10 29 2013 CCTP 12-T-0248 DAMAlternatives.pdf

8/14/2019 10 29 2013 CCTP 12-T-0248 DAMAlternatives.pdf

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STATE OF NEW YORK

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETSCounsels Office

10B Airline Drive, Albany, New York 12235

Tel: 518-457-1059 Fax: 518-457-8842www.agriculture.ny.gov

October 29, 20

Via E-Mail

Hon. Eleanor Stein, ALJDepartment of Public Service

Three Empire State Plaza, 3rd

FloorAlbany, New York 12223

Re: Case No. 12-T-0248Application of New York State Electric & Gas Corporation


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Judge SteinOctober 29, 2013Page 2

Woodland Site Alternative for Ghent Switching Station

DAM has identified an alternative location for the proposed Ghent switching station,

called the Woodland Site Alternative. The Woodland Site Alternative is located on a woode

lot just to the east of the Stockport-Ghent Town Line and along the right of way (ROW)

proposed by the applicant for the extension of the National Grid Trunk 15. The Woodland Site

Alternative is depicted in Attachment A to this letter. This proposal would require a small

modification to the applicants proposed ROW route. Where the applicantsproposed Line 72

turns north to connect to the applicants proposed switching station site, the Woodland Site

Alternative would require that Line 726 continue to the west, in a generally straight line, to the

Woodland Site Alternative. The extension of the National Grid Trunk 15 would then extend

from the Woodland Site Alternative to the existing Trunk 15 Attachment A does not depict th


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suggested routes for Line 726 and Trunk 15, DAM is willing to consider other routes into and

out of the Industrial Site Alternative.

The Industrial Site Alternative has several advantages over the two potential switchin

station sites proposed by the applicant. First, a switching station located at the Industrial Site

Alternative would be more consistent with surrounding land uses. The Industrial Site Alternati

is zoned Commercial Industrial, and the surrounding parcels are being used for industrial

activities. Unlike the sites considered by the applicant, the Industrial Site Alternative would no

require the permanent conversion of active agricultural land, located within Columbia County

Agricultural District No. 10, to accommodate the switching station footprint. Second, the

Industrial Site Alternative would reduce the length of agricultural land crossed by the double-

structured Trunk 15 extension reducing the number of structures on agricultural land and henc


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south from that site and then east to the remainder of the proposed route. DAM believes that it

feasible to route the Trunk 15 extension directly from the Industrial Site Alternative to the

existing Trunk 15. Given the substantial benefits of locating the substation in an existing

industrial site owned, in whole or in large part, by a willing seller, DAM believes that this

alternative site warrants full consideration.

Sugarbush Alternative Route Segment

DAM has identified an alternative route segment for the proposed Line 726 ROW, calle

the Sugarbush Alternative. The Sugarbush Alternative would straighten a short portion of

Line 726 where it runs between Leggett Road and Old Post Road in the Town of Ghent, as

identified by the red line in Attachment C to this letter. This alternative would allow the ROW

to avoid a stand of maple trees used for the production of maple syrup by the landowner Mapl


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- RoadsExisting NYSEG Trans ss ion Line

Circuit 726Extension o National Grid115-kV Trunk 15

c J Existng ROW Boundaryr J Circuit 726 New Right-of-WayAreas o Permanent Clearing 5 25 0 5

ColumbiaAerial L

Alternate SwitchStation Location

Attachment A -- Woodland Site Alternative


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Roads - Circuit 726- Existing NYSEG Transmission ine Extension of National Grid115-kV Trunk 15 J Existing ROW BoundaryCircuit 726 New Right-of-WayAreas of Pe rmanent Clearing 5 NYS G5 5 ColumbiaAerial LAttachment B -- Industrial Site Alternative

Alternate Switching

Station Location


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Attachment C -- Sugarbush Alternative Route Segment

Alternate RouteSegment

Documents

10 29 2013 CCTP 12-T-0248 DAMAlternatives.pdf