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Otter Creek Wind Farm LP

Otter Creek Wind Farm Environmental Impact Study

draft for discussion

Prepared by:

AECOM

105 Commerce Valley Drive West, Floor 7 905 886 7022 tel

Markham, ON, Canada L3T 7W3 905 886 9494 fax

www.aecom.com

October, 2016 Project Number: 60504082


Otter Creek Wind Farm

Environmental Impact Study

B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016)

Statement of Qualifications and Limitations

The attached Report (the “Report”) has been prepared by AECOM Canada Ltd. (“AECOM”) for the benefit of the Client (“Client”) in

accordance with the agreement between AECOM and Client, including the scope of work detailed therein (the “Agreement”).

The information, data, recommendations and conclusions contained in the Report (collectively, the “Information”):

is subject to the scope, schedule, and other constraints and limitations in the Agreement and the qualifications

contained in the Report (the “Limitations”);

represents AECOM’s professional judgement in light of the Limitations and industry standards for the preparation of

similar reports;

may be based on information provided to AECOM which has not been independently verified;

has not been updated since the date of issuance of the Report and its accuracy is limited to the time period and

circumstances in which it was collected, processed, made or issued;

must be read as a whole and sections thereof should not be read out of such context;

was prepared for the specific purposes described in the Report and the Agreement; and

in the case of subsurface, environmental or geotechnical conditions, may be based on limited testing and on the

assumption that such conditions are uniform and not variable either geographically or over time.

AECOM shall be entitled to rely upon the accuracy and completeness of information that was provided to it and has no

obligation to update such information. AECOM accepts no responsibility for any events or circumstances that may have

occurred since the date on which the Report was prepared and, in the case of subsurface, environmental or geotechnical

conditions, is not responsible for any variability in such conditions, geographically or over time.

AECOM agrees that the Report represents its professional judgement as described above and that the Information has been

prepared for the specific purpose and use described in the Report and the Agreement, but AECOM makes no other

representations, or any guarantees or warranties whatsoever, whether express or implied, with respect to the Report, the

Information or any part thereof.

Except (1) as agreed to in writing by AECOM and Client; (2) as required by-law; or (3) to the extent used by governmental

reviewing agencies for the purpose of obtaining permits or approvals, the Report and the Information may be used and relied

upon only by Client.

AECOM accepts no responsibility, and denies any liability whatsoever, to parties other than Client who may obtain access to the

Report or the Information for any injury, loss or damage suffered by such parties arising from their use of, reliance upon, or

decisions or actions based on the Report or any of the Information (“improper use of the Report”), except to the extent those

parties have obtained the prior written consent of AECOM to use and rely upon the Report and the Information. Any injury, loss

or damages arising from improper use of the Report shall be borne by the party making such use.

This Statement of Qualifications and Limitations is attached to and forms part of the Report and any use of the Report is subject

to the terms hereof.

AECOM: 2015-04-13

© 2009-2015 AECOM Canada Ltd. All Rights Reserved.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016)

Authors

Report Prepared By:

Julie Ellis, H.B.Sc.

Terrestrial Ecologist

Report Reviewed By:

Jessica M. Ward, Ph.D.

Senior Ecologist

Mark van der Woerd, MES, EP

Senior Project Manager




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016)

Table of Contents

page

1. Introduction ................................................................................................ 1

Project Boundary and Location .......................................................................................... 1 1.1

Summary of Key Project Information .................................................................................. 2 1.2

2. REA Requirements ..................................................................................... 5

3. Summary of Evaluation of Significance ................................................... 6

4. Summary of Project Components ............................................................. 7

5. Description of Construction and Installation Activities .......................... 9

Timing of Construction and Installation Activities ............................................................... 9 5.1

Pre-construction Activities ................................................................................................ 10 5.2

5.2.1 Surveying and Geotechnical Sampling Activities .................................................. 10

Construction Activities ...................................................................................................... 10 5.3

5.3.1 Land Clearing ....................................................................................................... 10

5.3.2 Construction of Access Roads.............................................................................. 11

5.3.3 Construction of Laydown Areas ............................................................................ 11

5.3.4 Construction of Turbine Working Areas ................................................................ 11

5.3.5 Delivery of Equipment .......................................................................................... 12

5.3.6 Construction of Wind Turbine Foundations ........................................................... 12

5.3.6.1 Spread Footing Foundation ............................................................................... 12 5.3.6.2 Deep Foundations ............................................................................................. 12

5.3.7 Wind Turbine Assembly and Installation ............................................................... 13

5.3.8 Construction of the Electrical Collector System .................................................... 13

5.3.8.1 Collector Transformers ...................................................................................... 13 5.3.8.2 Collector Lines ................................................................................................... 13 5.3.8.3 Horizontal Directional Drilling ............................................................................ 14

5.3.9 Construction of the Electrical Substation and Interconnection Station .................. 14

5.3.10 Construction of the Operations and Maintenance Building ................................... 14

5.3.11 Construction of Permanent Meteorological Towers .............................................. 15

5.3.12 Construction of Communication Tower ................................................................. 15

5.3.13 Site Clean-up and Reclamation ............................................................................ 15

Turbine Commissioning ................................................................................................... 15 5.4

Temporary Uses of Land ................................................................................................. 16 5.5

Temporary Water Takings................................................................................................ 16 5.6

Construction Materials / Waste Generation and Transportation ....................................... 16 5.7

6. Overview of Potential Environmental Effects ........................................ 18

Potential Effects of Wind Turbines ................................................................................... 18 6.1

Potential Effects of Access Roads ................................................................................... 19 6.2

Potential Effects of Collector Lines ................................................................................... 19 6.3




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Potential Effects of Other Project Infrastructure ............................................................... 19 6.4

7. Significant Woodlands ............................................................................. 20

8. Significant Wildlife Habitat ...................................................................... 22

9. Potential Direct Effects of Wind Turbine Operation on Birds and Bats ........................................................................................................... 25

10. Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................... 26

11. References ................................................................................................ 27

List of Figures

Figure 1: Project Boundary and Identified Natural Features .................................................................................... 4

List of Tables

Table 1-1: Summary of Key Project Information......................................................................................................... 2

Table 3-1: Summary of Features Carried Forward to the EIS .................................................................................... 6

Table 4-1: Description of Project Components ........................................................................................................... 7

Table 4-2: Description of Temporary Project Components ........................................................................................ 8

Table 5-1: Estimated Construction Schedule ............................................................................................................. 9

Table 7-1: Significant Woodlands: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation Measures ........................................ 21

Table 8-1: Generalized Candidate Significant Wildlife Habitat: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation ............ 23

Table 8-2: Significant Wildlife Habitat: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation................................................... 24

Table 9-1: Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan for Direct Effects of Turbine Operation on Birds and

Bats ......................................................................................................................................................... 25




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1. Introduction

The Otter Creek Wind Farm (the Project) is being proposed by Otter Creek Wind Farm Limited Partnership (Otter

Creek), a partnership of Renewable Energy Systems Canada (RES Canada) and Boralex Inc. In close proximity to

the Project is Walpole Island First Nation who is a participant of this project. The Project is also grateful to have

received support from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent which has been granted an option to participate in the

Project.

The Project has been proposed in response to the Government of Ontario’s plan to integrate more renewable

energy into the province’s power grid. This Site Investigation Report was prepared in accordance with the

requirements of the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) process outlined in Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 359/09,

as amended, and the Natural Heritage Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNRF, 2012).

The Project’s nameplate capacity is up to 50 megawatts (MW) and the wind farm will consist of up to 12 turbines.

The proposed turbine for the Project is the Enercon E-141 with a nameplate capacity of up to 4.2 MW. With a

nameplate capacity of up to 50 MW, the Project is categorized as a Class 4 wind facility and will be in compliance

with the requirements outlined for such facilities.

Project Boundary and Location 1.1

Otter Creek is proposing to develop a wind energy project located north of the community of Wallaceburg in the

Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. The location of the Project was determined based on interest expressed by

local landowners, municipal support for the Project, the availability of wind resources, and the availability of existing

infrastructure to facilitate a connection to the electrical grid.

The Project Boundary is generally bounded by Whitebread Line and Kent Line to the north, Payne Road to the

west, Stewart Line and McCreary Line to the south and Mandaumin Road / County Road 44 to the east (refer to

Figure 1). The Project Boundary represents the wider area that was considered for the siting of project

infrastructure. The following co-ordinates define corners of the external boundaries of the Project Boundary:

Longitude

(Degrees North)

Latitude

(Degrees West)

-82.468736 42.631227

-82.245325 42.626739

-82.246385 42.601952

-82.469707 42.606686

The Project Boundary encompasses approximately 4,600 hectares (11,400 acres1) of land that is predominantly

designated for agricultural use according to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s Official Plan (2016) and Zoning By-

law (2015). The Project Boundary also consists of fragmented areas of forest and riparian habitat associated with

the Sydenham River, which bisects the Project flowing in a north-south direction, as well as other small creeks

and/or farm drains.

1. Metric units are used throughout REA documentation when describing the size of Project infrastructure, except in instances describing areas of land. When describing land size, acres (imperial) will be used rather than hectares (metric) because it is the measuring unit most commonly used by the local community. It is assumed that 1 hectare of land is equal to 2.47 acres of land.




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According to O. Reg. 359/09, as amended, the Project Location is “a part of land and all or part of any building or

structure in, on, or over which a person is engaging in or proposes to engage in the project and any air space in which

a person is engaging in or proposes to engage in the project”. As described therein, the Project Location boundary is

the outer limit of where site preparation and construction activities will occur (i.e., disturbance areas described below)

and where permanent infrastructure will be located, including the air space occupied by turbine blades.

To provide flexibility while designing and constructing the location of Project infrastructure, only the locations of

turbines and collector lines (including associated infrastructure such as junction boxes) within public RoW have

been identified within the Project Location; therefore, with the exception of turbines and collector lines within the

RoW, the most conservative approach was taken for the purposes of the NHA by assuming that any other type of

infrastructure could be located in the remaining Project Location (Figure 1).

For the purposes of completing this Natural Heritage Assessment, a 50 m Area of Investigation for collector lines

located within Public RoW and a 120 m Area of Investigation for all other infrastructure types were applied to the

Project Location. These distances are based on the requirements of O. Reg. 359/09 and the Natural Heritage

Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNRF, 2012), hereafter referred to as the Natural Heritage

Assessment Guide. The Area of Investigation encompasses the Project Location and an additional 50 m or 120 m

surrounding the Project Location, measured from the Project Location boundary as described above. Going

forward, areas in or within 50 m of the collector lines located within Public RoW (Roadside Collector Project

Location) as well as areas in or within 120 m of turbines (Turbine Project Location) and all other Project

infrastructure (Remaining Project Location) will be referred to as the Area of Investigation. As part of the REA

process, features located within the Area of Investigation must be investigated and evaluated to determine whether

they are significant or provincially significant, in order to ascertain whether development prohibitions apply as per

O. Reg. 359/09 the Natural Heritage Assessment Guide.

This report summarizes the REA requirements with respect to completing an EIS (Section 2) and provides an

overview of the results of the Evaluation of Significance (Section 3), and the proposed Project (Sections 4 and 5)

as described in the Otter Creek Wind Farm Construction Plan Report (AECOM, 2016a). A general overview of the

potential effects of the proposed Project is provided in Sections 6. Details regarding the potential effects,

performance objectives, mitigation measures, monitoring plan and contingency measures for specific natural

features determined to be significant or treated as significant and therefore carried forward to the EIS are described

in Sections 7 and 8. Finally, a brief summary and the overall conclusions of this EIS is provided in Section 9.

Summary of Key Project Information 1.2

A summary of key Project information is presented in the Table 1-1 below.

Table 1-1: Summary of Key Project Information2

General Project Name: Otter Creek Wind Farm

Project Ownership and Operation: Otter Creek Wind Farm LP

Project Lifespan (Commercial Operation): 20 Years

Project Nameplate Capacity: Up to 50 Megawatts (MW)

Project Location

Area

(as shown in

Figure 1)

Location of Project: Privately-owned land and public road allowances in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent

Total Project Location Area / Construction

Disturbance Area

Approximately 11,400 acres2

Project Location Area/ Construction Disturbance Area Approximately 840 acres

2. Dimensions are near approximations.




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Table 1-1: Summary of Key Project Information2

Wind Turbine

Generators Make and Model: Enercon E-141

Total Number Permitted: 12

Approximate Number Constructed: 12

Nominal Turbine Power: Up to 4.2 MW

Number of Blades: 3

Blade Length: 66.7 metres (m)

Wind Turbine

Generators

(continued)

Hub Height: 129 m

Rotor Diameter: 141 m

Cut-in Wind Speed: 2.5 metres per second (m/s)

Cut-out Wind Speed: 28.0 m/s (reduced mode up to 34.0 m/s)

Swept Area: 15,614.5 m2

Foundation Dimensions: Approximately 30 m diameter

Access Roads During Construction (approximate, with shoulder): 20 m width

Temporary Land Use

(Construction Phase)

Turbine Working Areas (total approximate area per

turbine):

2.5 acres

Laydown Area(s) (approximate Total area

constructed for laydown):

10 to 20 acres




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Figure 1: Project Boundary and Identified Natural Features




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2. REA Requirements

Under Section 38 (2) of O. Reg. 359/09, an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) must be conducted for all significant

natural features that are within the Area of Investigation. Under the REA process, the EIS must:

Identify and assess any negative environmental effects of the Project on significant natural features as

a result of construction, operation, or decommissioning of the Project;

Identify appropriate mitigation measures to address any negative environmental effects of the Project

on significant natural features;

Describe how the Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan addresses any negative environmental effects

of the Project on significant natural features; and

Describe how the Construction Plan Report addresses any negative environmental effects of the

Project on significant natural features.

The potential effects and mitigation measures described in this EIS are consistent with the conclusions presented in

the Otter Creek Wind Farm Construction Plan Report (AECOM, 2016a) and the Otter Creek Wind Farm Design and

Operation Report (AECOM, 2016b), as well as the Otter Creek Wind Farm Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan

(AECOM, 2016c).




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3. Summary of Evaluation of Significance

In accordance with Section 27 of O. Reg. 359/09, AECOM has conducted an Evaluation of Significance (EOS) for

all potentially significant natural features within the Area of Investigation. The details of these evaluations are

presented in the Otter Creek Wind Farm Evaluation of Significance Report (AECOM, 2016d) and those features

which were carried forward to the EIS are summarized below in Table 3-1.

No part of the proposed Project is located within 120 m of a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) or Provincially

Significant Area of Natural or Scientific Interest (ANSI). However, some portions of the Project Location are

proposed within 120 m of significant natural features including Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife

Habitat (SWH). Potential negative effects of the Project on these significant natural features are addressed herein.

Table 3-1: Summary of Features Carried Forward to the EIS

Feature Type Feature ID Minimum Distance from Project Location (m)

Significant Woodlands WOD-004 0 (adjacent to Project Location / Construction Disturbance Area)

WOD-006 0 (adjacent to Project Location / Construction Disturbance Area)

Significant Wildlife Habitat SCP-005 0 (adjacent to Project Location / Construction Disturbance Area)

SCP-006 0 (adjacent to Project Location / Construction Disturbance Area)

SCP-007 0 (adjacent to Project Location / Construction Disturbance Area)

Generalized Candidate SWH Various




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4. Summary of Project Components

The proposed Project Location is described in detail in the Otter Creek Wind Farm Construction Plan Report

(AECOM, 2016a). Table 4-1 below presents a description of the Project components as described in the Otter

Creek Wind Farm Construction Plan Report (AECOM, 2016a).

Table 4-1: Description of Project Components

Component Description

Wind Turbine

Generators

The Project will include commercial wind turbines with a project total nominal power up to 50MW. The turbine nacelle

includes the electric generator, wind direction and speed sensors and auxiliary equipment. These components are

located at the top of a supporting tower and are connected to three blades and a hub.

Wind Turbine

Foundation

Each turbine tower is anticipated to have a concrete foundation. The land base of each turbine foundation will be

dependent on subsurface conditions determined during geotechnical investigations. Following geotechnical

investigations, it may be determined that spread-footing type foundations may be suitable for certain locations;

otherwise alternative foundation designs will be considered (e.g. Deep foundations).

Collector

Transformers

A collector transformer will be located inside the turbine tower. This transformer ‘steps-up’ the electricity generated by

the wind turbine to a common electrical collector line voltage, likely 34.5 Kilovolts (kV).

Wind Turbine

Access Roads

During construction and operation of the proposed Project, roads are required in order to access wind turbine

locations. Access roads will be constructed within the Project Location and developed to accommodate cranes and

transportation equipment used to deliver wind turbine components.

Collector Lines Collector lines carry the electricity from the collector transformers to the Project electrical substation (described

below). The collector lines will likely be 34.5 kV standard utility generator lines located within the Project Location on

private property and within the public RoW until it reaches the Electrical Substation.

The underground collector lines will be buried in accordance with ESA standards. This depth will likely be deeper

than 0.75 m below ground surface. If aboveground electrical collector lines are required, they will be constructed on

either wood, steel or concrete pole structures.

Where two or more underground collector lines must be connected together, a junction box will be installed either

below or aboveground. Junction boxes may contain equipment related to splices, junctions, cable splices and

disconnect switches. They will be located either on private lands or within the ROW and contained within the CDA.

Where two or more overhead collector lines must be connected together, a junction box may be installed. Junction boxes

may contain equipment related to splices, junctions, cable splices and disconnect switches.

Electrical Substation An electrical substation is required to bring together all of the underground and aboveground electrical collector lines.

The collected power will be transformed from the electrical collector line voltage (34.5 kV) to a transmission voltage

(115 kV).

Electrical substation equipment may include an isolation switch(es), circuit breaker(s), step-up power transformer(s),

distribution switch-gear(s), instrument transformers, capacitor banks, communication equipment which may include a

communication tower, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition equipment, protection and control equipment,

grounding transformers, grounding grid, revenue metering (conforming to the Independent Electricity Systems

Operator (IESO) market rules), substation grounding, parking and a control building.

A secondary containment system may be installed at the transformer constructed at the substation to prevent soil

contamination in the event of a leak if petroleum products are used within the equipment installed.

Communication

Tower

A Communication tower used for communication purposes may be constructed within the substation Construction

Disturbance Area (CDA) and/or the interconnection station location. If required, the Communication tower may be up

to 100 m tall. Height, soil conditions and space requirements will determine whether the tower will be steel-lattice or

guyed.

Meteorological

Towers

One or more permanent meteorological towers, up to approximately 129 m in height, may be constructed using

cranes and secured with guy wires tied off to anchors.

Access roads may be constructed to access meteorological tower locations and the site may be surrounded by a

chain link fence. The towers will be connected to the Project power and communication infrastructure.

There is a possibility of using the meteorological tower to host communications equipment to serve the purpose of the

communications tower.




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Table 4-1: Description of Project Components


Interconnection

Station (Connection

to Electrical Grid)

The point of interconnection will require modifications to the existing transmission line and may include circuit

breakers, isolation switches, transmission switchgear, instrumentation, grounding, metering equipment and other

equipment typical of such systems.

There will be an interconnection line from the transformer to the POI.

The interconnection plan for any wind project is subject to study, design, engineering and approval by the IESO which

manages the province’s electricity grid and Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) which owns the transmission lines.

Operations and

Maintenance

Building

An operations and maintenance building may be constructed. This building may accommodate offices, maintenance

work areas, control facilities and a parking area and will likely be located within the Project Boundary.

An access road to the operations and maintenance building from a municipal or privately owned road would be used

to access the operations and maintenance building during the operation of the Project.

Construction offices and temporary storage of Project equipment may also occur in pre-existing areas used for

commercial, industrial or other purposes.

To facilitate the construction of the proposed Project, a number of temporary construction components are also

required. These temporary components, described further in Table 4-2 below, include turbine working areas and

laydown area(s).

Table 4-2: Description of Temporary Project Components


Laydown Areas Approximately 10 to 20 acres of land area may be constructed for the temporary storage of construction

material/equipment/components and as a site(s) for the construction office trailers, staff vehicle parking and other

construction related needs.

Following clearing and grubbing of any vegetation, the topsoil at the temporary laydown area will be removed and a

layer of clean compacted crushed gravel will be imported, as needed.

A temporary electrical service line may be connected to the existing distribution line for the purpose of providing

power to the construction office trailers.

Turbine Working

Area

Temporary working areas will be constructed at the same time as the access roads and will be located adjacent to the

turbine locations.

Crane pads will be constructed in tandem with wind turbine access roads and after topsoil and subsoil are removed

from the areas. The Turbine Working Areas will consist of left over subsoil and may be filled with varying mixtures of

granular base material and/or crushed gravel depending on site specific conditions.

Crane mats will be used to stabilize cranes during their operation.

The total turbine working area will be approximately 2.5 acres.

After the turbine erection is complete, the crane mats, granular base materials and crushed gravel will be removed,

native topsoil replaced, and working areas returned to their pre-construction condition, at the discretion of the

landowners. A small gravel pad will be left in place at the base of the turbine around the turbine foundation for

maintenance truck access and circulation.




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5. Description of Construction and Installation Activities

The following sections provide the following information for construction and installation activities:

Project timing;

Materials brought on-site;

Temporary uses of land;

Construction equipment used; and

Explanation of how the components will be constructed.

In general, all work crews will drive automobiles (typically light trucks) to reach the Project Location. Flatbed trucks

will be used to transport specialized equipment (e.g., tracked bulldozers, excavators, loaders, dump trucks,

compactors and graders) to the Project Location. Construction equipment, fuel and lubricants will be delivered to

temporary turbine work areas / laydown areas by large truck and trailer combinations.

Timing of Construction and Installation Activities 5.1

Subject to the receipt of the necessary permits and approvals, site work for the Project is expected to begin in 2018

and last for approximately 8-10 months. Construction and installation activities will likely generally occur at times of

day when agricultural machinery would normally be in operation, unless circumstances require otherwise. Table 5-

1 presents the anticipated construction schedule and approximate order of construction activities for the proposed

Project.

Table 5-1: Estimated Construction Schedule

Activity Estimated Start Date Estimated Duration

Surveying “Prior to Construction”

Summer / Fall 2016

2 months

Geotechnical Sampling “Prior to Construction”

Summer / Spring 2017

1 month

Site Preparations and Land Clearing Spring/Summer 2018 1 month

Access Road Construction Spring/Summer 2018 2 months

Construction of Laydown Area Spring/Summer 2018 1 month

Turbine Work Area Construction Spring/Summer 2018 3 months

Turbine Foundations Construction Spring/Summer 2018 2-4 months

Delivery of Equipment Summer/Fall 2018 As needed throughout construction phase

Wind Turbine Assembly and Installation Summer/Fall 2018 4 months

Electrical Collector System Construction (Collector Lines and

Junction Boxes)

Summer/Fall 2018 2 months

Electrical Substation Summer/Fall 2018 2-5 months

Operations and Maintenance Building Construction Summer/Fall 2018 2 months

Meteorological Towers and Communication Tower Installation Summer/Fall 2018 1 month

Turbine Testing and Commissioning Fall 2018 2 months

Clean-up and Site Reclamation Winter 2018 1 month




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Pre-construction Activities 5.2

5.2.1 Surveying and Geotechnical Sampling Activities

Prior to construction, a registered Ontario Land Surveyor (or equivalent) will survey the Project Location and property

lines. Equipment used for surveying will likely include a small number of light duty trucks and all-terrain vehicles.

Existing buried infrastructure located on public property will be identified using the Ontario One Call service and

buried infrastructure located on private property will be identified by private contractors prior to construction and

updated throughout construction, as required.

Geotechnical sampling will be required for turbine foundation locations, the substation, transmission line poles,

access roads and collector lines. Typically, a truck-mounted drill rig visits the sampling locations, drills the borehole

and collects geotechnical information for laboratory testing and analysis. Information collected will include details of

soil compaction, grain size, resistivity, soil pH, and depth to the collector substation and along collector lines. This

operation typically uses two operators and requires three to four hours per turbine location.

Equipment will include, at a minimum, trucks, a truck mounted drill rig, and possibly a track-mounted drill rig. The

trucks will be driven to the site via existing municipal roads. No materials will be brought on-site for these activities and

any waste generated would be comprised of drill cuttings which will be scattered in the vicinity of the boreholes. The

chemicals required for this phase will include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate construction equipment.

Construction Activities 5.3

The Project Location (or CDA) as defined in Section 1 and depicted in Figure 3, is the area of land within the Project

Boundary that may be used for the construction and operation of the wind farm. The project components, including

those listed in Section 2 of this report may be located anywhere within the Project Location and the following list

includes some of the project activities that may be completed to construct the necessary Project Components:

Land clearing;

Construction of access roads;

Construction of laydown area(s);

Construction of turbine working area(s);

Delivery of equipment;

Construction of wind turbine foundations;

Wind turbine assembly and installation;

Construction of Electrical Collector System;

Construction of Electrical Substation and Interconnection station;

Construction of Operations and Maintenance Building;

Construction of Permanent Meteorological Tower(s) (up to approximately 129 m in height);

Installation of Communication Tower (up to approximately 100 m in height); and

Site clean-up and reclamation.

The following sections describe these potential construction activities in more detail.

5.3.1 Land Clearing

The construction of the access roads will typically require clearing and grubbing of any vegetation, excavation of

the topsoil layer and adding a layer of compacted material. Prior to access road construction, soil from the access

road footprint will be stripped and stockpiled for re-use following construction to reclaim the site.




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5.3.2 Construction of Access Roads

Access roads will be constructed to transport equipment to the construction sites. The construction of the access

roads will result in disturbance areas approximately 20 m wide. The access road will be sited within the Project

Location in consultation with the landowner and taking into consideration potential environmental effects. Where

possible, access roads will be situated to limit impacts to land use and limit the number of watercourse crossings.

As necessary, ditches and culverts will be constructed to maintain existing site drainage. The road structure will be

a geotextile and gravel, or soil stabilized.

New culverts may be required to maintain drainage in ditches at junctions with roadways and these will be

constructed to support the construction equipment and delivery trucks. The details of culverts and their installation

in addition to erosion control measures will be determined in consultation with the St. Clair Region Conservation

Authority (SCRCA) and/or the Municipality of Chatham-Kent as part of their permitting processes, if necessary.

The construction crew is typically anticipated to require approximately six people and the timeline for constructing

an access road to a turbine is expected to take between two and four days to complete, depending on the length of

the road and site conditions. Equipment will typically include, at a minimum, trucks, graders and bulldozers. The

trucks and graders will likely be driven to the site and the bulldozers will be transported via trailers. The chemicals

likely required for this phase will include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate construction equipment. Fuel-

handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.

5.3.3 Construction of Laydown Areas

Approximately 10 to 20 acres of land area may be constructed for the temporary storage of construction material/

equipment/ components and as a site(s) for the construction office trailers, staff vehicle parking and other

construction related needs. Following clearing and grubbing of any vegetation, the topsoil at the temporary laydown

area will be removed and a layer of clean compacted crushed gravel will be imported, as needed. A temporary

electrical service line may be connected to the existing distribution line for the purpose of providing power to the

construction office trailers.

Equipment will include, at a minimum, trucks, graders and bulldozers. The chemicals required for this phase will

include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate construction equipment. Fuel-handling will be conducted in

compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.

Following the construction phase, the gravel will be removed from the Laydown areas or re-used, at the discretion

of landowners. The temporary electrical service line and poles will be removed. The stockpiled topsoil will then be

redistributed throughout the temporary laydown area.

5.3.4 Construction of Turbine Working Areas

Temporary working areas will be constructed at the same time as the access roads and will be located adjacent to

the turbine locations. Bulldozers will remove topsoil and subsoil, and working areas locations will be either left as

subsoil or filled with a varying mixture of granular base material and crushed gravel depending on site specific

conditions. Crane mats will be used to stabilize cranes during their operation. The total working area at each turbine

will be approximately 2.5 acres.

The construction crew is typically anticipated to require approximately six people and construction activities are

expected to last for approximately two to four days. Equipment will include, at a minimum, trucks, graders and

bulldozers. The chemicals required for this phase will include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate construction

equipment. Fuel-handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 12

5.3.5 Delivery of Equipment

Equipment will be delivered by truck and trailer throughout the construction phase and stored at the temporary

laydown areas surrounding each turbine. Each turbine site will include required infrastructure to accommodate

delivery of oversized loads (e.g., turbine components). A Road Use Agreement and Traffic Management Plan will

be developed in consultation with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, if required. Alternative traffic routes will be

prepared to address traffic congestion, as needed.

5.3.6 Construction of Wind Turbine Foundations

A determination of a final turbine foundation design will be based on results of site-specific geotechnical

assessments. Based on site specific conditions that will be determined from geotechnical assessment, blasting will

likely not be required during wind turbine foundation excavation. If required, a batch plant will likely be located at

the temporary construction laydown area for the purposes of providing concrete for the turbine foundations.

5.3.6.1 Spread Footing Foundation

For typical spread footing foundations, the expected dimensions of the wind turbine foundation excavation are

approximately 0.25 acres with an excavated depth of approximately 5 m. Stockpiled material will have topsoil and

subsoil separated out and surplus excavated material may be removed from the site for disposal in an approved

manner. The foundation will be constructed of poured concrete and reinforced with steel.

Typical construction equipment, on a per turbine basis, will include excavator for removing material, flatbed trucks

for delivery of rebar, turbine mounting assembly and forms, truck mounted crane or rough terrain forklift for

unloading and placement of rebar and forms, concrete trucks for delivery of concrete (up to 125 trucks),

construction trucks (three to four vehicles with multiple visits); and, dozer, loader and trucks to backfill and compact

foundation and remove surplus excavated materials. Chemicals required for this phase will include oils, gasoline

and grease used to operate construction equipment, as well as concrete curing compounds, and oils for formworks.

Fuel-handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.

5.3.6.2 Deep Foundations

Where required due to soil conditions, deep foundations will be used in place of spread footing foundations. In this

case, steel, concrete or aggregate piles will be installed in the ground to support the forces from the turbine. After

the piles are installed to a suitable depth, a pile cap will be installed and a mud slab will be poured to allow for the

installation and construction of the structural re-bar cage. Concrete will be poured within and around the re-bar

cage to form the foundation. The construction timeframe for turbine foundation is approximately fourteen to twenty

days, excluding curing time.

Typical construction equipment, on a per turbine basis, will include excavator for removing material, flatbed trucks

for delivery of rebar, turbine mounting assembly and forms, truck mounted crane or rough terrain forklift for

unloading and placement of rebar and forms, concrete trucks for delivery of concrete (up to 125 loads), construction

trucks (three to four vehicles with multiple visits); and, dozer, loader and trucks to backfill and compact foundation

and remove surplus excavated materials as well as pile driver or pile boring machinery. Chemicals required for this

phase will include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate construction equipment, as well as concrete curing

compounds, and oils for formworks. Fuel-handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures

outlined in Section 8 below.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 13

5.3.7 Wind Turbine Assembly and Installation

Turbine components will arrive on-site using trailers and will be temporarily stored on-site in the immediate vicinity

of the base prior to assembly, or possibly in a laydown area. Wind turbines will be assembled on-site by qualified

installers. Typically two cranes will be used to install the turbines. Cranes and crew will erect the wind turbines once

the foundations are completed and the concrete has sufficiently cured. Upon completion, packing frames for the

turbine components may be returned to the turbine vendor.

Equipment will include, at a minimum, trucks and two cranes. The trucks will be driven to the site. The larger track

mounted crane can move from turbine site to turbine site; however, it may need to be disassembled to move it

along roadways and from the Project site. Alternatively, cranes may be moved between turbine sites without

disassembly along access roads. In such instances, no additional infrastructure is required to support the crane

movement. The chemicals required for this phase will include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate

construction equipment. Fuel-handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in

Section 8 below.

5.3.8 Construction of the Electrical Collector System

The electrical collector system will consist of, junction boxes and underground or above ground cabling installed

along turbine access roads on private property and either buried or above ground collector lines running along

municipal road RoW. These components are described below.

5.3.8.1 Collector Transformers

No external collector transformers will be constructed; collector transformers will be located within the wind turbines.

5.3.8.2 Collector Lines

Cables will carry electricity from each turbine to the electrical substation. Similarly, fibre optics lines will be installed

to allow for communications between the turbines and the substation. The collector lines may be a combination of

underground, overhead lines on private property, or overhead or underground lines on public road allowances.

All underground collector lines will be installed in a trench or direct plow and buried in accordance with ESA

standards. This depth will likely be deeper than 0.75 m below ground surface. Collector lines may also be installed

in conduits by directional drilling. Where two or more underground collector lines must be connected together, a

junction box will be installed either below or aboveground. Junction boxes may contain equipment related to

splices, junctions, cable splices, surge/lightning arrester, and disconnect switches. They can be located on private

lands or within the RoW.

Overhead collector lines, if required, will be installed using wood, steel or concrete pole structures. The depth and

spacing of these poles will be confirmed during the detail design phase of the Project. To minimize potential impact,

the project is contemplating a joint pole usage agreement with Hydro One Networks Inc. in order to minimize the

installation of new poles within the RoW.

Equipment required for underground collector line installation will likely include excavators, dozers, dump trucks,

directional drilling equipment, plow machines and compaction equipment. Equipment required for overhead

collector line installation will likely include utility bucket trucks, auguring trucks (or excavators), pole trailers, reel

stand vehicles, an excavator, conductor puller vehicles and tensioner vehicles. Fuel-handling will be conducted in

compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 14

5.3.8.3 Horizontal Directional Drilling

Electrical cables may need to be installed using horizontal directional drilling to minimize effects on woodlots,

watercourses, or private property. Erosion control devices will be installed at the drill location and drill cuttings will

be collected and removed from the site for disposal in an approved and appropriate manner. An entrance and exit

pit will be excavated on either side of the area to be bored under. The directional drilling equipment will be set up at

the entrance pit and a drill bit attached to rod segments will be advanced until it reaches the exit pit. A slurry of

bentonite and/or polymer mixed with water, or other suitable materials will be injected into the hole while drilling to

help stabilize the bore hole and reduce friction. Once the drill bit has reached the exit pit the drill bit will be removed

and a “reamer” attached and pulled back through the hole to enlarge the bore. The electrical cable will then be

installed through the hole and placed in a PVC pipe or sleeve.

If required, equipment used during directional drilling will include a drilling rig and two to three support trucks to

carry drilling rods, drilling supplies and cable. The chemicals required for the drilling will include oils, gasoline and

grease used to operate construction equipment, and the polymer used for directional drilling. Fuel-handling will be

conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.

5.3.9 Construction of the Electrical Substation and Interconnection Station

The electrical substation, including the interconnection station will be constructed on a total area of approximately

10 acres within a larger construction disturbance area that may include the operations and maintenance building,

interconnection station as well as a communications tower that is up to approximately 100 m in height. Topsoil and

subsoil will be removed (and stockpiled for restoration) to create an even work surface and the electrical substation

will be constructed on a raised pad or a prepared base on engineered fill.

The transformer area foundation may be approximately 50 m2 and may have a depth of approximately 2 m. An

imbiber bead containment system, an oil-water separator containment system, or another type of system may be

installed. If an oil-water containment system is used it would likely be connected to the drainage system through an

oil water separator that will likely be buried below grade. Any spills will be handled in accordance with the

MOECC’s Spills and Discharges Reporting Protocol as required under Sections 15 and 92 of the Ontario

Environmental Protection Act.

The POI will require modifications to the existing transmission line and may include circuit breakers, isolation

witches, transmission switchgear, instrumentation, grounding, metering equipment and other equipment typical of

such systems. The interconnection plan for any wind project is subject to study, design and engineering by the

IESO which manages the province’s electricity grid and Hydro One which owns the transmission lines.

Equipment required for the construction and installation of the electrical substation will include flatbed trucks,

tracked bulldozers, dump trucks, excavators, compaction equipment, concrete trucks, concrete pump trucks, water

trucks and a crane. Fuel-handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section

8 below.

5.3.10 Construction of the Operations and Maintenance Building

If required, the operations and maintenance building will likely be a structure constructed on a concrete foundation

with a potential footprint of approximately 0.5 acres, in addition to a parking area. This building may accommodate

offices, maintenance work areas, and control facilities. An access road to the building will be constructed to

accommodate construction equipment and on-site traffic during the operation of the proposed project.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 15

Equipment will include, at a minimum, forklifts, concrete trucks and smaller crew trucks. The chemicals required for

this phase will include oils, gasoline and grease used to operate construction equipment. Fuel-handling will be

conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8 below.

5.3.11 Construction of Permanent Meteorological Towers

One or more permanent meteorological towers may be constructed using cranes, and other equipment, and

secured with guy wires tied off to anchors. The towers will be connected to the Project power and communication

infrastructure and there is a possibility the meteorological towers will host communications equipment, serving the

purpose of the communication tower. Construction of one meteorological tower will take approximately two days

and typically may require a crew of approximately six people.

5.3.12 Construction of Communication Tower

A Communication tower used for communication purposes may be constructed within the substation construction

disturbance area. If required, the Communication tower may be up to 100 m tall and will likely be installed by a

single crane; soil conditions will determine whether the tower will be steel-lattice or guyed. An access road may be

constructed to access the Communication tower and the site may be surrounded by a chain link fence.

5.3.13 Site Clean-up and Reclamation

Site clean-up will occur throughout the construction phase meaning waste and debris generated during the

construction activities will be collected by a licensed operator and disposed of at an approved facility and all

reasonable efforts will be made to minimize waste generated during construction. The waste that is generated

during construction will be recycled where possible, including returning packaging material to suppliers for re-use.

Once construction is completed construction equipment and vehicles will be removed from site and site reclamation

will occur. Temporary disturbance areas (e.g., laydown areas and turbine working areas) will be restored by

replacing and re-contouring stripped soil to return the land to previous conditions, at the discretion of the

landowner. Erosion control equipment will be removed once inspections have determined that the threat of erosion

has diminished to the original land use level or lower. Access road widths and entrances that are required for

operation phase will also be reduced to from approximately 20 m to a range of 5 to 12 m in width. High voltage

warning signs will be installed at the electrical substation and elsewhere, as appropriate.

Turbine Commissioning 5.4

Testing and commissioning will be performed prior to the Project’s connection to the existing Hydro One

transmission line. The commissioning activities will consist of testing and inspection of electrical, mechanical and

communications systems for system continuity, reliability and performance. Some packing-material waste may be

generated. Recyclable materials will be separated from non-recyclable materials and both streams will be removed

from the site and disposed of at an approved and licenced facility.

Temporary portable generator sets may be used to electrically commission the turbines prior to connection to the

grid. Following the commissioning phase, the portable generators will be removed from the site.

Equipment will include support trucks which will be driven to the construction site. The only chemicals required for

this phase are oils, gasoline, lubricants and grease used to operate construction equipment and portable

generators.. Fuel-handling will be conducted in compliance with the mitigation measures outlined in Section 8

below.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 16

Temporary Uses of Land 5.5

Construction and installation activities will utilize temporary turbine work areas and laydown areas adjacent to

access roads, wind turbines, the collector substation, the operations and maintenance building (if required), and

possibly other areas as deemed necessary. Lands used for temporary turbine work areas and laydown areas will

be converted from their current state prior to construction. Soil management will be incorporated into the creation

and use of these areas to facilitate site reclamation, and all temporary work spaces will be converted back to their

previous land use after the completion of the construction and installation phase. Temporarily-used areas will be

reclaimed no later than two years from initial construction disturbance.

Temporary Water Takings 5.6

During construction of the wind turbine foundations, dewatering will be required and is expected to exceed

50,000 L/day. During the construction phase of the Project, water may be required to support turbine infrastructure

construction and water demands for the purposes of these general construction activities are expected to have peak

volumes up to 40,000 Litres/day (L/day). Actual daily demands will vary and will typically be lower in volume than the

estimated peak volume. The following construction activities are examples of some of the activities that may require

water taking during construction:

Dust suppression;

Directional drilling; and

Site clean-up and reclamation.

Any water taking conducted throughout the Project (including construction phase) is subject to the REA application

and as such does not require a separate Permit to Take Water (PTTW).

A desktop hydrogeological assessment was completed for the purpose of providing a high level review of existing

hydrogeological conditions within the Project Boundary. The assessment identified potential groundwater taking

needs of the Project during construction and operation, outlined potential effects of the Project on groundwater

resources, and provided a mitigation strategy and contingency measures to negate any adverse effects. Please

refer to the Otter Creek Wind Farm Hydrogeological Assessment and Effects Assessment (AECOM, 2016e) for

further information.

Construction Materials / Waste Generation and Transportation 5.7

Materials brought to the Project during construction and installation will include equipment / component packaging,

scraps, fuels and lubricants. Packing frames for the wind turbine components and cabling spools will be returned to

their respective vendors or may be recycled. Plastics from other containers and packaging will be disposed of

through the local landfill and recycling facilities, where appropriate. Construction materials and scrap metals (e.g.,

copper wiring and conductors) will be removed and most likely sold to a local scrap metal dealer. Oils, fuel and

lubricants used in maintenance and operation of construction equipment will be stored temporarily in accepted

containment systems and will subsequently be removed by a licensed contractor. The licensed contractor will be

required to dispose of these wastes through conventional oil and hazardous waste disposal streams.

In addition, concrete wash out of empty cement trucks will adhere to applicable regulations. Sanitary sewage collected

in portable toilets and wash stations will be transported to an off-site facility by a licensed hauler. Small amounts of

refuse material from borehole drilling during geotechnical surveys may be redistributed on disturbed areas at

respective drill sites. Topsoil and/or subsoil stripped from access roads, foundations and temporary turbine work areas

/ laydown areas may be re-used on-site, where feasible, or otherwise removed to an appropriate location.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 17

If any grubbing of the site is required prior to construction activities, the grubbing materials (e.g., vegetation,

branches and tree stumps) will likely be removed but may remain on-site and/or possibly buried within disturbance

areas. During construction of the wind turbine foundation, electrical substation and other infrastructure, excavated

subsoil and topsoil will likely be stored in piles on-site at each temporary storage / laydown area until they are

replaced during clean-up and reclamation activities. As required, stockpiles may be covered following best

management practices (“BMPs”) to prevent erosion and propagation of noxious weeds. Any excess subsoil will be

distributed with landowner input or taken off-site, and excess clean topsoil will be redistributed to adjacent lands as

appropriate. If contaminated soil is encountered during the course of excavations, this soil will be disposed of in

accordance with the current appropriate provincial legislation.

Disposal and recycling of materials and waste generated will likely require the use of flatbed and large dump trucks

that are capable of transporting heavy loads. The type and number of truck trips necessary will be determined by

the licensed construction contractor prior to the construction and installation of the Project. Disposal and recycling

of waste will occur throughout the construction and installation of the Project since there are no plans for long-term

storage of waste in the Project Location.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 18

6. Overview of Potential Environmental Effects

The preferred method for the management of potential environmental effects is through the avoidance of significant

natural features during the Project planning and layout design process. Alternatives for conducting the proposed

activity were considered during the planning stages of the Otter Creek Wind Farm in order to avoid adverse effects

to significant natural features to the extent possible, while working within other constraints including noise, lease

agreements and landowner preference. Alterations to the proposed layout occurred throughout Project

development as significant natural features were identified, including relocation of Project infrastructure away from

sites that support sensitive species and their habitats, spanning significant natural features and/or implementing

directional drilling techniques to avoid above-ground disturbance to significant natural features. Mitigation

measures and monitoring commitments to address potential effects that may occur where complete avoidance was

not possible are described in this EIS.

Construction activities within 120 m of significant natural features may result in accidental intrusion causing physical

damage to vegetation, increased erosion and sedimentation, disturbance to local wildlife through mortality, risk of

soil or water contamination, and changes in natural drainage patterns. These potential effects are anticipated to be

avoided or minimized through the application of the mitigation measures described herein.

A general discussion of additional potential effects specific to different types of Project infrastructure is provided below.

Potential Effects of Wind Turbines 6.1

The Natural Heritage Assessment process focuses on the consideration and protection of Significant Wildlife

Habitats during the Project planning and layout design process. This habitat-based approach is a key factor in

preventing negative effects on birds and bats (MNRF, 2011a, 2011b). Alterations to the proposed Otter Creek Wind

Farm were made during the planning and layout design stages of this Project to avoid Significant Woodlands and

Significant Wildlife Habitat to the extent possible, while working within other constraints. All of the Otter Creek Wind

Farm turbines will be located within agricultural fields; therefore, no direct loss or fragmentation of significant natural

features will occur as a result of turbine installations. Furthermore, no turbines will be located within 120 m of a

significant bird or bat habitat feature. Mitigation measure to address potential effects of site preparation, grading

and construction activities where turbines will be installed adjacent to significant natural features are described in

Sections 7 and 8 below.

In North America, wind turbines present less of a danger to birds than other anthropogenic sources of mortality

such as buildings or roads (Erickson, et al. 2001). However, birds and bats may be injured or killed through

collisions with moving turbine blades, and air pressure changes near moving turbine blades may also result in bat

mortality. On the basis of bird mortality monitoring results from Ontario wind power projects, the MNRF has

concluded that mortality resulting from wind turbines is not considered to be a concern for most of Ontario’s bird

populations (MNRF, 2011a). Potential effects of the proposed Project on bird and bat mortality are addressed in the

Otter Creek Wind Farm Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan (AECOM, 2016c).

Some temporary construction dewatering may be required during construction at specific turbine locations.

Construction dewatering may temporarily affect water levels in significant features that are present within the

dewatering zone of influence. As described in the Otter Creek Wind Farm Hydrogeological Assessment and Effects

Assessment (AECOM, 2016e), the anticipated dewatering zone of influence (ZOI) was estimated to be 165 m

measured from the limits of a typical turbine foundation. There are no significant natural features located within the

anticipated ZOI.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 19

Potential Effects of Access Roads 6.2

All of the Otter Creek Wind Farm access roads will be constructed within the Construction Disturbance Area and

therefore are outside of significant natural features; therefore, no direct loss of significant natural features will occur

as a result of access roads. During Project operation, access roads may result in wildlife mortality through collision

with vehicular traffic; however this potential effect is anticipated to be negligible given the agricultural nature of the

area and limited volume of maintenance vehicles. Mitigation measures to address potential effects of site

preparation, grading and construction activities where access roads will be installed adjacent to significant natural

features are described in Sections 7 and 8 below.

Potential Effects of Collector Lines 6.3

All of the Otter Creek Wind Farm collector lines will be constructed outside of significant natural features on

privately owned lands or in municipal road Right-of-Ways (RoW) within the Construction Disturbance Area.

Locating crossings of significant natural features within existing road RoW is often the preferred alternative for

avoiding or limiting negative effects to these features, given that these locations are typically already disturbed by

the existing road and subject to routine maintenance associated with the road. Mitigation measures to address

potential effects associated with site preparation, grading and construction activities where collector lines will be

installed adjacent to significant natural features are described in Sections 7 and 8 below.

Potential Effects of Other Project Infrastructure 6.4

While exact locations of other Project infrastructure (e.g., electrical substation, communications tower,

meteorological towers, interconnection station, operations and maintenance building), have not yet been confirmed,

this infrastructure will be located outside of significant natural features and wholly located within the Construction

Disturbance Area. Therefore, there will be no direct loss of significant natural features as a result of other Project

infrastructure. Mitigation measures to address potential effects of site preparation, grading and construction

activities where other Project infrastructure will be installed adjacent to significant natural features are described in

Sections 7 and 8 below.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 20

7. Significant Woodlands

This section describes potential environmental effects of the proposed Project on Significant Woodlands during the

construction, operational and decommissioning phases. The Otter Creek Wind Farm will be constructed outside of

Significant Woodlands on privately owned lands or in municipal road Right-of-Ways (RoW) within the Construction

Disturbance Area (CDA). All potential effects associated with construction and operation of collector lines outside

Significant Woodlands will be avoided or minimized through the application of mitigation measures, monitoring

methods and contingency measures as described herein.

Mitigation measures to address potential negative environmental effects of Project construction, operation and

decommissioning on Significant Woodlands are presented in Table 7-1. This table describes the potential effects,

performance objective, mitigation measures, residual effects expected to remain after mitigation measures are

applied and the significance of these residual effects. Table 7-1 also describes the proposed monitoring plan and

contingency measures, as they relate to Significant Woodlands located within the Area of Investigation (refer to

Figure 2 in AECOM, 2016d for locations).




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 21

Table 7-1: Significant Woodlands: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation Measures

Significant Woodland Potential Effects Performance Objectives

Mitigation Measures Likelihood and Significance of

Residual Effects Monitoring Plan and Contingency Measures

WOD-004: 0 m (adjacent

to a CDA located within

Public RoW)

WOD-006: 0 m (adjacent

to a CDA located within

Public RoW)

Construction/ Decommissioning

Intrusion into Significant

Woodlands resulting in damage to

trees.

Avoid intrusion

into Significant

Woodlands.

Where construction occurs within 30 m of Significant Woodlands, install and maintain protective

fencing to clearly define the construction area and prevent accidental damage to vegetation.

Where excavation for construction of collector lines is conducted within the rooting zone of trees (e.g.,

within 5 m of the dripline), implement appropriate root pruning measures to protect tree roots.

For collector lines located within Public RoW, vegetation removal (if any) will be kept to a minimum and

will be limited to the road RoW. Trees within the RoW will be pruned through implementation of proper

arboricultural techniques, under supervision of an Arborist or Forester.

Damage to the woodlot will be

avoided through clear

delineation of boundaries and

protective fencing as well as

root pruning measures.

Negligible residual effects.

Undertake site inspections during the construction activity by an Environmental

Monitor to ensure that protective fencing is intact and that there is no damage

caused during active construction of collector lines.

Contingency Measures:

Repair protective fencing if damaged.

Any damaged trees will be pruned through implementation of proper


In the event that other woodland vegetation is damaged, habitat restoration will

occur utilizing native species suited to the habitat within the disturbed area.

Soil or water contamination by

oils, gasoline, grease and other

materials from construction

equipment, materials storage and

handling.

Avoid

contamination of

Significant

Woodlands.

Develop and implement emergency spills plan outlining steps to contain any chemicals or to avoid

contamination of adjacent Significant Woodland features, and train staff on associated procedures.

Locate site maintenance, vehicle washing and refuelling stations where contaminants are handled at

least 30 m away from Significant Woodlands. Use spill collection pads for vehicle refuelling and

maintenance.

Ensure machinery is maintained free of fluid leaks.

Store any stockpiled materials at least 30 m away from Significant Woodlands.

Dispose of any waste material from construction activities by authorized and approved off-site vendors.

Contamination avoided or

minimized through application

of mitigation measures.

Low likelihood and limited

magnitude of effect as a

result.

Contractor to conduct routine inspections of construction equipment for leaks /

spills.

Develop an emergency spills plan.


Immediately stop all work until the spill is cleaned up.

Notify the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) Spills

Action Centre of any leaks or spills.

If a spill enters a Significant Woodland, monitor daily until cleanup is

completed. In the event that woodland vegetation is damaged, habitat

restoration will occur utilizing native species suited to the habitat within the

disturbed area.

Increased erosion and

sedimentation resulting from

clearing and grubbing, excavation,

backfilling and stockpiling.

Minimize erosion

and sedimentation

to Significant

Woodlands.

Develop and implement an erosion and sediment control plan before commencement of construction

as per Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications (OPSD 219.130).

Utilize erosion blankets, sediment control fencing, straw bales, siltation bags, silt socks (i.e., Flitrexx

Soxx), etc. for construction activities within 30 m of a Significant Woodland, as appropriate to mitigate

potential excessive erosion and sedimentation.

Extra erosion and sediment control materials will be kept on hand, (i.e., heavy duty silt fencing, straw

bales).

Schedule clearing and grubbing, excavation and/or backfilling within 30 m of Significant Woodlands to

avoid times of high runoff volumes wherever possible. Temporarily suspend work if high runoff volume

is noted or excessive flows of sediment discharges occur until mitigation measures are in place.

Store any stockpiled materials at least 30 m away from Significant Woodlands.

Keep sediment and erosion control measures in place until disturbed areas have been stabilized (i.e.,

re-vegetated).

Erosion and sedimentation

avoided or minimized through

application of mitigation

measures.

Low likelihood and limited

magnitude of effect as a

result.

Contractor to check that erosion control measures are in good repair and

properly functioning prior to conducting daily work and re-install or repair as

required prior to commencing daily construction activities.

Monitor on-site conditions (i.e., erosion and sediment control, flooding, etc.)

where construction occurs within 30 m of a feature on the following basis:

Regularly during active construction periods;

Prior to, during and post forecasted large rainfall events (>20 millimetres in 24

hours) or significant snowmelt events (i.e., spring freshet);

Daily during extended rain or snowmelt periods;

Monthly during inactive construction periods, where the site is left alone for 30

days or longer.


Suspend work if excessive flows of sediment discharges occur until additional

mitigation measures are in place (e.g., install the extra erosion and sediment

control materials kept on site, such as heavy duty silt fencing, straw bales, etc.).

Report the details of a flooding event to MOECC, including a description of

any assessment and remediation undertaken.

Operation

Risk of contamination from oil,

gas, etc. during maintenance of

collector lines immediately

adjacent to Significant Woodlands.

Avoid

contamination of

Significant

Woodlands.

Develop and implement an emergency spills plan outlining steps to contain any spills during

maintenance activities to avoid contamination of Significant Woodlands, and train staff on associated

procedures.


Site maintenance, vehicle washing and refuelling stations where contaminants are handled at least 30

m away from Significant Woodlands.

Contamination will be avoided

or minimized through

application of mitigation

measures.

Residual effects considered

negligible.

No monitoring required.



Notify MOECC Spills Action Centre of any leaks or spills.

If a spill enters a Significant Woodland, monitor daily until cleanup is

completed. In the event that woodland vegetation is damaged, habitat

restoration will occur utilizing native species suited to the habitat within the

disturbed area.

Accidental damage to Significant

Woodlands resulting from

maintenance of vegetation near

overhead collector lines.

Avoid accidental

damage to

Significant

Woodlands

resulting from

maintenance of

vegetation near

overhead collector

lines.

Remove overhanging vegetation in a manner that branches fall away from the Significant Woodland to

reduce damage to adjacent vegetation.

Carry out removal of overhanging vegetation under supervision of an Arborist or Forester.

Time vegetation removal to avoid the breeding season for migratory birds ( March 31 to August 31).

Only apply herbicides (if required) when wind speeds are low and no significant precipitation is

expected (does not apply to agricultural practices).

Only use herbicides (if required) approved for use adjacent to water bodies, riparian buffers, or

woodland edges (does not apply to agricultural practices).

Residual effects considered

negligible.

Removal of overhanging vegetation to be under supervision of an Arborist or

Forester.


Any damaged trees will be pruned through implementation of proper





B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 22

8. Significant Wildlife Habitat

This section describes potential environmental effects of the proposed Project on Significant Wildlife Habitat (SWH)

during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases. All potential effects to SWH will be avoided or

minimized through the application of mitigation measures, monitoring methods and contingency measures as

described herein.

The following SWH features were carried forward for consideration in this EIS:

Habitat for Plant Species of Conservation Concern (SOCC) features SCP-005, SCP-006 and SCP-007.

The Otter Creek Wind Farm will be constructed outside of SWH features on privately owned lands or in municipal

road Right-of-Ways (RoW) within the Construction Disturbance Area (CDA). Although features SCP-006 and SCP-

007 are located within 120 m of the Project Location / Construction Disturbance Area which may contain access

roads, these features are on the opposite side of Langstaff Road; therefore, operational effects related to Project

access roads are not anticipated. Additionally, where small portions of these cultural vegetation communities

extend into the road RoW they are considered disturbed by the operation and maintenance of the existing road;

therefore construction and maintenance of collector lines within the CDA is not anticipated to negatively affect these

features. The access road to turbine 1 may be located within 0 m of feature SCP-005 however the subject portion

of feature SCP-005 is also located along Langstaff Road and is already disturbed by the operation and

maintenance of the existing road. All potential effects of the proposed Project on SWH features will be avoided or

minimized during the construction, operation and decommissioning phases, provided mitigation measures

described in Tables 8-1 and 8-2 are applied.

In addition to the above SWH features, the following Generalized Candidate SWH features were carried forward for

consideration in this EIS:

Bat Maternity Colonies (Natural Areas 012 and 016);

Turtle Wintering Areas (Natural Areas 005 and 017);

Amphibian Breeding Habitat (Wetland) (Natural Area 005);

Habitat for Plant Species of Conservation Concern (Natural Areas 012 and 016); and,

Habitat for Reptile Species of Conservation Concern (Natural Areas 005 and 017).

Mitigation measures to address potential effects on generalized candidate SWH are described in Table 8-1. These

mitigation measures will also be applied to all SWH features as described above. Additional mitigation measures to

address potential environmental effects of Project construction, operation and decommissioning on specific SWH

features are presented in Table 8-2. These tables describe the potential effects, mitigation measures, residual

effects expected to remain after mitigation measures are applied and the significance of these residual effects, as

well as the proposed monitoring plan and contingency measures.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 23

Table 8-1: Generalized Candidate Significant Wildlife Habitat: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation

Potential Effect Performance Objectives

Mitigation Measures Likelihood and Significance of Residual

Effects Detailed Monitoring Plan and

Contingency Measures


Accidental intrusion into

generalized candidate SWH

resulting in damage to trees.

Avoid accidental

intrusion into SWH.

For collector lines located within Public RoW, vegetation removal (if any) will be kept to a minimum and will be

limited to the road RoW. Trees within the RoW will be pruned through implementation of proper arboricultural

techniques, under supervision of an Arborist or Forester.

Where construction occurs within 30 m of SWH, install and maintain protective fencing to clearly define the

construction area and prevent accidental damage to vegetation.

Where excavation for construction of collector lines is conducted within the rooting zone of trees (e.g., within 5

m of the dripline), implement proper root pruning measures to protect tree roots.

Accidental intrusion will be avoided through

clear delineation of boundaries and

protective fencing as well as root pruning

measures.


Undertake site inspections by an Environmental Monitor during construction events to

ensure that only specified trees are removed, protective fencing is intact and that there

is no damage caused to remaining trees during construction.


Repair protective fencing if damaged.

Any damaged trees will be pruned through implementation of proper arboricultural

techniques, under supervision of an Arborist or Forester.

In the event that other vegetation is damaged, habitat restoration will occur utilizing

native species suited to the habitat within the disturbed area.

Damage to vegetation while

operating equipment.

Minimize damage

to vegetation.

Damage to vegetation avoided through

application of mitigation measures.




clearing and grubbing,

excavation, backfilling and

stockpiling.

Minimize erosion

and sedimentation

to SWH.

Develop and implement an erosion and sediment control plan before commencement of construction as per

Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications (OPSD 219.130).

Utilize erosion blankets, sediment control fencing, straw bales, siltation bags, silt socks (i.e., Flitrexx Soxx), etc.

for construction activities within 30 m of SWH, as appropriate to mitigate potential excessive erosion and

sedimentation.

Extra erosion and sediment control materials will be kept on hand (i.e., heavy duty silt fencing, straw bales).

Schedule clearing and grubbing, excavation and/or backfilling within 30 m of SWH to avoid times of high runoff

volumes wherever possible. Temporarily suspend work if high runoff volume is noted or excessive flows of

sediment discharges occur until mitigation measures are in place.

Store any stockpiled materials at least 30 m away from SWH.

Keep sediment and erosion control measures in place until disturbed areas have been stabilized (i.e., re-

vegetated).

Erosion and sedimentation avoided or

minimized through application of mitigation

measures.

Low likelihood and limited magnitude of

effect as a result.

Contractor to check that erosion control measures are in good repair and properly

functioning prior to conducting daily work and re-install or repair as required prior to

commencing daily construction activities.

Monitor on-site conditions (i.e., erosion and sediment control, spills, flooding, etc.)

where construction occurs within 30 m of a feature on the following basis:

Regularly during active construction periods;

Prior to, during and post forecasted large rainfall events (>20 millimetres in 24 hours)

or significant snowmelt events (i.e., spring freshet);

Daily during extended rain or snowmelt periods;

Monthly during inactive construction periods, where the site is left alone for 30 days or

longer.


Suspend work if excessive flows of sediment discharges occur until additional

mitigation measures are in place (e.g., install the extra erosion and sediment control

materials kept on site, such as heavy duty silt fencing, straw bales, etc.).

Report the details of a flooding event to MOECC, including a description of any

assessment and remediation undertaken.

Removal/ disturbance of topsoil

and increased soil compaction

from manoeuvring of heavy

machinery, excavation and

backfilling.

Minimize removal/

disturbance of

topsoil and

increased soil

compaction.

Minimize vehicle traffic on exposed soils, avoid compacting or other hardening of natural ground surface, and

avoid the movement of heavy machinery on areas with sensitive slopes.

Removal/disturbance of topsoil and

increased soil compaction avoided or

minimized through application of mitigation

measures.


effect as a result.

See erosion and sedimentation above.



directional drilling.

Minimize erosion

and sedimentation

to SWH.

Conduct all drilling by licensed drillers in accordance with Regulation 903 under Ontario Water Resources Act,

R.S.O. 1990.

Set back drill entry and exit pits at least 30 m from SWH.

Monitor SWH for signs of surface disturbance.

Develop “Frac-Out” Contingency Plan outlining steps to contain any chemicals or to avoid contamination of

adjacent SWH including:

Immediately stop all work, including the recycling of drilling mud / lubricant.

Contain any sediments and/or deleterious materials originating from the “frac-out”.

Notify the MOECC Spills Action Centre of the “frac-out” event and the response taken to contain the spill.

Monitor clean-up procedures to ensure they do not result in greater damage than leaving the mud in-place.

If the spill affects a SWH feature, seed or replant the area using the same species to those in the adjacent

area, or allow to re-grow from existing vegetation.

Increased erosion and sedimentation

avoided or minimized through application of

mitigation measures.

Low likelihood; if accidental damage

occurred, negative effects may be

measurable but would likely represent a

small change relative to existing conditions.

See erosion and sedimentation above.

Monitor directional drilling for the duration of such activities by an Environmental Monitor

to ensure that “frac-out” or accidental intrusion does not occur, and if it does, to ensure

that there are no effects on SWH features.


In the event of a “frac-out”, implement the “Frac-Out” Contingency Plan.


release of pressurized drilling

fluids into SWH from fractures

in substrate (also known as a

‘frac-out’).

Minimize soil or

water

contamination.

Risk of soil or water contamination avoided

or minimized through application of

mitigation measures.

Low likelihood; if accidental damage

occurred, negative effects may be

measurable but would likely represent a

small change relative to existing conditions.

Disturbance and/or mortality to

terrestrial wildlife during

vegetation removal.

Minimize

disturbance and/or

mortality to

terrestrial wildlife.

Time vegetation removal to avoid periods of habitat use to the extent possible, particularly to avoid sensitive

life stages (e.g., breeding season for migratory birds, March 31 to August 31). Undertake active nest surveys

by a qualified Biologist in areas defined as simple habitat* if clearing of vegetation must take place during this

period.

*Note: Environment Canada defines simple habitats refer to habitats that contain few likely nesting spots or a

homogenous community where identification of active nests can be completed with confidence. For instance,

sparsely vegetated habitats may be considered simple habitats, depending on site-specific vegetation cover.

Disturbance and/or mortality to terrestrial

wildlife avoided or minimized through

application of mitigation measures.


effect as a result.

Undertake monthly site inspections by an Environmental Monitor to ensure that only

specified trees are removed, protective fencing is intact and that there is no damage

caused to the remaining trees during construction and undertake active nest surveys by

a qualified Biologist in areas defined as simple habitat* if clearing of vegetation must

take place during this period.


Prune any damaged trees through implementation of proper arboricultural techniques,

under supervision of an Arborist or Forester.

Consult with MNR to determine additional contingency measures if necessary.

Disturbance to or loss of wildlife

habitat, including active bird

nests.

Minimize

vegetation removal

and destruction of

bird nests.

Vegetation removal minimized and

destruction of active bird nests avoided

through application of mitigation measures.


effect as a result.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 24

Table 8-1: Generalized Candidate Significant Wildlife Habitat: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation

Potential Effect Performance Objectives

Mitigation Measures Likelihood and Significance of Residual

Effects Detailed Monitoring Plan and

Contingency Measures

Should an active nest be located apply and maintain an appropriate buffer, selected

by a Biologist, based on species specific characteristics until the nest is no longer

active.

*Note: Simple habitats refer to habitats that contain few likely nesting spots or a

homogenous community where identification of active nests can be completed with

confidence. For instance, sparsely vegetated habitats may be considered simple habitats,

depending on site-specific vegetation cover.


oils, gasoline, grease and other

materials from construction

equipment, materials storage

and handling.

Avoid

contamination of

SWH.

Develop and implement Spill Prevention and Response Plan (SPRP) outlining steps to contain any chemicals

or to avoid contamination of adjacent SWH features, and train staff on associated procedures.

Locate site maintenance, vehicle washing and refuelling stations where contaminants are handled at least 30

m away from SWH. Use spill collection pads for vehicle refuelling and maintenance.


Store any stockpiled materials at least 30 m away from SWH.

Dispose of any waste material from construction activities by authorized and approved off-site vendors.

Contamination avoided or minimized

through application of mitigation measures.


effect as a result.

Contractor to conduct routine inspections of construction equipment for leaks / spills.

Develop an emergency spills plan.



Notify MOECC Spills Action Centre of any leaks or spills.

If a spill enters SWH, monitor daily until cleanup is completed. In the event that

vegetation is damaged, habitat restoration will occur utilizing native species suited to

the habitat within the disturbed area.

Changes in surface water

drainage patterns.

Minimize changes

in surface water

drainage patterns.

Ensure Best Management Practices are used to maintain current drainage patterns, including:

Implement infiltration techniques to the maximum extent possible.

Minimize paved surfaces and design roads to promote infiltration.

Limit changes in land contours.

Changes in surface water drainage patterns

avoided through mitigation measures.


effect as a result.

Inspect locations within 30 m of SWH features following completion of construction by

an Environmental Monitor to ensure no changes in drainage patterns.


If surface water drainage alterations are detected, undertake corrective measures to

restore drainage pattern.

Operation

No effects on Generalized

Candidate SWH during

operation.

None required.

None required.

No effects on Generalized Candidate SWH

during operation.

No monitoring or contingency measures required.

Table 8-2: Significant Wildlife Habitat: Potential Effects and Proposed Mitigation

Significant Wildlife Habitat Potential Effects Performance Objectives Mitigation Measures Likelihood and Significance of

Residual Effects Monitoring Plan and Contingency Measures

Habitat for Plant Species of

Conservation Concern (SOCC)

Minimum distance to Project Location:

SCP-005: 0 m (adjacent to a CDA

located within Public RoW; may be

adjacent to access road on Private

Property)


located within Public RoW; at least

16.2 m from access road CDA)


located within Public RoW; at least

19.5 m from access road CDA)


Refer to potential effects on

generalized Candidate SWH in

Table 8-1 above.

Refer to performance

objectives in Table 8-1

above.

For collector lines located within Public RoW, vegetation

removal (if any) will be kept to a minimum and will be

limited to the road RoW. Construction activities may be

undertaken within the full limits of the RoW as the portions

of these features which extend into the RoW are

considered disturbed by road operation activities.

Refer to mitigation measures in Table 8-1 above.

Refer to likelihood and significance of

residual effects in Table 8-1 above.

Refer to monitoring plan and contingency measures in Table 8-1 above.


If accidental damage to habitat for plant SOCC occurs, consult with the Ministry of Natural

Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to determine whether additional contingency measures

are required.

Operation

No effects during operation

anticipated due to proximity of

features to Langstaff Road.

None required. None required. None. No monitoring required.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 25

9. Potential Direct Effects of Wind Turbine Operation on Birds and Bats

Potential effects of the proposed Project on bird and bat mortality are addressed in the Otter Creek Wind Farm

Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan (AECOM, 2016c; hereafter referred to as the EEMP). The EEMP outlines

rigorous monitoring requirements to address potential impacts on bird and bat species during operation. More

specifically, the EEMP summarizes potential effects; identifies performance objectives with respect to the potential

negative effects; describes mitigation measures to achieve the performance objectives; identifies contingency

mitigation measures to be implemented based on the monitoring results; and commits to future monitoring to

ensure the mitigation measures meet the performance objectives (refer to Table 9-1 below). The results of all post-

construction monitoring conducted according to the EEMP will be submitted to the MNRF for review on an annual

basis.

Table 9-1: Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan for Direct Effects of Turbine Operation on

Birds and Bats

Potential Effect

Performance Objective

Mitigation Strategy

Residual Effects

Monitoring Plan and Contingency Measures

Risk of bird

mortality

caused by

turbines

(Project-wide).

Risk of bat

mortality

caused by

turbines

(Project-wide).

Minimize

mortality to

wildlife.

Utilize a lighting

scheme that will

minimize risk to bird

or bat collisions,

while fulfilling

Transport Canada

requirements.

Risk of bird and bat

collisions with

turbines minimized

through mitigation.

Significance of

residual effects will

be determined

based on the

results of post-

construction

monitoring.

Develop and implement a monitoring program for bird and

bat mortality consistent with Birds and Bird Habitats:

Guidelines for Wind Power Projects (MNR, 2011a) and Bats

and Bat Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects

(MNR, 2011b) including:

Mortality surveys;

Carcass removal trials; and

Searcher efficiency trials.

Report the findings of the bird and bat mortality monitoring

programs to MNR on an annual basis for the first three

years of operation.


Institute contingency mitigation measures if mortality

thresholds are exceeded, and conducted follow-up

monitoring to ensure that these measures are effective, in

consultation with MNRF.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 26

10. Summary and Conclusions

The landscape surrounding the Project Location and generally within the Project Boundary is characterized by

intensive agricultural production. A limited number of natural features are present and are largely in the form of

hedgerows, isolated woodlands and riparian vegetation limited to the edges of watercourses within the Project

Boundary.

As a result of the local landscape and the efforts of Otter Creek Wind Farm Limited Partnership in relocating the

Project Location away from significant natural features, it has been possible to derive a layout of turbines and

associated infrastructure that largely avoids significant natural features. The Otter Creek Wind Farm will be

constructed outside of significant natural features on privately owned lands or in municipal road Right-of-Ways

(RoW) within the Construction Disturbance Area. Locating crossings of significant natural features within existing

road RoW is the preferred alternative for avoiding or limiting negative effects to these features, given that these

locations are already disturbed by the existing road and subject to routine maintenance associated with the road.

Vegetation communities present within the road RoW are considered disturbed by the operation and maintenance

of the existing road; therefore no negative effects are anticipated from construction and maintenance of collector

lines within the full limits of the road RoW.

The potential operational effects of turbines on birds and bats will be monitored for the first three years post-

construction and, if required, mitigation measures will be implemented in consultation with MNRF and in

accordance with provincial guidelines and requirements. As a result, the residual effects of the Project on significant

natural features are expected to be minimal, provided the mitigation measures described herein are applied

correctly based on site-specific conditions, and proactively managed throughout the duration of construction and

operation activities.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 27

11. References

AECOM, 2016a:

Otter Creek Wind Farm Construction Plan Report. Prepared for Otter Creek Wind Farm LP.

AECOM, 2016b:

Otter Creek Wind Farm Design and Operation Report. Prepared for Otter Creek Wind Farm LP.

AECOM, 2016c:

Otter Creek Wind Farm Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan. Prepared for Otter Creek Wind Farm LP.

AECOM, 2016d:

Otter Creek Wind Farm Evaluation of Significance Report. Prepared for Otter Creek Wind Farm LP.

AECOM, 2016e:

Otter Creek Wind Farm Hydrogeological Assessment and Effects Assessment . Prepared for Otter Creek

Wind Farm LP.

Erikson, W.P, G.D. Johnson, M.D. Strickland, D.P. Young, Jr., K.J. Sernka and R.E. Good, 2001:

Avian Collisions with Wind Turbines: A Summary of Existing Studies and Comparisons to Other Sources of

Avian Collision Mortality in the United States. National Wind Co-ordinating Committee. August 2001. 62 pp.

Environment Canada (EC), 2016:

General Nesting Periods of Migratory Birds in Canada.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), 2011a:

Birds and Bird Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), 2011b:

Bats and Bat Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), 2012:

Natural Heritage Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects. Second Edition. November 2012. 109

pp.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), 2015b:

Significant Wildlife Habitat Ecoregion 7E Criterion Schedule. January 2015. 40 pp.




B1_04_Eis (26.10.2016) 28

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