Environmental and Cultural Data Use in Planning W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Presentation Overview WECC Overview Environmental Resource Data Cultural Resource Data 2 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

WECC Functions Non- Planning Functions Planning Functions Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Standards Development Market-Operations Interface Operator Training WREGIS System Adequacy System Stability Performance Analysis Event Analysis Standards Development

System Adequacy at WECC Lead transmission expansion planning for the Western Interconnection Annual study program Congestion studies Transmission Expansion Planning Policy Committee (TEPPC) Technical analysis Studies Data Scenarios Subcommittees and Work Groups

TEPPC Members Transmission Stakeholders State & Provincial Entities Environmental Stakeholders Tribes Other Stakeholders Who Does TEPPC Serve?

Transmission Expansion Planning Key Question: How might the transmission grid in the Western Interconnection need to change in 10 or 20 years to meet load reliably with available resources?

Environmental Data Task Force Environmental Data Task Force (EDTF) Formed in June, 2010 Includes representation by broad stakeholders Provides input to transmission expansion planning process 8 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Primary EDTF Products Available Reviewed for Quality Relevant to Transmission Planning Preferred Data Sets Four Risk Levels Low Risk (1) to Exclusion Area (4) Risk Classification System Compares relative risks of transmission alternatives Alternatives identified in long-term study cases Available for use outside of WECC Comparison Methodology Considers “environmental risk contours” Also considers cultural risks Considers capital costs of “bending lines” Review of Study Case Results

Environmental/Cultural Data (Samples) Preferred Data Sensitive Species Areas Tribal Lands Conservation Areas Wilderness Areas Scenic Management Areas Historic Trails

Risk Classification Category 4 Exclusion Areas Category 3 High Risk Category 2 Low-to-moderate risk Category 1 Lowest Risk

Benefits of Environmental Data 12 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL Decrease cost and conflict Avoid delays Use of Data at Planning Stage Avoid or mitigate risks at planning level Ensure Data Quality Use by federal/state/provincial/ regional entities Public Availability of Tools

Example of Use: WECC Long-Term Planning Tool Creates transmission expansion options based on study case inputs – Loads, resource costs, fuel prices, carbon cost Options are “point-to-point” – Need to “bend the lines” 13 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Environmental Risk Classes 1-4 Blue line connects endpoints Darker areas = higher risk category 14 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

LTPT With Environmental Overlay Semi-transparent EDTF overlay on terrain map Semi-transparent corridor over EDTF and terrain maps 15 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

How Can You See the Data? 16 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

WECC Environmental Data Viewer 17 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Cultural Resource Data Cultural resource data differs from environmental resource data – Location of cultural resources is highly sensitive Using cultural resource data in transmission planning requires a different approach – Relative density of known cultural sites – Whether and when a location has been surveyed 18 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Approach to Applying Cultural Data 1.Collect SHPO Data Known Sites (can be points, lines, and/or polygons) Surveyed (inventoried) Areas 2.Overlay the standard EDTF grid cell (0.5 km 2 ) 19 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Approach to Applying Cultural Data Grid cells that contain any sites are marked as cultural resource grid cell Identify the number of grid cells in the “neighborhood” (directly adjacent) to each cell Range of 0 to 9 20 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Cultural Resource Data Approach DesignationNameDescription Category ALowest Cultural Resource Risk or Uncertainty “Low Density” of sites that have been surveyed in the last 10 years Category BModerate Cultural Resource Risk or Uncertainty Areas where a “Low Density” of sites has been identified, but where the survey information is older (>10 years) Category CHigh Cultural Resource Risk or Uncertainty Areas with a “Moderate Site Density” (regardless of when or if a survey has been conducted in the area). Category DHighest Cultural Resource Risk or Uncertainty Areas with a “High Site Density” regardless of when or if a survey has been conducted in the area. Category EUnknown Cultural Resource Risk or Uncertainty Areas with a zero site density and where no surveys have been conducted. 21 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Cultural Risk Assignments Site Density++ Area Surveyed Within Last 10 Years Area Surveyed Prior to Last 10 Years Outside Surveyed Area 0ABE Low (1-3)ABC Moderate (4-6)CCC High (7-9)DDD Any cell listed as TCP/sacred site DDD ++ Number of grid cells found within the neighborhood 22 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Cultural Resource Risk Example 23 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Cultural Resources 24 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL Five states currently committed to sharing cultural resource data Others in negotiations 24 NV UT CO WY WA

Ocean and Coastal Data Why is WECC concerned with ocean and coastal data? – Increasing off-shore energy development (wind off of Oregon) – Developmental projects (wave energy off of the Pacific Coast) – Increasing interest in offshore transmission— California project 25 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Ocean and Coastal Data Examples CategoryDescriptionExamples 1Lowest Risk 2Low-to-Medium Risk Marine protected areas managed for multiple use or with undetermined protection High vessel density areas Existing submarine cable and pipeline ROW 3High Risk Marine protected areas subject to “no take” restrictions Hard benthic substrate/rock reef Commercial benthic fishery Habitat areas of particular concern 4Exclusion Areas Marine protected areas subject to “no impact” or “no access” restrictions Areas restricted for military use 26 W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL

Contacts Environmental Data Task Force Chair Carl Zichella Natural Resources Defense Council (415) WECC Staff Liaison Byron Woertz Senior Project Manager (801) W ESTERN E LECTRICITY C OORDINATING C OUNCIL