Docket No. 217
Connecticut Light and Power Company
Development and Management Plan
Hoyt’s Hill Road Transition Station
Bethel, Connecticut
October 7, 2004

On July 2, 2004, the Connecticut Light Power Company (CL&P) submitted to the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) for review and approval the Development and Management (D&M) Plans for transition stations at the following locations: Hoyt’s Hill Road, Bethel, Archers Lane, Redding, and Norwalk Junction, Norwalk. Presently, the Town of Redding and CL&P are in discussions about the exact location of the Archers Lane site and the Norwalk Junction site is being redesigned to compress the site compound in response to the Town of Wilton. This Council staff report will concentrate on the Hoyt’s Hill Road transition site.

The Hoyt’s Hill Road site will provide only 345-kV XLPE underground to overhead transition. No power switching equipment will be at this location. The site is situated on an approximate 1.8-acre parcel of property located between Putnam Road (Route 58) and Hoyt’s Hill Road. This property is owned by the Town of Bethel. There are seven residences within 510 feet with the nearest being 250 feet to the northwest. The parcel consists of open field, patches of forest, and an inland wetland associated with a stream flowing through a culvert under Hoyt’s Hill Road into the parcel. Approximately 2400 square feet of inland wetland will be impacted by clearing and grading activities. Therefore, the Council will order CL&P to propose a plan for compensation for the loss of 2,400 square feet of inland wetlands. Moving the site in a northwest direction would remove the site from the wetlands but this action would reduce vegetative buffer to an adjacent residence, require an extra terminating structure, require additional right-of-way acquisition, require more cut and fill than the proposed site, and create a more complex route of underground cable compared to proposed site. Two catch basins with rip-rap discharge points will be installed to collect and treat runoff within the transition station compound. Department of Environmental Protection and Army Corp of Engineers permits would be required for work in inland wetlands and watercourses for the entire Docket 217 project. Council staff recommends site clearing and grading be conducted west of the erosion and sediment controls and no further north of the E&S controls except for sight line clearing and that CL&P minimize sight line clearing and grading adjacent to the stream crossing on the south end of the property.

CL&P explored adjacent property for locating the transition station. These sites would require removal of existing homes, additional wetland impacts compared to the proposed site, increase in length of under ground cable, and one site would be 60 higher than the proposed site and be more visible from a greater distance.

The transition station site would be a 115-foot by 90-foot (0.25 acre) compound comprised of a 9-foot by 15-foot relay enclosure, substation transformer, and transition structures for the underground XLPE cable conversion to overhead conductors. Access to the site would be via a 95-foot gravel drive from Hoyt’s Hill Road. CL&P proposes to construct a perimeter retaining wall topped with a fence. The retaining wall on the west side and partially on the north side would be cut into the slope and range between nine feet and 15 feet in height. Similarly, retaining walls on the east and south side would be constructed as a terrace to hold back the fill of the compound. These retaining walls are needed due to topography and allow for a smaller foot print of the station. Also the retaining walls would be architecturally treated with a stone face. Landscaping is also proposed along the Putnam Road and Hoyt’s Hill Road and Council staff recommends vegetation be native species of New England.

Termination support structures are configured as two, A-frame steel supports saddling the bus equipment. This will also reduce the size of the site. These structures are 106 feet in height and 60 feet in width.

Project administration is overseen by CL&P. CL&P will use temporary construction offices in vicinity of the project. Similarly, CL&P’s construction contractor will establish a contractor’s yard for office trailers, staging of equipment, materials and supplies, and a parking area for construction workers. This contractor’s yard will be about two to four acres in size and located proximal to the project. No contractor’s yard or other staging areas have been identified in the D&M Plan. Council staff recommends that the contractor’s yard and staging areas be identified and provided to the Council prior to use.

The D&M Plan specifically outlines the methods of construction and guidelines for clearing, temporary access roads, trenching/excavation, soil erosion and sedimentation control, dewatering, blasting, spoil placement, and restoration of disturbed areas to pre-construction conditions.

Special procedures have been developed for traffic, work within and adjacent to stream and inland wetlands, noise sensitive receptors, fugitive particulate emissions, dust and mud control, management of solid and/or hazardous substances, protection of cultural and historic resources including an unanticipated discoveries plan, visual impact and residential mitigation plan, and worksite safety plan. No archeological reconnaissance survey for this site has been provided and staff recommends that such surveys be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office and Council prior to commencement of construction.

Work days will be Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Extensions of the workday and hours may occur on a temporary and case-by-case basis. Council staff recommends that the Council be notified of workday and/or work hour extensions verbally, as soon as possible, documented in a construction progress report.

CL&P developed a soil erosion/sedimentation control and revegetation plan and procedures regarding access road development, erosion control and minimization of effects on natural systems incidental to construction. Also, CL&P developed a wetland vegetation monitoring and maintenance plan and invasive species control and management plan and these plans comply with the 2002 Connecticut Guidelines for Erosion and Sediment Control. Council staff recommends that erosion and sediment controls be installed as proposed on the east side of the site and that invasive species control and management be implemented. Furthermore, CL&P proposes vegetative plantings along Putnam Road and Hoyt’s Hill Road.

A Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan has been developed to address actions used to prevent spills in addition to actions that shall be taken should any spills occur including emergency notification procedures. The on-site Environmental Inspectors are responsible for ensuring that contractors implement and maintain spill control measures. All oil and hazardous materials management will be in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines. Council staff recommends CL&P attach copies of spill reports with its construction progress report.

CL&P provided information on the operation and rights-of-way maintenance plan and post-construction electric and magnetic field monitoring plan. Council staff recommends that post-construction electric and magnetic field monitoring plan be reviewed prior to commencement of operations.

CL&P will notify landowners directly along the rights-of way not less than 48 hours prior to the initiation of construction and/or blasting. A toll-free number, staffed during working hours and voicemail other hours, will be available specific to the project. All calls will be documented which will initiate a protocol of response. If, within 30 days an issue or concern cannot be resolved, CL&P will forward to the Council relevant information and summary of activities that were performed to attempt closure. Council staff recommends landowners directly along the rights-of way are notified not less than 48 hours prior to the initiation of construction and/or blasting, and changing the period of resolution from 30 days to 15 days to be more responsive to constituent concerns.

CL&P proposes to begin construction of the transition station fourth quarter of 2004 with a projected completion date of November 2005. CL&P contends full restoration work may require additional time into the spring of 2006. Council staff recommends CL&P provide two week advance notice prior to commencement of construction.

Prior to commencement of construction CL&P requires all personnel (CL&P and Contractor) involved in construction activities attend project specific safety and environmental training session. These training sessions summarize the D&M Plan and other permit/certificate requirements governing the project. The training will emphasize the importance of workplace safety and environmental compliance including disciplinary action. Furthermore, an environmental inspector, the BCS Group, will be responsible for inspections and weekly reporting to verify that the construction is performed in accordance with environmental requirements.

CL&P proposes the following procedures to address deviations of the D&M Plan:

• For proposed deviations prior to the start of construction or well in advance of commencement of any specified activity, CL&P will submit a request in writing for review and approval by the Council;
• For proposed deviations during construction based upon field conditions, conduct a telephone conference with Council staff to present the proposed modification and receive verbal approval from the Council’s Chairman with written specification of the deviation to be submitted within 24 hours after the request; and
• Implementation of deviations to the D&M Plan that are approved by the Council will be documented within the monthly monitoring reports to be submitted by the independent environmental inspector.

Council staff recommends that proposed deviations be authorized by the Chairman with written specification of the deviation submitted within 24 hours after the request and all other changes require advance notification and Council approval or be subject to enforcement by the Attorney General.

To summarize, the Council staff recommends approval of the Section II D&M Plan with the following conditions:

That CL&P provide two weeks advance notice prior to commencement of construction.

That CL&P provide a bi-weekly activity report of construction, including spill reports.

That CL&P provide a weekly Environmental Inspector’s report.

That site clearing and grading be conducted west of the erosion and sediment controls and no further north of the E&S controls except for sight line clearing and minimize sight line clearing and grading adjacent to the stream crossing on the south end of the property.

That landscape vegetation is native species of New England.

That CL&P provide the location of the contractor’s yard and staging areas prior to use.

That CL&P notify the Council of workday and/or work hour extensions verbally and documented in a construction progress report.

That CL&P notify landowners directly along the rights-of way not less than 48 hours prior to the initiation of construction and/or blasting.

That erosion and sediment controls comply with the 2002 Connecticut Guidelines for Erosion and Sediment Control and to implement the invasive species control and management plan as proposed. Also, CL&P shall propose a plan for compensation for the loss of 2,400 square feet of inland wetlands.

That archeological reconnaissance surveys be submitted to the SHPO and Council prior to commencement of construction.

That CL&P submit non-resolution of constituent concerns after 15 days to the Council.

That proposed deviations are authorized by the Chairman with written specification of the deviation submitted within 24 hours after the request and all other changes require advance notification and Council approval or be subject to enforcement by the Attorney General.

That a post-construction electric and magnetic field monitoring plan be reviewed prior to commencement of operations.