Management of Cumulative Impacts in Transmission Line Siting

摘要

Siting of a high voltage transmission line is a daunting undertaking for most utilities. Regulations,the public, and the practical realities of resource losses demand that better attempts be madeto appropriately consider cumulative impacts from transmission projects. Proper stewardship,however, also demands that any analysis be relevant and effectively consider only cumulativeissues of consequence and at the appropriate management level. This review provides a surveyof transmission projects in the United States and Canada to determine how cumulative impactshave been considered. In particular, the survey identifies cumulative impact issues unique tolinear transmission corridors, explains how they have been typically addressed, details lessonslearned, and determine what aspects remain the most uncertain and problematic. A conclusion ofthis analysis is that a more relevant consideration of cumulative impacts is possible by focusing onrelated linear connected actions, point sources with direct impacts on a common valued resource,use of methodologies that utilize planning principles for valuation of impacts to select resources,and identifying other point sources more appropriately reviewed under local or regional planningregimes.