Niagara Power Project FERC No. 2216

VISUAL ASSESSMENT

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Prepared for: New York Power Authority

Prepared by: The Saratoga Associates

August 2005

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The purpose of this Visual Assessment is to “Describe the Aesthetic Effect of Project Facilities and Operations in the Context of the Niagara River and Gorge Viewshed and Associated Upland Areas.” The Stakeholders have agreed to employ up to twenty (20) key vantage points that, when combined, describe the visual and aesthetic effects of project facilities and operations. To comply with this key vantage point approach, viewsheds were constructed and key vantage point selection criteria were developed.

Based upon the results of the viewshed analysis and the key vantage point assessment, visual and aesthetic impacts were determined. The impacts fell along a spectrum ranging from aesthetically positive to neutral or visually insignificant and from neutral or visually insignificant to a few that were deemed negative. It is anticipated that local residents would be accustomed to its long-time presence (the Niagara Power Project has operated in the Niagara Gorge and associated upland areas for nearly the last 50 years), while visitors to the region will view the project in context with its visual setting, particularly Niagara Falls and the variety of State Parks exploiting the aesthetic values of the Gorge environment. The project-affected area is also subject to the strong contextual influences of local concentrated heavy industrial activities within the City of Niagara Falls.

Potential protection, mitigation, enhancement, and offset measures are recommended for consideration. It is also recommended that the details of any mitigation programs be derived from direct Stakeholder involvement. Enhancement strategies are designed to turn both negative and neutral elements into aesthetic assets, while offset opportunities are recommended where available. Offsets are aesthetic improvements accomplished through mechanisms not directly related to project components. Other mitigation could include, but is not limited to, painting components of the project to camouflage the elements into the background environment; planned planting and landscaping to obstruct, or partially obstruct, and soften views of the facilities; and designing lighting to be more carefully shielded from off-site views.

Using the vantage point approach revealed much about the visual conditions of the region. It is recommended that the Power Authority build on the strong positive aspects of its important visual place in the Niagara Region.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to “Describe the Aesthetic Effect of Project Facilities and Operations in the Context of the Niagara River and Gorge Viewshed and Associated Upland Areas.”

To accomplish this task requires an analysis of major project components and the landscape within which they reside, known as the study area. The study area is determined by viewsheds. The combination of all seen elements in view is known as “context.”

NYPA decided, in consultation with the ALP Stakeholders, to select and fully analyze up to twenty (20) key vantage points. Accordingly, the area in view from each key vantage point determines the study area, and also reveals the visual context. The aggregate of all key vantage point study areas is the total project study area.

1.0 DEFINITION OF STUDY AREA

Three study areas have been identified—Levels 1, 2 and 3. Level 1 is the smallest. A logical progression leads from this single, geographically limited study area to increasingly broader study areas represented by Levels 2 and 3. Level 3, the broadest, captures the full array of visual conditions embedded in the key vantage point approach. A discussion of each follows.

Level 1 is a cone-shaped area, extending out to a maximum distance of five miles, that an observer sees while standing at a key vantage point looking towards a point of interest. (Five miles is the maximum recommended analytic distance by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in its Program Policy “Assessing and Mitigating Visual Impacts.” [DEP-00-2 2000]) For the purposes of this study, generally, although not always, the point of interest is one of nine major project components. The main Project related components that were assessed as part of this study are the Upper River Twin Intake Structures, Lewiston Pump Generating Plant, Lewiston Reservoir, the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, Lewiston Substation and Switchyard, Electric Transmission Line Circuits, Communication Tower, Forebay, and Deployed Ice Boom. It is important to note that not all of these Project components are owned by NYPA or within the Project boundary. For example, the majority of the electric transmission lines connected to the Project switchyard are neither owned nor maintained by NYPA but are dominant visual features that warrant consideration in conjunction with those electric transmission lines owned and maintained by NYPA. In addition, the ice boom is stored and deployed near the south end of the Niagara River on the American shore of Lake Erie, well outside of the Project boundary. The use of the ice boom is governed by the International Joint Commission and not entirely for the benefit of the Project. The aesthetic impact of the deployed ice boom from Front Park in the City of Buffalo was identified as an issue by ALP Stakeholders and is being considered within this report solely for this reason.

Each key vantage point may be chosen from among several candidates, depending upon circumstances. Using regional scale criteria, aesthetic resources of statewide significance were assigned top priority followed by places meeting secondary criteria for selection. Then site-specific criteria were applied to select the key spot to conduct the vantage point analysis.

Each vantage point has a 360° view surrounding the spot selected as key. To complete each key vantage point visual assessment a series of photographs have been provided showing the full panorama. The panorama reveals the full context or visual setting of the vantage point.

The panorama for a single key vantage point is the second study level and is exemplified by Figures 4.1 through 4.18. Those figures are maps that show the areas one can see from the key vantage point. Photographs that show the views of the Level 2 study area are also provided.

The third geographic level is the aggregate of all Level 2 maps combined. It defines and graphically portrays the full project study area. This broad study area is, in itself, a segment of an even larger regional context that can be described. The landscape is described in Section 2, and natural and man-made components are identified for the reader’s convenience.

1.1 Key Vantage Point Selection Criteria (Regional Scale)

There are three regional scale key vantage point selection criterions. In order of importance, they are:

1. Up to twenty (20) key vantage points will be selected from within the most significant publicly designated aesthetic resources, having a potential view of at least one major NPP facility component. The generic list of all significant aesthetic resources, designated under applicable State and Federal statutes, is contained in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Department Program Policy “Assessing and Mitigating Visual Impacts” (DEP-00-2 2000). Preference will be given to all State and National aesthetic resources with significant views of key NPP project components.

2. Secondary preference will be given to Stakeholder property owners who have expressed a concern. Two major landowners have been identified—Niagara University and The Tuscarora Nation.

3. All major NPP facility components will have at least one key vantage point.

4. A local aesthetic resource has been identified as key by virtue of its size and proximity to NPP—Hyde Park, owned by the City of Niagara Falls.

The generic aesthetic resource inventory is a list of all aesthetically significant resources and places within the project-affected area. According to DEP-00-2, the generic list is:

· A property on or eligible for inclusion in the National or State Register of Historic Places [16 U.S.C. § 470a et seq., Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Law Section 14.07];

· State Parks [Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Law Section 3.09];

· Urban Cultural Parks [Parks, Recreation, and Historic preservation Law Section 35.15];

· The State Forest Preserve [NYS Constitution Article XIV] and Adirondack and Catskill parks;

· National Wildlife Refuges [16 U.S.C. 668dd], State Game Refuges, and State Wildlife Management Areas [ECL 11-2105];

· National Natural landmarks [36 CFR Part 62];

· The National Park System, Recreation Areas, Seashores, and Forests [16 U.S.C. 1c];

· Rivers designated as National or State Wild, Scenic, or Recreational [16 U.S.C. Chapter 28, ECL 15-2701 et seq.];

· A site, area, lake, reservoir, or highway designated or eligible for designation as scenic [ECL Article 49 or DOT equivalent and APA designated State Highway Roadside];

· Scenic Areas of Statewide Significance [Article 42 of Executive Law];

· A State or federally designated trail, or one proposed for designation [16 U.S.C. Chapter 27 or equivalent];

· Adirondack Park Scenic Vistas [Adirondack Park Land Use and Development Map];

· State Nature and Historic Preserve Areas [Section 4 of Article XIV of the State Constitution];

· Palisades Park [Palisades Interstate Park Commission]; and

· Bond Act Properties purchased under Exceptional Scenic Beauty or Open Space category.

A few historic structures were identified in the general project area but public views of major NPP facilities were not found.

1.2 Key Vantage Point Selection Criteria (Site Scale)

Each key vantage “point” is a precise spot within an aesthetic resource or other area meeting the regional scale criteria for selection. Each resource may have several candidate key vantage points from which to choose. In order of importance, the site-scale selection is as follows:

1. The precise key vantage point selected within the designated aesthetic resource will be a formal public “overlook” when and where available. A formal overlook is an area specifically designed to accommodate visitors engaged in “passive” recreational activities that afford unimpeded opportunities to view an NPP component.

2. For vantage point resources without formal overlooks, the key vantage point will be a high point of ground open to the public with an unimpeded view of an NPP component. Spots of highest exposure will be sought (i.e., a spot where the greatest number of viewers congregate or are hypothesized as likely to congregate). The exception to this criterion will be in circumstances where the high point is within an area of no trespass (e.g., a dangerous place that might jeopardize public safety). Thus, at times, places of lower elevation may afford more appropriate significant views of NPP facilities.

3. Vantage points may also be selected based upon proximity to major NPP components and/or aesthetic resources. In every case, the logic and reason for the selection will be described.

2.0 REGIONAL CONTEXT

In some measure, because of the duality of the natural beauty and power-generating potential of Niagara Falls, the region has developed in two ways—one, as a place of scenic and passive recreational pursuits, and two, as a platform upon which heavy industry has proliferated.

2.1 The Natural Landscape

The Niagara Power Project is situated on the Ontario Lake Plain, a relatively flat expanse of land that stretches from the Niagara River eastward around the rim of Lake Ontario and southerly, blending with the Erie Lake Plain. The Niagara River that flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario has a commanding natural presence. Aside from the Great Lakes, the Niagara River Gorge is the most distinctive natural feature in Western New York. Its sharp drop (almost 200 feet) creates Niagara Falls.

The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, over the Falls, which is approximately five miles upstream of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant. The River forms a boundary between New York State and the Province of Ontario, Canada. The river, which is only 37 miles long, drains four of the five Great Lakes, a drainage basin of 263,700 square miles. A few small tributaries occur within the Project area: Fish Creek, Gill Creek, and Bloody Run Creek.

Niagara Falls is, perhaps, the most significant natural scenic resource in New York State. Rivaled only by the Manhattan Skyline and the Statue of Liberty as nationally recognized aesthetic resources, Niagara Falls attracts many visitors from abroad. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Niagara Falls has afforded an entire region of New York with a unique sense of place.

The River’s natural character ranges from flat, calming waters with a gentle and shallow embankment in the upper reach to the dynamic, exciting cataracts and precipitous cliffs of the lower reach with its swirling, swift white waters. In the upper reaches, the River can be up to 6,000 feet wide; in the Gorge it is, at times, less than 500 feet across.

Beginning in the south and progressing north, important natural features include Cayuga Island, Navy Island, the Chippewa-Grass Island Pool, Goat Island, the Horseshoe Falls, the Maid-of-the-Mist Pool, the American Falls, Whirlpool Rapids, and Devil’s Hole Rapids. That each is named is a measure of their distinctiveness and place in western New York’s history and culture.

At the Falls, Goat Island separates the river flow into two distinct cataracts—the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. The Horseshoe Falls’ linear crest measures about 2,200 feet, while the American side is about 1,100 feet. Visual and aesthetic characteristics include mists and fogs; rainbows and other ephemeral atmospheric effects; the powerful sound of the moving water; and the striking linear rhythmic pattern of streaming water cascading over the crest down through the mists below. The mist is observable from relatively distant areas upriver but without the explanatory context that would be provided by the Falls and mist source below.

Associated upland areas are mostly developed and the remaining natural landscape is a patchwork of undeveloped wetlands. Several large, natural wetland complexes and their associated tributaries are located east of the Lewiston Reservoir on Tuscarora Lands. These natural ecosystems include forested, shrub, and emergent marsh wetlands, open water areas, and stream corridors. Other important natural vegetation remains in steep areas within the Gorge.

Second growth woodlots and hedgerows constitute other important naturalized vegetation patterns. Parks and preserves have retained some native vegetation and added ornamental species in naturalized aggregations.

2.1 The Developed Landscape

The developed lands north of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, the Lewiston Plant, and the Lewiston Reservoir are suburban in character. This includes a variety of housing and residential subdivisions and a sophisticated network of roads and highways. The area south of these primary power-generating facilities includes a number of industrial sites, the switchyard and transmission lines, undeveloped open lands used for recreation, and Niagara University’s Main Campus. The Tuscarora Lands comprise the eastern portion of the study area and are largely rural and agricultural.

The larger regional landscape consists of a variety of land uses, some of which appear rather natural and are generally referred to as “open spaces,” such as agricultural fields, a variety of parks, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and the like, and certain low-density residential developments. Hyde Park, while one of the largest, typifies the visual condition observed at local parks. It is both an active and passive recreation area consisting of golf, picnic pavilions, tennis courts, and other recreational infrastructure. It is well-maintained and is a positive green and open space both within and used by the surrounding community.

Reservoir State Park is located along the Town of Lewiston/Town of Niagara line just south of the Lewiston Reservoir. A trail circles the reservoir along the rim and offers bank fishing opportunities. The park also includes a sledding hill that coincidently provides views south of the switchyard. The area surrounding the site is highly developed.

The Earl W. Brydges Artpark is located in the Town of Lewiston. The Artpark has a large performing arts theatre providing summer arts programs for school children. Additional recreational facilities are scattered throughout the project area. Particularly prominent among these are Hyde Park, an expansive 447-acre park within the City of Niagara Falls, and Lewiston Landing, along the Niagara River in the Village of Lewiston.

Devil’s Hole State Park and Whirlpool State Park, each located west of the Robert Moses State Parkway, provide important views of the Niagara River. These parks take full advantage of the dramatic views available of the Niagara River and Gorge Area.

Another important feature of the Niagara River is the substantial presence of infrastructure that supports power development. Manifested by the NPP Twin Intakes, the Beck Intakes, the International Niagara Control Structure, the Canadian Power Rankin Plant, the Canadian Power Intakes, the Ontario Power Generating Station, the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, and the Sir Adam Beck-Niagara Generation Station, these elements are visually significant within the Niagara River Corridor.

The American Rapids Bridge, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge are commanding visual presences and, by virtue of their size, elevated position over the River, and distinctive architectural styles, they are some of the most visually important man-made elements and character determinants in the Project area.

The connection between the Falls, electricity generation and transmission, and industrial development is also readily apparent to even the casual observer. Obvious and important visual presences are the generating facilities (“dams”) and a number of high voltage transmission lines. These structures are visually significant, as are industrial developments with equally strong character determinants in the project-affected area.

Large chemical and industrial processing complexes are visually proximate to the NPP, particularly the water conduit right-of-way and the Twin Water Intake Structures at the southern edge of the City of Niagara Falls. A variety of systems—some resembling petro-chemical type units, specialty chemical systems with heating systems, venting stacks, and plumes—seem to run into one another, forming a vast chain. Almost every manner of pipe and chemical transport system form a matrix of visually complex structures, ancillary facilities, and other support structures owned and operated by entities such as Occidental Chemical, Praxair, Durez, and LaFarge. They are all served by, and connected to, a complex arrangement of electric transmission facilities. A large Niagara Mohawk switchyard (Packard) station completes one of the most heavily industrialized areas in western New York.

Attendant rail systems, trains, and commercial industrial service needs are also part of this intensely industrialized landscape. A CSX Rail Corporation line extends from Buffalo to Niagara Falls. An additional line extends northward to the general vicinity of the Lewiston and Robert Moses Niagara Power Plants.

Vehicular traffic, including cars and trucks, are also a key visual presence, although they are so pervasive everywhere that many observers take them for granted. As one would expect, expanses of concrete and asphalt support the vehicular-based lifestyle.

The transportation network within the Project area includes a combination of highways, regional connectors, and local roads. A branch of the New York State Thruway, I-190 (Niagara Expressway), passes through the Project site just west of the Lewiston Plant. Access from the Niagara Expressway, connecting with the Project occurs at two interchange points: Witmer Road (Route 31) and Military Road/Upper Mountain Road (Route 265/County Route 11). The Robert Moses State Parkway also passes through the Project site and effectively connects the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant with the twin river intake structures located along the Niagara River. Most of the parkway roads and bridges constructed by the Power Authority are owned, operated, or maintained by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and the New York State Department of Transportation. Lewiston Road generally parallels the Robert Moses State Parkway and provides an important connection between Niagara University’s Main Campus (just south of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant) and Niagara University-Deveaux Campus.

The developed areas are contained within eight (8) municipalities, as well as Tuscarora Lands. A discussion of each follows.

2.1.1 Town of Lewiston

The Town of Lewiston, located in Niagara County, is characterized by low-density residential development and some agricultural activity, except in the southwest corner where the Robert Moses and Lewiston Plants are located. The southwest corner also includes Niagara University. The Town encompasses the Village of Lewiston, which is located on the western edge of the Town. The Town is currently in the process of revising its 1981 Master Plan. While the 1981 Master Plan generally found the Town to by comprised of “attractive homes and mature vegetation,” it also found the vicinity of the area around the Niagara Power Project to be showing “evidence of impending deterioration.” The variety of surrounding land uses, including heavy industry and expressways, were cited by the Master Plan as contributing to an “unattractive physical/visual environment.”

The Town includes ten (10) parks and recreation facilities. Among these facilities are Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park and the Joseph Davis State Park. Portions of Devil’s Hole State Park and Reservoir State Park are also located within the southern segment of the Town.

The Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park is dedicated to presenting performing and visual arts programs, including Broadway musicals and classical, jazz, and pop music concerts; art exhibits; classes, workshops, and demonstrations; and tours of the park’s geological and historic sites and nature trails. Lower Landing Archeological District is a key point in the Colonial Niagara Historic District. The park has picnic facilities, hiking, and cross-country skiing, as well as access to fishing.

2.1.2 Village of Lewiston

The Village of Lewiston is a highly developed village distinguished by its residential characteristics, historic architecture, and Main Street shopping district. The western edge of the Village is located on the shores of the Niagara River. The Village has a Master Plan (1977) and a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (1989), both of which are currently being revised. The Village includes a designated historic district known as the Plain Street Historic District. Small, locally owned retail establishments and restaurants distinguish the commercial core. The Village’s commercial district experienced significant improvements in the mid-1990s with an ISTEA grant that allowed for new pedestrian-oriented historic lighting, brick pavers, and enhanced street tree plantings. A portion of the Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park is located within the Village boundaries. Lewiston Landing is located on the Niagara River and includes a boardwalk, ferry service to Toronto, observation points, restaurant, transient boat slips, fish cleaning station, and Whirlpool Jetboat. The Village includes various other smaller parks, such as Seneca Park with its flowering trees, benches, and artistic sculptures; the Marilyn Toohey Park; Hennepin Park; Colonial Village Park, which is a 5.23 acre park with bird watching opportunities, tennis and basketball courts, baseball diamonds, playground, public restrooms, and rentable pavilions; and the 3-acre Academy Park.

2.1.3 Town of Niagara

The Town of Niagara, to the east of Niagara Falls, is an older suburban and industrial community. Substantial portions of the community are used for industrial-related activities, including the Niagara Falls Air Base (home to the 914th Airlift Wing of the USAF, the 107th Air Refueling Wing of the New York Air National Guard, and the 865th Combat Support Hospital of the U.S. Army), the Niagara Falls International Airport, and major highway and power transmission corridors. The north segment of the Town is closest to the Niagara Power Project and is largely defined by a combination of heavy industrial uses, including major utility transmission, as well as road and rail corridors. The southern portion of the Town, further removed from New York Power Authority lands, is generally considered a first ring suburb and is characterized by an aging population, an aging housing stock, and an aging infrastructure. Located at the north edge, a small portion of Reservoir State Park is positioned in the Town of Niagara. The Town also includes six other parks: Belden Center Park, Garcia Park, John Street Park, Niagara Town Park, Veteran Heights Park, and Young Street Park.

2.1.4 City of Niagara Falls

The City of Niagara Falls is an extensively developed urban community that has a broad range of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional uses. The areas within the City of Niagara Falls closest to the New York Power Authority lands are well-established and pleasant residential neighborhoods along Lewiston Road. The Robert Moses State Parkway also passes through the City of Niagara Falls on the west. The City is an important tourist destination on the American side of the Falls. Niagara Falls has a number of planning documents that guide the development of its waterfront: Niagara Riverview Park and Trail (1988); a Developer Master Plan for Downtown Niagara Falls (1998); Master Plan Study of the Niagara Gorge Hiking Trail (1989); and Niagara Waterfront Master Plan (1992). Although several attempts were made to develop a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, the process was never completed and adopted as official policy. The most relevant document for waterfront planning is the document Achieving Niagara Falls’ Future (2002). The City is currently in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan.

The City has 39 parks and recreation facilities, including the Aquarium of Niagara, DeVeaux Woods State Park, Devil’s Hole State Park, and Reservoir State Park. Whirlpool State Park is a 109-acre state-owned park that has two observation levels for viewing the mile-long stretch of rapids. The street level has many overlooks with breathtaking views of the whirlpool and the Niagara River, shaded picnic tables, and a playground. The river level, accessible by walking the 300 feet of trails and steps that descend into the gorge, offers several nature trails along the Niagara Gorge leading to Devil’s Hole State Park. The Niagara Gorge Trail System is located within the park. The trail parallels the scenic Niagara River Gorge, which extends from Lewiston to Niagara Falls. Many sections of the Trail System are remnants of the Great Gorge Route, an electric trolley line that ran in the gorge between 1895 and 1935. The rim path within Niagara Falls State Park extends from the Horseshoe Falls to the Schoellkopf Geological Museum. There, the trail connects to the Upper Great Gorge Trail that leads to the Whirlpool Rapids, near Whirlpool State Park. Some parts of the trail are at the bottom of the gorge, close to the water’s edge and within close view of the different layers of sedimentary rock that make up the gorge walls. The system has about 14.5 miles of trails.

Niagara Falls State Park, located on the southwest corner of the City, features one of the natural wonders of the world and is America's oldest state park. The rapids along Goat Island are a spectacle of water and rocks. The park is well-landscaped with seasonal flowers. The power of the Falls can be seen at Prospect Point, or for an aerial view, atop the observation tower.

The Niagara Falls Riverwalk is a City-owned 5.5-mile asphalt rail trail running between Niagara Falls and the Town of Porter. Niagara Riverview Trail is a state-owned, three-mile paved trail from the North Grand Island Bridge to Niagara Reservation State Park.

2.1.5 City of Buffalo

The City of Buffalo is the urban center of the Buffalo Niagara region and, like other cities experiencing economic decline, has been hit hard in recent years with the decline of the manufacturing industry. Heavy industrial buildings, many of which are vacant or significantly underutilized, characterize much of the landscape on the edges. For the past half century, Buffalo has been steadily losing its predominant position in the region as urbanization spread outwards from the urban core. In June of 2003, the City released a draft Comprehensive Plan that establishes an ambitious vision of the City to regain its status as the “Queen City of the Great Lakes” and envisions Buffalo as a “sustainable Great Lakes community.” The City is also currently engaged in developing a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and the Waterfront Corridor Initiative, which will develop an action program of project plans and designs.

The City has a rich architectural history. It took decades to implement the various plans that shaped the City, and the architecture, parks, parkways, enterprises, and institutions that came to symbolize Buffalo. Piece by piece, layer by layer, the urban fabric was enriched, as well-known architects and urban planners such as Upjohn, Sullivan, Burnham, Richardson, Wright, Saarinen, Rudolph, Pei, Yamasaki, and many others made their contributions.

Downtown Buffalo is an important part of the region’s future success. Downtown is currently being redeveloped under the vision expressed in The Queen City Hub: A Regional Action Plan for Downtown Buffalo. It is a plan that recognizes the need to integrate all components of economic, social, and environmental planning. The plan also includes strategies to help revitalize the adjoining neighborhoods.

The City has an extensive array of parks and recreation, exemplified by the numerous Olmsted Parks throughout the City. Buffalo is the home to America's oldest coordinated system of public parks and parkways, designed by the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), in concert with his partner Calvert Vaux and other subsequent partners. An important component of the draft Comprehensive Plan is the restoration of the Olmsted parks and parkway system, along with the waterfront.

Buffalo possesses an extensive and diverse waterfront along Lake Erie, the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers, and the Erie Canal. The waterfront has many uses and features, including re-naturalized areas such as the Tifft Nature Reserve, remnants of former industrial activity such as the grain silos, and facilities with particular associations such the Inner Harbor with its redevelopment plan, and Broderick Park with its connection to the history of the Underground Railway.

2.1.6 Lands of the Tuscarora Nation

Tuscarora lands are contiguous to the New York Power Authority’s Lewiston Reservoir. Land use can generally be characterized as low-density residential and agricultural.

2.1.7 Town of Porter

The Town of Porter, located north of the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, is characterized by low-density residential development and some agricultural activity. The Town is currently developing a Comprehensive Plan that is currently in committee in draft form. It is anticipated that the Comprehensive Plan will be adopted by January 2005.

2.1.8 Town of Wheatfield

The Town of Wheatfield is located in Niagara County and is largely characterized by residential development. The Town includes 12 parks, including the Oppenheim County Park and Zoo. The Town has a Comprehensive Plan that was adopted by the municipal legislative body in 1999.

2.1.9 Town of Grand Island

The Town of Grand Island is located in Erie County and is characterized by a wide variety of development. The Town has a Comprehensive Plan that was adopted by the municipal legislative body in 1992. The Town includes 41 publicly and privately owned parks, prominently including Buckhorn Island State Park along the Niagara River opposite Navy Island. Consisting of 895 acres of marsh, meadows, and woods and the last vestige of once vast marshlands and meadows that bordered the Niagara River, it is classified as a park preserve. The public is welcome to walk the nature trail, hike, fish, and cross-country ski in the park. Current restoration planning initiatives include increasing public access with more non-intrusive trails, overlooks, a bike path, and parking facilities.

Beaver Island State Park is another park, located at the south end also along the Niagara River. The 950-acre park has a half-mile sandy beach for swimming, an adjacent 80-slip marina with both seasonal and transient boat slips, fishing access, bike and nature trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, athletic fields, an 18-hole golf course, and a historic home which was the summer residence of President Cleveland. In winter, visitors can cross-country ski, snowshoe, sled, or ice fish.

1.0 KEY PROJECT COMPONENTS

The Niagara Power Project consists of facilities and structures necessary to generate and transmit electricity. To understand the aesthetic effect of the Niagara Power Project requires a determination of key project components and their viewsheds. In the visual impact assessment discipline it is standard industry practice to analyze the tallest facility components. This is because the tallest components have the greatest viewshed, or expanse of land, with views of the subject facility. Also, the tallest components usually have the most pronounced skyline effect and, therefore, greatest visual impact. Based upon size, location, and visual and aesthetic characteristics, the major project components may be identified as: the Twin Intake Structures, Lewiston Pump Generating Plant, Lewiston Reservoir, Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, Lewiston Substation and Switchyard, Electric Transmission Lines, the Communication Tower, the Forebay, and the Deployed Ice Boom within the City of Buffalo. As previously mentioned, not all of these project components are within the Project boundary or necessarily related to Project operations.

Less important ancillary structures and facilities, vehicular parking with associated lawn areas and ornamental landscapes, storage areas, access roads, and other relatively nondescript properties and lands complete the visual inventory of the Niagara Power Project. Some among them are important and have been analyzed in the context of the key vantage point analysis.

1.1 Twin Intake Structures

Two identical riverside water intake structures, located along the Niagara River 2.6 miles upstream of Niagara Falls, divert water from the Niagara River to the Lewiston Reservoir. The intakes are proximate to both the Robert Moses Parkway and the Niagara River. An associated overlook park and walkway offers excellent views of the upper Niagara River.

1.2 Lewiston Pump Generating Plant

The Lewiston Pump Generating Plant consists of 12 units that have a dual function of pumping water from the forebay into Lewiston Reservoir and generating electric power from release of the stored water. The tallest facility component is the red gantry crane above the dam.

1.3 Lewiston Reservoir

The Lewiston Reservoir stores water for the Lewiston Plant. The shoreline around the reservoir is approximately 6.5 miles long and is characterized by the water itself and the steep slope of the reservoir dike. The high point is the top of the slope around the rim of the Reservoir. The Reservoir is both a facility component and a key vantage point, since it is the high point of ground within Reservoir State Park.

1.4 Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant

The Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant is a prominent man-made feature within the Niagara River Gorge. The Plant consists of 13 power-generating units that discharge water from the upper Niagara River to the lower reach below the Falls. The four-lane Robert Moses Parkway and four-lane Lewiston Road traverse the top of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant.

The Plant is a large, rectangular-shaped facility that appears to be part of the face of the Gorge wall. The tallest plant component is the uppermost gantry crane above the dam. The bench-like forms are painted red. The Plant also includes 13 turbines within the structure that are used to generate electric power. Fishing access is also provided, as an access road, parking areas, and a pier.

1.5 Lewiston Substation and Switchyard

The Lewiston Substation and Switchyard consists of a visually complex arrangement of utility equipment involved with the energy supply purposes of the Niagara Power Project. The tallest facility component is the strain bus structure (type “AB”) that stands about 97 feet tall. It is located north of the Niagara University Campus just to the west of Interstate I-90.

1.6 Electric Transmission Facilities

The electric transmission facilities consist of a number of towers and attendant cables. The tallest towers are the 345kV lattice structures. They ranged in height from 96 to 184 feet. They originate at the switchyard and travel south and east. A 115kV facility goes east toward Tuscarora Lands. Transmission lines and switchyards within the FERC Project Boundary are owned or managed by the New York Power Authority (NYPA), Niagara Mohawk (NIMO) and the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG). Approximate right-of-way miles owned or managed by each of these organizations within the Project boundary are 1.2 miles for NYPA, 4.1 miles for NIMO, and less than 0.1 miles for NYSEG.

1.7 Communication Tower

The communication tower is a lattice structure used to elevate project communication equipment. It is approximately 200 feet tall and composed of alternating bands of red and white metallic lattice-work and attached transmission hardware. It is located just to the north of the Niagara University Physical Plant.

1.8 The Forebay

The approximately 71-acre forebay is a relatively narrow cut through a limestone bed where discharged water is directed from the Lewiston facility to the top of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant. It is located to the north of the Power Vista parking area. It is approximately 500 feet wide, 4,200 feet long, and 110 feet deep.

1.9 Deployed Ice Boom

The eastern basin of Lake Erie narrows where the lake drains into the Niagara River. During the years when an ice cover forms on Lake Erie, the funnel-like opening near the head of the river causes the constriction of northeastward ice flow, a subsequent thickening of the ice cover, and the eventual formation of a natural ice arch at a point located just upstream of the river's head. The river itself remains open. The ice formation process tends to restrict ice flow into the river, although breakaway floes are normal. The presence of the ice boom accelerates formation of the ice cover and reduces the risk of arch breakdown during the development of the natural arch. It also supports stability of the ice arch during adverse wind and other weather conditions that tend to destabilize the ice cover. The ice boom limits the duration and extent of ice runs that have the potential to cause ice stoppages and ice jams in the Niagara River. The boom is instrumental in promoting the reformation of a stable ice cover after exposure to severe weather or sustained winds that result in overtopping. The stable ice cover promoted by the boom also insulates the underlying water from heat transfer and restricts the formation of new ice. The deployment of the ice boom is governed by the International Joint Commission for benefit of the general public, not exclusively as part of the Project.

The ice boom is located in Lake Erie, across the head of the Niagara River, and is operated in place solely during the winter and early spring. The boom is deployed approximately two miles upstream of the Peace Bridge and is positioned approximately 1,000 ft southwest of the potable water intake crib for the City of Buffalo. At this location, the currents are mild, typically about 1ft/sec in calm conditions. The deepest water is located near the Canadian shore. Over half of the ice boom, toward the US shore, is positioned over a shoal in shallow water with a depth of 16 ft or less.

Figure 3.1-1

Twin Intake Structures Viewshed