Letter to Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture - Electric Transmission Lines

Letter

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

Re: Application by Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) for the modification of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) conservation easement: Agreement No. 66-2C31-5-00381

I am writing to ask the USDA to expeditiously consider for approval a conservation easement modification required to avoid significant adverse impact to the 4th generation Krenzer Family Farm in Monroe County, New York as well as to local residents and homes. Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) is seeking this conservation easement based on a process ordered by the New York State Public Service Commission (NYSPSC) to evaluate alternative siting locations for a new 11 acre substation with an access road, and new electrical transmission lines (Circuits 940 and 941) required by RG&E to upgrade electrical capacity in the Rochester, New York region.

Unfortunately the current approved siting plan calls for the placing of the new substation in the heart of the Krenzer family farm in the Town of Chili (site 7) and erecting new transmission lines in a zig-zag pattern across a wide swath of the farm, thus causing severe impacts to the Krenzers' ability to continue to productively farm this land. Fortunately last year in light of the adverse impacts, the NYSPSC issued an order directing RG&E to seek this conservation easement for the Circuit 940 and 941 transmission lines and further directed RG&E and involved parties to review potential alternative siting locations for the substation. Currently, this review process has yielded one alternative substation location (site 20) on an undeveloped non-farm parcel in the Town of Henrietta. However even this site 20 substation site would still require the circuit 940 and 941 transmission lines to either zig-zag across the Krenzer farm or alternatively zig-zag through neighboring homeowner properties, farm land, in proximity to a senior living community, and perhaps on untouched wetlands. Thus under both scenarios, without this easement, the zig-zag transmission line routing is not practical and would cause severe disruption and economic loss to impacted homeowners and local farms.

Thus the routing of the transmission lines across the USDA conservation area, which negates the need to zig-zag, is the only reasonable alternative. It is also important to note that currently two New York Power Authority (NYPA) 345kV transmission lines already cross through the USDA conservation area. Thus adding the new circuit 940 and 941 transmission lines adjacent to the existing NYPA lines should not add significantly to the current level of impacts to the conservation area and is consistent with sound routing for transmission facilities that requires that where possible, such lines be routed in existing utility corridors. Moreover, I understand that RG&E is offering additional mitigation that would be of significant benefit to NRCS and its wetlands program to compensate NRCS for any negative impact that the crossing of the temporary conservation easement may cause.

Thus I respectfully ask that you look favorably on this application to expeditiously approve RG&E's renewed application for permission to have Circuits 940 and 941 cross the conservation area. I appreciate your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

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