LIMITED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Southerly Electrical Infrastructure Improvements SEII/1401A

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2 LIMITED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Project Identification Project: Applicant: Loan Number: Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Southerly Electrical Infrastructure Improvements SEII/1401A Ms. Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, Chief Executive Officer Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District 3900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio CS Project Summary The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) has requested financial assistance from the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) to make extensive electrical modifications and improvements at its wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). This project also includes improvements to and automation of Regulator BC-100 to improve wastewater management at this regulator when combined sewer overflows (CSO) 1 are authorized. The estimated amount for the project (see Figures 1 and 2) is $19,322,651. Debt for the project will be repaid from monthly service charges. The project is scheduled to begin in the winter of 2019 and be completed in 37 months. History & Existing Conditions NEORSD is responsible for wastewater treatment facilities and interceptor sewers in the greater Cleveland metropolitan area. This service area encompasses the City of Cleveland and all or portions of 61 suburban municipalities in Cuyahoga, Summit, Lake and Lorain 1 Combined sewer systems are sewers that are designed to collect rainwater runoff, domestic sewage and industrial wastewater in the same pipe. Most of the time, combined sewer systems transport all of their flow to a sewage treatment plant where it is treated and then discharged to a water body. During periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt the combined flow volume in a combined sewer system can exceed the capacity of the sewer system or treatment plant. For this reason, combined sewer systems are designed to overflow occasionally (combined sewer overflow) and discharge excess combined sewage directly to nearby streams, rivers or other water bodies. However, CSOs are also a threat to human and aquatic health, and efforts are being made to reduce or eliminate them. Page 1

3 Counties. NEORSD owns and operates three WWTPs; the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Center (WWTC), Westerly WWTP, and Easterly WWTP. The wastewater interceptor system conveys the wastewater generated within NEORSD s service area to one of the three WWTPs. Extensive improvements were recommended for Southerly WWTC s electrical infrastructure as part of various studies to modernize the system. Primary among these recommended electrical improvements is construction of a new main substation and switchgear building to improve Southerly WWTC s power grid and to provide power for the future Southerly Tunnel Dewatering Pump Station and the future Southerly Tunnel boring machine. These studies also noted deficiencies in, and recommended modifications to, the generator systems of Southerly WWTC, Westerly WWTP and Easterly WWTP. Approximately one mile west of the Southerly WWTC, there is an interconnection between the Southwest Interceptor (SWI) and Big Creek Interceptor (BCI) with in-line gates and diversion gates. The SWI-BCI interconnect is located immediately upstream of the existing Regulator BC-100 which discharges to CSO-060. The existing Regulator is fitted with stop logs that require manual removal to activate an overflow when an overflow is authorized. Removing these stop logs during extreme wet weather events is slow and inefficient and is also a safety hazard to NEORSD staff. Improvements to this regulator were recommended to improve CSO activations and safety at the regulator during wet weather events. Project Description Improvements at the Southerly WWTC include: Replacing, modifying, demolishing, salvaging and removal of existing electrical substations, construction of a new Main Substation Building with new main switchgear, and appurtenant work. HVAC and electrical improvements at various buildings. Pump station starter replacement. Access road repaving. Generator controls replacement. Improvements at the Westerly WWTP and Easterly WWTP include: Generator controls replacement. Page 2

4 Improvements at Regulator BC-100 include: Regulator BC-100 will be retrofitted with an automated downward opening weir gate that can be controlled remotely. Structural modifications including expansion of the chamber will be required to install the new weir gate. Permanent power and SCADA control to the four (4) gates located at the two (2) diversion chambers of the BCI interconnect will be provided as part of this project. A level sensor will be provided to monitor the water level in BC-100 and a gate position indicator will monitor the position of the weir gate. These two devices will provide the necessary information to estimate the volume of any discharge through CSO-060. Implementation The estimated cost of the project is $19,322,651, all of which NEORSD proposes to borrow from the WPCLF. The project service area qualifies for the standard WPCLF below-market interest rate on 20-year construction loans, which for December is 2.39 percent (WPCLF loan interest rates are set monthly and the rate may change for a later loan award). Borrowing at 2.39 percent will save NEORSD approximately $2,950,000 over the life of the loan compared to the current market rate of 3.64 percent. The sewer service charges for NEORSD customers are driven by the total indebtedness of NEORSD (and annual operation and maintenance costs), as opposed to the specific indebtedness of any particular project. NEORSD will not enact a special increase in user rates specifically to pay for this project; instead, rates were increased in 2017 to cover debt incurred during the period of , which includes debt for this project, among others. NEORSD Sewer Service Charge Rates (including Monthly Base Charge) * Rates Effective 2019 Cleveland $ Suburbs $ *NEORSD calculates monthly sewer charges by multiplying actual water consumption by the appropriate sewer rate. A monthly base charge is then added to that. The median household income of the benefitting properties is $43,804. The annual sewer bill, based on 1,037 cubic feet of monthly water use, is $1,086. This represents 2.48% of the MHI, which is considered affordable. Page 3

5 Public Participation NEORSD has a long history of working with the general public and local public officials when proposed projects are to be located in their community. NEORSD has several publications and an internet website that keep the members of their district informed of upcoming projects. NEORSD conducted public participation by advertising for bids and providing bid updates on their website, and by advertising for bids in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. This Limited Environmental Review will be posted on the websites of NEORSD and Ohio EPA Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance. Thus, there have been adequate opportunities for information dissemination and public participation. Conclusion The proposed project meets the project type criteria for a Limited Environmental Review; namely, it is an action within an existing public wastewater treatment system, which involves the functional replacement of and improvements to existing mechanical equipment. Furthermore, the project meets the other qualifying criteria for an LER; specifically, the proposed project: Will have no adverse environmental effect and will require no specific impact mitigation, as there are no known sensitive environmental resources within the proposed project areas. The proposed project activities include upgrades to and replacement of electrical equipment and systems and an overflow regulator and gate within existing wastewater treatment facilities. There will be no significant adverse effects as a result of project implementation or the need for any additional mitigation measures beyond typical erosion control and construction best management practices; Will have no effect on high-value environmental resources, as construction will take place within existing wastewater treatment facilities and an existing overflow regulator where extensive excavation has previously taken place and where no high-value resources are present; Is cost-effective, as there are no meaningful alternatives to the proposed action, and the project will be financed through the WPCLF, saving approximately $2,950,000 in interest payments over conventional financing; Is not a controversial action, as there is no known opposition to the proposed project and the cost of the project is not overly burdensome to ratepayers; Page 4

6 Does not create a new, or relocate an existing, discharge to surface or ground waters, and will not result in substantial increases in the volume of discharge or loading of pollutants from an existing source or from new facilities to receiving waters, since the project only involves upgrades to and replacement of equipment related to improved function of the existing wastewater treatment facilities, not pollutant discharges; Does not create a new source of water withdrawals from either surface or ground waters, or significantly increase the amount of water withdrawn from an existing water source, since the project proposes upgrades to and replacement of wastewater treatment facilities equipment that will improve treatment capability, not affect water sources or withdrawal amounts, and; Will not provide capacity to serve a population substantially greater than the existing population, since the project is not related to serving new growth or increasing capacity at the wastewater treatment facility. In summary, the planning activities for the project have identified no potentially-significant adverse impacts. The project is expected to have no significant short-term or long-term adverse impacts on the quality of the human environment, or on sensitive resources (surface water, ground water, air quality, floodplains, wetlands, riparian areas, prime or unique agricultural lands, aquifer recharge zones, archaeologically or historically significant sites, federal or state-designated wild, scenic or recreational rivers, federal or state-designated wildlife areas, or threatened or endangered species). Typical construction impacts, such as noise, dust, and exhaust fumes, will be short-term and addressed through the use of standard construction best management practices. The proposed project is a cost-effective way to address necessary upgrades to the existing treatment facilities electrical systems and an overflow regulator. Once implemented, the project will update aged infrastructure, helping NEORSD ensure the continued proper treatment and management of its wastewater, and will allow the implementation of additional planned projects to manage wastewater and help NEORSD meet obligations under a Consent Decree with USEPA. Also, by using WPCLF low interest financing, NEORSD has minimized the project cost. Page 5

7 For further information, please contact: R. Eric Schultz Division of Environmental & Financial Assistance Ohio Environmental Protection Agency P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, Ohio Phone: (614) Page 6

8 Figure 1: General project location (in red) Page 7

9 Figure 2: Project locations (in red) Page 8