CPAC and FPLLC Community Meeting
Comments, Concerns and Questions
Please note: the term "community" is meant to refer specifically the Rio
Linda/Elverta community, not Sacramento County or Northern California or any other
designation.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Do you have any facilities in operation in the United States utilizing the same technology?
If so, please identify by location and note any differences in technology to the
currently proposed Rio Linda/Elverta plant.
Who will utilize this electricity? Is it possible to guarantee that this community
receives enough of this power so that it will not have to participate in rolling
blackouts? If not, why not? If this is possible, it may make this area more commercially
attractive due to the possiblity of uninterrupted electricity.
PG&E is anticipated to be the supplier of the natural gas needed for this power
plant. PG&E is in bankruptcy. Is there currently a contract in place to supply
the natural gas? If so, has it been confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court? If not, why
not, and when is it anticipated that this will take place?
AIR QUALITY
What number of air credits are required to be acquired for this project? Please list
by category. What percentage of those credits are proposed to be acquired from outside
of this Air Quality Management District?
What percentage of credits are proposed to be from agricultural offsets?
Agricultural air credits related to rice burning have a finite life of a few years.
What is proposed to replace those credits when they expire?
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
If there is a need to offset habitat, is there a plan to do it within the community,
i.e. at the Dry Creek or Ueda Parkway? If not, why not? If so, where?
Have vernal pools been identified at this site by the Army Corps of Engineers or
anyone else? If so, what will be done to either avoid disturbing them or mitigate
the disturbance of these pools?
CULTURAL RESOURCES
Have all the following potential historical sites been noted and any potiential impacts
been dealt with? If not, why not? If so, please show how.
Sorrento Road - gold field road
Lukenbill House - more than 100 years old
Risse Home
Possible Indian Burial Ground at this site
According to the Community Plan EIR from 1998, an archeological study has been done
on the site. Has the potential of the presence of archeological artifacts been taken
into account in locating the facility on the site?
Based on the potential that artifacts may be found, has there been an alternative
construction timeline done to allow for study of those artifacts? If not, why not?
If so, how much time is being allowed for archelogical study?
If any artifacts are found as a result of the construction done at this power plant
site, will the artifacts remain in the community for display/study purposes? If not,
why not? If so, who will be designated to receive them? The schools? The Historical
Society? Someone else?
EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY
Shutdowns and startups cause more air pollution than normal operations. Is there
a limit as to how many startups there can be in a year? If not, why not? If so, what
is the penalty for exceeding that number?
There are concerns about pollution seeping into the water, either from the septic
system or from pollution seeping into the ground from the air, or from pollution
falling onto the ground and being washed into the rivers, streams, etc. Have those
been addressed? If not, why not? If so, please show how.
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND HEALTH EFFECTS
Even though there have been no conclusive studies showing ill health effects from
EMF, there is a perceived potential adverse health effect. Please address how this
perception has been found to impact property values in any similar situation, for
instance, proximity to high voltage lines or other power plants.
FACILITY DESIGN
Flooding:
Even if the FEMA map shows that the proposed location of the facility on the site
is not in the flood plain, there is localized flooding, as referenced in the Community
Plan EIR of 1998. Is there going to be a detention basin for flood waters? What other
measures will be taken to ensure to "no net loss of storage" as called
for with all development in this area?
Any fencing, soundwall or berm may interrupt the flow of seasonal waters. Has this
been taken into account?
Orientation of the facility cooling towers and other structures:
The southwest Delta breezes that occur in the summer are a significant source of
cooling in this community. Has this been taken into account in the orientation of
these towers and the rest of the facility? If not, why not?
Has the orientation taken into account possible interference with bird migration?
If not, why not?
In deciding which way to orient a line of towers, the two above issues argue for
opposite orientations of a line of towers. If these issues were considered, how did
you decide which was to prevail? If they were not considered, and they are to be
considered at a future date, how would you reconcile the opposing issues?
Has the orientation of the facility taken into account any possible interference
with air traffic from the Rio Linda airport, especially, but not limited to, cropdusters?
Do the towers affect cell tower/line of sight transmissons or airport communications?
If so, has this been taken into account in the orientation of the facility?
Gas pipeline:
Is the natural gas to be used for this facility commercial grade, or industrial grade?
Is the pipeline only big enough for currently proposed use, or also for possible
expansion?
Will this pipeline travel under or over the levee?
GEOLOGY
It is quite well-known that California is susceptible to earthquakes. There are known
faultlines throughout Northern California. Is this facility considered an essential
public service? To what seismic standard is it proposed that the facility be built?
In considering the geology of the area, has the possiblility of ground vibration
/ settling / liquifaction been studied? If not, why not? If so, please address the
possible effects of such occurences, including damage to structures in the vicinity.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS / INDUSTRIAL SAFETY & FIRE PROTECTION
Please address the potential release of gasses or other matter, especially with respect
to the school downwind.
What would the reaction of any gasses or other matter from this facility be with
the Taylor fertilizer plant?
Regarding transportation off-site of "sludge" and other hazardous materials
- what will the frequency and tonnage be? What will the hours of transport be?
There is no police / fire / EMT / hospital in the area for an acceptable response
time to any industrial emergency. Please address how you intend to mitigate this.
Is there a security plan propsed to deal with potential industrial terrorism at the
facility?
What will the deposits of matter be onto pastures in the area? If any of this matter
is toxic, will it affect the meat of any animals potentially grazing on this pasture?
Will the community be asked to participation in the annual inspection? If not, why
not?
Will you be installing fire hydrants, and will the pressure be sufficient to fight
fires in the towers (height)?
Will you have equipment available to fight any fires (i.e., ladder trucks that can
reach the top of the towers)?
Currently only one access road is proposed. This road is subject to localized flooding
on an annual basis. Furthermore, if there is a release of hazardous materials, that
road may be impacted. Why don't you have another access, as was proposed for the
former license for the site?
One of the water purveyors for the area uses hazardous materials. They have in place
an automatic phone notification system for any hazmat incident. A propane purveyor
in this County also has such a system. Do you propose, especially given the proximity
to a schoool, to also have such a system? If not, why not?
What provision have you made, if any, for the possiblility of a collapse of any structure
that may hold matter that would be dispersed in such an event, such as a liquid or
gas? For example, if a tank is holding water and it is ruptured for any reason, how
would the water disperse? Would it affect any surrounding properties?
LAND USE
The Rio Linda / Elverta CPAC believes that the current zoning agreement is not consistent
with the proposed project. According to Sacramento County Planning Department staff
and County Counsel, the reason this property had to be rezoned previously was to
allow the installation of an ethanol facility. That facility is no longer proposed
to be built on this site. If the zoning agreement was rescinded, the zoning would
revert back to IR (Industrial Reserve), which, according to the County, would be
a proper zoning for a public utility. One avenue for a recission to take place is
for the porperty owner to ask for it. What are you doing to get that zoning agreement
rescinded?
Does FPL own the property at the proposed site?
What is the difference between a municipal utility, a public utility and this project?
What is the difference between a power plant and a cogeneration facility?
NOISE
The Sacramento County noise ordinance requires that the noise generated from this
facility not exceed 45 dB and the application for this facility states that it will
meet this requirement. In addition, it appears that state standards may be stricter.
If this plant does exceed the required level, what will the compliance process be?
Please address the complaint process, measurement process, mitigation required, and
time allowed to address complaints or compliance problems. Is a fine required for
violating the noise statutes? If a fine is required, who gets the money? Are there
any other penalties? Also address if the plant will be required to shut down during
this process. If it is not required to shut down, why not?
Have there been any studies done on the health effects of low frequency noise that
may be generated by this plant? What about studies on effects on learning?
Noise, cont.
In estimating the noise level at the property line, was the prevailing wind taken
into account?
Has the effect of noise, both audible and low frequency, been studied with respect
to animals in the vicinity, both wild and domestic? If not, why not?
PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES
No questions or comments at this time.
PUBLIC HEALTH
This community has serious concerns about asthma and other COPD, colds, cancer and
the possibility of low frequency noise causing learning difficulties (especially
considering the proximity to Elwyn and Elverta Elementary School). Has there been
a baseline health study? If not, why not? If so, have there been provisions made
for follow-up studies?
SOCIOECONOMICS
What is the evidence regarding the potential decline of residential property values
in the proximity of a power plant facility similar to this one? If the evidence shows
that property values are expected to decline for a period of time, what are you proposing
to mitigate this for surrounding property owners?
The question has already been asked about the orientation of the facility causing
an interruption in the Delta breezes. A follow-up question would be regarding the
heat and moisture generated by this facility. Would any of these issues, or any other
effects of the facility, affect the microclimate in this area?
The previous project licensed for this site proposed to institute and pay for training
for community residents so they could be hired to work at this plant once it becomes
operational. Are you proposing a simliar program? If not, why not?
In your presentation to the CPAC, you mention that the workers will be "shopping
and dining downtown." Are you proposing to provide a north-south artery so that
downtown can be easily accessed? If not, why not?
SOILS
Ground liquifaction and settling have been addressed in a previous category.
In preparing the site, it will be necessary to install underpinnings. Please address
the effects of this installation, including the noise generated during installation,
and the potential for the impact of the installation to collapse dry or water wells
in the vicinity. Has anything been done to mitigate this potential problem?
TRAFFIC & TRANSPORTATION
An additional emergency access has been addressed in a previous category.
Access to downtown has already been addressed. Have you done a traffic study to determine
how traffic will flow - both during construction and when the plant is operational?
If not, why not? If so, please show how it is anticipated that workers will travel,
both to get to the job and to "shop and dine downtown."
West 6th Street was left off the map in the initial application. Has this been corrected?
West 6th Street is projected in the Community Plan to be a post-2010 artery. Please
address the effect of this installation on this artery. If you put in the emergency
access as previously addressed, will you be upgrading West 6th Street and U Street
with features such as widening and improved drainage culverts?
Increased humidity from this facility's emissions may also increase the frequency,
duration, and volume/thickness of fog in the area. This area includes major routes
for both auto and rail transport. Has this effect been analyzed? If not, why not?
If so, please address mitigation, such as the possiblity of Elverta Road requiring
an overpass over the railroad tracks, the need for streetlights, or the need for
a stoplight at the intersection of Elverta Road and East Levee Road.
This possible increase in fog may affect air travel, specifcally, but not limited
to that from the Rio Linda airport. Please address.
TRANSMISSION LINE SAFETY & SYSTEM ENGINEERING
There are already radio and cell towers in the area that interfere with radio, televsion
and telephone reception. This facility will double the amount of voltage in the transmission
lines. Please address the cumulative effect on radio, television and other electrical
appliance useage.
VISUAL
According to the CEC, the height of the structures for this facility exceed the current
height allowed for this site, and a variance must be acquired. What has been done
to obtain this variance?
In the initial application, it is anticipated that the plume could be as high as
1200 feet high. According to your presentation at the CPAC meeting, the design has
been modified to reduce the height. Please explain what the new maximum height of
the plume is anticipated to be and for what percentage of the time it is expected
to be within 50% of that height.
Please address the lighting plan and what steps are being taken to guarantee that
no light will be emitted from the property onto neighboring properties, including
direct and indirect light (such as a glow like that put off by urban areas).
It has been indicated that landscaping is anticipated to be an important part of
the visual impact of this facility. It has been indicated that the planting will
include redwood trees. Will it also include bushes to fill in spaces until the trees
get tall? Is there a landscape maintenace plan? If not, why not? If so, does it include
an irrigation system so that the landscaping remains healthy? If not, why not?
WASTE
Hazardous materials have already been addressed in a previous category. Additional
waste that could be generated includes that which is to be diverted into the septic
system and heat which may have other adverse affects on the vicinity.
The local water table in this area is quite shallow. This facility is projected to
generate 2400 gallons per day to be diverted into the septic system. How will this
affect any wells in this vicinity? Are there provisions made to install monitoring
wells in the vicinity?
How will the heat generated affect the vicinity? Could it create an inversion layer
in the vicinity?
Has any effect on wildlife in the area of any waste generated in the vicinity been
considered? If not, why not? If so, what may those effects be?
WATER QUALITY
It has been proposed that if any wells are dewatered, FPL will pay to have a new
well dug. In addition, it has been offered by FPL to pay a sum to offset the additional
amount of energy needed to pump water a greater distance to the surface. For what
radius from the site is it contemplated that this will be done?
Installation of the facility requires that underpinnings be driven deep into the
earth. Has the depth of these pilings taken into account the depth of the aquifers
underneath? If not, why not?
If the underpinnings puncture into the lower of the two aquifers, what provision
has been made to maintain the integrity of this aquifer?
FPL has already stated that it is prepared to compensate people whose wells are dewatered,
and the question as to how large an area this will apply to has already been addressed
in another category. Recognizing that time is of the essence when a well is dewatered,
what will the procedure be to compensate these people?
ALTERNATIVE SITES
In evaluating alternative sites, please explain the criteria used for evaluation.
Has McLellan Park been evaluated as an alternative? Is FPL aware that there will
be sufficient treated water available that will otherwise be flushed down the creek?
That there is a gas pipeline into that site? That there is already a generating facility
at that site and that there are therefore already transmission lines at that site?
That there is a rail line available to transport hazardous or waste materials? That
there is a haz mat crew on site that is equipped to deal with any emergency up to
and including a nuclear incident? That there are air credits available exclusively
for the use of businesses sited at the Park? That there is a proposal to limit the
availability of these credits to exclude FPL?
Has the industrial park approximately five miles north of the Rio Linda/Elverta site
(just up Highway 99) been evaluated? Since it is in a different county, there are
probably air credits available that are not available at the current proposed site.
It has the proper zoning. It is also close to surface (river) water.
Have any sites in the Woodland area been evaluated? Since the gas pipeline has to
go through there anyway, it would allow for a much shorter pipeline. Also, since
it is a different county, there may be air credits available. There may be better
availability of water as well.