave. 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW
Chehalis, WA 98532 Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 740 2606 (360) 754-4023 smithr @thurston.wa.us
Re Permitting:
Karen Witherspoon
Senior Project Planner, Community Development
2025 NE Kresky Ave.
Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740 2637
6. Construction. This Agreement has been reviewed and revised by legal counsel
for each County, and no presumption or rule that ambiguities shall be construed against the
drafting party shall apply to the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement.
7. Calculation of Time. All time periods set forth in this Agreement shall be
calculated in actual calendar days, unless otherwise provided.
8. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application of any
provision of this Agreement to a particular situation is held by a court of competent jurisdiction
to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, such provision shall be disregarded and this Agreement
shall continue in force and effect unless enforcement of this Agreement without the invalidated
provision would be unreasonable or grossly inequitable under all the circumstances or would
frustrate the purposes of this Agreement.
9. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with all Exhibits hereto,
constitutes the entire Agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement.
10. Waiver. No provision or condition of this Agreement shall be considered
waived unless such waiver is in writing and signed by the party to be bound.
11. Washington Law/Venue. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in
accordance with the laws of the State of Washington. The Parties agree that venue for any
action instituted to enforce this Agreement shall be in the Superior Court of Washington for
Lewis County.
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 4
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by the Parties hereto
on this_ l q day of 1,01)01C3l , 2018
LE IS COUNTY THURST• r 0 T
•
/
Director, P irector, /
Lewis County Community Development Thurston County Community Planning and
Economic Development Department
Attest: Attest:
c_
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 5
EXHIBIT A
Project Description
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 6
EXHIBIT B
Map
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 7
EXHIBIT A
Project Description
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 6
ATTACHMENT A-PROJECT DESCRIPTION I I
PROPOSED ACTION
1,1 INTRODUCTION
The Applicant,Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project, LLC(Applicant)is proposing to construct and operate
a commercial-scale wind energy generation facility called the Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project
(Project) in Lewis and Thurston counties In southwestern Washington.The Project is a renewable energy
generation facility that will consist of up to 38 wind turbine generators(WTGs)with a nameplate capacity
of up to 137 megawatts(MW).The majority of the Project will be located within Lewis County,with the
remainder of the Project in Thurston County(See Figure 1 for a map of the Project Area),The Project will
be located primarily on private land owned by Weyerhaeuser Company(Weyerhaeuser) in Lewis County.
1.2 PROPOSED ACTION OBJECTIVE,PURPOSE AND NEED
The objective of the Proposed Action is to construct and operate a wind energy generation facility in Lewis
and Thurston counties, Washington. The purpose of the Project is to generate renewable wind energy
available for private and public utilities In order to meet the demands and need for renewable energy
resources. This form of renewable energy qualifies under the definition of the State of Washington's
Energy Independence Act(RCW 19.285).This statute mandates that by the year 2020,the state's largest
electric utilities meet 15 percent of their retail electric load with renewable electricity.
The purpose of the Project is to construct and operate a new electrical generation resource using wind
energy that will meet a portion of the projected growing regional demands for electricity. In the Pacific
Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act, Congress established that development of
renewable resources should be encouraged in the Pacific Northwest(16 USC§839[1](BD).The Act defines
wind power as a renewable resource(§839a(161).
The Project will provide low-cost renewable electric energy to meet the growing needs for renewable
energy in the Northwest. The Project has transmission and interconnection requests under review with
Puget Sound Energy (PSE); PSE has also identified its intent to purchase the power generated by the
Project in support of its"Green Direct"program where renewable energy is offered to larger commercial
and industrial customers and government entities(PSE 2017a).Although the Pacific Northwest region is
anticipated to experience low long-term load growth,demand for electricity generated from renewable
sources is expected to increase,
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) has estimated that long term load growth will
continue to range from less than less than one half to 1 percent (NWPCC 2016).These load growths are
anticipated to be primarily addressed through load reductions resulting from energy efficiency. In the
shorter term, the NWPCC anticipates region-wide acquisition of approximately 400 MW of effective
capacity by 2021 In order to maintain an adequate power supply, some of which is anticipated to be
renewable (Winkle 2017; NWPCC 2017). Less clear from the NWPCC's 2016 Plan is how demand for
renewable energy will be Influenced bythe known and scheduled retirement of significant coal generation
facilities providing substantial electrical resources for the Northwest. Further,the NWPCC Plan does not
account for the emerging market for commercial, industrial and municipal entities' direct purchase and
acquisition of renewable energy to serve their own energy needs.
Notwithstanding utilities continuing to plan to acquire renewables to meet Washington's Renewable
Portfolio Standard(RPS)by 2020(PSE 2015;Avlsta 2017),additional demand will continue to be generated
1
by other West Coast states having adopted more stringent standards;for example,California has raised
its target to 50 percent by 2030 (California Senate Bill 350 (2015)) and Oregon to 50 percent by 2040
(Oregon Senate Bill 1547(2016)).
In addition, to meet the specific demand of municipalities and private consumers, regional utilities are
now offering renewable power through green tariff products energy to municipalities and private
customers via green tariffs (PSE 2017b; PacifiCorp 2017). Finally, as noted above, substantial private
commercial and industrial power consumers and municipalities are also directly acquiring their own
renewable resources to counterbalance the impact of additional loads that they are adding regionally,as
well as replacing conventional generation with renewable energy(Tyler 2017).Wind energy generation
facilities must be located in areas with adequate and reliable wind resource,in relative proximity to the
regional transmission system, and where they are compatible with existing land uses and land use plans
and regulations. The Environmental Impact Statement EIS will further describe how the proposed Project
location will meet these criteria.
The Applicant has collected several years of regional and Project-specific meteorological data within the
Project Area.These data were correlated with 20 years of historical regional data to project an operating
pattern for a wind farm at the proposed location.The monitoring data indicate the prevailing winds are
primarily from the west. Importantly,the Project is sited in an area with winter peaking winds.This allows
for optimal winter power generation which is a highly valued resource within the regional electrical grid.
The onsite meteorological data verify that there is sufficient resource to support and justify a commercial-
scale wind farm of the capacity proposed by the Applicant.
1.3 LOCATION OF PROPOSED ACTION
The Project is located in Lewis and Thurston counties in southwestern Washington(Figure 1).The Project
is located approximately 26,4 miles southeast of Olympia, 17 m'les southeast of Tenino,21 miles east of
Chehalis and the Interstate 5 (i-5) corridor(Figure 1). The Project Area, consisting of the parcels upon
which the Project elements will be constructed,comprises approximately 25,000 acres.The Project Area
includes the locations for the WTGs,the gen-tie line,the Operations and Maintenance(O&M)Facility,and
the interconnection at PSE's Tono substation. The WTGs, Project substation, and medium voltage
electrical collection system will be located In the Project Area within the micrositing corridor, which
consists of the lands the Applicant will lease from Weyerhaeuser in order to Implement the Project.The
Project location where N/TGs will be constructed is a ridgeline that ranges in elevation from approximately
1,476 feet to 3,445 feet with lower elevation stream-lined valleys to each side (Figure 1).The WTGs will
be constructed on the ridge.Project access roads(as distinguished from offsite haul routes)will be located
on privately owned land actively managed for commercial timber production.Other Project facilities will
be located in the valleys extending west of this ridgeline. Project transmission facilities will be located
within right of way corridors established on public and private lands. The gen-tie line will follow or be
located near existing Weyerhaeuser roads and existing industrial development and commercial forestry
operations; a portion of the gen-tie line will be located in or along public right-of-way (Figure 1).The
Project will interconnect at the existing PSE Tono substation,located adjacent to the Centralia Coal Plant.
The O&M Facility will be located within a 5-acre area co-located with the Weyerhaeuser Vail tree farm
operations and yard facility near the unincorporated community of Vail,
The Project Area is located in a rural, lightly populated area that is characterized primarily by commercial
forestry use.Land in the portion of the Project Area proposed for wind turbine development Is commercial
timber land characterized by a mix of recently harvested areas and timber stands of varied ages.
2
The closest public road to the Project site Is Vali Loop Road SE. The nearest residence to the WTGs is
located approximately 3.2 miles northwest of the northern-most WTG. Residences are also located near
the O&M Facility.
1.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION
The principal permanent components of the Proposed Action include:
• Up to 38 WTGs with a combined nameplate generation capacity of up to 137 MW
• A medium voltage(34.5-kilovolt (kV])electrical collection system linking each WTG to the Project
substation
• A Project substation where the electrical voltage of the electrical current produced is increased
("stepped up")from 34.5 kV to 115 kV
• An up to 17-mile-long aboveground 115-kV gen-tie line used to transmit the electrical current
from the Project to the existing PSE Tono substation and equipment allowing interconnection to
PSE's substation
• An access road system
• An O&M Facility
• Up to three permanent meteorological towers
• Safety,control,and security systems
Project elements will be located within micrositing corridors as described in Section 1.4.9 below.
Several temporary meteorological towers have been erected within the State Environmental Policy Act
(SEPA) Study Area to support characterization of the wind resource. Permits have been secured for the
temporary meteorological towers.
1.4.1 Wind Turbines and Towers
This EIS will analyze impacts and present mitigation for a Project of up to 38 WTGs with a combined
nameplate capacity of up to 137 MW. Modern commercial WTGs are available In a variety of sizes and
generation capacities, with the overall dimensions of the WTG not always proportional to its rated
electrical generation capacity.Commercially available turbines constructed on monopoles currently have
tower heights ranging from 80 meters to 105 meter(262 feet to 344 feet)and rotor blades extending
from a central nacelle with a rotor diameter ranging from 108 meters to 136 meters(354 feet to 446 feet).
For purpose of the analysis which will be presented in the EIS, the Applicant will consider an illustrative
WTG composed of a tower of approximately 82 meters(270 feet)and a rotor diameter of 136 meters(446
feet), resulting in an overall turbine maximum tip height (blade in the vertical position ) of 152 meters
(499 feet).A typical commercially available turbine and tower dimensions is illustrated in Figure 2.
The towers are mounted on a reinforced concrete foundation.The tower is tapered from the base to the
hub, with a base diameter of approximately 14 feet.The tower is hollow and houses a ladder to access
the nacelle and electrical components.A controller box is situated at the base within the tower.Access to
the tower is restricted by a locked steel door for safety and security reasons. Each WTG will be mounted
3
at the center of a permanent concrete pedestal which Is the uppermost portion of the turbine foundation
extending 6 to 18 inches above-ground(see foundation description below).
The typical arrangement of a turbine site during construction is illustrated in Figure 3, Turbine
construction requires temporary workspaces,with a diameter of approximately 300 feet roughly centered
on each turbine,depending on terrain and access,to facilitate construction. Because of the existing hilly
terrain, WTG construction sites will be irregular in shape; however, each site will accommodate the
following elements. Access to the WIG construction site will be established from the adjacent Project
access road.Once the foundation has been constructed and the WTG site re-graded, an area for turbine
component delivery will be established. An approximately 60-foot-wide by 90-foot-long crane pad will
also be established to allow stable position of the large cranes required to erect the turbine components,
Following construction,the WTG construction site will be stabilized, Permanent surface disturbance will
include the graveled segment of access to the adjacent access road,the crane pad,the 20-foot diameter
pedestal on which the WTG is mounted, and an approximately 20-foot-wide graveled area surrounding
the pedestal which provides access to maintenance vehicles around the periphery of the WTG.
•
With the exception of these permanently graveled areas, the temporary construction workspace will be
revegetated and restored in order to accommodate the Post Construction Monitoring(PCM) maintained
area required for post-construction monitoring associated with the Incidental Take Permit provided by
the USFWS (additional details on the Incidental Take Permit will be provided in EIS).The PCM area will
consist of an area with a radius of approximately 230 feet(70 meters)from the WTG location.
•
•
•
4
I
Figure 2:Typical Commercially Available Turbine and Tower Dimensions I
l
il
i
I
1
�- Diameter:
.x 964.446 feet
/ f 1 1106-136 metei
/
/
\
/ Rotor Blade \
iii I Nacelle / 1
b
{ 1
M I 1 Rotor Hub i
^1
.....____T T I
I
;I
1
ll 1
I
4I \ I / i
1 \ I ,' i
Ch \ 1
Z \ I / i
i
— .-. _
M dal
N e�
Tubular Tower—a a v
�
1
1 I
I I
1
1
I
f
:`;^+- rt?:=a a.:x--ia'r-/..t'/•e..^Y .,•,_). ,e..;. _...,'%.-r. _ >. --.ice.- '.-•;.i—f i.
I
Transformer
i
NOTE:All dimensions are approximate.
5
Figure 3:Typical Arrangement of Turbine Footprint during Construction
•
TURBINE BLADE DEuVgtY VfliCL r�,•
TURBINE CCA!PCNENT `,•
DELIVERY AREA /s, `,
I CRANE PAD
t w• f ,
i
I ��
i ,
S % tiF •
J
l /. UNDERGROUND
�e ELECTRICAL
E l \ IIS / CIRCUIT
S
I WIND NRDINE UNITS OF TURBINE SITE
5 TOWER BASE
1 . "--------. tt JD' ec' 21
KIND TURBINE �'
t
FOUNDATION
SCALE: 1"=60'
i SKOOKUMCHUCK-WIND ENERGY PROJECT
E 11I9 CLUNK 19 Illt Pb]i EATY Cr IIES AU[AIGA O0CSMIXICI1 MG lee Ip 91 1MCrX1U1 MI OE Y1TE 91111CIE 01 M MT 11YI',i3r p130N551Cot
AOA minims FAN TM CE?1CA U1:NOT PEAWTIEO 911WT OPCINLMTAU9 Mt51;0I A 11T;m em L LewitT Otle Womb et tic teameL
4'1."1°' RES AMERICA [MX DATE DESCRIPTION GRER APPO PRO.E7 NO: 1 25029
me CONSTRUCTION INC. A 120n? Isskn Exy OIT uN wt CUM N
i r11C1=gala Ail SLUG 413
25029C3909
nH1�WU. l.1Ui.t1IICl0.i0 lY7Tt1
713210E(,1011 4.)D-S40.
F i4•CIA 4'�9'-1239
I
6
Nacelle
The nacelle houses several of the turbine components,including the turbine's main shaft,gearbox,brakes,
bearings, cooling system, hydraulic systems, yaw gears, generator, and in some models the step-up
transformer is located in the nacelle, The nacelle and the associated components (without the blades)
weigh approximately 41 tons,
The nacelle will also have an anemometer to measure wind speeds and direction,which In turn controls
the yaw mechanism to turn the nacelle and rotor to capture the wind.The Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA)will also require lighting on selected turbines.The lighting scheme will be determined in consultation
with the FAA.Additional details concerning turbine lighting per FAA requirements will be included in the
EIS.
Turbine Blades and Rotor
Three turbine blades attach to the turbine's main shaft via a blade hub.The blades will be made of carbon
fiber, wood composite, laminated fiberglass, or a combination of materials depending on engineering
specifications.Specific blade dimensions and rotor swept areas are not yet known but will be provided in
the EIS.
The rotor's rotational speed ranges from 6 to 16 revolutions per minute. The turbines operate on a
variable pitch principal in which the rotor blades rotate about their axis to maintain an optimum position
to maximize electrical output for wind speeds while maintaining a constant rotational speed.The turbines
will begin to generate electricity at wind speeds of approximately 6 miles per hour(mph)and will be shut
down at speeds exceeding 56 mph,
Foundations
Each WTG will sit atop a steel and concrete foundation designed for the specific subsurface conditions at
the individual WTG sites. The foundation designs will conform to state and county requirements and
standard industry practices.There are two industry standard foundation designs—pier and spread footing
--that may be used for the Project depending on the WTG location and the geotechnical conditions.
Foundations will be designed by a registered engineer licensed in the State of Washington who selects
the appropriate foundation design for each WTG location based on site-specific geotechnical information,
load-bearing recommendations of the geotechnical engineer,and specifications of the WTG provided by
the WTG manufacturer, Examples of typical WTG foundations are illustrated in Figure 4.
The inverted-T foundation is a spread footing that employs a relatively shallow concrete base with a
relatively large diameter. The base will extend approximately 10 feet below the surface grade and is
expected to be between 50 and 6S feet in diameter.The top of the concrete pedestal will extend between
6 and 18 Inches above finished grade and be up to 20 feet in diameter.The WTG tower is fastened to the
foundation by tensioned anchor bolts that run through the WTG tower base flange down into the concrete
base.A layer of grout 2 to 3 Inches thick and, depending on the WTG model, possibly a steel ring, are
typically located between the WTG tower base flange and the concrete pedestal.
7
co
fi \ /9
ftI t §. # .
_ _ J ,•
x . a
.
. #
•
•.
! , p N
14! . \3
/\ V,
Alit:.
l
(\�
:L1i
••
2 \
t - _
IL � :
. z® § <
f
�� } . �
� ��_<, - \ :
] ° 2
. / �� = ƒ
a f / .1 2
R $ \\ j ,
= ® \�• ` °
] /�
t ,
2 #
\ . . : . &\
/ \ : \. \ /\
§ .. E
L_
6
A permanent crane pad and cleared area will be maintained around each WTG for maintenance and
access. All temporary impacts associated with WTG foundation installation will be reclaimed where
appropriate.The anticipated duration for the construction of turbine foundations is 2 to 3 months.
1.4.2 Medium Voltage Electrical Collection System
The Project will include a medium voltage electrical collection system to collect energy generated at the
WTGs and transmit such energy to the Project substation, A transformer at each WTG tower transforms
the power generated at the WTG at approximately 690 volts to 34.5 kV for delivery to the Project
substation. Each WTG's transformer will be enclosed in the nacelle.
The energy will be delivered via underground cables("collector lines")to the proposed Project substation.
Where reasonably possible,the Applicant will place collector lines parallel to or under access roads.During
construction of the Project,the Applicant will clear these combined access road/collector line rights-of-
way(ROWs)that will be to 50 to 100 feet wide.After construction of the Project,the Applicant will reduce
the maintained combined access road/collector line ROW width to 30 feet to allow for continued access.
Where collector lines cannot follow access roads,the Applicant will clear collector line-only ROWs to a
width of approximately 5D feet per trench during construction and will reduce the maintained ROW to 15
feet or less after construction to allow for continued access.Approximately 120 miles of underground
collector system cable will be installed,All collector cables will be constructed underground,and there
will not be any aboveground placement.
Underground collector cables will be buried between WTGs by digging trenches up to 3 feet wide and
approximately 4 to 5 feet deep, placing the cables in these trenches, and then backfilling the trenches
with excavated soils.Alternatively,cables will be placed below the roads to minimize impacts or where
there is limited space adjacent the roads.Imported fill materials may be required in certain locations to
appropriately bed the medium voltage cables In the trenches.In areas where collector cables from several
strings of turbines follow the same alignment(for example,near the proposed substation)sets of cables
will be installed approximately 20 feet apart in separate trenches to prevent overheating and other issues,
1.4.3 Project Substation
An electrical substation wit!be constructed in the vicinity of the WTGs to provide a step up in voltage from
the 34.5 kV power collection system to the 115 kV voltage transmitted in the gen-tie line that conveys
Project power to the interconnection at the Tono substation. The proposed location of the Project
substation is shown in Figure 1, near Turbine 515, A 34.5 to 115 kV power transformer will be located
within the Project substation, along with disconnect switches and communication equipment. The
transformer will raise the voltage from 34.5 kV to 115 kV to meet the voltage of the receiving PSE electric
transmission system and the Tono substation. In addition to the transformer, disconnect switches and
metering relays, the substation will have a small metering and operating building that will house the
power generation control and relaying equipment,station batteries, and the onsite Supervisory Control
and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System, which will communicate operations information with the
transmission control information system.
The entire substation area will be cleared,graded,covered with gravel and surrounded by a chain-link
fence. The transformers will be located on slab on grade foundations. The completed substation will
occupy up to approximately 5 acres.The substation wilt be designed to meet the standards of the National
Electric Safety Code and the interconnection requirements of PSE.A maintenance yard and vehicle shelter
9
will be constructed within the substation area and will be used to store spare parts, road maintenance
vehicles,and fire-fighting equipment.
1.4.4 Project Gen-tie line and Interconnection
The gen-tie line is proposed to be located entirely within Lewis County (see Figure 1). The gen-tie line
originates at the Project substation,and is then aligned as follows.The first portion of the gen-tie corridor
will be located on private lands within new ROW established,starting at the Project substation,directed
westward; the gen-tie line ROW will then parallel the private Road 150 westbound until reaching Big
Hanaford Road. The remainder of the gen-tie line corridor will be located in Lewis County public ROW
directed westbound along Big Hanaford Road, and then Hanaford Valley Road until the location of the
Tono substation. Overall,this alignment will measure approximately 17 miles in length.
The gen-tie line will connect to P5E's transmission system at the Tono substation, also within Lewis
County. Gen-tie line support structures will consist of monopoles or H-frame structures, not exceeding
115 feet in height.The exact placement of the structures has not been engineered;each location will need
to have geo-tech borings for foundation design in conjunction with and approved by County engineering.
Currently,it is estimated that approximately 125 support structures will be required,of which 113 will be
located along Big Hanaford Road,and the remainden,vill be located on Weyerhaeuser property.However,
the final number of proposed structures will be included in the EIS. •
Structures located on Weyerhaeuser property will be pf H-Frame design,whereas structures located along
Big Hanaford Road will be monopole design, either wood or steel depending on final engineering.The
structures will not support other infrastructure(i.e.,Lewis County PUD distribution lines).
H-frame structures will be employed within the alignment located on Weyerhaeuser lands. Monopoles
will be used in public ROW.The location of the gen-tie-line alignment in public ROW will be selected to
minimize conflicts with existing utility structures.The Applicant may choose to co-locate the gen-tie line
with existing utility lines by replacing existing poles with taller stacked monopoles carrying the gen-tie line
conductor at the top and under building the existing utility line.Or,the gen-tie line may be located on the
•
opposite side of the road from the existing utility line.
Construction access to the gen-tie line alignment will be provided using existing public and private roads
where available. In locations without existing road access, the Applicant will construct a 200-foot wide
ROW generally paralleling the gen-tie line alignment. During construction, a dirt access road will be
established within the 200-foot ROW cleared for installation of the gen-tie line towers and overhead lines.
After construction, only a 100-foot-wide cleared corridor will be required to maintain access during
operations.
Work activities required for interconnection into the Tono substation will be described in the EIS.
Interconnection activities at the Tono substation will not require additional ground disturbance or
modification of the substation'.
'PSE is independently permitting and implementing an expansion of the Tono substation which is unrelated to the
Skookumchuck wind project(Hatfield 2017),
10
1.4.5 Access Roads for Construction and Operation
The Applicant will use existing private access roads within the Project Area to the extent practical. •
However,the Applicant will need to upgrade existing roads and construct new roads to provide sufficient
access.The Applicant will use approximately 36.5 miles of Improved existing access roads and 3.9 miles
of new access roads within the proposed Project Area to access the WTG construction sites. For these
roads,the Applicant requires a cleared ROW width of approximately 40 to 100 feet during construction,
which will be reduced to approximately 20 feet after construction to allow for continued access.
Existing Roads
Existing roads In the Project Area are generally 16 to 20 feet In width.Some road improvements including
widening will be needed to allow use of construction vehicles and transport of WTG parts. Finished
upgraded roads will include a gravel,all-weather surfaced roadbed up to 20 feet wide with an additional
5 feet of shoulder on either side. Some existing culverts will need to be replaced with larger-diameter or
longer culverts as necessary. Any Impacts to drainages or jurisdictional waters will be identified before
construction and applicable state and federal permits will be obtained prior to construction. In addition,
all culvert and drainage Improvements will be made according to state and county regulations.Additional
•
details concerning potential culvert replacements will be included in the EIS.
New Access Roads
In areas where existing roads do not provide access,new graveled roads will be needed. Approximately •
3.9 miles of new roads will be constructed for the Project.Generally,these new roads will be 20 feet wide,
with additional 5-foot permanent shoulders on either side.An additional 5-foot temporary shoulder may
be needed during construction. The temporary shoulder will be reclaimed upon completion of
construction and returned to Its original use. Additionally, some existing roads may need additional •
temporary shoulders for turnaround areas for larger vehicles. These areas will also be reclaimed upon
completion of construction.New roads will be constructed and maintained in compliance with state and
county regulations.Additional detail regarding Project road construction activities will be included in the
EIS.
Regional Haul Routes
In addition to the roads directly accessing the Project facilities, the Project will use regional roads to
transport Project components from various ports of entry into Washington State.The main access routes
to Project facilities are located north and west of the Project Area.The O&M Facility will be accessed via
the public road network originating at various locations in Thurston County and terminating at Vail Loop
Road SE.A new access to Vail Loop Rd SE will be required to allow construction and operations ingress
and egress from the O&M Facility.
Certain project components(e.g.,oversized parts,turbine blades and towers)will be shipped via marine
vessels. Several public ports are located in Western Washington with capability to receive freight via
marine vessels and trans load to rail and road transportation methods for delivery throughout the state
including the Centralla-Chehalis urbanized area and then westward towards the Project location.These
include for example the Ports of Tacoma or Longview. Upon vessel arrival at the selected ports, the
components will be trans-loaded to specialized heavy haul trucks and will be shipped via the existing road
network to the main Project laydown area in the vicinity of the O&M Facility.Because certain components
11
are very long,temporary modifications to roadside areas,and potentially road shoulders may be required
to allow passage of such loads.
A final transportation route has not yet been selected.A final route analysis will be completed once actual
turbine components have been acquired by the Applicant and routes reviewed and approved by WSDOT
and appropriate cities and counties. The Applicant has conducted preliminary analyses of the existing
transportation routes which will most likely be used to transport components from the Port of Longview
and/or Port of Tacoma to the Project Area, Based on these preliminary analyses,some potential route
options are described below for each of the Port options being considered. A more detailed description
of proposed haul routes will be included in the EIS.
• From the Port of Longview,trucks could take SR 432,to I-5 North to 12 East(exit 68).
• From the Port of Tacoma,trucks would either take 1-5 South to WA-512 eastbound (exit 127)or
they would take WA-509 westbound to 1-705 South,to I-5 South,to WA-512 eastbound(exit 127).
Prior to construction,a Traffic Management Plan will be prepared to identify access routes to be used for
various Project components.However,at this time construction access to the WTGs will likely occur from
the following primary access routes:
• From the north:from the O&M Facility on Vail Loop Road SE,eastbound to Gordon Road SE, and
then following Gordon Road SE to the main Weyerhaeuser gated entrance north of the WTG
locations;then following generally south bound existing private Weyerhaeuser roads to proposed
WTG locations
• From the west:from the Town of Bucoda,west bound along 184th Ave SE,then east bound along
Skookumchuck Road SE;and finally along Thompson Creek Road SE Southbound and the existing
private Weyerhaeuser roads to proposed WTG locations.
• From the South:originating from Centralia Alpha Road or SR 508,north bound on Pigeon Springs
Road and the existing private Weyerhaeuser roads to proposed WTG locations.
Construction access to the gen-tie line alignment will be provided using existing public and private roads
where available. In locations without existing road access, the Applicant will construct a ROW generally
paralleling the gen-tie line alignment,During construction a dirt access road will be established within the
200-foot ROW cleared for installation of the gen-tie line towers and overhead lines. Following
construction,for portions of the gen-tie line located on private lands,a two-track dirt or gravel road will
be maintained for access to conduct inspection and maintenance activities.
With the exception of temporary modifications to allow passage of oversize and overweight vehicles,the
Applicant does not propose to improve or permanently modify any of these regional roads,
1.4.6 O&M Facility
A permanent, single-story O&M Facility will be constructed on an approximately 5-acre area located
adjacent to Weyerhaeuser's existing operations center in Thurston County(Figure 1). The entire 5-acre
area will be fenced and have a locked gate.A Typical O&M Facility is shown in Figure 5 below.
The O&M Facility will have approximately 10,220 square feet(0.2 acre)of enclosed space,including office
and workshop areas, a kitchen, bathroom,shower,and utility sink.This structure will be constructed of
sheet metal,and will be approximately 20 feet tall (to the roof peak). The building will be painted In
12
neutral off white or sand color tones to blend into the surrounding environment.Details concerning water
and sewer supply for the O&M Facility will be included in the EIS.Agraveled parking area for employees,
visitors, and equipment will be located adjacent to the building.Electrical power to the O&M Facility will
be provided from the local PSE utility service.
The O&M Facility will house SCADA and telecommunication facilities(see Section 1.4.8).
13
Figure 5:Typical O&M Facility
•
•
•
•
sa2mv r{* ,�sS� 4f�a4F
5;'-Y'1�A `y .iy s
-� ' ` � 1j } I v
{{{{{{{v l
1. ,t
-4,I tr...., i rt+s i i � •l l f �t+ ' ( t /•I I.ii t+ i u; � .c:•:...',!;;;;X ku5 ��.�� - +' � t j 1,-...i.,..- ..'
s, .s p > j ` .+-i ' ` I I'I I ; I I 1 ,1 J i,, 1 .li rl . i l ! t S , bk•b` i � p;, ( . ! i . ,�
i l• il :i ' I„ }'tY�. 1 1 = i+ l 'I } i I�i • 11 jI 1 i ii r l i . :1,, ar1
•� i I' 1 llI.11.11 (, 1 1! il+ I I it .. ' r .. C ,
q, r r'� j'{v� C°' ti l�ai='tei a .CN'. 'fit' w, �.�.{-hJ"47' . t•0:1; ;x �r
�y� ��!i. rkr?K 3 h �!' * t+z-v- 4):'1-l Z ,«��1y. -� 3 r,1: +r.l s {. F,)
`r3 , ,, t. , ;, -+}w .cl rl °� ;• 0, n. f�� '>`a wY..., .+ r i „ • ! v•1 his r � 11,1 a rr ti . .. 3 ts c .
1i7 iiY.S*'C "e1V ;. )I 14 f S (r..4' 2 • '• [ ,., 4 �tl ; .:
< xt '\t Vatrr,fgR1 att� T, k.. ;- or I.14 t;;;& �'�.. `.r S,ai-.. ., • >
a_ �k�t Y '� h Z',wt C�. l 2 i��.�. "�, � a y.- � � ` . 1., '+'yt%"t'w1;'q' 3 rty ifa,)+'- ” +t- S ....-.,,A,1
;^;• ' �t p�T4(4 ' J'S? R }�d`4 �4 }Y i '?:Sr �` , s{
a d'J r��� +fi•�} ''+ ;1,tn. a+. 44+t• PA, � Mb. '�. "'".,`�< �_'� �ao�,.��.�J\r:�:c-'••�s - e• .• )
jr ,'v .;iyj'*li'.k%)i-L''.1 ''fir t+'10r , . A, -A 4*-0 -::: .-- fis: n'•`.,..%leTp.+.c-S3 ...r,ti:t.
..NN k ` f t ,} y4 'ti ..p. 'tit: ` .w'.. w1,-k�. l3:. t,
;lr r?�a.�'��{4 � .��+ri.�. .2r�. +- iyj !M1'� /� r� �i {.•t.g"'h t.:.,•�S:�it•;y.a...,_'�6;�;.
•.4' Fa.trn '.'121:4ka. 11 `r A' • :.'. R- :i:'.. ,1'.-,. ' x:14 135:��+!:i� 0::: _'� i! ::':,•.;'._c.,.._.,-'^!'i ce
Source:RES 2017.
1.4.7 Meteorological Towers
There will be up to three permanent meteorological towers located within the Project site boundary.The
function of the permanent meteorological towers is to collect wind speed and direction at WTG hub height
as well as temperature,relative humidity,and barometric pressure.These values are used to provide base
data to compare the function of the Individual WTG wind direction and speed sensing equipment.The
data collected by the tower also serves as a historical basis for measuring wind farm actual performance
versus projected performance. •
The location for the permanent meteorological towers will be determined during the mlcrositing process,
The selected site will be based on a meteorologist's recommendations for an onsite location that best
represents the site's meteorological conditions.
The basic design for the tower will depend on the style selected,and additional details concerning tower
design will be included in the EIS,as Project design advances.Depending on the wind turbine selected for
the Project, the WTG will be approximately 221 to 262 feet high at the turbine hub.The meteorological
towers are fairly large at the base with either three or four corners and taper in size up to hub height.
14
Monitoring equipment will be located at the top,with the data logger and power conversion equipment
located at the base.
1.4.8 Safety,Control and Security Systems
The Project will include a communication and control system for monitoring and controlling the WIGs.
The SCADA communication and control system will use fiber-optic communication lines that will run
parallel to the power collection system cables.Each WTG will be equipped with a rotor control and braking
system which will respond automatically to the set controller conditions for cut-out speeds and can be
operated by the operational control center in the O&M Facility.
Aircraft safety lighting will be installed on the exterior of some nacelles to comply with the FAA rules for
structure lighting.Based on current FAA guidance and practice,the Applicant anticipates that a portion of
the 38 WTGs will be equipped with synchronized, low—intensity,flashing red lights(L-864)for nighttime
use in accordance with FAA determination.Additional details concerning WTG lighting will be included In
the EIS.
Each WTG, including rotor blades, will be equipped with lightning protection systems which will be
connected to an underground grounding arrangement to facilitate the flow of lightning energy safely to
the ground, All equipment,cables, and structures comprising the WTG will be connected to a metallic
grounding system.
The 115 kV gen-tie line poles and wire will have a lightning protection grounding system including a
metallic grounding wire for each pole and a static wire paralleling the conductor wires.
The WTG towers will have locked access doors. The substation will be fenced and locked to prevent
unauthorized entry.The O&M Facility will be gated with the ability of gates being locked.
1.4.9 Micrositing Corridors
All terrestrial habitat, critical area assessments,and cultural resource studies required are conducted
within identified study corridors of sufficient width and dimension to enable comprehensive
environmental assessment while allowing flexibility In the final layout. In order to encourage the
maximum sufficiency of studies and to enable the maximum flexibility of final layout based upon site-
specific attributes,the Applicant proposes local review and permitting of"micrositing" corridors within
which all Project all roads,WTG locations,-ground electrical collection system and gen-tie line corridors
locations,and below-ground cable are located.
The Applicant will establish the actual final locations of WTGs, below-ground electrical cables,and above-
ground electrical transmission towers during the mlcrositing process,occurring after environmental and
applicable land use permits have been issued prior to actual construction,All such facilities will be sited
within the study corridors reviewed and approved by the counties. During the micrositing process(when
the final,exact locations of the WTGs and other Project elements and equipment are determined),the
Applicant will typically balance a number of technical and engineering factors,including limitations posed
by the terrain,wind data(speed,wind shear,etc.),feasibility of access,setbacks(internally established or
based on permit requirements), geotechnical considerations (subsurface conditions), environmental
restrictions (avoidance of sensitive habitat), cultural/archeological restrictions (avoidance of cultural
resource sites), telecommunications constraints (line of sight microwave paths),FAA requirements,and
15
other site-specific criteria that are not fully resolved until final engineering and Project design are
completed.
Figure 1 shows the location of WTGs,
1.4.10 Approximate Limits of Disturbance
The approximate limits of temporary and permanent ground disturbance will be included In the EIS.
Temporary disturbance is considered to be construction disturbance area less the permanently occupied
area.
1.5 PROJECT CONSTRUCTION
Construction of the Project is expected to occur from mid-2018 to December 2018,with staff levels of up
to 250 staff per week, depending on work scheduled to occur at the Project site. Construction of the
Project will involve the following tasks at the Project site:
• Harvesting trees in areas that are not already cleared
• Constructing and improving access roads and WTG crane pads
• Constructing foundations for WIG and meteorological towers
• Trenching for underground utilities
• Placing underground electrical and communications cables in trenches
• Constructing the Project substation
• Constructing the O&M Facility
• Temporarily removing obstruction along the WTG component haul route
• Transporting tower sections to the site and assembling towers
• Transporting nacelle,rotor, and other turbine equipment to the site and installing the equipment
on the assembled towers
• Replacing temporarily removed obstructions along the WTG component haul route •
• Final testing
• Final road grading,final erosion control,and site cleanup.
The Applicant will implement typical construction practices to complete the activities above.Typical
construction equipment to be used for the Project is listed as follows in Table 1.
16
Table 1
Typical Construction Equipment
Construction Equipment Use
Excavator Clearing
Bull dozers _ Moving fill,clearing,grading
• Multiple graders Cutting subgrade and final grade
Off-road dump trucks Moving cut or fill material
Compactor Subgrade
Smooth drum vibrating compactor Final subgrade and final grade
Large rubber tire rollers Final grade
Belly dump trailers on tractors Placement of base material
Large excavator Digging foundation hole
Water truck or other vehicle Point load test foundation bottom,dust control
Loader Backfill
Small sheep's foot roller Compaction of each lift for backfill
Telescopic forklift Moving and lowering steel into hole;assembling;turbine
prep
40-60 ton crane Lowering anchoring assembly
Graders(maintainers) Cut subgrade and final grade on pad;Leveling and clearing
work along trench line and leveling at completion of backfill
Off-road dump trucks Moving fill and placing base material _
Larger trencher machine Trenching
Padding machine Placing cable bedding above and below cable
Remote dual drum compactor _ Compacting the trench line in lifts
Smooth drum roller Final compaction on top
Vertical drill rig Drilling
Concrete truck or dry mix machine Pouring concrete
Rotating boom derrick(RBD) Holding pole level and In place In preparation for concrete
Pulling trailers and pulling trucks Guiding the cable
Boom trucks with man baskets Worker access to cables
Rubber tire backhoe Excavation and loading truck
Vibrating roller _ Compaction
Small compaction machine Compacting around foundation
Cranes(multiple sizes) Setting breakers, placing transformers,lifting structures
Man lifts Connecting steel electrical structures and Installing overhead
equipment
Jumping Jack Compaction following pouring of foundation(in small areas)
Batch Plant Batching concrete
Loaders _ Loading aggregate into batch plant
Rock crusher Crush aggregate
Loader Move aggregate material
Dozer Move aggregate material
17
1.5.1 Staging and Equipment Laydown
Staging and equipment lay-down areas will be used.In addition to the O&M Facility yard,these locations
will be selected from sites that are accessible from existing roadways and are currently disturbed, or
where disturbance can be minimized within the Project's mlcrositing corridor.Figure 4 identifies several
such locations.
1.5.2 Crushed Rock and Concrete Production
Aggregate (rock, gravel, sand) will be used for construction-related erosion control, as a material for
constructing new roads or improving existing access roads,surfacing temporary and permanent laydown
areas and yards, and for making concrete used In WTG and other structural foundations.
Aggregate will be sourced from existing permitted quarries. Weyerhaeuser operates existing permitted
quarry pits on their commercial forestry lands.These quarries will be used for the supply of rock for road
surfacing. Other private quarries are also operated in Lewis and Thurston counties(for example Columbia
Granite in Thurston County);such quarries are already equipped with permitted rock crushing equipment.
These quarries will provide rock and sand materials for other uses required at the Project construction
site.
Concrete will be sourced either from permanent concrete batch plants offsite, or will be manufactured
from aggregate delivered to the Project site.If manufactured onsite,the Applicant will also deliver cement
and water to the onsite batch plant(s).A mobile(temporary) batch plant will be located at the center of
the ridge where WTGs will be constructed,near the Project substation yard.
1.5.3 Installation of Erosion and Sediment Control Best Management Practices
Prior to land-disturbing activity, or phased with construction as appropriate, storm water control
measures,such as vehicle access and perimeter control,will be installed.The Applicant will develop and
implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan(SWPPP) in compliance with Project coverage under
Ecology's general NPDES construction storm water permit.
1.5.4 Road Construction
Construction will begin with the Improvement of existing roads and the installation of new gravel access
roads that allow for mobilization to various work sites. Access roads will primarily be constructed off
existing gravel roads adjacent to the site.
1.5.5 Turbine Foundation Construction
WTG locations will be cleared, graded, and foundations excavated. Blasting may be required at WTG
locations where bedrock Is present near the ground surface.An engineered concrete foundation will be
installed in the excavated structure location.Backfill will be provided,and grading will be performed in a
manner to allow for immediate drainage away from each tower.Construction activities include vegetation
clearing,topsoil stripping,excavation,grading,foundation construction,and final grading.
18
1.5.6 Assembly and Erection of Wind Turbines
A crane pad will be used to position the cranes used for the erection of wind turbine structures.
Construction activities include tower Installation,and revegetation of areas to be stabilized.
1.5.7 Medium Voltage Electrical Collection System Installation
Underground cable installation construction activities include topsoil stripping, trenching, Installing
medium voltage cable, and revegetation of disturbed areas unless the cables are under the roads. It is
anticipated that no significant grading is required, except for minor grading of immediate terrain as
necessary for safe access and operation.
1.5.8 Gen-tie Line and Interconnection Installation
The proposed gen-tie line interconnection will be constructed between the Project substation and PSE's
existing Tono substation.Access for construction of the gen-tie line will be via a combination of existing
access roads and new access roads.The construction sequence for the gen-tie fine interconnection will
include the following activities:
• Constructing new access roads,if necessary.
• Establishing a 200-foot construction ROW for the gen-tie line.Vegetation within the ROW will be
cleared and ground surface levelled to allow access of construction equipment. Temporary
stormwater control best management practices will be installed.
• Constructing gen-tie line towers.Gen-tie line towers will be sited and constructed within the gen-
tie line corridor ROW.
• Stringing conductors/static wires. Conductor stringing involves a sequence of running pilot lines
through pre-positioned pulleys located on each tower. A truck mounted, spooled conductor is
then positioned at the beginning of the segment to be strung. Take-up spools, also truck-
mounted,are located at the end of the segment to be installed.Pilot lines are pulled through with
tension maintained and the conductors follow and are left in position on the towers. Installation
is completed by connecting the conductors to the individual insulators, while adjusting the
conductors sag between towers to predetermined dimensions.In some locations,static wires also
will be installed for protection of the gen-tie line. The static wires will be installed in a manner
similar to the conductors.The conductor stringing operation primarily involves the movement of
wheeled vehicles along the access road.
1.5.9 O&M Facility Construction
Construction includes topsoil stripping,grading, excavation, foundation construction, and restoration of
areas to be stabilized.An area surrounding the O&M Facility will be used as a laydown and staging area
during construction of the Project.The area (acreage)required for staging around the O&M Facility is not
known at this time but will be Included in the EIS.
1.5.10 Final Grading and Site Clean-up
Following construction, all residual construction debris will be removed and disturbed areas will be
restored as described in Section 1.5.11.
19
1.5.21 Site Restoration
As Indicated above, several Project components require that area in excess of the final footprint be
disturbed in order to allow approach of construction equipment, construction activities to occur, or for
temporary laydown and storage. Following final grading, these areas of temporary disturbance will be
restored or revegetated where appropriate. The methods and goals for restoration will reflect the
anticipated post-construction uses of these lands.For example:
• Rights of way associated with linear elements may require control of vegetation growth that could
hamper operation of,or access to,the elements located within the ROW.
• Certain areas cleared around WTG pads to allow WTG construction may be returned to active
commercial forestry activities within agreed-upon limits to allow unencumbered energy
production by the turbines.
• Certain areas around cleared turbine pads will be managed consistent with the implementation
of PCM maintained areas.
• Other areas may be returned to original conditions consistent with previous and/or future uses
by the landowner.
The Applicant will develop and implement a Temporary Construction Area Restoration Plan which will
identify the specific restoration activities to be conducted in temporarily disturbed areas. The plan will
identify the goals for future condition at these areas (i.e„ vegetated, industrial use, vehicular access,
commercial forestry), and those conditions that vvill be established to support those goals (e.g., re-
seeding, planting commercial tree crops, resurfacing) while minimizing long-term erosion and run-off
Impacts.
1.5.12 Construction Water Supply and Sewage Disposal
Project construction Is expected to require approximately 18 acre-feet of water over the construction
period. The Applicant proposes to source water from offsite municipal water sources; water wi''I be
delivered to the site via water trucks.For the purposes of Project analysis,it is assumed that water trucks
will travel up to 20 miles one-way to deliver water onsite.
During construction, onsite workers will utilize port-a-potties and/or toilets in construction trailers.
Sewage disposal from these sources will be contracted through the companies providing these services.
The proposed method of sewage disposal at the O&M Facility is not yet confirmed, but at this time it is
likely to consist of an onsite septic system.Further details concerning operational sewage disposal at the
O&M Facility will be described in the EIS.
1.5.13 Temporary Regional Haul Route Modifications
Offsite modifications to transporter haul routes may be required to temporarily remove obstructions for
oversize loads to be delivered to the Project site, Following selection of the final regional routes to be
used,the Applicant or their representatives will confirm the presence of any potential obstructions to
transportation and will temporarily remove such obstructions for the duration of oversize component
transportation activities.Additional details concerning potential modifications to regional haul routes will
be provided in the EIS.
20
1.5.14 Best Management Practices
The Applicant will implement a fugitive dust plan,which will outline monitoring and control measures that
will reduce fugitive dust. These measures typically include visual monitoring, use of water trucks, and
activity curtailment if wind speed and direction make control measures ineffective.The dust control plan
identifies the fugitive dust sources at the construction site and describes all of the dust control measures
to be implemented before,during,and after any dust generating activity for the duration of the Project.
Construction activities resulting in disturbance of one acre or more of land must be in compliance with
the provisions of the Clean Water Act, Section 402. Section 402 established the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System(NP DES)permit program under the US Environmental Protection Agency to
regulate point and non-point source discharges into waters of the United States.As a requirement of the
NPDES permit,a SWPPP must be crafted to meet the site-specific requirements of each project,to outline
procedures to minimize erosion and mitigate sediment transport during and after construction activities.
1.5.15 Construction Schedule and Workforce
Construction of the Project will begin in mid-2018.Construction will take approximately 6 to 9 months.
Project construction may be consecutive or not consecutive depending on weather. The majority of
construction activities on the rldgeline is expected to occur April to December with other Project
construction activities occurring year-round,weather dependent.
The average size of the construction workforce will be about 110 workers,with a peak of approximately
250 workers.Additional details concerning the number of construction workers by month and activity will
be included in the EIS.
1.5.16 Construction Costs
The total estimated construction cost of the Project will be included in the EIS.
1.6 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Once construction and testing of Project facilities are completed,the Applicant will initiate long-term
operation and maintenance of the Project.The Project is expected to have a minimum operating life of
30 years. Experience in the wind industry indicates that technical advances in wind energy equipment
often result in replacement of wind turbines with new equipment (a process termed repowering),
resulting in an extension of the operating period of the Project.The following discussion summarizes the
operation and maintenance functions that will be undertaken at the Project and their characteristics.
1.6.1 Operation and Maintenance Functions
The Project facilities will operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. The Project site will be staffed
during normal business hours; the exact start and finish time may vary depending on time of year.The
normal day-time shift is usually between 8 to 10 hours. During the operational phase,the WTG will have
routine service either once or twice per year,each service typically takes between 1 and 3 days.
In addition to the routine service, there will also be non-scheduled service. This typically consists of
responding to WTG stops, troubleshooting, major component failure (repair or change out), retrofits,
21
blade lightning strike repairs etc.; some of the nor-scheduled work will occur outside of business hours
and on weekends. Each turbine will typically be visited on average somewhere between every 10 to 40
days. On rare occasions a crane will be needed to complete large/major component replacement,
The Project substation will normally be accessed monthly for a basic visual inspection and sampling.Main
substation maintenance is usually done annually. The gen-tie line will have an Initial inspection after
construction Is complete and an annual inspection program will be put In place.
Site roads are maintained using normal gravel road maintenance equipment.This work may occur once
or twice per year for the life of the facility. Regular site inspections for erosion and other environmental
reasons typically occur weekly.
In general, O&M staff will consist of four to six technical staff members, a Facilities Manager, and
occasionally an office coordinator. The O&M Facility will be staffed during normal business hours,
approximately 10-12 hours per day.
1.7 FOREST HARVEST DURING CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
The Project site is on land managed for commercial forestry by Weyerhaeuser.All of the parcels on which
the Project is located are managed for a continual cycle of growth, harvest, and replanting. As a
longstanding commercial forestry site,no old growth forests exist in areas where the Project is proposed.
Many of the remaining stands of trees on the sections of land that will have turbines on them are near
maturity and Weyerhaeuser has recently implemented timber harvest plans on portions of these sections.
Harvests have occurred in the Project Area over time,pursuant to long-established harvesting schedules.
Harvests have typically occurred approximately every 50 years; however, the harvest periods vary
depending on the market and the demand for the type of timber.As a result,some harvests have occurred
as frequently as every 40 years,and some have been up to every 65 to 70 years.Additional harvests are
planned,subject to requirements of a Forest Practice Application.
In areas surrounding the WTGs that have not been recently harvested or that are not planned to be
harvested before Project construction, trees will be harvested and the land will be replanted with
seedlings.This clearing will allow for safe construction of the Project and will reduce the potential for tree
growth to interfere with the wind resource on the site during the commercial life of the Project.Additional
clearing around each WTG will be conducted to allow for PCM for avian mortality studies.An area up to a
70-meter radius will be harvested to allow for construction activities, excluding areas considered
unsurveyable to do steep slope constraints. Once construction is completed, low-growing native
vegetation,which allows for PCM,will be allowed to regrow within these PCM plots.
The areas where tree clearing is required will be clearcut using crawler tractors,rubber-tired skidders,and
mobile feller-bunchers, as has been done on other stands on the property. Except for areas to be
maintained and permanently cleared for the construction of permanent improvements and ongoing
operations and maintenance access needs or PCM requirements(which will be replanted with appropriate
native grasses and/or low-growing shrubs),cleared areas will be replanted with trees after completion of
construction(tree planting Is done In the spring of each year).All forest clearing plans,if required,will be
coordinated with Weyerhaeuser, Lewis County, Thurston County, and the Department of Natural
Resources.
22
1.8 DECOMMISSIONING AND SITE RESTORATION
The service life of the Project Is expected to be 30 years.At the end of the Project lifetime,the Project will
be decommissioned in accordance with landowner lease requirements. A specific plan for
decommissioning will be prepared at that time.The landowner may choose to retain roads,foundations,
buildings, and structures. All Project elements and fixtures not retained by the landowner will be
decommissioned as described in additional detail below.The Applicant will comply with all applicable local
and state regulatory requirements, including obtaining demolition permits and complying with permit
conditions for removal of turbines and structures from the site.
Site decommissioning will involve the use of mechanized equipment similar to that used for construction
(see Table 1 above).Materials resulting from decommissioning will be salvaged for re-sale or scrap value,
recycled,or disposed of at appropriate waste facilities in accordance with all federal,state,and local laws
and regulations.Decommissioning activities will be completed in approximately one year.
Decommissioning of the WTGs will involve disassembly and removal of above-ground WTG components,
including the towers,nacelles,rotor blades and associated electrical,safety and security systems.Cranes,
similar to those used for turbine erection,will be brought onsite to assist with turbine disassembly. In
accordance with landowner lease requirements, WTG foundations will be left in place provided that all
bolts or steel extending above concrete will be removed,and the surface of the ground covered with soil.
Slopes will be re-graded and restored as reasonably possible to their original or other usable grade.
The Project substation and O&M Facility will be demolished and the foundation of these buildings
removed to a depth of three feet. Security fencing will be removed. Gravel will be removed from the
ground surfaces of the Project substation and O&M Facility yards.Recyclable and reusable materials will
be reused or sold as scrap to the extent practical. Other materials will be transferred to appropriate
disposal sites in accordance with local,state and federal regulations.Areas beneath the removed O&M
Facility will be scarified so that forestry operations can resume.
The 115 kV gen-tie line and supporting structures will be disconnected and removed,unless shared with
or desired by other entities, such as the Lewis County Public Utility District. Meteorological towers and
IdentiFlight systems will also be disassembled and removed from the site.Project access roads will be left
In place for ongoing use associated with forestry operations.
1.9 CONNECTED ACTION
Improvements required to expand the Tono substation will occur entirely within PSE landholdings to allow
for Project interconnection. PSE's work relative to the Tono substation will be described in the EIS.
1.10 REFERENCES
Avista 2017. 2017 Electric Integrated Resource Plan.August 31,2017.
htt ps://www.myavista.com/about-us/our-company/integrated-resource-planning
Hatfield, Laura. 2017. E-mail to Theresa Carroll, describing anticipated independent permit process for
Tono substation.November 21, 2017.
Northwest Power and Conservation Council(NWPCC)2016.Seventh northwest power plan,Feb 25,
2016. https://www.nwcouncil.org/energy/powerpian/7/plan/
23
NWPCC 2017,Pacific Northwest Power Supply Adequacy Assessment for 2022,July 11,2017.NWPPC
document 2017-5,https://www,nwcouncil.org/media/7491213/2017-5.pdf
PacifiCorp 2017. Blue SkySM Block 2017 Prospective Product Content Label.
https://www.pacificpower.net/content/dam/pacific_power/doc/Environment/BlueSky/2190-
86_PP_BlueSky_Contentlabel_PP F.pdf
Puget Sound Energy(PSE)2015.2015 PSE Integrated Resource Plan.
https://pse.com/aboutpse/EnergySupply/Pages/Resource-Planning.aspx.November 30,2015.
PSE 2017a.2017 PSE Integrated Resource Plan.November 2017.Available at:
https://pse.com/a boutpse/energysupply/pages/resource-planning.aspx
PSE 2017b.PSE launches new renewable energy product in the Northwest specifically targeted to meet
demands of commercial and municipal customers.April 18,2017.
https://pse.com/aboutpse/PseNewsroom/NewsReleases/Pages/Governments-and-corporations.aspx
RES 2017.Photos of Representative O&M.November 30,2017.
Tyler,1.2017.Avangrid sigis Major Corporate Off-taker for Montague Wind in Oregon. April 27,2017.
http://nawindpower,com/ava ngrid-signs-major-corporate-off-taker-montague-wind-Oregon
24
EXHIBIT B
Map
MOU for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal February 2018 Page 7
1
1 I 1.1 z° ccu
1 5 eD I,
.. ,-
••• _ fl
°
T4,7 > D
2
1.,
.‘-s-1,
fit
2 1
I
e'.
0—.
v
-_,
(1.5.4•%•-,
. 1
4'1 ;
.,.4---
1 ' ,
il , -- - • ,i.....„44;
(
y . .
..„ .
• -- 1
4 I de'
1
1 I
-;
i- .
3 t .
I 1
g
i
....
1 i
- E ' ,--",,.,.-,■¢6",tv _
...
/ I
t- :'0. I-. cil a H ii 0 ;
___.,
„ 1
,,
III
... ___ 2
-1 !
. l■ 4 :_ 3,
i,.8:b. i f 1 ?.: '--- -1. ",.' .i=
r -- "„ -- '-g
> 4.fi i
.:-..
F ) , L _
.•r
'.; 3
. • ,,, if ' '
..:
1
1
,7 I - MIN
BOCC AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Resolution: BOCC Meeting Date: Mar 19, 2018
Suggested Wording for Agenda Item: Agenda Type: Consent
Memorandum of Understanding for Skookumchuck Wind Energy Facility Proposal
kt t.VE
Contact Lee Napier Phone: 740.2606 " ? n (lts
Department: Community Development LEW!S COUNT 1'
PROSECUTING ATTO N t?
Action Needed: Approve Resolution
Description
Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC is seeking to site, permit, construct, and operate a wind energy
generation facility to be located in both Lewis and Thurston Counties. The Counties desire to set forth, in this
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the respective roles of each agency in conducting and coordinating
regulatory review related to this project.
Approvals:
User Group Status
Gowing, Graham Pending
Witherspoon, Karen Pending
Lester, Rieva Pending
Eisenberg, Eric i4/C Pending
Smith, Suzette Pending
Additional Copies
Karen Witherspoon, Graham Gowing, Eric Eisenberg