TOLEDO BEND PROJECT FERC NO FINAL LICENSE APPLICATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Transcription

1 TOLEDO BEND PROJECT FERC NO FINAL LICENSE APPLICATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY September 2011 Copyright Sabine River Authority of Texas and Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana. All Rights Reserved.

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA-TX) and the Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana (SRA-LA) (collectively, the Authorities) are filing this (Application) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) to obtain a new license for the Toledo Bend Project, FERC Project No (Project). The Project is located along the Sabine River on the Texas-Louisiana border, and is the only hydropower facility in the United States that is co-licensed to two states through governmental units of those states. Together, the Authorities operate the Project through the Toledo Bend Project Joint Operation. The Project s primary function is water supply, with hydroelectric operations and recreation as secondary purposes. The Sabine River Compact (Compact), signed by representatives from Texas, Louisiana, and the United States in 1953 and approved by Congress, apportions the waters of the Sabine River Basin below the state line equally between the two states. Licensed by the Federal Power Commission ten years later in 1963, the Project was conceived, licensed, and developed primarily as a water supply facility, in accordance with the Compact, to serve each state s long-term municipal, industrial, and irrigation water needs. Today, Toledo Bend Reservoir is the largest manmade reservoir in the South and contains the largest unallocated supply of fresh water in Texas. As such, the reservoir is considered crucial to meeting future water demands in the region, which are expected to increase in Texas alone by 92 percent between 2010 and Location The Project encompasses an area of approximately 204,090 acres and includes lands in Panola, Shelby, Sabine, and Newton counties in Texas and De Soto, Sabine, and Vernon parishes in Louisiana. The Project Reservoir covers approximately 185,000 acres at full pool and has an active storage capacity of 4,477,000 acre-feet of water at elevation 172 feet. In addition, the Project boundary encompasses approximately 3,797 acres of federal land. These federal lands are located entirely in Texas and are administered by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Sabine National Forest, as well as the Indian Mounds Wilderness Area (IMWA). IMWA was congressionally designated in 1984 more than 20 years after the original Project licensing and 15 years after Project construction. No Project structures, facilities or works occupy lands within IMWA. Project Description and Operation In addition to serving as a key source of water supply for both Texas and Louisiana, the Project provides low-cost, emissions-free, renewable energy. The principal Project facilities include a rolled earth-fill dam with a height of 112 feet and a length of 11,250 feet; the Project reservoir; a concrete-gravity spillway and excavated spillway channel located on the left abutment, in Louisiana; and a powerhouse located at the right Page 1 Toledo Bend Project No. 2305

3 abutment, in Texas, containing two 58,500 horsepower vertical Kaplan turbines, an excavated tailrace channel, and appurtenant electrical and mechanical facilities. Power production at the Project is governed by a Power Sales Agreement between the Authorities and Entergy Gulf States, Inc., CLECO Power LLC, and Entergy Louisiana, LLC, which extends into The dependable capacity of the Project is 80 MW. The average annual energy production is 239,635 MWh. The Project provides valuable peaking power particularly in the summer to meet the peak electrical demand period. Under the current terms of the Project s operating protocols, reservoir levels for power generation purposes vary during the year from a normal maximum pool level of 172 feet to a lower pool level of 168 feet. Recreation In addition to providing important water supply functions and hydropower generation to the region, the Project also serves as a significant recreation resource to both the local community and tourists. Visitors frequent the Project year-round to enjoy the many recreational opportunities available, including boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, and camping. The Project s game fishery is highly prized and is popular with recreational anglers and with fishing tournament organizers and participants. The Authorities have a long-held policy of encouraging private enterprise at Toledo Bend, and the estimated value of recreational fishing alone at the Toledo Bend Reservoir exceeds $38 million annually. The Project also supports other day-use and overnight-use activities such as wildlife viewing, picnicking, swimming, diving, camping, and cabin lodging. Relicensing Process and Consultation Pursuant to FERC s Integrated Licensing Process (ILP), on September 22, 2008, the Authorities filed with FERC a Notice of Intent to seek a new license and Pre-Application Document (PAD) for the Project. The Authorities distributed the PAD, a thorough compilation of existing information about the Project and its environs, to federal and state resource agencies, local governments, Indian tribes, and interested members of the public, to assist the Authorities in identifying issues and information needs for relicensing the Project. The Authorities then established a number of resource work groups (RWGs) to work collaboratively with stakeholders to identify resource issues, review existing studies and data, identify study needs, review study plans, and eventually, collectively review study results. Together with these RWGs, the Authorities developed and executed a plan to conduct relicensing studies to evaluate terrestrial resources, recreational resources, water resources, cultural resources, and water quality and aquatic resources in the area of the Project. The Authorities commenced field studies during 2009 in accordance with the FERC-approved study plans. Based on the results of these studies and extensive consultation efforts, the Authorities filed a draft license application in accordance with FERC s ILP regulations on May 3, The Authorities have considered all of the comments received by agencies and other stakeholders in preparing this Application. This Application is the culmination of the Authorities comprehensive, collaborative, and multiyear effort to identify and analyze the effects of ongoing Project operations. As described Page 2 Toledo Bend Project No. 2305

4 below, it sets forth the Authorities proposal for environmental enhancement measures over the new license term. Application for New License Contents of the Application The Authorities Application includes three volumes. Volume I includes the Initial Statement and Exhibits A through E, G, and H. Volume II includes Exhibit F and a diagram from Exhibit H, which consist of critical energy infrastructure information (CEII) that has been removed from the public version of Volume I in accordance with the Commission s filing guidelines. Volume III includes sensitive information about the location of cultural and historic properties that is not to be disclosed to the public and is being filed as non-public in accordance with the Commission s filing guidelines. Volume I contains the following: Initial Statement: This section includes information about the Authorities, the location of the Project, and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements in Texas and Louisiana that affect the Project. Exhibit A Project Description: This exhibit describes the Project location and the existing Project facilities, including the dam, reservoir, spillway, powerhouse, turbines, tailrace, transformer and switchyard, transmission. It also details the new minimum-flow generation facility the Authorities propose to construct during the new license term. In addition, Exhibit A identifies federal lands within the Project boundary. Exhibit B Project Operations and Resource Utilization: This exhibit describes the dam and powerhouse, spillway, reservoir, and electrical facilities. It also details the current and proposed operation of the Project, which includes the Authorities proposal for the construction of a new minimum-flow generation facility at the Project s spillway. Exhibit C Construction History and Proposed Construction Schedule: Although recitation of the construction history of the Project applies only for applications for an initial license and is not required for the Authorities Application, this exhibit briefly describes the Project s major construction and maintenance milestones. It also sets forth the Authorities proposed construction schedule for the minimum-flow generation facility. Exhibit D Statement of Costs and Financing: This exhibit describes the costs the Authorities will incur to operate the Project under a new license and the value of power the Project will generate, including the costs associated with the Authorities proposed enhancement measures for the new license term. Exhibit E Environmental Exhibit: This exhibit describes the relicensing process, the purpose and need for power, and statutory and regulatory environmental requirements applicable to the Project. It also contains a comprehensive environmental analysis of the Authorities proposed Page 3 Toledo Bend Project No. 2305

5 action, including a description of existing resources and the affected environment, an analysis of Project effects, a description of the Authorities proposed environmental measures, and the environmental effects of the Authorities proposed measures. A summary of applicable comprehensive plans and the consistency of the Authorities proposal also are included. The following resource areas are analyzed in this exhibit: geology, geomorphology, and soils; water quantity and quality; fish and aquatics; wildlife and botanical; species listed under the Endangered Species Act; recreation, land use, shoreline management, and aesthetics; cultural resources; and socioeconomics. Exhibit G Project Maps: This exhibit contains maps showing the Project boundary. Exhibit H Plans and Ability of Applicant to Operate the Project: This exhibit includes information about Project power, Project operations and maintenance, and the Authorities strong record of compliance with the terms of the existing Project license. The Authorities Proposal for the New License Term The Authorities propose to continue to operate and maintain the Project for a new license term. With regard to new construction and operations, the Authorities also propose to construct a new minimum-flow generation facility to extract energy from the water released from the spillway. The proposed minimum-flow unit is expected to produce approximately 11,600 MWh of clean, renewable energy for the region each year, and would cost approximately $12 million to construct. Further, based on the results of the Authorities relicensing studies and consultation with resource agencies and stakeholders throughout the relicensing process, the Authorities propose a series of new measures to enhance fishery and aquatic resources and water quality in the lower Sabine River, and improve recreation, shoreline management, and historic properties management over the new license term. These measures are responsive to the issues identified by the Authorities studies, and to comments and recommendations made by agencies and stakeholders through their participation in the resource working groups and the relicensing process. Implementation of these measures will enable the Authorities to continue to operate the Project during the new license term in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner, while preserving the primary purpose of the Project as a water supply facility and the value of the Project s hydropower generation. Continuous Flow Releases to the Lower Sabine River The Authorities studies examined fishery and aquatic resources in the lower Sabine River downstream of Toledo Bend Dam. These studies demonstrate that fishery resources in the lower Sabine River are diverse and healthy. Nonetheless, based on extensive consultation with the Aquatics RWG, the Authorities in this Application are proposing to increase the current 144 cfs continuous release requirement at the spillway to 225 cfs an increase of over 56 percent. These increased flows will further enhance fishery and aquatic resources and habitat in the lower Sabine River. Page 4 Toledo Bend Project No. 2305

6 Warmer Water Continuous Flow Releases The Authorities studies investigated water quality parameters in the lower Sabine River. These studies demonstrate that water temperature meets state numeric criteria, although water temperatures in the spillway channel are suppressed compared to ambient conditions. This is because under existing conditions, the spillway continuous flow of 144 cfs is provided from below the thermocline when the reservoir is stratified. Participants in the Aquatics RWG suggested that warmer water releases at the spillway could possibly enhance fishery and aquatic resources and habitat, including mussel populations downstream of the Project. Accordingly, the Authorities propose to operate the minimum-flow generation unit in a manner that increases spillway releases to 225 cfs and extracts this water from above the thermocline. This is expected to normalize water temperatures in the spillway reach and downstream of the Project, to the enhancement of fishery, habitat, and water quality resources. Cofferdam Monitoring The Authorities water quality studies suggested that the remnant cofferdam in the Project forebay provides water quality benefit to the lower Sabine River by facilitating mixing of the stratified reservoir water as it is drawn into the powerhouse for generation. Participants in the Aquatics RWG recommended that the Authorities undertake cofferdam monitoring to preserve the water quality benefits provided by the presence of the cofferdam through the new license term. In response to these comments, the Authorities are proposing to monitor the cofferdam to ensure its structural integrity during the term of the new license. Shoreline Management Plan, Including Erosion Monitoring Program The Authorities oversee all the non-federal shoreline at Toledo Bend Reservoir which consists of a vast area of over 900 miles in length, totaling over 80 percent of the entire shoreline at the Project (approximately 1,130 miles). The Authorities have well-established and long-standing shoreline permitting programs and together administer several thousand shoreline permits at the Project. To update these existing programs, manage the Project s vast shoreline resources, and ensure that shoreline use is consistent with the Project purposes over the new license term, the Authorities have developed a preliminary draft Shoreline Management Plan (SMP), which is included in this Application. The SMP also responds to U.S. Forest Service concerns about Chinese tallow, an invasive species common in the Project area, by requiring lessees and permittees along the Project s shoreline to control Chinese tallow as part of the SMP permitting program. In addition, the Authorities propose to implement an erosion monitoring program during the new license term. This erosion monitoring program will be a component of the SMP. A schedule for finalizing the preliminary draft SMP is included as part of this Application. Page 5 Toledo Bend Project No. 2305

7 Historic Properties Management Plan Given the vast expanse of the Project, which includes approximately 1,130 miles of shoreline, the Authorities worked with the Cultural RWG to develop a Historic Properties Management Plan (HPMP) to describe how the Authorities will consider and manage historic properties within the Project s Area of Potential Effects (APE) over the new license term. In particular, the Cultural RWG agreed to a focused, phased approach for field studies and evaluation of archaeological resources along the Project s shoreline by identifying sensitive, high-priority locations totaling approximately 250 miles that the Authorities will evaluate over the first 15 years of the new license term. The HPMP also includes policies and procedures for identifying and managing archaeological and structural historic properties within the Project s APE during the new license term. A preliminary draft of the HPMP, a previous version of which has been reviewed by the Cultural RWG, is included in this Application, together with a schedule for finalizing this document for Commission approval. Recreation Management Plan The Authorities relicensing studies indicate that the capacity of recreational facilities at the Project far exceeds demand. Accordingly, the Authorities are in the process of developing a Recreation Management Plan (RMP) to guide the reasonable operation, maintenance, and management of Project-sponsored recreation facilities during the new license term in a manner that meets the Commission s policies on recreation at licensed projects, while balancing public recreational needs with the Authorities policies of promoting economic growth through private enterprise. A schedule for preparing a RMP in consultation with resource agencies and stakeholders, and submitting a RMP for Commission approval, is included in this Application. License Term Given the Authorities proposal to construct a new minimum-flow generation unit and implement a number of new environmental enhancements at the Project during the new license term, the Authorities are requesting a new license to operate the Project for a term of 45 years. Page 6 Toledo Bend Project No. 2305