PARTNERING FOR HABITAT. Mike Garrity Lead Environmental Scientist Atlantic City Electric Environmental Planning

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1 PARTNERING FOR HABITAT Mike Garrity Lead Environmental Scientist Atlantic City Electric Environmental Planning

2 Atlantic City Electric s mission is to provide safe, reliable and affordable electric service to our customers. We are also committed to maintaining, protecting and enhancing our natural resources. We fulfill this commitment in a number of way, starting with conducting our business activities with respect and care for the environment.

3 Sustainability Programs: Vegetation Management Avian Protection

4 Vegetation Management Why do we clear?

5 Why do we clear? In August 2003, a massive electric power outage was caused after a tree came into contact with a transmission line in Ohio. This incident left over 50 million people in the northeast United States and southeastern Canada without electric power. After the blackout, the United States Department of Energy issued a report which instructed the electric companies to develop vegetation management programs. New Jersey (NJBPU) enacted a preliminary set of Vegetation Management rules in December 2006 (Re-adopted in 2008) in order to ensure consistency across New Jersey s four electric distribution companies.

6 Where do we clear?

7 Where do we clear? EGRET T System

8 ACE Vegetation Management Recognized as a Tree Line USA utility by the Arbor Day Foundation. Only electric utility in the nation whose right of way vegetation management program is certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council. Worked with the Pinelands Commission to develop a management plan that protect globally rare species.

9 The Pinelands Plan A ROW vegetation-management plan to create and maintain relatively stable and sustainable, early successional habitats that: Represent characteristic Pinelands-reference habitats including grassland habitat Provide habitat for native Pinelands plants and animals, including threatened and endangered species Maximize natural re-vegetation and minimize planting Ensure transmission reliability and safety Require minimal subsequent management

10 Avian Protection Program An Avian Protection Plan (APP) is a utility-specific program designed to protect and conserve migratory birds by reducing the risks that result from avian interactions with utility facilities.

11 Avian Protection Program ACE is incorporating avian safe standards on new construction and retrofitting existing infrastructure to be avian safe.

12 BFD Installation

13 Partnerships Focus on Habitat Pollinator Habitat Enhancement

14 Partnerships Focus on Habitat Partnering with ANJEC, New Jersey Audubon Society, Conserve Wildlife, and USFWS Partners in Wildlife. Incorporating vegetation management techniques to establish and maintain grassland habitats.

15 Partnerships Focus on Habitat The property is 8.6 acres and is located in Dennis Township, Cape May County, New Jersey. The property is less than 300 meters from the Beaver Swamp Wildlife Management Area and portions of it are contained within the New Jersey Audubon Society s (NJAS) Cape May National Wildlife Refuge- Great Cedar Swamp Important Bird Area (IBA). The property was formerly used to stable horses.

16 Focus on Habitat New Jersey Audubon Society and Atlantic City Electric are implementing a maritime forest restoration project at the Cape May Point State Park. Upon completion, this project will restore approximately 14 acres of maritime forest and provide habitat to migratory song birds and raptors.

17 Additional Habitat Partnerships Cox Hall Creek Tidal Wetlands Restoration Cox Hall Creek is an 87-acre tidal basin in Lower Township of Cape May County. In the late 1800s, it was disconnected from the Delaware Bay to facilitate salt hay farming and mosquito control. This drastic change restricted important tidal flushing. A limited amount of tidal water backflows through a dilapidated discharge pipe and now-defunct pump house, but the altered hydrologic regime has converted the Cox Hall Creek basin into a low quality freshwater system dominated by a monotypic stand of the invasive Phragmites. Currently, it provides minimal value to waterfowl and other wildlife. The restoration of native habitat along the New Jersey coast is critical for wildlife, especially migratory birds. The purpose of the Cox Hall Creek restoration is to restore estuarine inter-tidal emergent wetlands for fish and wildlife through the reintroduction of tidal inundation into the basin. ACE as a part of the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership provided critical funding for this project.

18 Additional Habitat Initiatives SAV Restoration with Dr. Paul Bologna of Montclair State University ACE successfully completed the Eel Grass (Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV)) Restoration Project. Located in the Manahawkin Bay, the project consisted of planting and maintaining thousands of sprigs of eel grass over a 46,850 square foot restoration site.

19 Additional Habitat Initiatives Forest Restoration ACE and NJ Forest Service are working together to restore approximately 20 acres of forest in Parvin State Park. Hidden in the southwestern part of New Jersey is Parvin State Park, a park whose history is as varied as its wildlife. Situated on the edge of the Pine Barrens, the park not only has pine forests typical to the area but also a swamp hardwood forest.

20 Moving forward How can we use partnerships to move projects forward? Leverage financial resources from multiple sources. Scale a project to you available resources. Be creative! Be persistent!

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