AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY File No.: 160960595 November 2012 Prepared for: Windlectric Inc. (c/o Algonquin Power Co) 2845 Bristol Circle Oakville, ON L6H 7H7 Prepared by: Stantec Consulting Ltd. Suite 1 – 70 Southgate Drive Guelph, Ontario N1G 4P5 AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Executive Summary Windlectric Inc. (Windlectric) is proposing to develop, construct, and operate the 56 - 75 megawatt (MW) Amherst Island Wind Energy Project (the Project) within Loyalist Township (the Township) in the County of Lennox and Addington (the County) in eastern Ontario, in response to the Government of Ontario’s initiative to promote the development of renewable electricity in the province. The Project Study Area includes Amherst Island, an approximately 3 - 15 kilometre wide corridor stretching between the Island and the mainland where the submarine cable is proposed. The mainland portion of the Project Study Area stretches from the mainland shoreline, north of the Invista Transformer Station and is generally bounded by i) County Road 4 to the West; ii) the Canadian National Railway line to the North; and iii) approximately 500 m East of Jim Snow Drive to the East. The basic components of the proposed Project include up to 36 Siemens wind turbines. The turbine model proposed utilizes the same 36 turbine pad locations that have been subject to the assessment required under REA. The layout includes 34 Siemens SWT-2.3-113 2300 kW and two (2) Siemens SWT-2.3-113 2221 kW model wind turbines. The final layout will result in a total installed nameplate capacity of approximately 56 - 75 MW. The number of wind turbines will be dependent upon final selection of the model of the wind turbine most appropriate to the proposed Project. The proposed Project will also include a 34.5 kilovolt (kV) underground and/or overhead electrical power line collector system, fibre optic data lines from each turbine and/or wireless technology for the communication of data, a transmission line, truck turnaround areas, a submarine cable, an operations and maintenance building, permanent dock, a substation, a switching station, an un-serviced storage shed, one connection point to the existing electrical system, cable vault areas, meteorological tower(s) (met tower(s)), access road(s) to the met tower site(s), and turbine access roads with culvert installations, as required, at associated watercourse crossings. Temporary components during construction may include staging areas for the turbines, access roads, met tower(s), collector lines and transmission lineas well as crane paths, a temporary dock, site office(s), batch plant, central staging areas, and associated watercourse crossings. The electrical power line collector system would transport the electricity generated from each turbine to the substation, along the submarine cable to the mainland and then to a switching station located near to an existing Hydro One Networks Inc. (HONI) 115 kV transmission line. Windlectric Inc. has retained Stantec Consulting Ltd. (Stantec) to prepare a Renewable Energy Approval (REA) application, as required under Ontario Regulation 359/09 - Renewable Energy Approvals under Part V.0.1 of the Act of the Environmental Protection Act (O. Reg. 359/09). E.1 AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents This Natural Heritage Assessment and Environmental Impact Study report has been prepared in accordance with O. Reg. 359/09 and Natural Heritage Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNR 2011a). The Natural Heritage Assessment (NHA) report is provided to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for confirmation in advance of submission as part of the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) application to the Ministry of Environment (MOE). ii WINDLECTRIC INC. AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………………...E.1 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1.1 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 1.1 1.2 REPORT REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................. 1.2 1.3 GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................... 1.4 2.0 RECORDS REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 5 2.1 METHODS .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 Wetlands .............................................................................................................. 7 2.2.1.1 Provincially Significant and Coastal Wetlands ...................................................... 7 2.2.1.2 Locally-Significant Wetlands ................................................................................. 8 2.2.1.3 Unevaluated Wetlands ......................................................................................... 8 2.2.1.4 Summary .............................................................................................................. 8 2.2.2 Woodlands ........................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Valleylands ........................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4 Wildlife Habitat ..................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas ............................................................................11 2.2.4.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitats ........................................17 2.2.4.3 Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ......................................................20 2.2.4.4 Animal Movement Corridors ................................................................................23 2.2.5 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs) ..................................................23 2.2.6 Natural Features in Specified Provincial Plan Areas ............................................24 2.2.7 Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves ......................................................24 2.3 SUMMARY OF NATURAL FEATURES AND BOUNDARIES IDENTIFIED ........................24 3.0 SITE INVESTIGATION ......................................................................................................27 3.1 METHODS .........................................................................................................................27 3.1.1 Alternative Site Investigation Methods .................................................................28 3.1.2 Vegetation Community and Vascular Plants Assessment ....................................28 3.1.3 Wetland Confirmation and Delineation ................................................................28 3.1.4 Woodlands ..........................................................................................................29 3.1.5 Valleylands ..........................................................................................................29 3.1.6 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) ....................................................29 3.1.7 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................29 3.1.7.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas of Animals...........................................................30 3.1.7.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitats ........................................34 3.1.7.3 Species of Conservation Concern .......................................................................40 3.1.7.4 Animal Movement Corridors ................................................................................42 3.2 RESULTS ..........................................................................................................................43 3.2.1 Vegetation Community and Vascular Plants Assessment ....................................43 3.2.2 Wetlands .............................................................................................................43 i AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents 3.2.2.1 Provincially Significant Wetlands .........................................................................44 3.2.2.2 Unevaluated Wetlands ........................................................................................44 3.2.3 Woodlands ..........................................................................................................44 3.2.4 Valleylands ..........................................................................................................45 3.2.5 ANSIs ..................................................................................................................45 3.2.6 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................45 3.2.6.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas of Animals...........................................................45 3.2.6.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitats for Wildlife ......................48 3.2.6.3 Species of Conservation Concern .......................................................................51 3.2.6.4 Animal Movement Corridors ................................................................................58 3.3 SITE INVESTIGATION RESULTS SUMMARY ..................................................................59 3.4 QUALIFICATIONS .............................................................................................................67 4.0 EVALUATION OF SIGNIFICANCE ...................................................................................68 4.1 METHODS .........................................................................................................................68 4.1.1 Wetlands .............................................................................................................69 4.1.2 Woodlands ..........................................................................................................69 4.1.3 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................70 4.1.3.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas of Animals...........................................................72 4.1.3.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitat for Wildlife ........................74 4.1.3.3 Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ......................................................76 4.2 RESULTS ..........................................................................................................................78 4.2.1 Wetlands .............................................................................................................79 4.2.2 Woodlands ..........................................................................................................79 4.2.3 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................80 4.2.3.1 Seasonal Concentration Areas ............................................................................84 4.2.3.2 Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitat for Wildlife ........................87 4.2.3.3 Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ......................................................89 4.3 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................92 5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY ................................................................................99 5.1 PROJECT FOOTPRINT OVERVIEW ............................................................................... 100 5.2 LAND USE OF PROJECT LOCATION ............................................................................. 102 5.3 NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND DECOMMISSIONING PHASES OF THE PROJECT 103 5.3.1 Significant Woodlands ....................................................................................... 104 5.3.2 Significant Wetlands .......................................................................................... 105 5.3.2.1 Non-Provincially Significant Wetlands ............................................................... 106 5.3.3 Significant Wildlife Habitats ............................................................................... 107 5.3.3.1 Raptor Wintering Areas ..................................................................................... 107 5.3.3.2 Turtle Overwintering Area .................................................................................. 109 5.3.3.3 Migratory Landbird Stopover Area ..................................................................... 109 5.3.3.4 Old Growth Forest ............................................................................................. 110 5.3.3.5 Amphibian Breeding (Woodland and Wetland) .................................................. 111 ii AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents 5.3.3.6 Marsh Breeding Bird Habitat.............................................................................. 112 5.3.3.7 Woodland Area-Sensitive Breeding Bird Habitat................................................ 112 5.3.3.8 Open Country Breeding Bird Habitat and Short-eared Owl Habitat .................... 112 5.3.3.9 Shrub/Early Successional Bird Breeding Habitat ............................................... 115 5.3.4 Generalized Significant Wildlife Habitats ........................................................... 115 5.3.5 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) .................................................. 116 5.4 OTHER GENERAL CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION ....................................................... 116 5.4.1 Vegetation Removal .......................................................................................... 116 5.4.2 Sediment and Erosion Control Measures .......................................................... 117 5.4.3 Dewatering ........................................................................................................ 118 5.4.4 Other General Mitigation Measures ................................................................... 119 5.4.5 Eastern Milksnake Mitigation Measures ............................................................ 120 5.5 NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONAL PHASE OF THE PROJECT ................................................. 120 5.5.1 Significant Woodlands ....................................................................................... 120 5.5.2 Significant Wetlands .......................................................................................... 121 5.5.3 Significant Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................. 121 5.5.3.1 Raptor Wintering Areas ..................................................................................... 121 5.5.3.2 Turtle Overwintering Habitat .............................................................................. 124 5.5.3.3 Migratory Landbird Stopover Area ..................................................................... 125 5.5.3.4 Old Growth Forest ............................................................................................. 126 5.5.3.5 Amphibian Breeding (Woodland and Wetland) .................................................. 126 5.5.3.6 Marsh Breeding Bird Habitat.............................................................................. 127 5.5.3.7 Woodland Area-Sensitive Breeding Bird Habitat................................................ 128 5.5.3.8 Open Country Breeding Bird Habitat and Short-eared Owl Habitat .................... 129 5.5.3.9 Shrub/Early Successional Bird Breeding Habitat ............................................... 131 5.5.4 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) .................................................. 131 5.6 MONITORING PLAN ....................................................................................................... 131 5.6.1 Overview of Direct Impacts ................................................................................ 132 5.7 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION .................................................................. 135 6.0 CLOSURE ....................................................................................................................... 137 7.0 LITERATURE CITED ....................................................................................................... 138 List of Tables Table 2.1: Summary of Natural Features Identified in Records Review ...................................24 Table 3.1: Characteristics Used to Identify Candidate Seasonal Concentration Areas .............30 Table 3.2: Characteristics Used to Identify Rare Vegetation Communities and Candidate Specialized Wildlife Habitat ..................................................................................34 iii AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY Table of Contents Table 3.3: Characteristics Used to Identify Candidate Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ..................................................................................................................41 Table 3.4: Characteristics Used to Identify Candidate Habitat for Animal Movement Corridors .................................................................................................................43 Table 3.5: Summary of Site Investigation Results for Seasonal Concentration Areas ..............45 Table 3.6: Summary of Site Investigation Results for Rare Vegetation Communities and Specialized Wildlife Habitat ..................................................................................48 Table 3.7: Summary of Site Investigation Results for Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ..................................................................................................................51 Table 3.8: Characteristics Used to Identify Candidate Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ..................................................................................................................59 Table 3.9: Natural Features Carried Forward to Evaluation of Significance .............................59 Table 4.1: Criteria and Methods Used to Evaluate Seasonal Concentration Areas of Animals ...................................................................................................................72 Table 4.2: Criteria and Methods Used to Evaluate Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitat for Wildlife ..............................................................................75 Table 4.3: Criteria and Methods Used to Evaluate Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern ..................................................................................................................76 Table 4.4: Abundant bird species based on density, by habitat type .........................................83 Table 4.5: Summary of Evaluation of Significance Results for Seasonal Concentration Areas ......................................................................................................................84 Table 4.6: Summary of Evaluation of Significance Results for Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitat for Wildlife .........................................................................87 Table 4.7: Summary of Evaluation of Significance Results for Habitat for Species of Conservation Concern .........................................................................................89 Table 4.8: Summary of Evaluation of Significance of Natural Features ....................................93 Table 5.1: Summary of Construction Phase Mitigation Measures Recommended ................. 119 Table 5.2 Mitigation Measures for Eastern Milksnake ........................................................... 120 List of Appendices Appendix A Figures Appendix B Tables Appendix C Field Notes Appendix D Staff Summaries Appendix E Wetland Evaluations Appendix F Field Survey Results Appendix G Evaluation of Significance Methods iv AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY NOVEMBER 2012 1.0 Introduction 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW Windlectric Inc. (Windlectric) is proposing to develop, construct, and operate the 56 - 75 megawatt (MW) Amherst Island Wind Energy Project (the Project) within Loyalist Township (the Township) in the County of Lennox and Addington (the County) in eastern Ontario, in response to the Government of Ontario’s initiative to promote the development of renewable electricity in the province. The Project Study Area includes Amherst Island, an approximately 3 - 15 kilometre wide corridor stretching between the Island and the mainland where the submarine cable is proposed. The mainland portion of the Project Study Area stretches from the mainland shoreline, north of the Invista Transformer Station and is generally bounded by i) County Road 4 to the West; ii) the Canadian National Railway line to the North; and iii) approximately 500 m East of Jim Snow Drive to the East. The basic components of the proposed Project include up to 36 Siemens wind turbines. The turbine model proposed utilizes the same 36 turbine pad locations that have been subject to the assessment required under REA. The layout includes 34 Siemens SWT-2.3-113 2300 kW and two (2) Siemens SWT-2.3-113 2221 kW model wind turbines. The final layout will result in a total installed nameplate capacity of approximately 56 - 75 MW. The number of wind turbines will be dependent upon final selection of the model of the wind turbine most appropriate to the proposed Project. The proposed Project will also include a 34.5 kilovolt (kV) underground and/or overhead electrical power line collector system, fibre optic data lines from each turbine and/or wireless technology for the communication of data, a transmission line, truck turnaround areas, a submarine cable, an operations and maintenance building, permanent dock, a substation, a switching station, an un-serviced storage shed, one connection point to the existing electrical system, cable vault areas, meteorological tower(s) (met tower(s)), access road(s) to the met tower site(s), and turbine access roads with culvert installations, as required, at associated watercourse crossings. Temporary components during construction may include staging areas for the turbines, access roads, met tower(s), collector lines and transmission lineas well as crane paths, a temporary dock, site office(s), batch plant, central staging areas, and associated watercourse crossings. The electrical power line collector system would transport the electricity generated from each turbine to the substation, along the submarine cable to the mainland and then to a switching station located near to an existing Hydro One Networks Inc. (HONI) 115 kV transmission line. The Proponent has elected to assess and seek approval for some alternative Project configurations. The Renewable Energy Approval (REA) application process will consider: 1.1 AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY NOVEMBER 2012  two alternative mainland transmission line routes;  two alternative switching station locations and corresponding point of common coupling with the HONI line;  three alternative mainland temporary dock locations along the mainland;  a submarine cable with three alternative submarine cable routes near the mainland;  three alternative mainland submarine cable landing locations and corresponding cable vault locations;  up to three alternative met tower locations; and,  up to four potential locations for an operations and maintenance building. Final selection of the sites to be used would be based on the results of consultation activities, detailed design / engineering work, and the conditions experienced during construction. 1.2 REPORT REQUIREMENTS This Natural Heritage Assessment and Environmental Impact Study (NHA/EIS) report has been prepared in accordance with Ontario Regulation 359/09 (O. Reg. 359/09) and Natural Heritage Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNR 2011a). The NHA/EIS report is provided to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for confirmation in advance of submission as part of the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) application to the Ministry of Environment (MOE). This NHA utilizes the definition of Project Location as provided in Section 2.3 of the Natural Heritage Assessment Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNR 2011a). As per the definition in the REA regulation, a renewable energy Project Location includes: “…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 airspace in which a person is engaging in or proposes to engage in the Project”. A renewable energy Project includes all activities associated with the construction, installation, use, operation, maintenance, changing or retiring of the renewable energy generation facility. Therefore, for the purposes of measuring the distance from the Project Location to a natural feature, a Project Location boundary is considered to be the outer limit where site preparation and construction activities will occur and where infrastructure will be located (e.g. temporary structures, lay down areas, storage facilities, generation equipment, access roads, etc.). In addition, for consultation purposes a ‘Study Area’ has also been defined (Figure 1A, Appendix A). The Study Area is an area that encompasses the Project Location and uses existing roadways to define the spatial limit of the boundary. The Project Study Area includes 1.2 AMHERST ISLAND WIND ENERGY PROJECT NATURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY NOVEMBER 2012 Amherst Island and an approximately 3 - 15 kilometre wide corridor stretching between the Island and the mainland where the submarine cable is proposed. The mainland portion of the Project Study Area stretches from the mainland shoreline, north of the Invista Transformer Station and is generally bounded by i) County Road 4 to the West; ii) the Canadian National Railway line to the North; and iii) approximately 500 m East of Jim Snow Drive to the East. An NHA is required to determine whether any of the following natural heritage features exist in and/or within 120 m of the Project Location:  Wetlands and Coastal Wetlands  Woodlands;  Valleylands;  Wildlife habitat;  Life Science Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs), or within 50 m of an Earth Science ANSI;  Natural features in specified provincial plan areas; and,  Provincial parks and conservation reserves. In accordance with O. Reg. 359/09, the Project Location includes all land and buildings/structures associated with the Project and any air space in which the Project will occupy. This includes structures such as turbines, access roads and power lines as well as any temporary work areas (the ‘constructible area’ for the Project) which are required to be utilized during the construction of the Project. This report identifies the presence and boundaries of all natural features in and within 120 m of the Project Location based on a review of background records (Section 2) and on-site field investigations (Section 3). An Evaluation of Significance was then completed for each identified feature based on either an existing MNR designation of the feature or by using evaluation criteria or procedures established or accepted by the MNR (Section 4). Where the Project Location is in or within 120 m of a significant or provincially significant natural feature based on the evaluations of significance, an environmental impact study was completed which identifies and addresses, through mitigation, any potential negative environmental effects of the Project (Section 5). For the purposes of verifying the accuracy of the Records Review and to identify any additional natural features, a ‘Zone of Investigation’ has been identified based on the requirements of O. Reg. 359/09 and the NHA Guide for Renewable Energy Projects (MNR 2011a). The Zone of Investigation encompasses the Project Location plus an additional 120 m surrounding the 1.3