Life-Cycle Project Management: EIS and Permit Integration
Water for the Future: Repair and Bypass of the Rondout-West Branch Tunnel
Jennifer Farmwald, DEPSeptember 18, 2013
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Agenda
• Water for the Future (WFF) Program Overview
• Coordination:oScopeoScheduleoContract SpecificationsoConstruction
• Lessons Learned/Takeaways
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WFF Program Overview• The Rondout-West Branch Tunnel (RWBT) is
part of DEP’s Delaware Water Supply System
• The RWBT will be taken out of service for up to 10 months to connect the Delaware Aqueduct to a bypass tunnel (currently under construction)
• During the shutdown, DEP will be unable to convey or divert water from the Delaware System
• Additional water supply is therefore needed to augment the Catskill and Croton system:
o Reactivation of Queens Groundwater
o Upper Catskill Aqueduct Rehabilitation
o Demand Management
• Two Environmental Impact Statements
• 350-500 Permits
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WFF Program Overview
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WFF Program Overview
• Bypass Tunnel – under construction
• Repairs in Wawarsing – in design
• Effects of the connection:o Increased drawdowns
o Cessation of leaks in Roseton
o Additional releases from Rondout Reservoir
Rondout CreekCannonsville Reservoir. Lower photo shows same view as
upper except at 6.5% capacity (Dec 20, 2001)
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WFF Program Overview
• Queens Groundwater Reactivation
• Upper Catskill Aqueduct Rehabilitationo Cleaningo Leak repairo Chemical addition
• Demand Management o Municipal, Residential, non-
Residential
o System Optimization
Watercourse resulting from Catskill Aqueduct Leak
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EIS 1 - Completed
• Detailed assessment of shaft and bypass tunnel construction impacts.
• High-level, generic assessment of augmentation and temporary affects of the shutdown
• Impacts:o Noise
o Transportation
o Neighborhood Character
• Permits:o USACE Individual
Permit
o DEC Permits
o Site Plan Approvals
o NYSDOTAerial View of RWBT Bypass Construction – Newburgh, NY
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EIS 2 - Pending
• Update on shaft and bypass tunnel construction
• Detailed assessment of augmentation and temporary affects of the shutdowno Queens Groundwater Rehabilitation
o Upper Catskill Aqueduct Optimization
o Additional releases from Rondout Reservoir
o Increased drawdowns in Catskill and Croton Systems
o Cessation of leaks in Roseton
• Permitso Federal: USACE JDs, Nationwide
o State: DEC, DOH
o Local: 10+ Site Plan Applications, DEP, NYCDOHMH, NYC Design Commission
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Design and Construction Coordination
• One contract to handle EIS and permits
• EA/Permitting review for all project designs (7 so far)
• Review all program contracts for consistency/scope
Environmental Assessment and
Permits
Bypass Design
Bypass Construction
Catskill Design
Catskill Construction
Groundwater Design
Groundwater Construction
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Program Schedule
• Single, integrated program schedule• Perform data needs assessment for contracts
• Red-flag items with long lead times • Identify schedule constraints for risk management
Bypass Design 1Bypass Construction 1Bypass Design 2Bypass Construction 2
Catskill Rehabilitation Design 1Catskill Rehabilitaion Design 2Catskill ConstructionCatskill Construction
Queens Groundwater DesignQueens Groundwater ConstructionQueens Grounwater Construction
Year 8 Year 10Year 9 Year 11 Year 12Year 6 Year 7
ContractYear 4 Year 5Year 3Year 2Year 1
EIS 1 Permitting EIS 2 Permitting
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Contract Specifications and Construction
Integrated EIS commitments into contract specifications for first EIS:
• Conceptual Noise Mitigation Plan included as appendix
• Traffic mitigation letter agreement included as appendix; ensured allotment for purchase of adaptive traffic signals
• Negotiated GHG reduction measures:o From the EIS
o From the contract specifications
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Lessons Learned/Takeaways
• Integrate EA/permitting needs into design and construction contracts
• Coordinate closely to develop schedule milestones
• Identify risks and mitigation strategies early
• Meet with regulators early and often
• Work closely with the design and project management team
• Adapt for smaller projects