Appendix Q

Agency Correspondence

David A. Paterson
Governor

New York State Office of Parks,

Recreation and Historic Preservation

Carol Ash
Commissioner

Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau Peebles Island, PO Box 189, Waterford, New York 12188-0189
518-237-8643
www.nysparks.com

April 8, 2009

Thomas Hagner
UPSTATE POWER CORP.
950-A Union Road, Suite 20
West Seneca, New York 14224-3454
Re:

CORPS PERMITS, DEC, PSC

Oalloo Island/Hou~field Wind FarrrJ77 Turbines/280
MW
Galloo Island, Town of Hounsfield, Jefferson County
07PR06733

Dear Mr. Hagner:

Thank you for requesting the comments of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). We
have reviewed the project in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966. These comments are those of the SHPO and relate only to Historic/Cultural resources. They do not
include potential environmental impacts to New York State Parkland that may be involved in or near your
project. Such impacts must be considered as part of the environmental review of the project pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act and/or the State Environmental Quality Review Act (New York
Environmental Conservation Law Article 8).
Based upon our review of the Phase IA and Phase IB reports, the SHPO recommends avoidance
for each of the 4 identified sites, given the small number of sites within the island. Each site may contribute
to our ability to interpret the island history, the secluded island occupants and habitation of the island. If
avoidance of the Pel/Gal/oo Island 1-4 sites (A 04510. 000047-A045.1O. 000050) is not feasible, our office
recommends that Phase II site examination be conducted.
For further correspondence regarding this project, please be sure to refer to the OPRHP Project
Review (PR) number noted above. If you have any questions, please call me at (518) 237-8643, extension
3288.
Sincerely,

Cynthia Blakemore
Historic Preservation Program Analyst

cc. Steven V Metivier

Frank J Schieppati, Panamerican Consultarits, Inc.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Agency

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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Division of Environmental Permits, 4th Floor
625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-1750
Phone: (518) 402-9167 FAX: (518) 402-9168
Website: www.dec.state.ny.us
Alexander B. Grannis
Commissioner

MEMORANDUM

TO:

James Muscato

FROM:

Stephen Tomasik

RE:

Hounsfield Wind Farm

2009-2020 Natural Resource Surveys

DATE:

June 8, 2009

Fish & Wildlife staff at DEC Region 6 have reviewed work plans related to avian and natural
resource surveys to be conducted at the Hounsfield Wind Farm project area in 2009-2010. These
include the Planned Avian Work for the Hounsfield Wind Energy Project in 2009-2010 and
Nesting Activity Survey Protocol for Blandings Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). Based upon
review of these work plans, and consistent with DECs comments on the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project, DEC offers the following recommendations:
Planned Avian work for the Hounsfield Wind Energy Project in 2009-2010
DEC concurs that the scope of this plan, which includes a Breeding Bird Survey and Winter Bird
Survey, is satisfactory to provide supplemental information necessary for DEC to assess avian
impacts for these resources. In addition to the above surveys, DEC has identified a third area
where additional survey effort is needed. This involves the Diurnal Bird Movement Study. A
work plan should be prepared that conforms to DEC Guidelines, including conducting surveys a
minimum of once per week during the months of May, June, and September, and from first light
until no later than 10:00 am. While it is recognized that we are past the point where survey work
can occur in May, there is still time to conduct survey work during the remainder of the season.
Additionally, the Diurnal Bird Movement Study included as Appendix P6 of the DEIS stated that
of the Five-Point Surveys conducted for migrating species, there were no count sites at the
northwestern end of the island (page 5). The workplan for the 2009 study should include broader
coverage of the project area.

Nesting Activity Survey Protocol for Blandings Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii).

Discussions between DEC and the project sponsor were facilitated resulting in approval of this
workplan for the purpose of beginning a survey for breeding Blandings Turtles in May, 2009.
However, this breeding survey is not intended to be the basis for a population evaluation. In
order to obtain more complete information regarding the presence, distribution and abundance of
the Blanding's Turtle on Galloo Island, a trapping effort, to begin ASAP to be viable for 2009, is
also recommended. The best times are from late April through mid June and again in September.
Again, although we are within the survey season, there is sufficient time to conduct trapping this
year according to these timeframes. There has some discussion regarding this issue between
DEC Region 6 biologists and the Galloo turtle researchers doing breeding surveys. It is our
understanding that the researchers are aware of the two wetlands that need to be sample, and
currently have 15 to 20 traps. If they ran 15 traps for 20 days they would get 300 trap nights of
effort. 300 trap nights of effort should provide the information necessary to determine if
Blandings Turtles are found on the Island. The North Pond does not need to be sampled.
If you have any questions regarding the design of the additional studies recommended, contact
Mr. Ken Kogut, DEC Region 6 Natural Resources Supervisor, at (315) 785-2266.

David A. Paterson
Governor

New York State Office of Parks, .

Recreation and Historic Preservation

Carol Ash
Commissioner

Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau Peebles Island, PO Box 189, Waterford, New York 12188-0189
518-237-8643
www.nysparks.com

August 27,2009

Tom Hagner
Upstate NY Power Corp.
950-A Onion Road, Suite 20
West Seneca, NY 14224-3454
Re:

CORPS/PSC/DEC/SEQRA
Hounsfield Wind Farm (Galloo Island)/Transmission
Line
Towns of Hounsfield, Henderson and Ellisburg
Jefferson Co.lTowns of Sandy Creek, Richland and
Mexico, Oswego Co.
07PR06733

Dear Mr. Hagner:

Thank you tor requesting the comments of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). We
have reviewed the project in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 as it is our understanding that the OS Army Corps of Engineers will have some permitting role in
this project. These comments are those of the SHPO and relate only to Historic/Cultural resources. They
do not include potential environmental impacts to New York State Parkland or state owned historic sites
that may be involved in or near your project. Such impacts must be considered as part ofthe
environmental review of the project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and/or the State
Environmental Quality Review Act (New York Environmental Conservation Law Article 8).
This letter confirms that we have received a request from your project consultant to evaluate
properties for potential historic/cultural significance. The request was submitted for one portion of the
larger undertaking, specifically the proposed 230kV transmission line which includes underwater and
over land sections.

..

Based on the review of the Phase LA Cultural Resources Investigation for the Proposed Upstate
NY Power Corp, Hounsfield Transmission Line Project Area, the SHPO has the following comments:
The SHPO concurs with the methodology used to identify resources within the underwater
component of the Area-of-Potential Effect (APE) and the recommendation that no further
work is warranted for the underwater section of tht: APE.
The S'.. 0 concurs that Phase lB testing is warranted for the terrestrial section ofthe line.
The scope of work should be provided once the locati9n of the line is finalized. Ifother
construction related areas (staging, storage, access roads etc) are undetermined at the time of
the survey, consultation with out office is recommended so th~t testing can be conducted if
warranted.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Agency

o printed on recycled paper

While we concur with the proposed scope of the archaeological survey work, to date no
information has been received regarding the scope of work for the above ground architectural surveyor
visual analysis for the transmission line. As previously noted, absent an appropriate Area of Potential
Effect being established for the transmission line and the completion of an appropriate level of historic
resources survey for the APE we are unable to provide any further comments.
If you or your cultural resource consultants should have any questions regarding our comments I
can be reached at (518) 237-8643, ext.3263.

John A. Bonafide
Historic Preservation Services
Coord inator

cc:

Steve Metivier, US ACOE (via e-mail)

Andrew Davis, NYS PSC (via e-mail)
Jeffrey Meyers, NYS OPRHP (via e-mail)
Michael A: Cinquino, Panamerican (via e-mail)
,

pg

Suggested New York State Parks Mitigation Projects for Hounsfield Wind Farm
December 18, 2009

According to the Hounsfield Wind Farm Visual Resource Assessment by Saratoga

Associates, the Hounsfield Wind Farm project will be visible from six facilities owned by
the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State
Parks). From north to south, these facilities are:

Chaumont State Boat Launch

Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site
Westcott Beach State Park
Robert G. Wehle State Park
Stony Creek State Boat Launch
Southwick Beach State Park

These six State Parks facilities are major points of public access to the shoreline in this
region. The combined attendance at these State Parks facilities has averaged
approximately 400,000 people each year during the past five years. These facilities are
an important component of the public recreational amenities in the region and this project
will have an adverse impact on these public facilities.
The projects listed below may be seen as a way to meet the mitigation obligation of the
project sponsor. Please note these mitigation suggestions do not represent the opinion of
the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of this Agency, which may provide
separate comment in the future regarding potential mitigation for this project.
1.

Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site. OPHRP

recently acquired 40 waterfront acres of the original War of
1812 Battle of Sackets Harbor battlefield site. Plans are
underway to open the new property to visitors and to provide
improved access and interpretation. These plans will be
critically impacted by the appearance of the proposed wind
farm on the horizon. A new interpretive plan to incorporate the
new acquisition into the existing Battlefield storyline and
define appropriate interpretive media will be developed. New
walking trails, with design and fabrication of new directional
and interpretive signage, will be required. A new, permanent
archaeology exhibit will be developed in the Historic Sites
farmhouse to chronicle the archaeology work that has been
conducted at this archaeologically rich property over the past
decades. This will serve as a legacy project to the War of 1812
Bicentennial, which will be celebrated from 2012 to 2015.

2.

For each State Parks facility impacted by Wind Farm. New

interpretive signs will be designed and erected in appropriate
locations to explain the change in the viewshed from
each facility and to describe the Hounsfield Wind Farm.

3.

Robert G. Wehle State Park. Work on the Master Plan for this
new park is underway. Recommendations include
improving access to areas already available to the public and
expanding access to additional areas of the park. Project work
will include improvements to picnic areas and amenities
along the scenic bluffs on Lake Ontario, trail improvements,
attention to ADA requirements, and directional and interpretive
signage. New interpretive themes to be addressed and
interpreted include the extensive military history of the park,
geology, natural history, and resource management (in
particular invasive species such as swallowwort).

4.

Westcott Beach State Park. The parks scenic overlook

provides a commanding and sweeping view of Lake Ontario.
The existing panoramic interpretive signage that interprets
this view will be need to be re-done to explain the Hounsfield
Wind Farm. Upgrades to the landscape and hardscape at this
site, plus continuing maintenance such as tree trimming, will
improve and preserve public access to this scenic overlook.

5.

Southwick Beach State Park picnic area. Project work would

include adding permanent picnic pavilions on the beachfront to
replace temporary tents that are currently in use.

6.

Chaumont Boat Launch. Project work would include replacing

the outdated access ramp and loading dock at this launch and
providing ADA access.

7.

Stony Creek boat launch. Project work at the popular access

for fishing boats and paddleboats would include refurbishment
of the sidewalks and bulkheads adjacent to the launching ramp.