Dominion Transmission Inc. (DTI) filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on January 10 supplemental information on several aspects of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), including: 1) revised site specific design drawings on geohazard mitigation, 2) an update on forest fragmentation analysis, 3) reports on aboveground cultural resource and historic architectural structures, 4) updated restoration and rehabilitation plans (relating to post-construction activities relating to such matters as addressing erosion control, reseeding, etc.), 5) a design report on horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and 6) correspondence the firm has had over the past 60 days with various federal and state agencies concerning the ACP. DTI also filed revised compressor station plot plans and certain archaeological survey reports, but that information was deemed by the company as containing privileged information and therefore not available for public viewing. Among highlights from the filing are:
- The proposed HDD crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway (at Reeds Gap) “will be complicated by the challenging topography at the site, which is likely to require some amount of excavation at both ends of the crossing to create level work areas for the HDD equipment.” Several cranes “will be needed to handle the pipe and support it as it is lifted during pullback to be aligned with the reamed hole,” but the work is judged to be technically feasible. (Appendix B)
- Forest fragmentation from construction of the ACP will affect 139 miles of forest, directly affect over 2100 acres and indirectly affect over 10,000 acres (essentially adjacent buffer zones). (Appendix H)