Case 11-T-0534 – EM&CP

Temporary access roads are required to enable movement of personnel, equipment and
material for the construction of the transmission facilities. No permanent access roads will
be installed for Segment II of the Project. Several types of temporary access roads will be
used, depending on the availability of existing paths, specific environmental conditions and
the types of equipment that will be required at a particular structure site. Access roads will
be 15 feet in width, but not greater than 20 feet in width, and will be clear-cut of all woody
vegetation to 20-foot and 25-foot widths. Access road locations and off-right-of-way
(ROW) entrances are shown and will be built per the details included in the Plan & Profile
(P&P) drawings in Appendix A.

Contractors will review the P&P drawings relating access to each structure in the ROW
prior to commencement of construction. Generally, construction access will be
accomplished within the Project transmission ROW, however, in certain specified areas, off-
ROW access will be required in order to avoid crossing sensitive resources, provide safe
work areas, or facilitate equipment staging. As much as possible, access is routed to avoid
areas of unstable soils, steep slopes, wetlands, and streams. Rochester Gas & Electric
(RG&E) will seek approval by landowners, local municipalities, or other designated
authority for all access, including off-ROW access. Off-ROW access road alignments
follow existing roadways and are shown on the P&P drawings in Appendix A.

In order to prevent mud and sediment from tracking onto public lanes, a stabilized
construction entrance will be installed at each public road that intersects the ROW. Detailed
specifications for the installation of construction entrances and construction entrance
locations are provided in the P&P drawings in Appendix A.

Existing access roads may need to be repaired or improved to allow passage of heavy
equipment needed for construction activities and to avoid rutting. Minor improvements to
access roads may include adding gravel fill or crushed stone to fill depressions, while ruts
and depressions along existing routes within the ROW may be leveled and graded. For
access roads where vegetation impedes construction access, selective clearing, as detailed in
Section 2 of the EM&CP, will be used to establish the alignment and width of the access
road. Cleared material will be removed from the ROW and hauled to designated
storage/laydown areas as shown on the P&P drawings in Appendix A and then to an
approved off-site disposal facility.
Equipment matting shall be required in all wetlands, as well as farm fields, including
accessing off ROW access roads utilizing existing farm roads. Within Segment II of the
Project, access from Brook Road and Coates Road will utilize the well-defined farm road
along the edge of the agricultural field. Due to the presence of hydric soils within the
agricultural field, equipment matting will be installed for access along the farm roads for
access to the ROW. The farm roads shall be restored to their original condition, if not

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better. Agriculture & Markets (Ag & Mkts) shall be notified in the event of any questions
regarding the designation or status of the proposed use of a Project area and the area in
question will be field-reviewed by staff and a mutual determination will be made prior to
construction. Modifications regarding access road location or type within the agricultural
lands will only be made following proper approvals from the New York State Department of
Public Service (NYSDPS) Staff.

There are three (3) types of access roads used and specified on the P&P drawings in
Appendix A for Segment II of the Project.
6.4.1 Type 1: Unimproved Existing Access Roads (see Appendix A)
Unimproved access roads, which can either be temporary or permanent, include: (1) those
existing roads or paths specified for use across upland area, and (2) existing agricultural
roads. To the extent possible, existing access roads used for the construction and/or
maintenance of the existing transmission lines will be used for the construction of the new
transmission lines. Unimproved access roads may occur within wetlands or other sensitive
lands in the ROW with special provisions, whereby only low-ground pressure, flotation, or
tracked vehicles may use these roads. In non-sensitive areas, drainage-conveyance and
erosion controls will be installed by the Construction Contractor where necessary. Type 1
access roads will be utilized along the Rochester & Southern railroad access road and
existing streets and roads along the Circuits 906, 940, and 941 ROW, as shown on the P&P
drawings in Appendix A.
6.4.2 Type 2: Permanent, Stabilized Access Roads (see Appendix A)
Permanent, stabilized access roads are specified for those areas where work related to
certain structure types, including dead-end or angle structures with concrete foundations,
requires particularly heavy equipment (i.e., crane sites, work pads, etc.) and unstable site
conditions exist. There are no type 2 access roads proposed for Segment II of the Project.
6.4.3 Type 3: Temporary Access Roads (see Appendix A)
Type 3 temporary access roads are used in sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands, agricultural lands)
or areas with unstable soils. In delineated wetland and State-wetland areas, the use of low-
impact equipment (i.e., low-load-bearing tracked vehicles or vehicles equipped with
flotation tires) or equipment matting will be used in conjunction with temporary,
unimproved access roads to the maximum extent practicable. Vehicular travel through
wetlands will be limited to the type 3 access roads and work areas shown on the P&P
drawings. If site conditions are unstable for an unimproved access road with low impact
equipment, a temporary wetland access road shall be installed. The allowable options for
temporary wetland access roads include: (1) equipment matting; (2) bridges; and (3)
flotation devices. The Construction Contractor and Environmental Monitor will determine
the type of access road necessary for a particular wetland based on three factors: presence
and depth of standing water, moisture content and composition of the substrate, and the type
and weight of construction equipment that will be using the access road. The edges of the
temporary wetland access road will be marked (i.e., staked and flagged) to ensure equipment

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stays on the roads. Type 3 access roads will be utilized for access along the wetlands along
the R&S railroad, along the wetlands within the underground portion of Circuit 940 between
Station 67 and Station 418, and within the Frontier Field parking lots in the City of
Rochester to protect existing pavement.
Type 3 temporary off-ROW access roads within agricultural lands will consist of equipment
matting as specified on the P&P drawings and developed in consultation with Ag & Mkts.
Prior to access road installation, soil compaction testing will be performed and reported in
order to determine pre-construction conditions. Locations of all underground utilities within
the ROW or agricultural fields have been determined and temporary air bridges will be used
in conjunction with type 3 temporary access roads to provide access to work areas.
Following completion of construction in the agricultural area, stockpiled topsoil will be
replaced and graded to match original depth and contours to the extent possible. NYSDPS
Staff consultation and approval as a minor change to the Environmental Management &
Construction Plan (EM&CP) is required for modifications to temporary access road location
within agricultural lands.

Temporary access roads within wetlands will allow frequent access for construction,
inspection, maintenance, and repair and the following construction guidelines will be
followed.
a) Type 3 temporary access roads will be utilized, such as equipment matting, to
traverse the wetland.
b) The width of the road will be the minimum needed to pass a single vehicle safely
through the wetland.
c) Flow through the wetland will not be altered. Installation of temporary culverts
within the wetlands along the R&S railroad for access to Circuit 940 and 941
fabrication areas will comply with all conditions for culvert placement in Section 3
of the EM&CP Procedures and as identified on the EM&CP and P&P drawings.
d) Any road constructed through a wetland will follow the shortest practicable distance
through it.

Existing culverts that must be repaired have been identified along the R&S railroad and
located. Locations of existing culverts and repair specifications are provided in the P&P
drawings in Appendix A.
Provided that there is no dredging or filling involved, ordinary repairs to existing functional
structures and facilities, repair of rip rap, and removal of debris from culverts and adjacent
drainage channels will be made. Only minimal temporary disturbances to aquatic life and
minimal riparian effect will be made during repair activities.

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a) Culvert and Sediment-Basin Maintenance: Mechanical removal of debris, silt,

gravel, trash, etc., from culverts, water-intake structures, or sediment basins will be
allowed at regular-but-infrequent intervals. Extracted materials will be disposed of
at a facility duly authorized to receive such materials.
b) Small excavations, including, but not limited to, digging jacking pits and jacking for
conduit, provided that the disturbance is temporary and excavation volumes are less
than seventy-five (75) cubic yards per pit, will be allowed:
i. To avoid permanent degradation of wetland and wetland adjacent area contours,
as well as conversion of habitat, excavation will not exceed seventy-five (75)
cubic yards per pit, and any excess excavated materials (i.e., those not to be re-
used in backfills) will be removed and disposed of at an upland site as soon as
possible, and in no case later than thirty (30) days after excavation. No side-
casting of excavated materials will be allowed. No fill, whether from excavation
or imported from an off-site area, will be stored in the wetland or wetland
adjacent areas.
ii. Prior to inclement weather, or if they will be exposed for more than fourteen (14)
days, excavated or temporarily stockpiled soils and materials will be covered and
protected to: (1) reduce runoff of fines (which may cause a turbidity problem);
and (2) prevent rainwater from soaking the materials and rendering them
unsuitable for backfill. Erosion control measures will be implemented
effectively at all times.

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