Transcript About Alcoa

Public Meetings
June 29, 30 and July 1, 2004
Agenda
 The Yadkin Project
 Alcoa-Yadkin’s Relicensing Process
 Technical Studies and Oasis Model Update
 Understanding Diverse Interests
 Settlement Negotiation
 Drought Contingency Plan Update
 Public Input
Yadkin Project
River Map -2
High Rock
Dam
Tuckertown
Dam
Narrows
Dam
Falls
Dam
High Rock Dam
Tuckertown Dam
Narrows Dam
Falls Dam
Many Benefits, Many Interests
Supports economic development
Offers diverse recreational opportunities
Preserves wildlife habitat
Provides water supply reserve
and flood control
Preserves cultural and
botanical resources
Land Conservation
Land Conservation
 Alcoa committed to sound conservation and
sustainability principles
 Yadkin owns and manages over 15,000 acres around
the Project
 Nearly 1/3 of land is voluntarily protected by Yadkin,
primarily for environmental reasons
 Remaining land is under an active forestry program
 Many acres designated as NCWRC gamelands and
open to public
Alcoa-Yadkin
Relicensing Process
What is Relicensing?
 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
regulates non-Federal hydropower projects
 Ultimate licensing authority
 FERC license is required to operate the Yadkin
Project
 Current license granted in 1958
 New license application due April 30, 2006
FERC’s Role
 Ensures that new license balances power generation
with non-power interests affected by the Project
 Water quality
 Fish, wildlife and botanical protection
 Recreation
 Shoreline aesthetics and management
 Cultural resource preservation
Yadkin’s Relicensing Process
 Involves stakeholders who have an interest in how the
Project is operated (state and federal agencies, tribes,
counties, municipalities, NGOs)
 Conduct studies to learn how Project operation affects
various resources
 Based on studies, submit license application that
balances hydropower generation with other interests
How Interests are Represented
 Seven Issue Advisory Groups (IAGs) focused on the
key interest areas
 Members from regions who represent stakeholders in
Project (100+ people)
 Role is to identify what issues need studying and
review study results
 IAGs will help clarify interests in the Project
Operations
Modeling
Recreation, Aesthetics,
Shoreline
Management
Water Quality
Fish, Aquatics
Yadkin
Relicensing
IAGs
Wetlands,
Wildlife,
Botanical
County
Economic
Impacts
Cultural
Relicensing Timetable
Stage One
2002-2003
1
2
3
1) Inform
stakeholders
and public
(publish ICD)
2) Receive
input from
stakeholders
and public
3) Form Issue
Advisory
Groups
Stage Two
2003-2006
4
5
6
7
Stage Three
2006-2008
8
4) Conduct studies
5) Review studies w/ IAGs and public
6) Draft Application
9
10
11
9) FERC Reviews
Application and
Comments
7) Receive comments on draft Application
10) Conducts
Environmental
Assessment
9) File Application
11) Issues License
Technical Studies and
OASIS Model Update
Purpose of Studies
 Provide Alcoa-Yadkin with information to develop the
license application
 Provide accurate, science-based information about
existence and effect of Yadkin Project operations on
resource issues
 Provide understanding of how various issues and
interests in the Project interrelate and impact each
other
County Economics Study
 County Economic Impact Assessment
 Determine economic impact of the Project operations on
five surrounding counties
 Research Triangle Institute (RTI)
 Draft study report expected 4th quarter, 2004
Cultural Resources Studies
 Historic Structures Study
 Determine if any historical sites at Project are eligible
for listing on National Register
 Work ongoing
 Thomason and Associates
 Draft report anticipated July, 2004
Cultural Resource Studies
 Archaeological Survey at Uwharrie National Forest
(UNF)
 Determine if any significant cultural sites are being
impacted by recreational use of UNF shoreline
 Legacy
 APGI working with US Forest Service on study scope
Fish and Aquatics Studies
 Tailwater Aquatic Surveys
 Determine use of tailwaters by fish, mussels and
macroinvertebrates
 Normandeau Associates
 Sampling complete
 Draft report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Fish and Aquatics Studies
 Reservoir Aquatic Habitat Mapping
 Map location of aquatic habitats in reservoirs and evaluate effects
of reservoir water levels on habitats
 Normandeau Associates
 High Rock and Narrows surveys complete
 Tuckertown and Falls surveys summer 2004
 Draft report (phase 1) expected 3rd quarter, 2004
 Draft report (phase 2) expected 1st quarter, 2005
Fish and Aquatics Studies
 Fish Entrainment Study
 Determine potential for impact to reservoir fish
populations from possible entrainment in Project
powerhouses
 Normandeau Associates
 Literature review and desktop evaluation complete
 Draft report expected July, 2004
Fish and Aquatics Studies
 Habitat Fragmentation Study
 Evaluate how Project dams may have contributed to the
fragmentation of fish and mussel populations in the
watershed
 Normandeau Associates
 Study plan under development with IAG
 Draft report anticipated 4th quarter, 2004
Water Quality Studies
 Water Quality Monitoring Study
 Collected monthly water quality data from 1999-2003
 Continuing tailwater dissolved oxygen (DO) /temperature
data collection through 2004
 Investigating potential options for improving tailwater DO
 Normandeau Associates
 Preliminary data review with IAG ongoing
 Draft report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Water Quality Studies
 Sediment Fate and Transport Study
 Evaluating sources and amounts of sediment being
transported into Yadkin Project from upstream and where
it’s being deposited
 Joint effort between Normandeau and PB Power
 Draft report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Wetlands, Wildlife, and
Botanical Studies
 Wetland and Riparian Habitat Inventory
 Inventory and map reservoir wetlands and other important
habitat types and evaluate impacts to these areas associated
with reservoir water levels
 Wetland inventory and mapping complete
 Normandeau Associates
 Draft report expected 4th quarter, 2004
Wetlands, Wildlife, and
Botanical Studies
 Avian Inventory
 Document use of project reservoirs by birds, with an
emphasis on migratory bird use
 Field work ongoing
 Center for Conservation Biology (College of William and
Mary)
 Draft report expected 4th quarter, 2004
Wetlands, Wildlife, and
Botanical Studies
 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species Inventory
 Surveys underway to determine presence of rare,
threatened, and endangered species on project lands
 Normandeau Associates
 Draft report expected 4th quarter, 2004
Wetlands, Wildlife, and
Botanical Studies
 Invasive, Exotic Plant Pest (IEPP) Inventory
 Field work ongoing to determine the presence of IEPPs in
Project
 Normandeau Associates
 Draft report expected 4th quarter, 2004
 Transmission Line/Project Facility Habitat
Assessment
 Field work ongoing
 Normandeau Associates
 Draft report expected 4th quarter, 2004
Recreation, Aesthetics and
Shoreline Management Studies
 Recreation Use Assessment
 Determine levels and types of recreational use of Project
reservoirs by both residents and visitors
 ERM
 Data collection complete
 Draft reports expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Recreation, Aesthetics and
Shoreline Management Studies
 Recreation Economic Impact
 Determine contribution to 5-county economy from
recreational use of the Project reservoirs
 ERM
 Recreation related expenditure data collected
 Analysis to be coordinated with RTI County Economic
Impact Study
 Draft report expected 4th quarter, 2004
Recreation, Aesthetics and
Shoreline Management Studies
 Recreation Facility Inventory
 Inventory of public recreation facilities at Yadkin Project
 LVA
 Data collection complete
 Draft report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Recreation, Aesthetics and
Shoreline Management Studies
 SMP Comparison Study
 Compared provisions of Yadkin SMP to 11 other southeast
region SMPs
 LVA
 Draft report distributed to IAG in April, 2004
 IAG meeting to review report in May, 2004
 Final report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Recreation, Aesthetics and
Shoreline Management Studies
 Project-Wide Aesthetics
 Assessment of aesthetics of Project reservoirs and
potential impacts to aesthetics associated with reservoir
water levels
 ERM
 Data collection complete
 Draft report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Recreation, Aesthetics and
Shoreline Management Studies
 Uwharrie National Forest (UNF) Aesthetics
Evaluation
 Aesthetic assessment for UNF
 ERM
 Draft report expected 3rd quarter, 2004
Operations Model
 PB Power and Hydrologics developing model
 Model will be used to depict how different operating
scenarios of the Project impact interests
 Alcoa-Yadkin model called “OASIS”
 Working to develop common set of stream flow data
with Progress Energy
Yadkin Pee Dee River
Instream Flow Study
 Study to determine the relationships between river
flow and fish and habitat needs in lower river
 Progress Energy conducting study and sharing results
with Alcoa-Yadkin
 Alcoa-Yadkin participating on study subgroup
 Data collection through end of year
 Draft report expected mid-2005
Understanding Diverse Interests
Interests in the Yadkin Project
Interest Map
State and Federal Agencies,
Citizens of States: Concerned
for water quality and habitat
throughout the basin; NC and
SC agencies cooperate but have
different interests with regard to
water supply for their respective
states
Interests in the Yadkin Project
State and Federal Agencies,
citizens of States
• NC Municipalities: Salisbury,
Denton, Albemarle need water
intakes for municipal water supply
• Reservoir Users, Homeowners,
Businesses, NGOs: Want higher
reservoir levels for recreational
use and economic activity for
local businesses; want land
conservation
• Local Governments: Desire help
in establishing region as tourist
destination to support local
economy
Interests in the Yadkin Project
•
Progress Energy: Also part
of Yadkin-Pee Dee watershed
and in relicensing process;
Operate Tillery and Blewett
Falls dams
•
Economic Development
NGOs: Desire economic
development of the region
•
Industrial Users: Major
employers need water supply
to operate; assurance of
consistent flow
State and Federal Agencies;
citizens of States
NC Municipalities
Reservoir Users, Homeowners,
Businesses, NGOs
Local Governments
Interests in the Yadkin Project
State and Federal Agencies,
citizens of States
•
NC Municipalities
Reservoir Users, Homeowners,
Businesses, NGOs
Local Governments
Progress Energy
Economic Development NGOs
Industrial Users
SC Municipalities
Alcoa-Yadkin
•
SC Municipalities:
Florence, Myrtle Beach,
Georgetown concerned about
water supply for economic
development; have no major
reservoirs of their own to
support drinking water or
industrial use needs
Alcoa-Yadkin: Desire to
maintain economically viable
hydropower project and meet
state and federal (FERC)
requirements
Understanding Interests
 Alcoa-Yadkin wants to
 Clearly understand the interests of IAG participants
 Clearly communicate its interests to them
 Relicensing process purposely designed to
 Develop relationships
 Share interests
 Though not required by FERC, Alcoa-Yadkin seeks
opportunities to reach agreement on interests
Settlement Negotiation
Settlement Negotiation
 Settlement negotiation
 Formal process for attempting to reach binding agreements
that become part of the license or otherwise enforceable by
contract among the agreeing parties
 Allows parties to work together in support of the license
application
 Settlement negotiations require development of
protocols
 Procedures for constructively working together developed
and adopted by parties in negotiation
Achieving a Settlement
 What’s needed to reach a settlement
 Wins achievable for licensee, agencies and other parties
 All parties interested in working on settlement
 Parties work together to develop and support settlement
negotiation protocols
 Settlement negotiations supported by scientific studies
 Confidence in analytical tools (OASIS Operations model)
 Parties with competing interests demonstrate flexibility
Projected Timeline 2004-2006
ID
Task Name
1
IAG Process/Complete
Studies
2
IAG Interest Clarification
3
Negotiations Planning
4
Settlement Negotiations
5
Draft License Application
6
File Final License Application
Qtr1
2005
Qtr2
Qtr3
Qtr4
Qtr1
2006
Qtr2
Qtr3
Qtr4
Qtr1
Qtr2
Deadline for Application
2004
Qtr3
Drought Contingency
Plan Update
Drought Contingency Plan
 Drought Contingency Plan (DCP)
 Establishes a procedure for communicating in the event of
drought conditions in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin
 Created following drought of 2002
 Alcoa-Yadkin is the lead participant
 Responsible for convening the parties
 Parties include Alcoa-Yadkin, Duke Power, Progress
Energy, NCDENR, SCDNR, SCDHEC, USFWS, High
Rock Lake Homeowners Association
Current Status of DCP
 In early June the US Drought Monitor designated more that
10% of the Yadkin – Pee Dee River Basin as D1, (moderate
drought)
 Does not indicate that a more severe drought is inevitable; warns
of drought potential
 Prompts the DCP parties to convene more frequently
 Alcoa-Yadkin convened calls on June 10 and 23
 Since early spring, Alcoa-Yadkin has taken conservation
measures by maintaining higher than normal water levels in High
Rock Reservoir
 Conditions improved slightly over past couple of weeks
Current Status of DCP
 If drought conditions worsen, additional measures
may be activated including municipal, agricultural
and industrial water conservation plans
Get Involved, Give Input
 Opportunity to make public comments
 Speakers who completed a request form will be called to
the podium to make public comments
 Please limit comments to five minutes in courtesy to other
speakers
Get Involved, Give Input
 Questions? Want to learn more?
 Follow up at one of the four breakout stations
 Alcoa-Yadkin staff and consultants are available
 Check out our other resources
 Website: www.alcoa.com/yadkin
 Public Reference Room
 Presentations – we’ll come talk to your group