Big Chino Valley Pumped Storage Project (FERC No ) Visual & Aesthetic Resources

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1 Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces March 21, Intrductin Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage LLC, a subsidiary f ITC Hldings Crp. (ITC), submitted a preliminary permit applicatin t the Federal Energy Regulatry Cmmissin (FERC r Cmmissin) n September 29, 2017, fr the prpsed Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) (Prject). FERC issued ITC a preliminary permit fr a term f 36 mnths n December 28, 2017, which grants ITC pririty f applicatin fr a license fr the Prject under Part I f the Federal Pwer Act. The prpsed Prject will be lcated in Yavapai, Ccnin, and Mhave Cunties, Arizna. The 2,000 MW, clsed-lp, pumped strage facility will require the cnstructin f new water strage, water cnveyance, generatin, and transmissin facilities in currently-undevelped areas. The Prject will be lcated entirely ff-stream, meaning neither the upper nr lwer reservir will intercept a perennial surface watercurse. Water t initially fill the reservir system and required make-up water fr evapratin lsses will be pumped frm grundwater resurces. Prject reservirs wuld ccupy apprximately 450 acres f lands currently used fr grazing. The Prject lcatin and cnfiguratin is presented in Appendix A. ITC plans t pursue the permits, licenses, and agreements needed t build and perate the Prject, and stakehlder engagement will be critical t the Prject s success. Over the next tw years, ITC will in cnsultatin with stakehlders -- cnduct studies, prepare envirnmental analyses, and develp a licensing applicatin that will be submitted t FERC. 2.0 Prject Nexus and Study Gals The gal f this Visual and Aesthetic Resurces Study (Study) is t dcument visual resurce cnditins relating t prpsed Prject facilities and describe visual and aesthetic gals, standards, guidelines, recmmendatins, bjectives, and desired cnditins, and with ther relevant guidance as determined thrugh cnsultatin. The gals f this study are t: Cnduct an aesthetics inventry f prpsed Prject facility lcatins, including taking phtgraphs frm key viewing lcatins, and develping phtsimulatin f prpsed Prject facilities; Describe visual and aesthetic gals, standards, guidelines, recmmendatins, bjectives, and desired cnditins; Analyze prpsed Prject facilities in relatin t scenic gals, standards, guidelines, recmmendatins, bjectives, and desired cnditins. Page 1

2 Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces 3.0 Summary f Existing Infrmatin Lands ptentially affected by Prject cnstructin, peratin, and maintenance are largely undevelped. N frmal studies dcumenting existing aesthetic r visual resurce cnditins are knwn t exist. 4.0 Methds 4.1 Study Area The Study will be cnducted in phases and cmpleted as Prject design decisins prceed. During 2018, the Study Area will include lands and cnstructin areas in the vicinity f the Prject reservirs (Appendix A). Transmissin crridrs and access rads will be incrprated int the study during 2019, r as their final lcatin specificatins are develped. 4.2 Study Methds A visual assessment study will be cnducted cnsisting f seven tasks: Identificatin f representative and critical key viewing lcatins; An aesthetics inventry f lcatins where Prject facilities may be cnstructed, including digital phtgraphs frm key viewing lcatins; Phtsimulatin f prpsed Prject facilities as viewed frm key viewing lcatins; Descriptin f scenic gals, standards, guidelines, recmmendatins, bjectives, and desired cnditins; Analysis f prpsed facilities (viewshed analysis) in relatin t scenic gals, standards, guidelines, recmmendatins, bjectives, and desired cnditins; Identificatin f Key Viewing Lcatins ITC will cnduct a viewshed analysis in a Gegraphic Infrmatin System (GIS) based n lcatin and height f prpsed Prject facilities. The Key Observatin Pint (KOP) develpment prcess will be used t determine where ptential visual impact lcatins will be cnsidered fr phtsimulatin. Phtgraphs will be taken at each KOP t supprt assessment f the ptential visual impact. Steps t determine the KOP lcatins will cnsist f: Chsing lcatins with ptential fr visual impact (e.g., recreatin trail, rad, huses). This is usually alng cmmnly traveled rutes r at ther likely bservatin pints. Cnducting preliminary line f sight and viewshed analysis in GIS. Cnduct traditinal visibility analysis GIS apprach using site tpgraphy in ESRI ArcGIS extensin Spatial Analyst and/r ESRI 3D Analyst t d the fllwing: Establish baseline cnditins fr visibility using binary (visible/nt visible) technique; Qualify r disqualify ptential visual receptr lcatins; and Page 2 March 21, 2018

3 Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces Crss-validate 2D pht-simulatins, 3D mdels, animatins, r ther deliverables that are by-prduct derivatives f the analysis. Additinally, ITC will cnsult with stakehlders t identify representative and critical viewing lcatins Prject Facilities Inventry ITC will cnduct a digital phtgraphic inventry f prpsed Prject facility lcatins visible frm KOPs. The physical characteristics f prpsed Prject facilities (including lighting and distance frm key viewing areas) will be described in narrative. The field wrk t cllect facilities inventry data will entail qualified persnnel perating glbal psitining system (GPS) equipment t take phtgraphs at each lcatin. GPS lcatin pints will be recrded fr each KOP lcatin, preferably using a GPS unit with sub-meter accuracy, but at least 3 m accuracy, t ensure repeatability. Multiple site phtgraphs will be cllected at each lcatin using a tripd. Site phtgraphs t be used in assessment will be crrelated with x, y, z crdinates and heading angle. Fr each inventry pint, the fllwing infrmatin will be cllected: GPS accuracy fr phtsimulatins shuld be within 3 feet (plus r minus 1 meter hrizntal). GPS mdel PDOP and pst-prcessing infrmatin Camera Make, mdel Camera lens infrmatin Grund truth Cnfirm KOP based n lgical n-site cnditins Field ntes time f day, atmspheric cnditin, heading f camera view Phtsimulatin The general prcedure fr creatin f a phtsimulatin invlves cmpsiting a scale, gereferenced mdel f existing and prpsed cnditins with a phtgraph. The camera data cllected in the field is entered int sftware (e.g., 3d Studi Max, a prduct widely used fr architectural visualizatin) that digitally replicates the three-dimensinal wrld. The cmputer simulatin can vary in detail frm a highly detailed architectural mdel f the prject t a simple massing study lacking detail but representing the vlume and dimensins f the prject. Prjects seen at a mderate distance, fr instance, can be successfully simulated using a massing study because details cannt be discerned at that distance. A clser view wuld justify a mre detailed simulatin. Cnfirmatin f scale and psitin f the cmputer rendering will be accmplished by placing marker ples n site at pints crrelating with the prject lcatin t prvide registratin pints. The preliminary cmputer image will simulate the prject and ples, and the image will be psitined and scaled until the simulated ples verlay exactly thse appearing in the underlying base phtgraph. GIS-based aerial phtgraphs and tpgraphic mapping is typically used t cnfirm lcatins. March 21, 2018 Page 3

4 Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces Use f a GIS spatial mdel cmbined with the GPS lcatins f each phtgraph prvide a representatin f the existing cnditins t use as a base in the phtsimulatins. During the develpment f the GIS Spatial Mdel, the fllwing metadata will be dcumented: Surce f the data Date the data was generated and date the data was dwnladed Crdinate system f the data and the prject Knwn limitatins f the tpgraphic data Prcess steps Derivatives frm the DEM (Digital Elevatin Mdel), if any Lineage f each input and prcess Elevatin cnversins Once the GIS Spatial Mdel is finalized, data frm GIS will be exprted t the apprpriate file frmats required t imprt the mdel int 3D sftware. The fllwing engineering design data will be gathered and used t ensure that the data is t scale. CAD (Autdesk r Bentley) f the existing study area CAD (Autdesk r Bentley) f the prpsed design GIS files exprted frm the spatial mdel KOP Phtgraphs w/camera data Once imprted int the 3D sftware, the imprted data will be checked t cnfirm that it matches hw it was represented in the riginating sftware. Fr example, check the tpgraphy t ensure that the elevatins are accurate. Next, begin setting up the 3D cameras at each lcatin accunting fr the height f the tripd abve grund. With the apprpriate camera settings (fcal length, film gate) laded int each 3D camera, begin t align the camera t the phtgraph using existing data (CAD and/r GIS) t aid in the alignment. Once aligned and the apprpriate lighting system is setup fr the envirnment cnditins, the render prcess f the prpsed data ut f V-Ray can begin which will turn the prpsed mdel int an image. The rendered image will then be verlaid n tp f the phtgraph frm the view lcatin in Adbe Phtshp r an equivalent pht editing sftware. Inside f Phtshp, the existing image will be mdified and split int layers t allw the rendered image t be placed behind fregrund elements and behind backgrund elements Assess Visual Cnditin r Scenic Integrity f the Phtsimulated Prject Facilities ITC will describe the degree f existing visual cntrast r existing scenic integrity f the Prject facilities when viewed frm a rad r use area (knwn as Visual Pririty Rutes and Use Area n Frest Service land), including analysis f prximity, extent, duratin, and aspect f viewing. On Frest Service lands, ITC will determine the scenic integrity level using the scenic integrity scale (i.e., very high, high, mderate, lw, very lw, and unacceptably lw). Page 4 March 21, 2018

5 Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces Schedule and Deliverables In the furth quarter f 2018, a study reprt will be prepared and distributed t stakehlders. The reprt will include an aesthetics inventry f prpsed Prject facilities, and an analysis f the prpsed Prject facilities in relatin t relevant scenic gals, standards, guidelines, recmmendatins, bjectives, and desired cnditins. 5.0 References United States Department f Agriculture, United States Frest Service (USFS) Land and Resurce Management Plan fr the Presctt Natinal Frest Yavapai and Ccnin Cunties, Arizna. MB-R Slightly Revised August Suthwestern Regin United States Frest Service Agriculture Handbk Number 701: Landscape Aesthetics, a Handbk fr Scenery Management. Washingtn, D.C. March 21, 2018 Page 5

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7 Big Chin Valley Pumped Strage Prject (FERC N ) Visual & Aesthetic Resurces Appendix A. Study Area Maps Page 1

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9 PROPOSED 2018 STUDY AREA ± Prpsed Access Rad Preliminary Study Area ry Ac c Qu a am D Prpsed Water Cnveyance Tunnels per anent Acc es s Ra P erm d sr c es r U p Upp er nt ne Upper Dam Brrw Site Prpsed Dam and Spillway P er ma Preliminary Study Area Perm an en tl w er D Prpsed Upper Reservir (EL 6,180-6,560) Re se rvir Ac Prpsed Undergrund Pwerhuse Picach Butte es s d a Prpsed Dam R ad t i r erv s e R per Up Prpsed Lwer Reservir (EL 5,170-5,294) 15 ad R s a m Acce s Flagstaff Prject 40 Lcatin Prpsed Access Rad 17 Phenix Prpsed Dam and Spillway Lwer Dam Brrw Site 8 10 Tucsn Miles PROPOSED BIG CHINO VALLEY PUMPED STORAGE PROJECT CONCEPTUAL

10 PROPOSED 2018 STUDY AREA ± LEGEND Prpsed Water Cnveyance Tunnels Prpsed Dam 66 T S Permenent Upper Reservir Access Rad Prpsed Access Rad 40 Permanent Lwer Reservir Access Rad Prpsed Reservirs Brrw Site Temprary Upper Dam and Reservir Cnstructin Access Rad Permanent Lwer Dam Access Rad Preliminary Study Area Upper Dam Quarry Access Rad W Va illi lle am y s R n d Picach Butte Permanenet Lwer Reservir Access Rad Access Rad and Surce Water Pipeline Alignment 15 Flagstaff 40 g Bi Ch in 17 y lle Va Phenix 8 10 Tucsn Miles PROPOSED BIG CHINO VALLEY PUMPED STORAGE PROJECT CONCEPTUAL