EPA REGION VII IRC
085841
907976002
EPA-7-IA-Salix-Woodbury-NSDP-77-004
FEIS-004
NPDES Permit Number: IA0061859
January 1977
FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
for
PROPOSED STEAM ELECTRIC POWER PLANT
GEORGE MEAL STEAM ELECTRIC STATION
NEAL UNIT #4
PORT NEAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
SALIX, WOODBURY COUNTY, IOWA
prepared by
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
in conjunction with
U.S. ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT
OMAHA, NEBRASKA
and
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
with the assistance of
Envirosphere Company
A Division of Ebasco Services, Inc.
New York, New York
Approved by:
C
i ._
Charles V. Wright
Acting Regional Administrator
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
GEORGE NEAL STEAM ELECTRIC GENERATING STATION
NEAL UNIT 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS i
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF EXHIBITS xv
SUMMARY xix
CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION
A. PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT 1-1
B. PRINCIPAL OWNERS OF THE PROPOSED NEAL UNIT 4 1-6
1. Iowa Public Service Company 1-6
2. Interstate Power Company 1-6
3. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative 1-6
4. Northwestern Public Service Company 1-8
5. Corn Belt Power Cooperative 1-8
C. NEED FOR POWER. 1-9
1. Regional Supply and Demand 1-9
a. Mid-Continent Area Reliability Coordination
Agreement (MARCA) Region 1-9
i. System Adjusted Net Capability 1-9
ii. Total Firm Capacity Obligation 1-9
iii. System Deficiency 1-12
b. Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP) Region 1-12
i. System Adjusted Net Capability 1-12
ii. Total Firm Capacity Obligation 1-15
iii. System Deficiency 1-15
2. Iowa Public Service Company - Supply and Demand 1-15
a. System Adjusted Net Capability 1-15
b. Total Firm Capacity Obligation 1-15
c. System Deficiency 1-19
3. Other Major Neal 4 Owners 1-19
a. Interstate Power Company (ISP) 1-19
b. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) 1-19
c. Northwestern Public Service Company (NPS) 1-19
d. Corn Belt Power Cooperative 1-19
4. Summary 1-19
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CHAPTER II - DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
A. THE EXISTING PLANT - UNITS 1, 2 AND 3 II-l
1. General II-l
2. Circulating Water System II-l
3. Air Quality Control System , . II-3
4. Boiler Stacks II-5
5. Chemical Waste System . II-7
6. Water Treatment System II-7
7. Ash Handling System ..... II-8
8. Transmission Facilities . H-8
B. THE PROPOSED PLANT 11-10
1. General 11-10
2. Circulating Water System II-10
a. Intake Structure 11-14
i. Traveling Screens , . 11-14
ii. Desanding Units 11-14
b. Discharge Structure , 11-16
3. Fuel Handling System 11-16
4. Air Quality Control System 11-16
a. Fuel Characteristics 11-16
b. Combustion Reaction 11-17
c. Electrostatic Precipitator , 11-26
d. Boiler Stack 11-26
5, Water Pretreatment System .,.,.. 11-29
6. Detnineralizer System 11-29
7. Potable Water System 11-29
8. Wastewater Characterization ........... 11-30
a. Main Condenser Cooling Water Discharge. „.,....,., 11-30
b. Auxiliary Cooling Water 11-30
c, Demineralizer Regeneration Wastewater ,„,.,..,,,« 11-30
d. Water Pretreatment and Potable Water Treatment Wastes , , . 11-31
e. Boiler Slowdown and Boiler Dralndown , 11-31
£. Boiler Cleaning Wastes . , 11-31
g. Powdex Backwash , ,.,,,,. 11-32
h. Air Preheater Cleaning Wastes , ,,.,..,,, 11-32
i. Plant Floor Drains and Miscellaneous Wastewaters. , , . . , 11-32
j. Ash Systems Emergency Discharge ,,,,.,,,.».,.. 11-32
'i. Sanitary Wastewater ,,,,,.,.»... 11-33
1. Ceal Pile Runoff 11-33
9, Wastewater Treatment Systems, ,,,..,....,...,,. 11-33
a, Demineraliigir Regentrant Wastes Neutralisation, ...... 11-35
b. Treatment of Oily Wastes - Floor Drainage ......... 11-35
e. Treatment of Metal Cleaning Wastswatey. « 11-38
d. Treatment of Non-Metal Contaminated Wastes, ........ 11-38
t. Treatment of Sanitary Waitewafcer. , , . . , . . , 11-38
f. Treatment of Coal Pile Runoff ............... 11-39
10, Solid Wast* Di»po§«l Aret , , , . . . 11-39
11. franiffliggien FseiHtJ,«B 11-39
12, fermit;§ 11-AO
li
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CHAPTER III - ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
WITHOUT THE PROJECT
A. GEOLOGY
]^ Geomorphology t III-l
2. Bedrock III-l
3. Mineral Resources III-4
4. Seismology III-4
B. HYDROLOGY III-6
1. Surface Water III-6
a. Monthly River Flows III-7
b. Low Flow Conditions III-7
c. Monthly River Temperatures 111-12
2. Ground Water 111-12
3. Water Usage 111-15
C. WATER QUALITY AND AQUATIC ECOLOGY 111-19
1. Overview 111-19
2. Site Specific Ecological Data 111-22
a. Water Quality 111-24
i. Existing Water Quality - Neal Unit 4 111-27
ii. Summary . . 111-36
b. Algae 111-36
c. Macrophytes Ill-40
d. Zooplankton 111-40
e. Macroinvertebrates 111-41
i. Drift 111-41
ii. Artificial Substrates 111-41
f. Fish 111-45
g. Trophic Relationships 111-59
h. Rare and Endangered Species 111-59
D. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY 111-60
1. Temperature Ill-60
2. Precipitation 111-63
3. Drought 111-63
4. Snowfall 111-63
5. Severe Weather 111-66
6. Winds 111-66
7. Visibility and Fog 111-73
8. Diffusion Climatology 111-73
E. BACKGROUND AMBIENT AIR QUALITY 111-81
1. Particulate Concentrations 111-81
2. Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations 111-84
3. Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations ... 111-84
4. Emission Inventory Data 111-84
F. TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY 111-87
1. Vegetation 111-87
a. Potential Natural Vegetation of Woodbury
and Dakota Counties 111-87
iii
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b. Existing Local Natural Vegetation 111-87
i. Cottonwood. 111-90
ii. Open Cottonwood 111-90
iii. Mixed Cottonwood 111-90
iv. Willow-Elm-Cottonwood 111-90
v. Basswood-Oak „ 111-90
vi. Bur Oak-Elm 111-90
vii. Open Shrub . IH-93
viii. Riparian Shrub IH-93
ix. Browns Lake Meadow HI-93
x. Sand Dune IH-93
2. Wildlife 111-93
a. Rare, Endangered or Threatened Species 111-93
b. Tall-grass Prairie Community 111-95
c. Riparian Community IH-95
3. Existing Stresses on Terrestrial Communities 111-98
G. HISTORIC, SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL SITES III-lOO
1. Historical Background of the Site Area III-lOO
a. The Creation of Nearby Oxbow Lakes III-lOO
b. Irregularity of the State Boundary , Hi-101
c. Difficulty in Identification of Past Sites. .,,,.,., HI-101
2, Historic and Archeologic Sites. , . III-1Q1
3. Existing Parks and Recreation Areas , , HI-103
a. Stone State Park 111-103
b. Lewis and Clark State Park , III-105
c. Omadi Bend State Park III-105
d. Browns Lake (Bigelow Park) , HI-105
e. Snyder Bend County Park , HI-105
f. Winnebago Bend State Park and Management Area HI-105
4. Status of Proposals for Snyder-Winnebago Bends
Recreation Areas , . , , HI-106
H, LAND AND TRANSPORTATION III-108
1. General Existing Land Use 111-108
2. Agricultural III-108
3. Industrial 1H-112
4, Commercial III-H2
5, Public and Semipublic 111-113
6. Residential 111-113
7. Urban 111-113
8, Transportation , HI-113
I. DEMOGRAPHY 111-115
1. Population History 111-115
2, Current Demographic Characteristics ,,..,..,,,,,., Hl-115
3. Population Projections 111-125
J. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 111-126
1. Education 111-126
2. Residential Moves , 111-126
3. Housing Characteristics ..... .... 111-129
4. Economy 111-129
5, Occupation Characteristics, Incomes and Commutation ,«..,. 111-133
iv
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CHAPTER IV - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT
A. CONSTRUCTION IV-1
1. Impact on Local Socio-Economics IV-1
a. Employment and Labor Force IV-2
b. Housing and Relocation IV-2
c. Other Economic Factors IV-2
d. Community Facilities and Services IV-2
2. Impact on Land Use and Aesthetics IV-3
3. Impact on Water IV-5
4. Impact on Land IV-6
a. Effects on Biological Communities of Site Area IV-6
i. Removal of Vegetation IV-6
ii. Construction Activities IV-8
b. Effects on Regional Terrestrial Ecosystem IV-8
c. Effects on Soils IV-9
5. Impact on Aquatic Ecology IV-9
6. Impact on Air Quality IV-10
B. CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM IV-12
1. Intake System „ IV-12
a. Effects on Aquatic Ecology IV-12
i. Condenser Entrainment IV-12
ii. Impingement IV-23
b. Effect on Other Water Uses IV-32
2. Discharge System IV-32
a. Effects on Missouri River Temperature Distribution .... IV-32
i. State Thermal Discharge Criteria IV-33
ii. Federal Thermal Discharge Regulations IV-34
iii. Thermal Prediction Model IV-34
iv. Temperature Rise Predictions IV-35
v. Results of the Thermal Analysis IV-41
b. Effects on Other Water Quality Parameters IV-41
c. Effects on Aquatic Ecology . „ IV-41
d. Effects on Other Water Users IV-47
C. ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS IV-48
1. Description of Basic Predictive Methodology IV-48
2. Federal Regulations IV-53
3. Emission Rates IV-53
4. Ambient Air Quality IV-56
a. Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations IV-56
b. Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations IV-59
c. Particulate Concentrations IV-59
d. Sulfuric Acid Concentrations IV-62
5. Effects on Terrestrial Biota IV-63
a. Effects on Terrestrial Vegetation .... IV-63
i. Effects of Sulfur Dioxide on Terrestrial Vegetation . . IV-63
ii. Effects of Acid Rain and Sulfate Deposition
on Vegetation IV-67
iii. Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide on Vegetation IV-67
iv. Effects of Particulate Matter on Vegetation IV-68
b. Effects on Terrestrial Wildlife IV-69
i. Effects of Sulfur Dioxide on Wildlife IV-69
ii. Effects of Sulfuric Acid Mist on Wildlife IV-69
iii. Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide on Wildlife IV-71
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b. Off-Site Disposal V- 45
8. Lining of Major Storage Areas V- 45 *
a. Coal Storage Area V- 45
b. Coal Runoff Holding Pond V- 46
Co Solid Waste Disposal Area V- 46
9. Fuel Supply V- 46
D. ALTERNATIVES TO NORMAL MODE OF OPERATION FOR MINIMIZING
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT V- 48
CHAPTER VI - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF
MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE
AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY
A. INTRODUCTION VI-1
B. SHORT-TERM USES VI-1
1. Beneficial Impacts VI-1
2. Adverse Impacts which cannot be Avoided VI-2
a. Water Quality VI-2
b. Water Quality VI-2
c. Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat VI-2
d. Aquatic Ecology VI-2
e. Land VI-3
C. LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY VI-4
CHAPTER VII - IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES
A. GENERAL ..... VII-1 ^
B. FUEL VII-1 J
C, LAND USE VII-1
1. Power Plant Site VII-1
2. Coal Mining Area, Wyoming VII-1
3. Other VII-1
D. WATER VII-2
E. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS VII-2
F. LABOR AND MANPOWER VII-2
CHAPTER VIII - COORDINATION WITH OTHERS
A. CONTACTS MADE BY APPLICANT VIII-1
B. MEETING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS VIII-3
C. PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING VIII-4
CHAPTER IX - .WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESPONSES
GLOSSARY G-l
REFERENCES R'1
Vlll
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LIST OF TABLES
CHAPTER I
Page
I-A-1 Owners of Neal Unit 4 1-3
I-C-1 Members of Mid-Continent Area
Power Pool 1-13
I-C-2 Net Generating Capabilities of
Power Plants Owned by
Iowa Public Service Company 1-16
I-C-3 Energy Sales by Iowa Public
Service Company in 1975 1-18
CHAPTER II
II-A-1 Typical Characteristics of Coal
Used at Units 1, 2 and 3 II-4
II-A-2 Maximum Emissions from Units
1, 2 and 3 at Full Capacity
Operation II-6
II-B-1 Characteristics of Western Coal
to be Used at Neal Unit 4 11-18
II-B-2 Characteristics of Typical
Western Coal 11-19
II-B-3 Ash Constituents of Typical
Western Coal 11-20
II-B-4 Coal Supply Location Description 11-22
II-B-5 Trace Elements Found in Coal
Samples North Knobs Area,
Wyoming (ppm) 11-24
II-B-6 Average Concentrations of Trace
Elements in Typical Western
Coal (ppm) 11-25
II-B-7 Maximum Emissions Calculated for
Neal Unit 4 and Total Station
at Full Capacity Operation 11-28
II-B-8 Unit 4 Wastewater Flows 11-37
II-B-9 Permits Required 11-42
ix
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CHAPTER III
III-A-l Soil Properties in the Area
of the Neal Site III-3
III-A-2 Seismology in the Area of the
Neal Site III-5
III-B-1 Missouri River Flow Rates III-8
III-B-2 Comparison of Predicted and
Measured Average Monthly
River Flows III-9
III-B-3 Missouri River Ambient
Temperatures 111-14
III-B-4 Water Use and Waste Water
Treatment and Disposal
in the Neal Unit 4 Area 111-17
III-C-1 Commercial Landings in Iowa
Boundary Waters of the
Missouri River (1972-1975) 111-23
III-C-2 A Comparison of Water
Quality at Stations 1 and 8 111-28
III-C-3 Summary of Water Quality at
Station 1 111-29
III-C-4 Monthly Bacterial Counts
at Station 1 111-37
III-C-5 Thermal Profiles, Sampling
Sites (OF) - July 12, 1973 111-46
III-C-6 Common and Scientific Names
of Fish Collected in the Port
Neal Area of the Missouri
River and its Backwaters,
1971-1974 111-47
III-C-7 Summary of Missouri River
Trammel and Gill Net Data,
1971-1975 111-51
IJI-C-8 Synopsis of Electrofishing
Results Above and Below
George Neal Units 1 & 2
(Catch Per 1000 ft Shocked) 111-54
III-C-9 Larval Fish Survey; Summer 1974 111-56
III-C-10 Larval Fish Survey, Summer 1975 111-57
III-D-1 Average and Extreme Dry Bulb
Temperatures Sioux City,
Iowa (1931-1960) 111-61
III-D-2 Specific Frequency of Monthly
and Seasonal Wet Bulb
Temperatures (F) Sioux City,
Iowa (1959-1964) ,. . 111-62
x
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Page
III-D-3 Average and Monthly Extreme
Precipitation (inches
Sioux City, Iowa (1931-1960) 111-64
III-D-4 Maximum Short Period Rainfall
Sioux City, Iowa 111-65
III-D-5 Average and Extreme Snowfall Data
Sioux City, Iowa, (1931-1960) 111-67
III-D-6 Severe Weather Precipitation
Sioux City - Des Moines, Iowa 111-68
III-D-7 Maximum Monthly Extreme Mile Windspeed
Sioux City, Iowa 111-70
III-D-8 Recurrence Intervals of Extreme Mile
Windspeeds Sioux City, Iowa 111-71
III-D-9 Maximum Persistence of Wind
Direction Sioux City, Iowa
(1959-1964) 111-72
III-D-10 Percent Frequency of Restricted
Visibilities and Fog Des
Moines - Sioux City, Iowa 111-74
III-D-11 Relation of Pasquill Stability
to Weather Conditions and
Relation of Turner Stability
Class to Pasquill Stability 111-75
III-D-12 Seasonal Distribution of Stability
Classes Sioux City, Iowa (1959-
1964) 111-76
III-D-13 Percent Frequency of Stabilitu Class
by Wind Direction and Coincident
Wind Speed 111-78
III-D-14 Percent Frequency of Inversions
Omaha, Nebraska (1955-1957) 111-79
III-E-1 Air Quality Monitoring System
High Volume Sampler Data 111-82
III-E-2 Total Suspended Particulates,
City-South Sioux City, County-
Dakota, Location-City Office 111-83
III-E-3 S02 Bubbler, City-South Sioux City,
County-Dakota, Location-City Offices 111-84
III-E-4 Background Air Quality Summary 111-86
III-F-1 Latin Names of Plant Species
Cited in Text „ 111-88
III-F-2 Bird Species of Audubon Blue List II
Found in Iowa-Nebraska Floodplain 111-94
III-F-3 Mammalian Species of the Central
Tall Grass Prairie Community 111-96
III-F-4 Densities of Important Vertebrates of
Snyder Bend and Browns Lake Parks
Area 111-97
XI
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III-F-5 Reptilian and Amphibian
Species with Ranges
Including Port Neal Area 111-99
III-H-1 Existing Land Use Within
the Neal Site Area . . . 111-110
III-H-2 Existing Land Use in the Pour
County Region, and Woodbury
County, Iowa III-lll
III-I-l Woodbury County Populstion
Trend III-116
III-I-2 Urban and Rural Population Changes
in Woodbury County,
1930-1970 III-117
III-I-3 Past and Projected Population
(Counties Within 10
miles of the Neal Site III-118
III-1-4 Population of Woodbury County
Subdivisions, 1960 and
1970 III-122
III-I-5 Components of Population Change in
Woodbury County, 1960 to
1970 III-123
III-I-6 Selected Demographic Characteristics,
1970 (Counties Within 10
Miles of the Neal Site) III-124
III-J-1 Woodbury County Educational
Attainment III-127
III-J-2 Residential Moves, 1965 to 1970 (Counties
Within 10 Miles of the
Neal Site) III-128
III-J-3 Housing Characteristics, 1970 (Counties
Within 10 Miles of the
Neal Site) III-130
III-J-4 Moderate Forecast of Gross New
Residential Housing and Land
Requirements Sioux City
Urban Area III-131
III-J-5 Employed Persons 16 Years of Age and
Older, By Industry, 1970 (Counties
Within 10 Miles of the
Neal Site) III-132
III-J-6 Moderate Forecast of Total Employment
by Industry Groupings Sioux
City Urban Area III-134
III-J-7 Employment and Payroll, First Quarter
1971 and 1972 (Counties Within 10
Miles of the Neal Site) , . . . III-135
III-J-8 Employed Persons 16 Years of Age and
Older, By Occupation, 1970(Counties
Within 10 Miles of the Neal Site) III-136
xii
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III-J-9 Median Earnings of Persons in Experienced
Civilian Labor Force for Selected
Occupation Groups 1969. (Counties
Within 10 Miles of the Neal Site) III-137
III-J-40 Per Capita Income, 1969 and Family
Income and Unemployment, 1970
(Counties Within 10 Miles of the
Neal Site) III-138
III-K-11 Place of Work, 1970 (Counties Within 10 Miles of
the Neal Site) III-140
III-J-12 Moderate Population and Employment
Forecasts, Sioux City Urban Area T III-141
CHAPTER IV
IV-B-1 Analysis of Variance on Transformed Counts
(VX+i) of Total Green Algae Enumerated
in the Special Plankton Distribution
Study, May 30, 1974 IV-15
IV-B-2 Neal Unit 4 Design CWS (317,400 gpm) as a
function of monthly Missouri River Flows
during the period 1965 - 1972 IV-16
IV-B-3 Composition of Fish Larvae Found in Drift Net and
Condenser Passage (Entrainment) Samples From
May - August 1974 IV-20
IV-B-4 Point Estimates of Fish Egg and Larval
Entrainment Neal Units 1-4 and 4 IV-22
IV-B-5 Fecundities of Selected Species of
Missouri River Fish , IV-24
IV-B-6 Impingement Data Trends, Neal Units 1 & 2,
1974 - 1975 iv-25
IV-B-7 Impingement Data, Neal Unit 3
January, February, March 1976 IV-27
IV-B-8 Impingement Data, Neal Units 1, 2 and 3
February 22 - 28, 1976 IV-30
IV-C-1 Maximum Predicted SO , NO , Particulate and
H2SO, Concentrations, Neal Units 1-4
for Each Grid Point (ug/m ) IV-50
IV-C-2 National Ambient Air Quality Standards IV-54
IV-C-3 Federal Standards of Performance for New
Stationary Sources IV-55
IV-C-4 Input Parameters for Diffusion Calculations,
Neal Units 1-4 IV-57
IV-C-5 Summary of Maximum Predicted Ground Level
Contaminant Concentrations (ug/m ) IV-58
IV-C-6 Twenty-four Hour Particulate Impact/
Background Joint Frequency Analysis ... IV-60
Xlll
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IV-C-7 Sensitivities to Sulfur Dioxide of Woody and
Agricultural Plants Common to the
Port Neal Area IV-64
IV-C-8 Toxilogical Effects of S0?, N0? on Test
Animals ., IV-70
IV-G-1 Major Noise Sources During Plant Construction
IV-G-2 Plant and Dike Construction Equipment Schedule IV-85
IV-G-3 Major Noise Sources During Plant Operation IV-89
CHAPTER V
V-C-1 Average Water Quality of the Missouri River in
the Vicinity of Neal Unit 4 V-18
V-C-2 Monthly Average Blowdown Temperature - Natural Draft
Cooling Tower V-19
V-C-3 Natural Draft Cooling Tower Annual Salt Deposition,
LBS/ACRE/Year V-20
V-C-4 Monthly Average Blowdown Temperature - Mechanical
Draft Cooling Tower . . V-25
V-C-5 Round Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower Annual Salt
Deposition, LBS/ACRE/Year V-26
V-C-6 Woody Plants Sensitive to Sodium Chloride SaLt Spray. . . V-29
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LIST OF EXHIBITS
CHAPTER 1
I-A-1 Neal Unit 4 Location Map 1-4
I-A-2 Construction Schedule Of
Neal Unit 4 1-5
I-B-1 Area Served By Iowa Public
Service Company 1-7
I-C-1 Mid-Continent Area Reliability
Coordination Agreement
Region 1-10
I-C-2 Projected Total Firm Capacity
Obligation and Adjusted Net
Capability of Mid-Continent
Area Reliability Coordination
Agreement Region - 1976 to
1985 1-11
I-C-3 Projected Total Firm Capacity
Obligation and Adjusted Net
Capability of Mid-Continent
Area Power Pool Members 1-14
I-C-4 Projected Total Firm Capacity
Obligation and Adjusted Net
Capability of Iowa Public
Service Company - 1976 to
1985 1-17
CHAPTER II
II-A-1 George Neal Steam Electric
Station - The Existing
Plant II-2
II-A-2 The Existing Transmission
Lines Owned By Iowa By
Iowa Public Service
Company II-9
II-B-1 George Neal Steam Electric
Station, The Proposed
Plant 11-11
II-B-2 Proposed Water Management
Flow Diagram 11-12
II-B-3 Sectional Views of the Unit 4
Intake and Discharge
Structures 11-13
II-B-4 Traveling Screen with Fish
Protection System 11-15
II-B-5 Coal Area Ownership 11-21
II-B-6 Cutaway View of Neal Unit 4
Electrostatic Pre-
cipitator 11-27
II-B-7 Neat 4 Bottom Ash and
Economizer Ash Re-
circulating Systems 11-34
xv
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II-B-8 Proposed Chemical Wastes Collection
and Treatment System 11-36
II-B-9 Transmission Routes 11-41
CHAPTER III
III-A-1 Soils Index Map III-2
III-B-1 Distribution of MA7CDLF For the
Missouri River at Sioux City,
Iowa, 1967 - 1974 III-ll
III-B-2 Missouri River Ambient Temperature
- July 111-13
III-C-1 Aerial View Of The Missouri River
At Port Neal, Iowa 111-20
III-C-2 Water Quality and Plankton Sampling
Stations, July 1971-April
1973 111-25
III-C-3 Water Quality and Plankton Sampling
Stations, May 1973 -
Present 111-26
III-C-4 Semi-monthly Levels of pH at
Station 1 111-31
III-C-5 Semi-monthly Levels of Dissolved
Oxygen and Percent Saturation
At Station 1 111-33
III-C-6 Semi-monthly Levels of Temperature
At Station 1 111-34
III-C-7 Semi-monthly Nutrient Levels
At Station 1 111-35
III-C-8 Diversity (Number of Genera)
And Abundance (Number of
Individuals) of Phytoplankton,
Stations 1-8, Missouri River,
Iowa 111-38
III-C-.9 Artificial Substrate Sampler
Stations, 1973 111-42
III-C-10 Monthly Median Abundance of
Trichoptera (Caddisflies),
Ephemeroptera (Mayflies),
and Diptera (Midges), Over
All Artificial Substrate
Stations, Missouri River,
Iowa and Nebraska 111-43
III-C-11 Diversity (Number of Families)
And Abundance (Number of
Individuals) of Aquatic In-
sects Collected On Artificial
Substrates, Missouri River,
Iowa 111-44
III-C-12 Fisheries Backwater and Shoreline
Seining Areas (A through
K) TII-50
xvi
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III-D-1 Surface Wind Rose - Sioux City, Iowa
Annual (1951-1960) 111-69
III-F-1 Existing Natural Foodplain Vegetation:
Sargeant Bluff to Winnebago
Bend 111-91
III-G-1 Regional Recreational
Areas III-104
III-H-1 Existing Land Use Map III-109
III-I-l Population: Places Within 10
Miles of Proposed Site III-119
III-I-2 Centers of Over 10,000 Population
Within 100 Miles of Proposed
Site III-120
CHAPTER IV
IV-A-1 Natural Vegetation of Neal
Unit 4 Site IV-7
IV-B-1 Schematic of Plankton Subsampling
Experiment, May 30,1974 IV-14
IV-B-2 Thermal Plume Analysis of the Unit
4 Discharge IV-37
IV-B-3 Thermal Plume Analysis of the Unit
4 Discharge IV-38
IV-B-4 Thermal Plume Analysis of the Unit
4 Discharge IV-39
IV-B-5 Thermal Plume Analysis of the Unit
4 Discharge IV-40
IV-B-6 Length-Frequency Distributions of
Carp Taken Upstream and Downstream
of Neal 1 and 2 by Electrofishing,
April-May 1974 IV-44
IV-B-7 Length-Frequency Distributions of
Carpsucker Taken Upstream and
Downstream of Neal 1 and 2 by
Electroshocking, April-May,
1974 IV-45
IV-B-9 Condition Factors of Carp and
Carpsucker Taken Upstream and
Downstream of Neal 1 and 2 by
Electrofishing, April-May,
1974 IV-46
IV-C-1 Locations of Grid Points for Air
Quality Study IV-49
IV-F-1 Woodbury County Zoning in the Area
of Neal Unit 4 IV-78
xv 11
-------
IV-G-1 Construction Sound Levels at a
Distance of about 4900 ft.
from the Plant Construction
Center IV-82
IV-G-2 Plant Construction Sound
Contours IV-86
IV-G-3 Plant Construction Sound
Contours IV-87
IV-G-4 Plant Operation Sound
Contours IV-91
CHAPTER V
V-B-1 Candidate Plant Sites V-6
V-C-1 Natural Draft Cooling Tower
System - Neal Unit 4
Conceptual Plot Plan V-15
V-C-2 Makeup Water Intake
Platform V-16
V-C-3 Round Mechanical Draft Cooling
Tower System - Neal Unit 4
Conceptual Plot Plan V-23
V-C-4 pH Ranges of Surface Soils
in Unit 4 Area V-27
V-C-5 Rectangular Mechanical Draft
Cooling Tower System -
Neal Unit 4 Conceptual
Plot Plan V-31
xvi 11
-------
SUMMARY
GEORGE NEAL UNIT 4 STEAM-ELECTRIC GENERATING STATION
( ) DRAFT (X) FINAL
Responsible Office; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1735
Baltimore, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, telephone 816-374-2921.
1. Type of Action; (X) Administrative ( ) Legislative
2. Description of Action; Iowa Public Service Company of Sioux
City, Iowa, has applied for a new source National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System permit for the operation of a 576
megawatt coal-fired steam-electric generating facility adjacent
to the Missouri River. The station is located approximately 14
miles south of Sioux City, Iowa.
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(PL 91-190), EPA has prepared this final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts
of this action upon the Missouri River, Woodbury County, and the
surrounding area.
This EIS is a multiagency document, and will serve as the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers1 EIS on their possible issuance of a
Section 404, Federal Water Pollution control Act Amendments
permit and a Section 10, River and Harbor Act permit. The Iowa
Public Service Company has applied for a Department of the Army
permit under Section 10 of the River and Harbor Act of 3 March
1899 (30 Stat 1151; 33 U.S.C. 403) and under the provisions of
Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments
of 1972 (86 Stat 816; 33 U.S.C. 1344) for activities related to
the proposed construction of an intake pumphouse, outfall
structure, and armored riprap apron for a 576 megawatt coal-fired
steam-electric power generating facility on and in the Missouri
River at mile 716.64L (1960 mileage). The work will consist of
constructing a coffer cell retaining structure, dewatering the
work area, excavating approximately 21,800 cubic yards of
material, constructing the intake and outfall structures, placing
the required backfill, repairing the bank revetment, removing the
coffer cell retaining structure, installing approximately 300
linear feet of sheet piling, and placing approximately 1,500
cubic yards of armor riprap aprons in front of the intake and
outfall structures. The intake pumps will extract river water at
a rate of approximately 707 cubic feet per second for use as
condenser coolant in the power generating plant and will be
returned to the river through the discharge structure. The
xix
-------
statement will also serve as the EIS for the Rural
Electrification Administration's possible issuance of a loan
guarantee to Cornbelt Power and Northeast Iowa Power Cooperatives
to provide for generating facilities and related transmission
facilities.
3. Environmental Impacts; The power plant will convert
approximately 450 acres of agricultural land and wildlife habitat
to industrial use. Combustion for pcwer generation will result
in the release of waste by-products into the atmosphere and
heated discharge water into the Missouri River. Approximately 50
million tons of coal will be committed during the 30-year life of
the facility. The facility is expected to provide for the
production and distribution of power to meet present and
projected demands. The total cost of the project is estimated at
$276 million. Liquid discharges will be those associated with
coal pile runoff, plant wastewater treatment systems and sanitary
waste treatment systems.
Adverse Environmental Effects^ construction of the station will,
to varying degrees, disrupt aquatic and terrestrial habitats.
Noise and dust will also result from construction activities.
Damage or death of aquatic organisms will result from their
impingement on the intake structure and entrainment into the
circulating water systenj during plant operation. The levels of
certain air pollutants (e.g., sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides,
and particulates) are expected to increase.
4. Alternatives; Denial of permit, resulting in no discharge;
alternate plant sites; alternate cooling systems; alternate
fuels; alternate routes of fuel transportation; alternate methods
for the treatment of stack emissions; and alternate ash disposal
techniques.
5. Comments Requested;
Federal Agencies
Council on Environmental Quality
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
Soil Conservation Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Marine Fisheries service
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Regional Administrator, Region VII
Area Director
U.S. Department of the Interior
Special Assistant to the Secretary
Fish and Wildlife Service
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Mines
Bureau of Reclamation
-------
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Outdoor Recreation
National Park Service
Office of Land Use and Water Planning
Geological Survey
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Coast Guard
Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Power Commission
National Bureau of Standards
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Water Resources Council
Federal Energy Administration
Missouri River Basin Commission
Members of Congress
Richard C. Clark, U.S. Senate
John C. Culver, U.S. Senate
Berkley Bedell, U.S. House of Representatives
State
Iowa "A-95" Coordinator, Governor's Office
Nebraska HA-95" Coordinator, Governor's Office
Lyle Scheelhaase, State Representative
Donald V. Doyle, state Representative
Willis Junker, State Representative
Leonard Anderson, State Senator
E. Kevin Kelly, State Senator
Iowa Department of Environmental Quality
State Library Commission of Iowa
Local and Regional
Mayor, Salix, Iowa
Mayor, Sioux City, Iowa
woodbury County Conservation Board
Sioux City Public Library
Interested Groups and Individuals
People's Energy Project
Wildlife Society, Iowa Chapter
American Fisheries Society, Iowa Chapter
Audubon society of Iowa
Sierra Club, Sioux City Chapter
Citizens for Environmental Action
Citizens United for Responsible Energy
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities
J.N. "Ding" Darling Foundation, Inc.
Izaak Walton League, Sioux City Chapter
Keep Earth's Environment Pure
xxi
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Nature Conservancy, Iowa Chapter
State Preserves Board
Ducks Unlimited
Iowa wildlife Federation
Iowa Commercial Fisheries Association
Iowa Ornithologists' Union
Iowa Citizens for Environmental Quality
6. The draft Environmental Impact Statement was
sent to council on Environmental Quality in October 1976,
7. The final Environmental Impact Statement was sent
to Council on Environmental Quality in January 1977.
xxii
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I - INTRODUCTION
A. PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
The Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII, has
determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is
required before the decision is made on the issuance of the new
source National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(N.P.D.E.S.) permit for the George Neal, Unit 4, Steam Electric
Generating Station. This determination is in accordance with the
rules and regulations pursuant to Section 102(2) (c) of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Section
511 (c) (1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments
of 1972 (FWtCA) .
The EIS for the George Neal, Unit 4, station has been
prepared to assess the total environmental impacts of the
project. It is a joint EIS, prepared in conjunction with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the issuance of a Section 404,
Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments permit and a
Section 10, River and Harbor Act permit. The statement will also
serve as the EIS for the Rural Electrification Administration's
issuance of loan guarantees for both generating and transmission
facilities. Both the Corps of Engineers and the Rural
Electrification Administration (REA) have provided extensive
input into this document and it is designed to identify the
significant impacts of all federal actions involved with this
facility.
Section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Amendments of 1972, Public Law 92-500, (FWPCA) , 33 U.S.C. 1342
established a program whereby every point source pollutant
discharger must obtain a permit to continue their wastewater
discharge into waters of the United States. This permit program
is known as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES). An individual permit is conditioned so that various
levels of discnarge control are obtained by certain dates (July
1, 1977, for best practicable control technology available and
July 1, 1S>83, for best available technology economically
achievable). These levels of discharge control are established
by effluents limitations as promulgated pursuant to Sections 301,
304, 306, 307 and 501 of FWPCA.
The Corps of Engineers' authority over this project stems
from Section 10 of the River and Barber Act of 1899, 33 U.S.C.
403, which governs activities in the "Navigable Waters of the
United States" as defined in the Control of Federal Regulations,
33 CFR 209.260. Any activity in a navigable water of the United
States below the level of ordinary high water (OHW) requires a
permit from the Department of the Army through the Chief of
Engineers. A Section 404 permit would also be required under the
provision of FWPCA, 33 U.S.C. 1311, 1344. Under Sections 10 and
1-1
-------
404, the Corps of Engineers permit authority is only tor the
construction, operation and maintenance of the intake and outlet
structure.
Corn Belt Power Cooperative and Northwest Iowa Power
Cooperative have applied to the Rural Electrification
Administration for loan guarantees to finance 25 MW and 100 MW,
respectively, of the proposed Neal Unit 4. These requests are
being evaluated to insure that reasonable safeguards are being
taken to protect the health and safety of the public and that all
means of practical environmental protection are incorporated to
minimize the deleterious effects of the proposed action.
Iowa Public Service Company (IPS) and twelve other private
and municipal utilities are the joint owners of the proposed Neal
Unit 4, a 576 megawatt (MW) low sulfur coal-fired unit scheduled
for commercial operation in May 1979. Table I-A-1 lists the Neal
Unit 4 owners including Interstate Power Company (ISP),
Northwestern Public Service Company (NFS), Corn Belt Power
Cooperative (Corn Belt), Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO)
and eight municipal utilities. Approximately 92 percent of the
plant's capacity is owned by the five utilities, IPS, ISP, NPS,
WIPCO and Corn Belt. Four of these utilities are members of both
the jyiid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP) and the Mid-Continent
Area Reliability Coordination Agreement (MARCA) . NIPCO and the
eight municipal utilities are connected to the MAPP transmission
line network.
As the major cwner of the unit, IPS has planned the
construction of this unit near its existing George Neal Steam
Electric Station. The George Neal Station is located fourteen
miles south of Sioux City in the Port Neal Industrial District in
Woodbury County, Salix, Iowa. A location map of Neal Unit 4 is
given in Exhibit I-A-1.
The budgeted installed cost o± Neal Unit 4 is $276,000,000
and construction began in March 1975 with the start of site
grading and drainage work. In April 1975 work commenced on
underground circulating water piping, pile driving, and the
turbine generator foundation.
By the end of March 1976 a total of $44,500,000 had been
spent on all phases of the project. Of this amount approximately
$14,000,000 consists of site specific items including site
improvements, earthwork and piling, concrete, circulating water
system, underground electric ducts and a portion of engineering
and construction service costs. A detailed construction schedule
is presented in Exhibit I-A-2.
1-2
-------
Share In Unit 4
Iowa Public Service Company
Interstate Power Company
Northwestern Public Service Company
Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative
Corn Belt Power Cooperative
Algona Municipal Utilities
Bancroft Municipal Utilities
Coon Rapids Municipal Utilities
Graettinger Municipal Light Plant
Laurens Municipal Light & Power
Milford Municipal Utilities
Spencer Municipal Utilities
City of Webster City, Iowa
43.403%
17.3617,
8.681%
17.361%
4.861%
2.604%
. 347%
.521%
. 174%
.521%
. 347%
1.215%
2.604%
250 MW
100 MW
50 MW
100 MW
28 MW
15 MW
2 MW
3 MW
1 MW
3 MW
2 MW
7 MW
15 MW
100.000%
576 MW
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA
DATE:
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY -
OWNERS OF NEAL UNIT
SCALE:
NEAL UNIT 4
4
TABLE
I-A-1
1-3
-------
NEAL UNIT 1 2&3
US 20
PROPOSED NEAL UNIT 4
INTERSTATE 80
COUNCIL BLUFFS
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
NEAL UNIT 4 LOCATION MAP
DATE:
SCALE:
1-4
EXHIBIT
I - A - 1
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S-I
I
o
I-J
I i I COMMERCIAL Of ERATIONr"May 1978
-------
B. PRINCIPAL OWNERS OF THE PROPOSED HEAL UNIT 4
1. Iowa Public Service Company
Iowa Public Service Company (IPS) is the principal owner of
the proposed Neal Unit 4 and controls approximately 43 percent of
the total shares. As the principal owner, the company is
responsible for the design and construction of the facility. IPS
has contracted with EBASCO Services, Incorporated to be the major
consultant responsible fcr the design and construction of the
Projects^ EBASCO, in turn, has commissioned Envirosphere Company
(a division of EBASCO) to prepare the environmental assessment of
the project. The assessment has been used extensively in the
preparation of the EIS.
IPS supplies gas and electric power to approximately twenty
percent of the State of Iowa and to a small portion of South
Dakota. IPS also supplies gas to the eastern part of the State
of Nebraska. This area, as shewn in Exhibit I-B-1, borders
Waterloo on the east, Audubon on the south, Sioux City on the
west, and Rock Valley on the north.
In 1975, IPS provided electric and gas service to a total of
169,299 customers. The population served by IPS was about
400,000 persons.
2. Interstate Power Company
Interstate Power Company (ISP), owns over 17 percent interest
in the proposed Neal Unit 4. ISP provides natural gas and
electric service to 252 communities in more than a 10,000 square
mile area within northeast and north central Iowa, southern
Minnesota and northwestern Illinois.
The total number of electric customers served by ISP in 1975
was 142,677. The total number of natural gas service customers
was 41,357. Dubuque, Iowa with a population of 62,309 is the
largest city serviced by ISP.
3. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative
Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO), which owns 17.361
percent interest in the proposed Neal Unit 4, is a rural electric
cooperative owned and controlled by more than 23,000 rural
northwest lowans. NIECO consists of ten rural electric
cooperative members and one municipal electric cooperative
member. NIPCO also wheels Bureau of Reclamation power to several
municipals in western Iowa. During 1975, the sales to the
cooperative members were 422,412,000 kWh which was 2.9 percent
over 1974 sales.
1-6
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SOUTH
DAKOTA
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION Of EBASCO SfRVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
AREA SERVED BY IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANY
DATE: . SCALE:
EXHIBIT
I-B-1
-------
4. Northwestern Public Service Company
Northwestern Public Service Company (NFS)r owns 8.681 percent
interest in the proposed Neal Unit 4, and has its headquarters in
Huron, South Dakota. NFS serves approximately 50,000 electric
customers in 108 communities and adjacent rural areas in east-
central South Dakota. NFS also provides natural gas service to
customers in South Dakota and Nebraska. During 1975, sales
totaled 646,953,000 kWh which was 9.75 percent over 1974 sales.
5. - Corn Belt Fower Cooperative
Corn Belt Power, a rural electric cooperative, owns
approximately 4.9 percent interest in the proposed Neal Unit 4.
This generation and transmission cooperative is presently
composed of 15 members including North Iowa Municipal Electric
Cooperative (NIMECA), eight members of which are participants in
the proposed Neal Unit 4 project. In 1975, Corn Belt sold in
excess of 923 million kWh of electric energy.
1-8
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C. MEED FOE POWER
1. Regional Supply and Demand
a. Mid-Continent Area Reliability Coordination
Agreement (MARCA) Region
The Federal Power Commission (FPC), which was created by Act
of Congress to protect consumers, has the overall responsibility
for surveying power demand and supply, compiling records and
auditing accounting records of utility companies throughout the
United States. MARCA has been created in accordance with FPC
directives by the utilities within the States of Minnesota, Iowa,
North Dakota, most of South Dakota, most of Nebraska, and
portions of the States of Wisconsin, Illinois and Montana as
outlined in Exhibit I-c-1. MARCA provides an overview of the
planning and operating activities in the region to ensure
reliability of power generation and supply. The overview of
regional planning is provided by a specific annual reporting
procedure to MARCA by each system on load forecasts, new
facilities planned, and the resulting generating capability and
reserve of the overall projected system. MARCA was organized in
1968 and presently has a membership of 22 larger systems
consisting of 11 investor-owned, 8 Generation £ Transmission
cooperatives, 2 public power districts and a federal agency (U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation). Otter Tail Power Company, a non-MARCA
member, operates in the MARCA region. Data for this utility is
included in the regional reports. Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board
is an associate member of MARCA; however, data for this Canadian
utility are not included in the reports. All 22 MARCA utilities,
along with 12 smaller utilities, are members of the Mid-Continent
Area Power Pool (MAPP), Basin Electric Power Cooperative having
joined MAPP during 1975.
i. System Adjusted Net Capability*
The projected adjusted net capability for the MARCA region
for the year 1976 is approximately 20,200 MW.
Exhibit I-C-2 presents the projected adjusted net capability
for MARCA participants for the years 1976 through 1985. As shown
on this exhibit, the adjusted net capability of MARCA members is
anticipated to increase to about 32,400 MW by the year 1985.
ii. Total Firm Capacity Obligation**
Based en projected sales, projected seasonal peak demand and
other firm commitments of MARCA participants, the total firm
capacity obligation is expected to increase from 19,200 MW in
1976 to about 33,200 MW in 1985, as shown in Exhibit I-C-2.
* Adjusted Net Capability - defined as the net generating
capability plus participation purchases less participation
sales.
** Total Firm Capacity Obligation - defined as seasonal adjusted
net demand plus net reserve capacity obligation.
1-9
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o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT 4
MID-CONTINENT AREA RELIABILITY
COORDINATION AGREEMENT REGION
DATE:
SCALE:
1-10
EXHIBIT
I-C-1
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36-
34-
32-
30-
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18-
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iii. System Deficiency*
Exhibit l-C-2 indicated that the total firm capacity
obligation for the MARCA region is expected to exceed its
adjusted net generating capability for a short period in 1978-
1979 and for the period 1984-1985. At the projected rate of
demand increase, the capacity deficiency is anticipated to be
about 800 toW xn 1985. As a result, MARCA members are planning
the net addition of generating capability including Neal Unit 4
over the period 1976-1985 to meet their system demands.
b. Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP) Region
IPS is cne of 22 electric utilities constituting the MAPP
membership. This power pool was formed in March, 1972. Its
purpose is to coordinate generation and transmission of electric
energy to the general public and to other electric distributing
agencies in the state of Iowa and neighboring states. One of the
major objectives of MAPP is to coordinate the activities of its
members in planning, constructing and operating an integrated
electric power system utilizing the latest technological
facilities and fuel resources with minimal environmental impact.
The operating areas of the MAPP members are in close
proximity. Their systems are already interconnected by
transmission lines which enables them to serve their customers
synchronously. The coordinated activities of MAPP are also
shared by non-member utilities. For instance, among the owners
of the proposed Neal Unit 4, NiPCO and eight municipal utilities
are not MAPP members but they are interconnected to the MAPP
system. The list of MAPF members is given in Table I-C-1.
The MAPP members, and consequently their customers, realize
many benefits (i.e. economic, reliability, etc) as a result of
coordinated installation, operation, generation and transmission
of electrical energy.
All 22 members of MAPP are participants of MARCA and, as
such, are included in the annual regional report prepared by
MARCA.
i. System Adjusted Net Capability
The adjusted net capability of MAPP members for the year 1976
is projected to be about 19,870 Mfc. Exhibit I-C-3 presents the
projected adjusted net capability for MAPP members for the years
1976 through 1985. As shown in this exhibit, the adjusted net
capability of MAPP members is anticipated to increase to about
31,880 MW by the year 1985.
System Deficiency - defined as total firm capacity obligation
minus adjusted net capability.
1-12
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Mid-Continent Area Power Pool
Member Utilities
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Central Iowa Power Cooperative
Cooperative Power Association
Corn Belt Power Corporation
Dairyland Power Corporation
Eastern Iowa Light and Power Corporation
Interstate Power Company
Iowa Electric Light and Power Cooperative
Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric Company
Iowa Power and Light Company
Iowa Public Service Company
Iowa Southern Utilities Company
Lake Superior District Power Company
Minnesota Power & Light Company
Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc
Montana-Dakota Utilities Company
Nebraska Public Power District
Northern States Power Company
Northwestern Public Service Company
Omaha Public Power District
United Power Association
United States Bureau of Reclamation
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envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC
SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MEMBERS OF MID-CONTINENT AREA POWER POOL
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
I-C-1
1-13
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TOTAL FIRM CAPACITY OBLIGATION
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A Report by Mid-Continent Area Reliability Co-ordination Agreement
(MARCA) to the Federal Power Commission Pursuant to FPC Docket R-362,
Appendix A-l, April 1,
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envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SfRVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
PROJECTED TOTAL FIRM CAPACITY OBLIGATION
AND ADJUSTED NET CAPABILITY OF MID-
CONTINENT AREA POWER POOL MEMBERS
DATE:
1-14
EXHIBIT
EXHIBIT
I-C-3
-------
ii. Total Firm Capacity Obligation
Based on projected sales and other firm commitments, the
total firm capacity obligation of MAPP members is expected to
increase from 18,850 MW in 1976 to 32,640 MW in 1985 as shown in
Exhibit I-C-3.
iii. System Deficiency
Exhibit I-C-3 indicates that the total firm capacity
obligation of the MAPP members will exceed the adjusted net
generating capability for the periods 1977-1979 and 1983-1985.
At the projected rate shown in this exhibit, the capacity
deficiency of MAPP will be 760 MW in 1985. As a result, MAPP
members are planning the net addition of generating capability
over the period 1976-1985 to meet their system demands. The
operation of Neal Unit 4 can provide a portion of the additional
generating capability.
2. Iowa Public Service Company - Supply and Demand
a. System Adjusted Net Capability
The net generating capabilities of the power plants owned by
IPS are presented in Table I-C-2. The adjusted net capability of
IPS at the end of the year 1975 was 855 MW.
The ^rejected adjusted net capability of IPS for the year
1976 through 1985 is presented in Exhibit I-C-4. This exhibit
does not include consideration of the proposed Neal Unit 4.
Moreover, tor the years beyond 1976, the projections assume that
net generating capability will equal adjusted net generating
capability; therefore, these projections assume that IPS will not
have participation sales of electrical energy during this period.
b. Total Firm Capacity Obligation
IPS's total energy sales for the year 1975 were approximately
2,431,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kw-hr), about 10 percent higher
than the prior year. Approximately 2,387,000,000 kW-hr of net
sales were to ultimate customers and the remaining 53,000,000
kW-hr were sold to other utilities for resale. The 1975 energy
sales to various customer categories are given in Table I-C-3.
Load growth projections indicate that the required energy demand
will increase significantly due to population growth, increased
per capita consumption of electricity and generally increasing
industrial use.
While IPS must have reliable generating capability throughout
the year to meet its users' requirements, it must also have the
capability to provide electricity during times of peak demand.
In this connection, MAl
-------
Name and Location of Station
Steam Electric
*
Neal
Maynard
Kirk
Hawkeye
Carroll
Eagle Grove
Total Steam Electric
Sioux City
Waterloo
Sioux City
Storm Lake
Carroll
Eagle Grove
*
Gas Turbine
Electrifarm
Parr Station
Total Gas Turbine
Waterloo
Charles City
Total - All Stations Operated
Winter capability rating
Capability
(kilowatts)
573,000
81,000
18,500
22,786
10,611
9,842
715.739
77,400
36.420
113.820
854.549
Internal Combustion
Neal
Sheldon
Storm Lake
Sac City
Audubon
Emmets burg
Cherokee
Hampton
Ida Grove
Carroll
Eagle Grove
Total Internal Combustion
Sioux City
Sheldon
Storm Lake
Sac City
Audubon
Emmetsburg
Cherokee
Hampton
Ida Grove
Carroll
Eagle Grove
5,500
1,790
2,200
2,300
2,550
2,200
2,050
1,800
1,600
1,750
1.250
24,990
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envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
NET GENERATING CAPABILITIES OF POWER
PLANTS OWNED BY IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
I-C-2
1-16
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. ADJUSTED NET CAPABILITY *
___, TOTAL FIRM CAPACITY OBLIGATION
includes 125 MW IPS ownership in Ottumwa Unit in 1981.
Data So\-icf A Repoii Mid-Cost i .• -. A <, iv.iai^lit C . .
(MARCA) ;. o t.1 c Frri'-vHl PO-, '' r Commission Pv i s ar.f
Appt-:.-,.:; ix A-I , April 1 . 19 4,
FPC Docket R-362,
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envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
PROJECTED TOTAL FIRM CAPACITY OBLIGATION
AND ADJUSTED NET CAPABILITY OF IOWA
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - 1976 to 1985
DATE:
SCALE:
1-17
EXHIBIT
I-C-4
-------
Sales to Ultimate Customers
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Public Street & Highway Lighting
Other Sales to Public Authorities
TOTAL Sales to Ultimate Customers
Sales for Resale
GRAND TOTAL
kW-hr
(thousands)
924,193
653,754
607,251
33,173
159,050
2,377,421
53,368
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envlrosphere
company
' A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC
ENERGY SALES
DATE:
SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL
BY IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE
IN 1975
SCALE:
UNIT 4
COMPANY
TABLE
I-C-3
1-18
-------
increase at approximately a six percent growth rate to about
1560 MW in 1985.
c. System Deficiency
Exhibit I-C-4, which does not include the addition of the
proposed Neal Unit 4, shows that total firm capacity obligation
for the IPS system will exceed its adjusted net capability in
1979. At the projected rate of increase in total firm capacity
obligation and without the addition of the proposed Neal Unit 4,
the IPS system will have an energy deficiency of 438 MW by 1985.
3. Other Major Neal 4 Owners
a. Interstate Power Company (ISP)
Based on the projected data as reported to MABCA, the total
firm capacity obligation of ISP is expected to increase from
708 MW in 1976 to 1156 MW in 1985, and the adjusted net
capability is expected to increase from 708 MW in 1976 to 1049 MW
in 1985. This would result in a system deficiency of 107 MW in
1985.
b. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO)
Based on its projected system demand plus additional
commitments to associated municipal utilities and other rural
cooperatives, NIPCO requires the addition of 100 MW from the
proposed Neal Unit 4 to help meet its total firm capacity
obligation in 1985.
c. Northwestern Public Service Company (NPS)
Based on the projected data as reported to MAECA, the total
firm capacity obligation of NPS is expected to increase from
202 MW in 1976 to 397 MW in 1985, and the adjusted net capability
is expected to increase from 202 MW in 1976 to 312 MW in 1985.
This would result in a system deficiency of 85 MW in 1985.
d. Corn Belt Power Cooperative
The projected data as reported to MARCA indicates the total
firm capacity obligation of Corn Belt is expected to increase
from 124 MW in 1975 to 237 MW in 1985, and the adjusted net
capability is expected to increase from 169 MW in 1974 to 178 i4W
in 1985. This would result in a system deficiency of 59 MW in
1985.
4. Summary
According to the information presented above, both MARCA and
MAPP are planning on the addition of Neal Unit 4 to help meet
their system demand commitments over the period from 1976 to
1985. IPS has projected that, despite its conservation efforts.
1-19
-------
its total tirm capacity obligation will exceed its adjusted net
capability in 1979 resulting in a system deficiency of 438 MW by
1985. In addition, each of the other major owners of the
proposed Neal Unit 4 (ISF, NIPCO, NES, Corn Belt) projects system
deficiencies by 1985. Consequently, the proposed Neal Unit 4
electric generating unit is essential to the fulfillment of the
need for power for the five utilities and is an integral part of
the future plans of the regional area power pool.
1-20
-------
II - DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
A. THE EXISTING PLANT - UNITS 1, 2 AND 3
1. General
The existing George Meal Steam Electric Station is located on
a 500 acre site in the Port Neal Industrial District on the east
bank of the Missouri River. Exhibit II-A-1 is a plot plan of the
existing station.
The plant is presently equipped with three coal-fired units
with a combined generating capacity of 997 megawatts (MW). Unit
1f having a generating capacity of 147 MW, was put into
commercial operation in 1964. This unit has a cyclone type
boiler designed to operate on coal, natural gas, or the
combination of the two fuels. Unit 2, having a rated generating
capacity of 330 MW, was put into commercial operation in 1972.
This unit has a pulverized coal type toiler and is designed to
use coal with gas igniters. Unit 3, a low sulfur pulverized
coal-fired unit, with a generating capacity of , 520 MW, was put
into commercial operation in December 1975.
2. Circulating Water System
All three units at the plant are designed with a once-through
circulating water systein. Units 1 and 2 withdraw water from a
common intake structure on the Missouri River. To remove waste
heat generated by the steam cycle, approximately 75,150 gallons
per minute (gpm) and 130,500 gpm of cooling water are passed
through the Unit 1 and 2 condensers, respectively. The cooling
water is then discharged through a common seal well downstream of
the intake structure. The average temperature rise of the Unit 1
and 2 discharge is about 22°F during plant operation at 100
percent capacity factor.
The Unit 3 circulating water system operates in a similar
manner to Units 1 and 2. Water is withdrawn from a conventional
intake structure on the Missouri River about 200 feet upstream
from the Units 1 and 2 intake structure. Approximately 286,200
gpm of condenser cooling water is circulated through tne plant
and then discharged back to the river adjacent to the Units 1 and
2 discharge at a temperature rise of about 17.8°F during plant
operation at 100 percent capacity factor. The discharge is made
through a seal well adjacent to the Units 1 and 2 discharge
structure.
The combined flow of the Units 1-3 discharge is approximately
491,850 gpm with a combined temperature rise of about 19.5°F
during plant operation at 100 percent capacity factor and a
combined temperature rise of 16.5°F at an 85 percent daily
average capacity factor.
II-l
-------
161 KV TRANSMISSION LINE
PLYMOUTH
RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE
TOP OF ROCK REVETMENT
19 Q 20
\ \ 0 500* 1000'
COUNTY ROAD
e
envirosphere
company
•v D"VS(0. O' EB*-<;a SERVICES ^"OUPC*.*-;?
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
- NEAL UNIT 4
GEORGE NEAL STEAM ELECTRIC STATION - THE EXISTING PLANT
DATE:
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
II-A-1
-------
3. Air Quality Control System
Air quality control is implemented for the existing units
through the use of low sulfur coal, efficient combustion, high
efficiency electrostatic precipitators and an elevated release of
combustion products into the atmosphere.
The coal burned at the existing Neal Station has an average
sulfur content of about 0.6 percent and an ash content of about
15 percent. Typical (average) characteristics of this coal are
presented in Table II-A-1.
It should be noted that the results of an analysis of the
coal delivered to the Neal Station from the existing mine at
Hanna, Wyoming during 1975 vary from the typical coal
characteristics presented in Table II-A-1. In particular, the
recent coal analysis shows a reduction in ash and sulfur content
in the coal burned during 1975. The ash content is reduced from
an average value of 15 percent as addressed in this report to an
average value of about 11 percent. The sulfur content addressed
in this report was 0.6 percent average and 0.9 percent maximum.
This is reduced to an average of 0.5 percent and a maximum of
about 0.6 percent. The reduced environmental impacts associated
with burning this improved quality coal are discussed briefly in
Chapter IV. A summary of the 1975 coal analysis is as follows:
Percent Moisture
Percent Ash
Percent Sulfur
High Heat Value -
Btu/lt (as fired)
Typical
12.38
10.95
0.49
10,020
Minimum
11. 16
8.77
0.36
9,646
Maximum
13.86
13.32
0.58
10,532
The amount of air consumed in each furnace during combustion
is 20 percent above the stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio,
resulting in maximum combustion efficiency and minimum production
of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and soot. However,
nitric oxide production increases moderately as the amount of
excess air rises beyond that dictated by the stoichiometric
ratio.
Tne incombustible heavier particles, mainly bottom ash,
resulting from coal combustion settle out of the combustion zone
into bottom ash hoppers. The finer particles, consisting mainly
of airborne fly ash and soot, are collected by electrostatic
precipitators.
The electrostatic precipitator for Unit 1 is a hot side
precipitator with a guaranteed particulate removal efficiency of
99 percent. The precipitator is presently operating at 93-95
percent collection efficiency apparently due to the high carbon
content of the ash. This problem is expected to be obviated with
the installation of a coal blending system presently under study.
II-3
-------
Typical Coal Characteristics
Proximate
Characteristics
Volatile Matter
Fixed Carbon
Moisture
Ash
Ultimate Characteristics
Carbon
Hydrogen
Sulfur
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Moisture
Ash
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
Percent by Weight
29.00
38.00
18.00
15.00
100.00
49.69
4.50
0.61
1.20
11.00
18.00
15.00
100.00
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COAL USED TABLE
AT UNITS 1, 2 AND 3 H-A-1
DATE: SCALE:
II-4
-------
The precipitator for Unit 2 is a cold side precipitator with a
guaranteed particulate removal efficiency of 99 percent. The
precipitator does not meet its guaranteed collection efficiency
and is presently operating under a consent order from Region VII
of the EPA (dated August 7, 1975) which stipulates that
compliance with the State of Iowa Air Quality Standards must be
achieved by October 1, 1978. Tests, the results of which have
been favorable, have been conducted using gas conditioning to
improve collection efficiency and a determination will be made
whether gas conditioning, an add-on precipitator, or a
combination of these methods will be used to bring the
precipitator to guaranteed efficiency. Since the tests were not
conclusive by August 1, 1976, an extension of time is being
sought. The electrostatic precipitator for Unit 3 is a cold side
precipitator with a guaranteed particulate removal efficiency of
99.6 percent. This precipitator is operating at guaranteed
collection efficiency.
Based on guaranteed collection efficiencies, the maximum
particulate emission rate from any unit is 0.13 pounds per
million Btu (ib/mB) of heat input which is well within the
allowable Iowa emission standard for particulates for existing
units.
A combination of low sulfur content and high heating value
for the coal burned in these units results in a maximum sulfur
dioxide emission rate of 1.3 Ib/mB which is well witnin the Iowa
emission standard (5.0 Ib/mB) for existing coal-fired units.
Nitric oxide (NO) is the remaining major gaseous pollutant
that a fossil-fuel electric generating station is capable of
releasing into the atmosphere at a significant rate. After
release into the atmosphere NO is oxidized, either directly or by
the mucn quicker photochemical reaction, to the more toxic
nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Concentrations of NO and NO2 will
Henceforth be referred to as oxides of nitrogen (NOx).
Conventional NOx control techniques, based on limiting the
reaction of nitrogen and oxygen to NO in tne combustion zone, are
applied at the existing units.
Maximum emission rates calculated for the existing units are
shown in Table II-A-2.
i*. Boiler Stacks
The stack for Unit 1 is 250 feet high and has an inside
diameter of 10.2 feet at the top. This stack is designed to
release combustion gases at an exit temperature of 300°F and an
exit velocity of 95 feet per second (fps). The stack for Unit 2
is 300 feet high and nas an inside diameter of 15.25 feet at the
top. This stack is designed to release combustion gases at an
exit temperature of 263°F and exit velocity of 90 fps.
II-5
-------
Emissions (Lb/Hr)^
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Water Vapor
Carbon Dioxide
Sulfur Dioxide^/
Nitrogen Oxides
Particulates^
Emissions
Nitrogen Vol (%)
Oxygen Vol (9£)
Water Vapor Vol «'/c)
Carbon Dioxide Vol (V<)
Sulfur Dioxide (Ppm)
Nitrogen Dioxide (Ppm)
Particulates (GR/ACF)
Total Flue Gas (ACFM)
Sulfur Dioxide (Lb/mB)
Nitrogen Dioxide (Lb/mB)
Particulates (Lb/mB)
Unit 1
1.110.000
74,600
115.000
300,000
2,970
2,080
150
71.8
4.2
11.6
12.3
560
820
0.02
529.000
2.0
2.5
0.1
Unit "•
2.310.000
155,000
239,000
624.000
6.180
2,470
410
71.8
4.2
11.6
12.3
470
470
0.046
1,150.000
2.0
1.0
0.13
Unit 3 Units 1, 2 And 3 Total
3,760,000
252.000
388,000
1. 01 0.000
10,020
4.010
270
71.8
4.2
11.6
12.3
560
470
0.23
1.680.000
2.0
1.0
0.053
7, 80,000
482,000
742,000
1,934,000
19,170
8,560
830
71.8
4.2
11.6
12.3
—
—
—
3,260,000
2.0
1.0
0.081
a/ Coal at 9000 Btu/Lb .
™ For Maximum Sulfur Content of 0.9% with all fuel Sulfur as SO for Unit 1-3.
™ Unit 1 40% of Coal Ash as furnace bottom Ash. 99.0% efficient electrostatic precipitator.
Unit 2 20'; of Coal Ash as furnace bottom Ash. 99.0'f efficient electrostatic precipitator.
Unit 3 20'/? of Coal Ash as bottom Ash. 99.6% efficient electrostatic precipitator.
e
envirosphere
company
' A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM EMISSIONS FROM UNITS 1, 2 AND 3 TABLE
AT FULL CAPACITY OPERATION II-A-2
DATE; SCALE:
-------
The stack tor Unit 3 is 400 feet hign and nas an inside
diaflieter of 19.75 feet at the top. The stack releases combustion
gases at an exit temperature of 254°F and exit velocity of
90 fps.
The UTJVJ coordinates for the toiler stacks at the existing
Neal Station are as follows:
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
5. Chemical Waste System
Latitude
42° - 18' -
42° - 18' - 40"N
- 19' - 40"N
Longitude
96° - 22' - 25»W
96° - 22' - 25»W
96° - 22' - 23"W
Sources of chemical wastes from the existing units include
boiler blowdown, demineralizer regeneration waste water and
sanitary wastes. The boiler tlowdown and demineralizer
regeneration wastes are discharged into the river with tne
circulating water system effluent. The sanitary wastes are
treated in septic tanks and the effluent is discharged to a sand
filter type leaching field.
6. Water Treatment System
Makeup water for the existing boilers is presently provided
by wells. The treatment processes required for the boiler
feedwater consist of softening, gravity settling, filtration and
demineralization. Water is softened by using lime and alum and
the resulting suspensions are settled with inert solids present.
Because the source is well water, minimal suspended solids enter
the softening units. Following the settling process, the water
is filtered to remove all remaining solid particles and then
passed tnrough the demineralizers. This process initially
consisted of two trains of cationic and anionic exchangers for
Units 1 and 2. Two more trains of appropriate size were added
for Unit 3.
The settled solids are discharged to a seal well in the
circulating water system. The solids are soluble in and are
diluted by the large flow of water; therefore, only a slight
increase in the dissolved solids concentration of the discharge
water is observed.
The filter backwashes
circulating water system.
are also discharged into the
Condensate polishing demineralization was installed to clean
the system prior to initial start-up and prior to restarts. The
process is not in service during normal operation.
II-7
-------
7• Ash Handling System
Bottom ash sluiced from the boilers and fly ash from the
electrostatic precipitators are conveyed from each unit to ash
disposal ponds.
The bottom ash from Unit 1 is pumped to an 11.7 acre pond and
fly ash froir Unit 1 and bottom and fly ash from Unit 2 are pumped
to a 28.6 acre pond. Unit 3 is equipped with a 73 acre ash pond
located northeast of and adjacent to the Unit 2 pond. Unit 3 is
also equipped with a fly ash silo designed to load trucks for
off-site disposal.
Ash pond walls are constructed from graded and compacted
material, free of organic components, and obtained from
excavation within the pond area.
8. Transmission Facilities
Iowa Public Service Company (IPS) maintains direct
interconnections with Corn Belt Power Cooperative, Iowa-Illinois
Gas & Electric, Iowa Electric Light & Power - Central Iowa Power
Cooperative, Interstate Power Company, United States Bureau of
Reclamation and Omaha Public Power District. In addition, IPS is
a part of a 315 kV network which links the Mid Continent Area
Power Pool with St. Louis, Minneapolis - St. Paul, St. Joseph,
Wichita and Kansas City. A terminal of this network is located
within the Port Neal Industrial District.
The existing 161 kV switchyard serves the 147 MW Unit 1 and
the 330 MW Unit 2. The existing 345 - 161 kV Raun Substation has
been expanded to provide 345 kV terminals for the addition of the
Unit 3 system connection at 345 kV and a 345 kV transmission line
extension to Des Mcines.
Transmission lines owned by IPS are shown in Exhibit II-A-2.
-------
MINNESOTA
34.5 AND 22 KV LINES
69 KV AND 46 KV LINES
161 KV LINE
345 KV LINE
envirosphere
company
* ENVISION Of EBASCO SEBviCtS INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
THE EXISTING TRANSMISSION LINES OWNED BY IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
DATE: SCAIE:
EXHIBIT
1 1 - A - 2
-------
B. THE PROPOSED PLANT
1. General
Weal Unit 4 will be located approximately 1 3/4 miles south
of existing Units 1, 2 and 3 as shown in Exhibit II-B-1. This
unit, having a net generating capacity of 576 MW, will consist of
a steam generator designed to burn a variety of low sulfur
western coals. This unit will consist of an indoor type,
hydrogen cooled, 3600 revolutions per minute (rpm), tandem
compound four-flow turbine generator designed to operate at 2400
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) and 1000°F with 1000°F reheat
under throttle conditions. The steam generator will be capable
of delivering 4,515,000 pounds of steam per hour continuously at
2630 psig and 1005°F at the superheater outlet.
The plant grade will be established at elevation 1076 feet.
This elevation provides approximately 5 feet of freeboard above
the U S Corps' of Engineers predicted one percent - 100 year
flood elevation.* The plant river frontage is presently protected
by riprap along its full length.
The Iowa Public Service Company is working with Rocky
Mountain Energy Company, a subsidiary of the Union Pacific
Corporation, on a plan for a joint venture to mine the primary
coal for Neal Unit 4 from the Red Rim area in Sweetwater and
Carbon Counties in Wyoming. A letter of intent has been signed
by the parties and negotiations for a formal agreement are
progressing. A subsidiary of Iowa Public Service Company will be
the operating company. The subsidiary has already filed for the
leases to the federal lands that adjoin lands owned by Rocky
Mountain Energy Company.
The coal will be transported by unit trains on the Union
Pacific Railroad which goes through the area. The Chicago
Northwestern Raiiroad will take the unit trains from the Union
Pacific Railroad at Council Bluffs, Iowa or Fremont, Nebraska and
deliver them to the Neal Unit 4 site.
2. Circulating Water System
The Neal Unit 4 proposed water management flow diagram is
presented in Exhibit II-B-2. As indicated, the unit will utilise
a once-through circulating water system discharging into the
Missouri River. Water will be withdrawn from a reinforced
concrete intake structure located on the east bank of the
Missouri River. Approximately 317,400 gpm of cooling water will
be passed through the condenser to remove about 2.7 x 10* Btu/hr
of waste heat and then discharged back to the river through a
seal well located downsteam of the intake structure. The
temperature rise of the Neal Unit 4 discharge will be about 17°F
above the intake water temperature during plant operation at 100
percent capacity factor and approximately 14.5°F at an b5 percent
daily average capacity factor. Exhibit II-tf-3 presents a
*Personal Communication - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha
District.
11-10
-------
/ PLANT AREA
/ UNIT 4
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envirosphere
company
* PIVISiO. O; tBASCO SEBVlaS 'NCOBPQgA
GEORGE NEAL STEAM ELECTRIC STATION,THE PROPOSED PLANT
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
II-B-1
-------
SCREEN WASH
MISSOURI
MAX. CONDITION OH 100% CAPACITY
FACTOR EXCEPT WHEM MOTCO OTHERWISE
(E) DEMOTES EMCRCENCV PLOW
(t) DENOTES INTERMITTENT FLO!
(C) DENOTES CONTINUOUS FLOW
LEGEND
SLU06E
FLUC «*»
SLUD4E CAKE
OFF-SITE DISPOSAL
COAL PILE
AREA
-1 r.1 J 780 (I) 1 -1 1 .
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SNYDER OXBOW LAKE
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY-NEAL UNIT 4
PROPOSED WATER MANAGEMENT FLOW DIAGRAM
DATE:
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
II-B-2
-------
MWL EL. 1067 00
LWL EL. 1048.00
FUTURE RIVER BED
RIP RAP EXIST
RIVER BED
INTAKE PIPE
WINTER DISCHARGE
HWL EL. 1067.00
EXIST. RIVER BED EL. 1043.001
SECT. A
FINISH ORADE EL. 1076.00
EXIST ORADE EL.IO64.00
EXIST TOP OF SLOPE EL.IOC8.00
SECT. B
p- HWL. EL. I0«7.00
rtOP OF SHEET PILE
EL. 1050.00
EL. 1040.00
-CONCRETE WEIRS
EL.IOTS 0
CONCRETE APRON \WINTER
DISCHAR8E
SHEET PILE CUT OFF WALL
>— EXIST. RIVER BED
EL. IO45.OO
SECT. C
10 0 tO 40 SO
SCALE IN FEET
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF cBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED1
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SECTIONAL VIEWS OF THE UNIT 4 INTAKE
AND DISCHARGE STRUCTURES
DATE:
EXHIBIT
II-B-3
-------
schematic drawing of the proposed intake and discharge structure
designs.
a. Intake Structure
The deck of the intake structure will be at an elevation of
1076 feet and the invert will te set at the projected future
river bottom elevation of 1024.5 feet. Two vertical one-half
capacity circulating water pumps will be provided in separate
pump chambers with each chamber subdivided into three 11 foot 2
inch wide bays. Each bay will be provided with a trash racK, a
two speed traveling screen and two guides which can be used
either for stop logs or for fine screens. During normal plant
operation, both circulating water pumps will be operated. The
velocity through the six traveling screens will be about 0.9 fps
with an approach velocity of about 0.4 fps at the design mean
water elevation of 1055 feet (river flow - 12,000 cfs). During
the navigational season which extends from April through
November, the velocity through the traveling screens will be
about 0.7 fps with an approach velocity of about 0.3 fps (river
flow - 50,000 cfs).
i. Traveling Screens
The traveling screens, as shown on Exhibit Il-B-4, will be
equipped with a fish protective system consisting of fish trays
attached to each screen panel. Each panel will be subjected to
low and high pressure water jet sprays to remove fish and debris,
respectively. The system presented in Exhibit II-B-4 will be
modified so that fish will be washed into a trough in front of
the screens and will te sluiced tc the river between the intake
and discharge structures via a holding tank. Trash collected
from the traveling screens will be returned to the river
downstream of the intake structure via a separate debris trough.
Logs and debris collected at the trash racks will be left in the
river. The traveling screens will operate on an automatic
pressure differential control. The traveling screens will be
monitored and rotated periodically to prevent sand accumulation
at the base of the screens. In addition, provisions will be made
to allow for continuous operation of the traveling screens and
spray system during periods of high fish entrapment.
ii. Desanding Units
Desander supply pumps will te located in the middle four bays
of the intake structure. These pumps will supply water to the
desanding system consisting of centrifugal sand separators that
will serve to remove sand prior to pumping river water to the
auxiliary cooling systems and other service water systems. This
will prevent excessive abrasion of system pumps and heat
exchanger tubing.
The sand slurry produced in the desanding process will be
free of organics and will be directed to the circulating water
11-14
-------
LOW PRESSURE
FISH WASHING
SYSTEM
DEFLECTOR
PLATE
NEOPRENE
DEFLECTOR
FISH SLUICE *
TROUGH
REFUSE «
TROUGH
CONVENTIONAL
HIGH PRESSURE
SPRAY
SIDE ELEVATION
FISH SCREEN
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
TRAVELING SCREEN WITH FISH
PROTECTION SYSTEM
EXHIBIT
II-B-4
DATE:
SCALE;
11-15
-------
discharge for return to the river. Because the sand slurry will
be diluted significantly, the resulting increase in sand
concentration will be negligible.
b. Discharge Structure
The inlet section of the discharge structure will be a seal
well consisting of a chamber of constant depth widening along its
length and a weir at the downstream end. The outlet section of
the discharge structure will consist of a large chamber with an
overflow weir, stop logs and a regulating device for the winter
discharge. Warm water from the winter discharge tunnel will be
used to melt and/or deflect floating ice just upstream of the
intake structure. The discharge channel will consist of sheet
pile walls and a rip-rap bed.
3. Fuel Handling System
Sub-bituminous coal from the Red Rim area of Wyoming will be
delivered to the site by unit train. The train will proceed to
unloading hoppers where an automatic system will unload the
entire unit train, consisting of about 10,000 tons or coal, in
three to four hours. The coal will be transferred from tne
underground hoppers to the yard conveyor where a movable
stacker/reclaimer will stack out the coal into two or more piles.
Coal is reclaimed from the coal yard to the plant silos by the
same systeir of overhead conveyors. The coal yard storage piles
may be as high as 50 feet. A total dead storage of 800,000 tons
and a live storage of 200,000 tons will occupy approximately 35
acres of the 450 acre site.
In order that coal handling and storage equipment emissions
comply with EPA standards as set forth in 40 CFR 60 (maximum 20
percent opacity), all equipment, spouts, chutes, hoppers and
conveyors will be enclosed ty hoods, housings and casings to
suppress dust. In addition, bag filter dust collectors will be
installed at the reclaim pits and conveyor transfer points. A
chemical spray dust suppression system will be utilized at the
unloading hoppers to minimize fugitive dust emissions.
• 4• Air Quality Control System
Air quality control to comply with National Ambient Air
Quality Standards and Federal New Stationary Source Performance
Standards will be implemented at Neal Unit 4 through use of low
sulfur coal, efficient combustion, a high efficiency
electrostatic precipitator and an elevated release of combustion
products into the atmosphere.
a. Fuel Characteristics
IPS has initiated a preliminary analysis, consisting of 30
test borings, in the Red Rim area. Characteristics of the coal
from the area most likely to be used for Neal Unit 4 are
11-16
-------
presented on Table ll-B-1. The complete results of the test
boring analysis are presented in Appendix A-II-B.
The coal proposed for Neal Unit 4 will be low sulfur western
coal with an average heating value of 9507 Btu/lb. At full
capacity operation, the coal consumption rate will be
approximately 780,000 Ib/hour.
The average sulfur content of the coal will be approximately
0.32 percent which is sufficiently low so that complete oxidation
of the coal sulfur to sulfur dioxide (SO2) would not cause Neal
Unit 4 to violate the Federal New Stationary Source Performance
Standard of 1.2 Ib/mE of heat input.
The average ash content of the coal will be 8.22 percent.
Particulate matter removal is required in order to meet the
Federal New Stationary Source Performance of 0.1 Ib/mB of heat
input.
Characteristics of the typical western coal used in analyzing
the impact of Neal Unit 4 are presented in Table II-B-2. Typical
ash constitutents of this coal are presented in Table II-B-3.
These data were utilized because the impact analysis was
completed prior to the availability of the Red Rim coal analysis.
The reduced environmental impacts associated with burning the
improved quality Red Rim Area coal are discussed briefly in
Chapter IV.
During the time the mine in the Red Rim area (see Exhibit
II-B-5 and Table II-B-4) is being developed (2-5 years), Neal
Unit 4 will utilize coal from the North Knobs area which is
situated a few miles to the north. This section is privately
owned and will be surface mined under a mining permit from the
State of Wyoming. Test borings will be performed in this area
during the summer of 1976 to determine the coal characteristics.
Preliminary indications are that the coal is similar to that of
the Red Rim area. Trace elements found in coal samples from the
North Knobs area are presented in Table II-B-5 and trace element
concentrations in typical western coal, representative of the
principal and interim coal supply, are provided in Table II-B-6.
b. Combustion Reaction
The coal will be pulverized prior to firing to obtain
thorough and intimate mixing of fuel and air. The amount of air
consumed in the furnace during combustion will be 20 percent
above the stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio, resulting in maximum
combustion efficiency and minimum production of unburned
hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and soot. Production of nitrogen
oxides (NGx), however, normally increases as peak combustion
efficiency is reached. The control of NOx production is based on
reduction of combustion flame temperature and control of the
amount and distribution of excess air in the combustion zone.
11-17
-------
Drill Hole
HHV
Sulfur
Moisture
Ash
(Btu/lb) (%) (%) (%)
Seam
Seam
Seam
(F2)
128
134
136
(Fl)
15
125
128
132
135
(G)
4
128
137
AVG
MAX
MIN
9
9
9
8
9
9
9
9
9
10
9
9
10
8
,970
,607
,327
,251
,345
,786
,652
,429
,465
,046
,706
,507
,046
,251
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
2
24
37
52
32
15
21
27
32
57
3
32
57
15
16
16
17
20
16
15
15
16
16
16
17
16
20
15
.54
.57
.71
.44
.01
.97
.74
.55
.17
.07
.39
.83
.44
.74
5.
7.
7.
13.
11.
6.
7.
8.
10.
5.
5.
8.
13.
5.
68
18
65
94
12
77
15
86
29
84
96
22
94
68
envirosphere
company
' A DIVISION Of E BASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
CHARACTERISTICS OF WESTERN COAL
TO BE USED AT NEAL UNIT 4
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-1
II-18
-------
Fuel Constituents
Proximate Analysis
Volatile Matter
Fixed Carbon
Ash
Moisture
Totals
Fuel Constituents
Ultimate Analysis
Carbon
Hydrogen
Sulfur
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Ash
Moisture
Totals
High Heat Value -
Btu/lb (as Fired)
Percent by Weight
Typical
32.6
31.6
5.8
30.0
100.00
Percent by Weight
Typical
48.5
3.4
0.4
11.2
0.7
5.8
30.0
100.00
8.125
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. -
CHARACTERISTICS OF TYPICAL
NEAL UNIT 4
WESTERN COAL
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-2
11-19
-------
Ash Constituents
Ferric Oxide -
Lime —
Magnesia —
Sodium —
Potassium —
Silica —
Alumina -
Titanium —
Sulfur
Phosphorus —
Undetermined
Fe203
CaO
MgO
Na2O
K2
SiO2
AI2°3
Ti02
so3
P2o5
Typical
(Percent)
4.1
25.0
4.2
1.5
0.5
31.4
16.2
1.1
14.8
1.1
0.1
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. -
ASH CONSTITUENTS OF TYPICAL
NEAL UNIT 4
WESTERN COAL
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-3
11-20
-------
R90W
R89W
RME
LEASED STATE LAND
COMMITTED RME LAND
OPEN FEDERAL LAND
T
2
T
2C
N
*Rocky Mountain Energy Company
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
COAL AREA OWNERSHIP
DATE:
SCALE:
11-21
EXHIBIT
II-B- 5
-------
COAL SUPPLY LOCATION DESCRIPTION
ROCK SPRINGS ROYALTY COMPANY - ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CO.
Agreement and Option - Subject Lands
Lease Agreement - Leased Premises
thence
thence
thence
thence
thence
thence
tj
N.
N.
S.
N.
N.
N.
45°
81°
8°
8£
81°
22 •
26'
34'
26'
34'
26'
E.
E.
E.
E.
W.
E.
a
a
a
a
a
a
Township 22 North, Range 89 West, 6th P.M.
Section 35: All
Township 21 North, Range 89 West, 6th P.M.
Section 1: All
Section 3: All
Section 11: All
Section 13: All, except that portion of the South Half (S%) of Section 13,
Township 21 North, Range 89 West, 6th P.M., Wyoming,
described by metes and bounds as follows:
Beginning at^the southwest corner of said Section 13;
distance of 508.82 feet;
distance of 1056.18 feet;
distance of 10.0 feet;
distance of 500.0 feet;
distance of 10.0 feet;
distance of 3346.97 feet
to the point of beginning of a curve to the rigth the radius
of which is 11309.2 feet;
central
to
a point on the east boundary of said Section 13, from
which the southeast corner thereof bears S. 0 01' E. a
distance of 1110.56 feet;
thence N. 0 01' W. along the east boundary of said
Section 13 a distance of 942.44 feet to a point, from which
the east quarter corner of said Section 13 bears N. 0° 01' W.
a distance of 576.8 feet, said point being on a curve to the
left the radius of which is 7739.47 feet and at which point
a line tangent to said curve bears S. 85 35' W.;
thence along sais curve to the left through a central
angle of 12° 23' a distance of 1673.71 feet;
thence S. 73°12' W. a distance of 3271.1 feet;
thence N. 10°48' W. a distance of 150 feet;
thence S. 84°05' W. a distance of 470 feet;
more or less, to a point on the west boundary of said
Section 13. from which the west quarter corner thereof
bears N. 0° 11' W. a distance of 1741.07 feet;
thence S. 0 11' E. along the west boundary of said
Section 13 a distance of 894 feet, more or less, to the
place of beginning;
said parcel of land containing 89.7 acres, more or less,
thence along said curve to the right through a
angle of 0 17" a distance of 55.3 feet, more or less,
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO.
COAL SUPPLY LOCATION
- NEAL UNIT 4
DESCRIPTION
DATE:
TABLE
II- B- 4
11-22
-------
TABLE II-B-4 (Cont'd)
Section 23: All, except that portion of the North Half (N%) of the
North Half (N%) of Section 23, Township 21 North,
Range 89 West, 6th P.M., Wyoming, described by metes
and bounds as follows:
Beginning at the northeast corner of said Section 23;
thence S. 89° 30' W. along the north boundary of said
Section 23 a distance of 2623.1 feet, more or less, to
the north quarter corner of said Section 23;
thence westerly along the north boundary of said
Section 23 a distance of 86.92 feet;
thence S. 73° 12' W. a distance of 2660.01 feet;
more or less, to a point on the west boundary of said
Section 23, from which the northwest corner thereof
bears N. 0° 05' W. a distance of 747.31 feet;
thence S. 0° 05' E. along the west boundary of
said Section 23 a distance of 365.44 feet, from which
point the west quarter corner of said Section 23 bears
S.0° 05' E. a distance of 1535.25 feet;
thence N. 73° 12' E. a distance of 3386.36 feet;
thence N. 74° 48' E. a distance of 638.83 feet,
more or less, to a point on the north boundary of said
Section 23, from which the northeast of 1399.55 feet;
bears N. 89° 30' E. a distance of 1399.55 feet;
thence S. 16° 48' E. a distance of 100 feet;
thence N. 85° 30' E. a distance of 1374.84 feet,
more or less, to the place of beginning;
said parcel of land containing 28.4 acres, more or less,
Section 25: All
Section 27: All
o
envirosphere
company
/ A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
^ IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO
COAL
SUPPLY LOCATION
. - NEAL UNIT 4
DESCRIPTION
DATE:
TABLE
II- B- 4
(Cont'd)
11-23
-------
ELEMENT
ANALYSIS OF ASH
ANALYSIS OF WHOLE COAL
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Zinc
Uranium
nd*
2,840
nd
160
60
20
105
10.7
nd
270
nd
15
6
2
10
1.13
Mercury
Selenium
Antimony
Thorium
Flourine
Cyanide
volitalized
upon ashing
no possible way
to test
.15
.5
nd
nd
80
*Not Detected
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
TRACE ELEMENTS FOUND IN COAL SAMPLES
NORTH KNOBS AREA, WYOMING (ppm)
DATE:
SCALE:
11-24
TABLE
II-B-5
-------
Trace Element
Antimony
Arsenic
Barium
Beryllium
Boron
Bromine
Cadmium
Chlorine
Chromium
Cobalt
Copper
Europium
Fluorine
Galluim
Germanium
Hafnium
Lanthanum
Lead
Lithium
Manganese
Mercury
Molybdenum
Nickel
Samarium
Scandium
Selenuim
Strontium
Tantalum
Terbium
Thalluim
Tin
Vanadium
Zinc
Zirconium
Montana
Peabody Coal Co.
Big Sky Mine
(as received)
7.5 (none detected)
0.3
210
0.03 (none detected)
34.5
7.5 (none detected)
5.3 (none detected)
73.5
9
3.5
.9.8
3.8
6.5
3 (non detected)
16.5
10.5
48
0.46
24
5.3
•
0.4
185
4.5 (trace amount)
1.5 (none detected)
20.5
25.5
Montana
Western Energy Co.
Rosebud Mine
(as received)
Trace
Trace
Trace
15.8
0.17
124
2.2
0.33
75
0.06,
33.7*'
0.59
2.9
3.61
71
0.16^-'
0.40
0.75
0.012
0.19
0.046
1.1
4.1
aj Two standard deviations above the mean value.
b/ Maximum reported value.
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAT. TINTT 4
AVERAGE CONCENTRATIONS OF TRACE ELEMENTS
IN TYPICAL WESTERN COAL (ppm)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-6
11-25
-------
The Neal Unit 4 furnace will utilize interstage air ports and
oft-stoichiometric firing to achieve these goals.
The incombustible heavier particles, mainly bottom ash,
resulting from coal combustion will settle out of the firebox
into bottom ash hoppers. Under optimum conditions, much of the
finer particles, consisting mainly of airborne fly ash and soot,
will be collected by the electrostatic precipitator (discussed in
next section) .
c. Electrostatic Precipitator
The electrostatic precipitator for Neal Unit 4 will be a hot
side precipitator with a guaranteed particulate removal
efficiency cf 99.6 percent when utilizing coal with a sulfur
content range of 0.3 to 0.7 percent and an ash content range of 3
to 18 percent. The iraximum flue gas flow rate will be about
4,200,000 Actual Cubic Feet Per Minute (ACFM) . The precipitator
will be designed to handle loads up to 117,000 pounds of
particulate matter per hour. Based on a maximum fly ash content
of 18 percent, the maximum particulate emission rate will be 0.05
Ib/mE which is within the Federal New Stationary Source
Performance Standard of 0.1 Ib/mE.
A schematic of the precipitator for Unit 4 is shown in
Exhibit II-£-6.
d. Boiler Stack
As stated previously, the use of 0.32 percent (average)
sulfur coal will ensure Neal Unit 4 compliance with Iowa and
federal emission standards for SO2. The National Ambient Air
Quality Standards for SO2 and the other emitted pollutants will
be met by releasing the gaseous pollutants at elevations where
atmospheric winds will normally disperse and diffuse the
pollutants before they reach ground level.
The boiler stack on Neal Unit 4 will result in the elevated
release of gaseous pollutants. It will have a height of 469 feet
and a top outlet diameter of 25.75 feet. As tne gas exits the
stack it will have a velocity of 90 fps and a temperature of
244°F which will give the stack plume additional buoyancy.
The UTM coordinates for the Unit 4 boiler stack will be as
follows:
Latitude Longitude
42° - 18' - 08"N 96° - 21' - 44"W
Table II-B-7 presents the maximum emission rates calculated
for the gaseous and solid combustion products for the major
pollutants leaving the stack. Pollutant concentrations as the
plume diffuses and drifts to ground level are dealt with in
11-26
-------
HIGH VOLTAGE
TRANSFORMER/RECTIFIER
SAFETY RAILING
PENTHOUSE ENCLOSING
INSULATORS AND GAS SEALS
PERFORATED
DISTRIBUTION BAFFLE
SUPPORT COLUMNS
RAPPER - H.V. ELECTRODE
RAPPER - COLLECTING SURFACE
ACCESS PANEL
INSULATOR
H.V. WIRE SUPPORT
H.V. DISCHARGE ELECTRODE
GROUNDED
COLLECTING SURFACE
QUICK OPENING DOOR
(INSPECTION PASSAGE
BETWEEN STAGES)
WIRE WEIGHTS
O
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
CUTAWAY VIEW OF TYPICAL
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR
DATE:
SCALE:
11-27
EXHIBIT
II-B-6
-------
Emissions (Ib/hr)
Sulfur Dioxide
Nitrogen Oxides
Particulates
Emissions
Nitrogen Vol (%)
Oxygen Vol (%)
Water Vapor Vol (%)
Carbon Dioxide Vol (%)
Total Flue Gas (ACFM)
Sulfur Dioxide (Ib/mB)^
Nitrogen Dioxide (Ib/mB)^/
Particulates (Ib/mB)^
Unit 4
7,090^
4,140^
71.8
4.2
11.6
12.3
1,750,000
1.2
0.7
0.07
Total Station
26,260
12,700
1,260
71.8
4.2
11.6
12.3
5,010.000
^ Coal at 8125 Btu/Lb for Unit 4
y Based on Federal New Stationary Source Performance Standards
^ For 0.49% Sulfur coal with fuel sulfur as SO2
=/ 20% of coal ash as furnace bottom ash, 99.6% efficient electrostatic precipitator.
Maximum fly ash content of 187<>.
envirosphere
company
,* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM EMISSIONS .CALCULATED FOR
NEAL UNIT 4 AND TOTAL STATION
AT FULL CAPACITY OPERATION
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-7
11-28
-------
Section IV-C. This information is based on the typical coal
characteristics utilized prior to the Bed Rim area analysis.
5. Water Fretreatment System
Desanded river water will be pumped from the intake structure
to the water pretreatment plant for potable water usage, boiler
feedwater, fire protection, and other miscellaneous plant
systems. The water pretreatment system, consisting of two upflow
sand filters, will utilize the processes of chemical coagulation
and filtration for the removal of suspended and colloidal solids.
Each filter will be designed to treat a flow of 400 gpm.
A polywer approved by the U.S. EPA for drinking water use
will be added as a coagulant to improve filtration efficiency.
The sand filters will require periodic backwashing. The
frequency of backwashing will be dependent upon the concentration
of suspended solids in the filter influent. To insure a
continuous supply of filtered water, pretreated water will be
retained in the service water storage tank.
6. Demineralizer System
Boiler feedwater is the highest quality water required for
plant operation and must be free of suspended and dissolved
solids prior to use. Boiler makeup water for Neal Unit 4 will be
drawn from the service water storage tank and passed through the
following demineralizaticn equipment:
n stratafced cation exchanger
n degasifier (for CO2 removal)
n organic scavenger
a stratabed anion exchanger
a mixed bed cation-anion exchanger (polishing unit)
The demineralized water will be stored in the condensate
storage tank for use in the steam cycle.
7. Potable Water System
The potable water system will be designed to serve
approximately 100 plant personnel. Water from the pretreatment
plant will be passed through an activated carbon filter and then
chlorinated to insure that drinking water standards will be met.
An average demand of 4.5 gpm is anticipated for this system. It
should be noted, however, that consumption will probably occur in
surges concurrent with working shift changes.
11-29
-------
8. Wastewater Characterization
The wastewater discharged from various plant areas can be
classified into three general categories: high-volume water from
main condenser cooling and auxiliary cooling systems; low-volume
wastewater resulting from operation and maintenance of various
process units; and storm water runoff from material storage
areas. The low-volume wastewater discharges contain high
suspended and/or dissolved solids; acidity or alkalinity; oil and
grease; heavy metals; etc. These discharges will be treated to
comply with applicable Iowa, Nebraska and federal NPDES
regulations.
a. Main Condenser Cooling Water Discharge
A once-through cooling system will be employed to remove
waste heat from the steam cycle. A total flow of 317,400 gpm
will be discharged through a seal well directly into the Missouri
River. The abrasive action of the sand, entrained in the river
water, will remove any accumulated biological slime. Therefore,
chemicals for the control of biological fouling will not be added
to the cooling water system. The cooling water discharge will
have essentially the same chemical composition as the river
water.
b. Auxiliary Cooling Water
The cooling water discharged from auxiliary heat exchangers
and coolers will be discharged into the Missouri River through
the seal well. Total flow from the system will be 6,801 gpm.
Periodically, raw river water may be passed through tnese
cooling units so that the abrasive action of the river's
suspended solids may remove any accumulated biological slimes.
No chemical biocides will be added in the auxiliary cooling
water.
c. Demineralizer Regeneration Wastewater
Jt is anticipated that the demineralizer will be regenerated
twice per day. The maximum daily quantity of regenerated
wastewater produced will be approximately 152,000 gallons
including spent chemicals and rinse water. The wastewater will
oe discharged to a neutralization tank and then bled to the
treatment plant at a continuous rate of 150 gpm.
The spent regenerant solution will contain eluted ions with
excess acid and/or caustic soda. The eluted cations will include
calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, and the eluted anions
will include sulfate, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, bicarbonate,
carbonate, and hydroxide. The total dissolved solids
concentration will range between 5,000 and 10,000 mg/1.
11-30
-------
d. Water Pretreatment and Potable Water Treatment
Wastes
The sand filter used for water pretreatment will be
backwashed periodically to remove the accumulated suspended
solids from the filter ted. The backwash water flow is estimated
to be 1,200 gpm for a duration of 10-20 minutes depending on the
suspended solids concentration in raw water. The backwash
frequency will also depend on the total suspended solids
concentration in the filter influent.
The suspended solids in the filter backwash wastewater will
be high (over 3,000 mg/1) at the beginning of the backwashing
cycle and will gradually decrease as the cycle progresses. The
average suspended solids concentration will be approximately 900
mg/1.
The wastewater discharged from the potable water treatment
unit's carton filter, will be relatively low in both suspended
solids concentration and volumetric flow rate. Tfie carbon filter
backwashing frequency will depend upon the concentrations of
total suspended solids and dissolved organic material. After
carbon filter backwashing, steam will be passed through tne
column to strip it of adsorbed organic compounds and restore the
adsorptive property of the column.
e. Boiler Elowdown And Boiler Draindown
The boiler blowdown flow is estimated to be 60 gpm. This
waste stream will be high in temperature and will contain
suspended solids.
The flow discharged from the toiler draindown system will be
approximately 1500 gpm. The wastewater will be relatively hign
in temperature, suspended solids, iron (Fe) and possibly copper
(cu) .
f. Boiler Cleaning Wastes
The internal heating surfaces of the boiler are cleaned at
infrequent intervals, from 36 to 60 months. Intervals between
cleanings are extended or reduced as conditions warrant. The
quantity and quality of the wastewater is dependent upon the
method used for boiler cleaning.
Chemical cleaning agents are usually employed to remove scale
and corrosion products from the toiler tubes. The cleaning
solutions commonly used are: hydroxyacetic-formic acid,
ammoniated citric acid, hydrochloric acid, alkaline chelating
chemicals, and other organic solvents such as "Vertan 675".
The major contaminants in the cleaning wastes will be total
suspended solids, total dissolved solids, iron, copper, oil and
grease.
11-31
-------
The total volume of wastewater generated during a lull cycle
cleaning oi the Unit 4 toiler is estimated to be 730,000 gallons,
including cleaning solution and rinse water.
g. Powdex Backwash
Periodic backwashing of the powdex unit, which will maintain
high water quality in the boiler feed cycle, will be performed to
remove spent resin. Backwash flow is estimated to be 1,060 gpm.
h. Air Preheater Cleaning Wastes
Air preheaters are usually cleaned by washing down soot and
fly ash accumulation on the surfaces with high-pressure water
jets. Therefore, the washing wastewater will contain fly ash,
soot, rust, oil and grease, and metallic ions. Depending upon
the sulfur content of the coal, the cleaning wastes are more or
less acidic in nature.
The cleaning frequency is determined by the accumulated time
under oil-fired startup operation. Usually, cleaning is
necessary after 72 hours of operation on oil. The total volume
of wastewater resulting from air preheater cleaning is estimated
to be 192,000 gallons, i.e., 1,600 gpm of flow rate for two hours
duration tor each train of two air preheaters.
i. Plant Floor Drains and Miscellaneous Wastewaters
This wastewater category represents routine discharge from
floor drains, including miscellaneous equipment cleaning wastes.
The flow rate and the level of contamination will be highly
dependent upon plant maintenance operations. All mechanical
equipment will require periodic lubrication and they are,
therefore, potential sources of oily wastes. Additional
pollutants will be suspended solids that may be washed into floor
drains. The average waste flow rate from this source is
estimated to be 100 gpm.
j. Ash Systems Emergency Discharge
The fly ash, collected using electrostatic precipitators,
will be conveyed pneumatically to fly ash silos, from which the
ash will be removed by truck for disposal. The bottom ash will
be hydraulically transported from the bottom ash hoppers to a
dewatering tank. The dewatered bottom ash will be trucked away
along with fly ash for disposal. Clarified effluent will be
recirculated to the bottom ash sluicing system. Therefore, there
will be no wastewater discharges from the ash handling and
sluicing systems during normal plant operating conditions.
However, in case of the failure of the jet exhauster at the
economizer ash silo, there will be an emergency discharge from
the bottom asn sluicing system to the fly ash disposal site. The
11-32
-------
ash transport water system flow diagram is presented in
Exhibit II-J3-7.
k. Sanitary Wastewater
Sanitary wastewater is characterized by high BOD, suspended
solids and fecal coliform counts. All sanitary waste streams
from locker rooms, showers and toilets will be collected and
piped to tne sanitary sewage treatment facility. During plant
operation, it is estimated that a staff of 100 persons will be
stationed at the plant over any 24-hour period. Based on a flow
of 35 gallons per capita per day, the sanitary wastewater
produced will be 3,500 gallons per day (gpd). Typical water
quality characteristics of the sanitary wastes, exclusive of
coliform bacteria, are expected as follows:
BODS 180 mg/1
Suspended Solids 200 mg/1
Settleable Solids 60 ml/1
1. Coal Pile Runoff
Coal pile runoff is characterized by high suspended solids.
The pH of coal pile runoff will partially depend upon the sulfur
content of the coal. In general, lew sulfur coal will have a
high calcium content resulting in a high pH of any runoff water
entering the holding basin. This is supported by field data
obtained from studies at Neal Unit 3 indicating pH values of 7-9.
The suspended solids result from coal handling operations which
tend to generate many fine particulates through abrasion.
The total volume of runoff will be dependent upon the
rainfall duration and intensity, antecedent rainfall
characteristics, and physical conditions at the coal pile area.
The total volume to be handled is estimated to be 6.51 mgd based
on a 10-year 24-hour rainfall event (5.0 inches) and a total
catchment area of 48 acres.
9. Wastewater Treatment Systems
Eased on water quality characteristics, the plant wastewater
flows can be segregated into five different categories. These
are as follows:
a Acid wastes (demineralizer regenerant wastes)
requiring pH adjustment pretreatment.
n Oily wastes (plant floor drainage) requiring oil-
water separation pretreatment.
n Non-metal contaminated wastes (filter backwash,
plant drainage, etc) requiring sedimentation for
suspended solids removal.
11-33
-------
VC-II
-------
a Metal contaminated wastes (boiler cleaning and
drain down flows, air preheater cleaning wash,
powdex backwash, and toiler blowdown) requiring
physicochemical treatment for suspended solids,
iron and copper removal.
n Sanitary wastewater requiring biological treatment
for suspended solids and BOD removal.
The proposed wastewater treatment block flow diagram is
presented in Exhibit XI-B-8. The estimated flow rate for each
waste stream and its associated treatment process unit capacity
are presented in Table II-B-8.
As indicated in ixhibit II-B-8, three retention ponds are
proposed tc provide flexibility in tne collection, equalization
and treatment of plant wastewaters.
Pond A will be sized to contain the entire volume of Unit <*
boiler cleaning wastes which is estimated at 750,000 gallons. A.
private contractor will provide a temporary pipeline tor drainage
of the cleaning wastes from the boiler to the pond and also will
remove the cleaning wastes for disposal off-site.
Pond 2. will be sized at 300,000 gallons to accomplish
equalization of the intermittent and high flow rate wastewaters
for the downstream physicochemical treatment units. The pond
will be operated in a filling-empty cycle mode to accomodate
either boiler draindown or air preheated cleaning wastewater.
Average pond discnarge will be 100 gpm, for the daily average
inflow, and a maximum flow of 200 gpm will be pumped when tne
pond receives cleaning wastes.
Pond C will be sized at 50,000 gallons for equalizing the
filter backwash flow. The pond will discharge a continuous flow
of 300 gpm to the downstream physical treatment process.
a. Demineralizer Regenerant Wastes Neutralization
Demineralizer regenerant wastes and acid wastewater from the
acid drainage sump will be conveyed to a neutralization basin
(approximately 180,000 gallons) for neutralization and flow
equalization. Subsequently, the self-neutralized wastewater will
be discharged at a controlled rate ot 150 gpm and pH adjusted
within the range of 6.5 - 9.0 prior to flowing to Retention
Pond C for treatment as described in "d" below.
b. Treatment of Oily Wastes - Floor Drainage
All plant areas that have tne potential for producing oil
spills will be equipped with drains to collect all liquid wastes.
These streams will be piped to an cil-water separator system for
treatment.
11-35
-------
1
env
c<
' A DIVISION OF E
COAL PILE RUNOFF
BOILER CLEANING
DEMINERALIZER REGENERATION
WASTES W/pH CONTROL
FILTER BACKWASHING
(WATER PRE -TREAT. 8 POTABLE)
PLANT DRAINAGE SUMP
(OIL SEPARATOR)
1 *-Conc. oil to oil tonk
BOILER SLOWDOWN
POWDEX BACKWASHING
AIR PREHEATER CLEANING
BOILER DRAIN DOWN
6.51 MGD
150 (C)
1290(1)
100(1)
60 CC)
240 CD
1060(1)
1600 (I)
1500 (1)
» RETENTION
POND A
POND B — — — —
RETENTION
POND C
0
o
MIXING
TANKS
4
FIOCCULATION Fl(
TANKS
I
SETTLING S
f»-- TANKS fj--
Ig Ig
A"
1 1, *
t »00
MIXING
TANKS
4
DCCULATION
TANKS
\
ETTLING
TANKS
1,,?§ ^ TO
FLOW EXPRESSED IN GPM
TINUOUS FLOW
:RMITTENT FLOW
RGENCY FLOW
EXHIBIT
-------
Wastewater Source
Pond B:
Boiler blowdown
Boiler blowdown
Powdex backwashing
Air preheater cleaning
Boiler draindown
Pond C:
Demineralizer
regenerant wastes
Plant drainage sump
Filter backwashing
Flow Rate
(gpm)
60
240
1,060
1,600
1,500
150
100
1,250
Assumed
Duration
(hr/operation)
Continuous
1.0
0.5
2.0
3.0
Continuous
Total
Wastewater
Volume
86,400 gpd
14,400 gpd
31,800 gallons
192,000 gallons
270,000 gallons
216,000 gpd
Recommended
Basis for
Treatment Process
Design Capacity
60
10
15
100
100
150
20
0.3
(Twice
per day)
120,000 gpd
45,000 gpd
100
50
o
envirosphere
company
_A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED—
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY -
NEAL UNIT 4
UNIT 4 WASTEWATER FLOWS
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-8
-------
The oil-water separator system will have a capacity of
100 gpm and will consist of two stages. The first stage will
remove free oil and suspended solids by gravity separation, arid
will prevent the second stage from being overloaded with high
free oil concentrations. The second stage will employ
coalescence to break emulsions.
The emulsions can be of two types, mechanical and chemical.
Mechanical emulsions result from physical agitation. For example
the use of centrifugal pumps will produce mechanical emulsions.
Chemical emulsions result from the addition of surfactants which
form stable emulsions. Chemical emulsions cannot normally be
broken by physical means. When chemical emulsions are present,
pretreatment will be required to destabilize the emulsion. Tne
addition of alum, with or without pH adjustment, is commonly used
to break chemical emulsions. Once the emulsion is broken,
physical methods are again used to separate the oil.
c. Treatment of Metal Cleaning Wastewater
Physicochemical treatment will be provided to treat Neal
Unit U wastewaters expected to contain relatively high
concentrations of iron and/or copper. As indicated in
Exhibit II-E-8, Pond B discharge will be directed to a mixing
tank where pH will be adjusted and polymer added to enhance
precipitation of metal ions. Mixing tank effluent will flow to a
flocculation tank for development of adequate floes, and then
discharged to a settling tank. Sludge will be disposed of at the
fly ash disposal area.
The pE of the chemically treated effluent will be adjusted if
necessary to meet pH limitations (6.5 to 9.0) before being
discharged to the Missouri River.
d. Treatment of Non-Metal Contaminated Wastes
Retention Pond C effluent will require only physical
treatment to satisfy effluent limitations as determined on a net
discharge basis. The flow will be controlled at an average rate
of 300 gpm and directed to a mixing tank for pH adjustment and
polymer addition as required. The wastewater will then flow to
two settling tanks for suspended solids removal. The provision
of two settling tanks will allow periodic maintenance of a
settling tank without affecting treatment of tnese flows. The
settling tank effluent will satisfy applicable requirements and
will be discharged to the river.
e. Treatment of Sanitary Wastewater
Sanitary wastewater treatment will be accomplished with a
Smith and Loveless "Oxigest" treatment plant. The system will be
operated in an extended aeration activated sludge mode and will
be designed to treat a daily BOD loading of 20 pounds and have a
hydraulic capacity of 10,000 gpd. A removable stainless steel
11-38
-------
screening basket will te provided to remove unusually large
solids from the raw wastewater entering the plant. The aeration
chamber will provide approximately a 24-hour detention time at
design flows.
The aeration system will consist of two blowers with a design
capacity of 46 cubic feet per minute (cfm) at 3.5 psig. At a
flow of 100,000 gpd, the clarifier will provide a minimum
over±low rate of 263 gpd/sq ft. The effluent will be discharged
into a leaching field and will not exceed 25 mg/1 BODS and
25 mg/1 suspended solids.
Excess sludge will be periodically removed from the system
and disposed of at a local treatment facility.
f. Treatment of Coal Pile Runoff
To treat coal pile runoff a holding pond will be provided
with sufficient storage capacity to retain the entire 6.51 mgd
resulting from a 10 year 24 hour rainfall event. The pond also
will provide sufficient detention time to produce an effluent
with a total suspended solids concentration of less than 50 mg/1.
10. Solid Waste Disposal Area
The solid waste disposal area will consist of approximately
114 acres of land and will provide storage for sludge and ash
generated by Neal Unit 4. Ash will be mixed with water
(approximately 15 percent by weight) during transport by truck to
minimize fugitive dust emissions during unloading. Operational
procedure will include alternating layers of waste material with
layers of soil to provide the potential for reclamation of this
area at some future date. Provisions will be made at the solid
waste disposal area via water truck to maintain fugitive dust
emissions at a minimuir level.
11. Transmission Facilities
The additional transmission facilities that will be required
for Neal Unit 4 will consist of a 345 kv line, 1.82 miles in
length, connecting the Raun Substation to the proposed Neal 4
Substation. Right-of-way for this line segment will be
predominantly across land owned by Iowa Public Service Company.
The remaining portions will be located either on the Woodbury
County road right-of-way or on rights-of-way secured by voluntary
easement from industrial customers located along the route. No
special maintenance requirements of these rights-of-way are
expected since all properties traversed by the line are eitner
under cultivation or will be mewed by either the county or
private property owner. This route was selected from among
several alternate routes and was authorized in all details by
action of the Iowa Commerce Commission Decision and Order dated
September 25, 1975, under Docket No. E-17776.
11-39
-------
A 345 kV line approximately 23.3 miles in length is planned
to connect Raun Substation and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation,
Sioux City substation located near Hinton, Iowa. The line will
be supported by steel pole H-frame structures averaging 105 feet
in height. No special maintenance requirements of the
right-of-way are anticipated because of the agricultural nature
of the land. The route is depicted on Exhibit II-B-9.
Acquisition of right-of-way will be conducted under the rules of
the Iowa CciruTierce commission.
Route selection for transmission facilities was determined on
the basis of aerial photographic interpretation, land use
considerations, distance between terminals and consultation with
the Iowa Commerce Coirnriission. The environmental criteria and
guidelines to be followed for the transmission facilities will
consider those set forth by the U.S. Department of Interior and
Agriculture arid will be in conformance with the rules of the Iowa
Commerce Commission.
12. Permits
Table II-B-9 presents a listing or permits, certifications
and approvals required from various governmental regulatory
agencies in connection with the construction and operation of
Meal Unit 4.
11-40
-------
WOOD6UNY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES
MOWD3CO BOUTt OF 345 KV LINE
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
SIOUX CITY, IOWA
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
TRANSMISSION ROUTES
EXHIBIT
II-B-9
DATE:
11-41
-------
AGENCY
Federal Aviation
Administration
Iowa Natural Resources
Council
PERMIT
Stack Construction Approval
#75-CE-579-OE
Boiler Bldg. Construction
Approval
#75-CE-579-OE
Woodbury County Planning & Certificate of Zoning
Zoning Compliance
#ZA 404 Building Permit
Corps of Engineers
Construction on Rivers
(Sect 10)
(Includes Sect 404 Permit)
Iowa Conservation Commission Construction of Intake &
Discharge Structures
Environmental Protection Determination under Sect 316
Agency (a) and (b)
NPDES (National Pollution
Discharge Elimination System
Non Significant Deterioration
Declaration - Sect 306
Iowa Dept of Environmental Sanitary Disposal System
Quality Construction
e
envirosphere
company
*A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
Sanitary Disposal System
Operation
Temporary Permit to Discharge
Water
Waste Water Disposal System
Construction
Waste Water Disposal System
Operation
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT
PERMITS REQUIRED
DATE:
FILED
11-12-75
11-12-75
8- 6-75
8- 6-75
10- 6-75
7-22-76
5-31-74
5-74
7-30-75
7-30-75
8-23-74
3-30-76
8-23-74
4
APPROVED
1-19-76
12-30-75
3- 1-76
3- 1-76
8-13-76
5-26-76
9-10-74
TABLE
II-B-9
11-42
-------
AGENCY
PERMIT FILED
APPROVED
Iowa Dept of Environmental Waste Water Disposal System
Quality Certification Sect 401
Air Pollution Control Equip- 1-26-76 4r 15-76
ment Construction-
Precipitator
Air Pollution Control Equip-
ment Construction-Coal
Handling
United States Geological Mining Permit
Survey Reclamation Permit
Wyoming Department of Land Permit, Water Permit
Environmental Quality Air Permit
Sweetwater and Carbon Building Permits
Counties Planning and
Zoning Department
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO - NEAL UNIT 4
PERMITS REQUIRED
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II-B-9
(Cont'd)
11-43
-------
-------
Ill - ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING WITHOUT THE PROJECT
A. GEOLOGY
The site for Neal Unit 4 is located within the Middle Western
Upland Plain physiographic sub-unit. Most of the region is
covered by varying thicknesses of Pleistocene to recent sediment
consisting of glacial tills, loess, glacial outwash and river
deposits. Bedrock in the region is generally flat lying or
slightly dipping south and east.
1» Geomorphology
The landforms, soils and surficial geology of the proposed
site itself, are expressions of the dynamics of the Missouri
River, Physiographically the site is located on the broad,
nearly flat alluvial plain of the river. This plain was formed
as the meandering river shifted its course between the loess
capped bluffs (over 3 miles to the southwest and over 5 miles to
the Northeast) over a period of geologic time. Evidence of this
shifting can be seen in the oxbow lakes of the area, such as
Browns Lake and meander scars visible in the aerial photos of the
flood plain.
The channel in the vicinity of the proposed site has adjusted
radically over the past two hundred years both naturally and
through man's intervention. Schumm * recounts how the river
between Sioux City and Platteville has been reduced in length
from about 250 miles in 1804 to approximately 135 miles in 1960.
The alluvial land to the south of the proposed site represents an
abandoned reach of channel.
The plant site is located on the outside of a meander bend.
Typically, this is an area of bank instability and unless
protected, erosion can be expected to occur. Conversely, it is an
optimum point for water extraction as less silting of intake
works would occur at this point of the river bank.
As the river has shifted laterally the different materials
deposited have corresponded to the energy of that part of the
fluvial system. This alluvial material varies from fine silts
and clays deposited in low energy situations, such as in oxbow
lakes to coarse gravels and sands deposited in high energy
environments such as bars.
2. Bedrock
The lateral variability can be seen in the soil types which
form on the different materials. Exhibit III-A-1 is a map of the
soil series in the vicinity of the proposed site. These series
are identified and their properties are described in Table
III-A-1. They are representative of the Albaton-flaynie-Onawa
Association of alluvial soils.
Hl-l
-------
IOOO
200O
FEET
1 - Haynie Silt Loam
2 - Blake Sllty Clay Loam
3 - On HUB iilty Clay
4 - Mondale Silt Loam
5 - Albaton Clay
6 - Sarpy Loamy Fine Sand
7 - Alluvial Land
8 - Grable Silty Clay Loam
9 - Grfibie Silt Lotra
10 - Carr Fine Sandy Lo*m
o
envirosphere
company
, A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SOILS INDEX MAP
DATE:
SCALE:
III-2
EXHIBIT
11I-A- 1
-------
M.,|,
Svmbol I Name
1 llayrm- -Mil Loam
Blake Nilix clay loam
3 Onawa siltv clay
I Mondale sill loam
S Alb.uon cla\
i
6 Sarp\ loam\ fine sand
Alluvial land
S . Grablt Mlty clay loam
^ ! tirahle silt loam
10 (.arr fine sandv loam
Depth
{ K.chcs)
0-90
0-20
20-60
0-29
29-60
0-10
10-12
21-90
0-60
0-24
24-60
0-10
10-20
20-60
0-20
20-60
0-33
3 3 -"?0
Unified
Classification
ML or ML-C1-
CL or CH
ML-Cl. or ML or CL
CH
CL or ML-CL
CL; CH or ML-CL
ML-CL
CH
CH
SM or SP-SM
SM or SP-SM
GC-SP
CL' or ML-CL
ML
SM
ML
SM or SP-SM
SM or SC
SM
Permeability
(in., hr)
0.63 - 2.0
0.2 - 2.0
0.63 - 6.3
0.06 - 0.2
0.63 - 6.3
0.6* - 2.0
0.63 - 2.0
< 0.2
<0.02
> 20.0
>20.0
-
0.63 - 2.0
0.63 - 2.0
6.3 - 20.0
0.63 - 2.0
6.3 - 20.0
2.3 - 6.3
2.0 - 6.3
Shrink-Swell
Potential
Low
Moderate to High
Moderate
High
Low to Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
High
High
Low
Low
-
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Low to Moderate
Moderate
Low
Low
Remarks
Erodible; possible dusi or
blowing soil hazard
Mav he net and boggv:
severe leach field limitations
Severe leach field limitations
May be wet and boggy,
May be subject to blowing
and dust hazard
Highly variable;
severe leach field limitations
May be wet and boggv
-
Erodible and may be subjcc ;
to liquefaction
Source florster. ct^il —/
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY -
SOIL PROPERTIES IN THE AREA OF
DATE:
NEAL UNIT 4
THE NEAL SITE
SCA1E:
'".ABLE
III 4- i
-------
While depositing laterally the river has also built up a
thick vertical accumulation of material. Preliminary drillings
at the site show at least 74 feet of sands and silts near the
river bank. Water wells and other borings in the vicinity of the
proposed site show that from 110 to 150 feet of alluvium covers
the underlying bedrock.
The topmost bedrock units found at depth in the area are the
Cretaceous Dakota Group of sandstones and shales. These are
relatively flat lying and have an approximate thickness of 3000
feet. The next oldest unit is a 500 foot thickness of Devonian
and Upper Ordovician limestone. Lower Ordovician strata are
represented by the Decorah-Platteville Formation, the St. Peter
sandstone and the Praire-Du Chien dolomite. Depths and
thicknesses of the later formations are difficult to estimate for
the Sioux City region because of the lack of deep wells.
3. Mineral Resources
Except for sands and gravels found in the alluvium, there are
no known mineral resources among the earth materials present. No
active mining of the aggregates is done locally.
H. Seismology
The proposed site is located in the relatively inactive
Central Stable Platform between the Sioux Uplift and the Forest
City Basin. There are no known major active faults in the area;
however, it is in a Zone I seismic risk area implying minor
seismic accelerations may be expected and designed for. The
closest earthquake to the site occurred near Sioux City, about 10
miles to the north, in 1872. This quake had an intensity of V
(Modified Mercali 1931) indicating only slight damage such as
cracked plaster in some buildings. Table III-A-2 includes the
other earthquakes which have been felt in the vicinity of the
proposed site in recent history. All of these may be considered
intermediate to minor in intensity. The strongest, with an
Intensity of VII, caused little damage to properly designed and
constructed buildings. No surface disturbance or fissuring has
been noted for any of these quakes.
III-4
-------
Year
1872
K>79
i9o:
1910
1938
1877
14] 1
1967
1927
1946
1906
1867
Location
Sioux City, Iowa
South Dakota
eastern Nebraska
Columbus. Nebraska
Sioux Falls, Nebraska
hastern Nebraska
South Dakota
South Dakota
White Cloud. Mo.
Wessington, S.D.
Manhattan. Kansas
Lawrence. Kansas
Intensity*
V
V
V
V
V
VII
V
V
V
VI
VII
Vll
Approximate Distance
From Site (Miles)
10
70
"0
80
90
1 10
170
170
190
190
230
250
Source: NO A A 3A
*Modified Mercali, 1931
0
envirosp
compc
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERV
, IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
* TABLE
there SEISMOLOGY IN THE AREA OF THE NEAL SITE m-A-2
my
CES INCORPORATED DATE: SCALE:
III-5
-------
B. HYDROLOGY
1. Surface Water
The Missouri River is the primary source of surface water for
the George Neal Steam Electric Station.
Descriptions of this River have appeared numerous times in
the literature *,2,3 but will be reviewed briefly here to provide
a scenario for detailed ecological data to follow (Section
III-C).
The Missouri River originates in southern Montana, and flows
for about 1833 miles before reaching the proposed Neal Unit 4
site. It is the longest river in North America, traversing over
2464 miles and seven states before joining the Mississippi River
above St. Louis, Missouri. It drains approximately one-sixth of
the continental United States and a small part of Canada1 and
over its course declines from an elevation of about 1860 feet
mean sea level (MSL) to about 1070 feet MSL. Records of stream
flow maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey at the Sioux City
gage station, 16 miles above the Neal site, show an average
discharge of 31,860 cubic feet per second (cfs) when computed
over a 77-year period. However, these averages are higher than
present mean discharge rates due to the inclusion of many years
of preimpoundment data in the calculations.
While extreme flows of 2500 to 441,000 cfs nave been noted at
Sioux City, Iowa in the past, the river is now regulated as a
result of Congressional legislation (Flood Control Act of 1944)
which authorized the construction of impoundments on the upper
Missouri River and its tributaries.
The river flow in the Missouri River main stem is controlled
by a series of six storage reservoirs located above Sioux City
and operated by the Reservoir Control Center, Missouri River
Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps of Engineers)
located in Omaha, Nebraska. These reservoirs are Fort Peck (mile
1775), Fort Randall (mile 880), Garrison (mile 1390), Oahe (mile
1072), Big Bend (mile 987), and Gavins Point (mile 811). They
were completed in 1943, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1964 and 1964
respectively. The normal operation of the Missouri River main
stem reservoir system did not commence until 1967. In 1964
construction was completed on the Big Bend dam, the last of the
main stem dams, located south of Pierre, South Dakota; however,
due to the meteorological conditions which persisted in the
entire main stem reservoir drainage area during the period from
1964 through 1967, the initial fill of the overall system was not
accomplished until 1967. At full capacity, these reservoirs
impound water in over one-half of the upper 1500 miles of river2.
Gavins Point Dam is used by the Corps of Engineers to regulate
downstream flows in the Missouri River and acts as a control for
the section of the Missouri in the vicinity of the Neal site.
III-6
-------
Releases of water from Gavins Point Dam during the navigation
season, from about April 1 to December 1, are dictated by
navigation needs to provide a 9-foot navigation channel extending
from Sioux City to the mouth of the Missouri River. The channel
has more or less been stabilized with pile or stone fill dikes
and revetments to maintain an average river width of 800 feet and
a navigation channel width of 300 feet. Under normal flow
conditions, the velocity of the streamflow in the vicinity of the
Neal site varies between 3 and 5 feet per second (fps).
Releases of water from Gavins Point Dam during the non-
navigation season, from about December 1 to April 1, are
scheduled to meet the interim flow requirements for stream
sanitation and supplemental power generation. At present, the
minimum flow release anticipated by the Corps of Engineers during
the non-navigation season is about 6000 cfs.s Local flooding
caused by river ice jams are experienced during the winter
season. The length of tne Missouri River navigation season is
determined by the initial freeze and breakup dates of the ice
flows in the river. According to a recent report by the Corps of
Engineers,6 the months exhibiting the highest potential for river
icing are December through March.
a. Monthly River Flows
Appendix Exhibits A-III-B-1 through A-III-B-12 present a
statistical analysis of Missouri River flows in the vicinity of
the Neal site based on United States Geological Survey (USGS)
daily average historical records? obtained at the Sioux City gage
station for the eight-year period from 1967 through 1974. The
results pertaining to maximum, average arid minimum daily average
flows are given in Table III-B-1. In addition, the predicted
average monthly Missouri River flows at Sioux City, Iowa based on
the Corps of Engineers' study* for the current (1970) level of
basin water resource development followed by a recurrence of the
hydrologic period 1898-1972 are presented in Table III-B-2 along
with the USGS recorded river flows for the period 1967-1974.
b. Low Flow Conditions
In order to determine the appropriate low flow for the river
in tfte vicinity of the Neal Station, the flows during the eight
year period 1967-1974 (this period represents normal system
operation) were analyzed statistically for the one in ten year
minimum average seven consecutive day low flow (MA7CDLF), and
then adjusted (by several methods) to correct for the above
average runoff during this period.
The procedure utilizing the Gumbel distribution8 is to take
the MA7CDLF for each of the eight years of record, and plot these
low flows on Gumbel paper using the Weibull9 plotting position
for the observed flows. The MA7CDLF for each of the eight years
is as follows:
II1-7
-------
Month
* January
' February
* March
April
May-
June
July
August
September
October
'November
^December
Maximum Flow
(cfs)
28,400
60,000
41,800
76,400
51,200
69,800
54,100
58,500
56,500
53,100
55,700
48,200
Mean Flow
(cfs)
16,750
18,950
26,340
35,910
36,530
38,010
38,300
41,670
40,850
39,620
38,500
20,290
Minimum Flow
(cfs)
5,000
6,270
7,400
24,200
24,600
21,100
29,400
31,000
27,800
24,400
13,700
6,240
Months exhibiting the highest potential for river icing.
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MISSOURI RIVER FLOW RATES AT
SIOUX CITY, IOWA
1967-1974
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-B-1
III-S
-------
AVERAGE MONTHLY MISSOURI RIVER FLOWS AT SIOUX CITY, IOWA
FOR
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
THE PERIODS 1898-1972 and 1967
Average Flow (cfs)
for the Period 1898-1972
Based on the Current
Basin Development (a)
15400
17000
26200
32700
32800
33200
35000
36800
36400
34900
35100
17700
29400
-1974
Average Flow
(cfs) for the Period
1967-1974(b)
16750
18950
26340
35910
36530
38010
38900
41670
40850
39620
38500
20290
32690
(a) Based on Corps predictions.
(b) Based on USGS flow records.
e
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
COMPARISON OF PREDICTED AND MEASURED
AVERAGE MONTHLY RIVER FLOWS
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-B-2
III-9
-------
year MA7CDLF (cfs)
1967 7,410
1968 10,966
1969 10,231
1970 12,157
1971 12,857
1972 17,143
1973 20,271
1974 13,929
The above data were plotted as a frequency distribution on
Gusnbel paper arid the 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF was extrapolated. For
the years 1967-1974, the 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF is about 7200 cfs
as shown on Exhibit III-B-1.
Having obtained the 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF for the 1967-1974
period, the low flow was adjusted by three methods to correct for
the above average runoff during this period. The first method
was to compare the average runoff from the Missouri River
Drainage Basin above Sioux City foi the period from 1698 to 1974,
with the above average runoff over the same basin for the period
from 1967 to 19?4. The average runoff for the former period was
24,600,000 acre-feet, arid 28,030,000 acre-fet't for the latter
period*. The resulting correction factor is 0.38, Applying this
factor to the 1957-1974 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF, the adjusted flow
becomes 6336 cfs.
The seccn I method was to compare the Missouri River flow in
the vicinity of 3ioux City, Iowa for the period 1398 to 1966,
with the period 1967 to 1974. The average flow for the former
period was 31,680 cfs, and for the latter period, it was 32,730
cfs. The .resulting correction factor is 0.97. Applying this
factor, the adjusted 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF is 6984 cfs.
The third method was to compare the Corps predicted Missouri
River flows for the current (1970) level of basin water resource
development followed by a recurrence of the hydrologic period
from 1898 tc 1972, with the measured flows at Sioux City for the
1967 to 1974 period. Table III-B-2 shows these average flows.
The average annual flow for the former period was 29,400 cfs, and
32,690 cfs, for the latter period. The resulting correction
factor is 0.90, and the adjusted 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF becomes
6480 cfs.
The correction factors and adjusted low flows determined by
these three methods are tabulated below:
Adjusted
Method Correction Factor 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF
1 0.88 6336 cfs
2 0.97 6984 cfs
3 0.90 6480 cfs
111-10
-------
25
o
o
o
o
*
o
0
0
o
LU
LU
CD
-------
On the basis of this analysis, it is concluded that a
representative 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF for the current method of
river operation would be about 6500 cfs.
The Iowa Department of Environmental Quality has based its
analysis of low flow on the period of record, 1954-1972. Their
analysis for this 19 year period yields a 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF of
6000 cfs*.
c. Monthly River Temperatures
Based on maximum daily water temperature measurements as
recorded during the 11 year period, 1955-1965, at the Omaha
Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD) Florence Water Treatment
Plant (located 85 miles south of the Neal Station) and reported
by Ebasco10 the estimated frequencies that given temperatures are
equaled or exceeded are as follows:
Temperature (°F) Frequency Equaled or Exceeded
(percent)
84 0.32
83 0.91
82 1.98
81 3.75
Based on the analysis of daily temperature data recorded at
the Neal Station Unit 1 intake during the nine year period 1964-
1972**, the monthly average temperature ranges from 36°F in
January to 77°F in July. The minimum daily temperature ranges
from 33°F during the months of December through .Vlarch to 68°F in
July. Maximum daily temperatures range from 47°F in January to
83F in July.
Exhibit II1-B-2 presents the statistical analysis for July
which represents a typical summer month. Analysis of winter
water temperatures yields values slightly higher than the actual
ambient river temperature due to interference from the
recirculation of a small volume of discharge water in front of
the Unit 1 trashracks to prevent icing. It is estimated that
this deicing recirculation may raise the water temperature
entering the plant by about 1 degree Fahrenheit (F) .
Table III-B-3 presents the monthly average, minimum and
maximum ambient river temperatures based on the statistical
analysis of data measured daily at the Unit 1 intake.
2. Groundwater
The Missouri River Valley in the vicinity of the Neal site
has two major aquifers, the Dakota sandstone and the alluvial
fill of the valley. The Dakota sandstone is a high yielding
artesian aquifer which is used extensively for community and
commerical supplies to the north and east of the site. Sioux
111-12
-------
ei-m
o
&<
IS?
AMBIENT RIVER TEMPERATURE (f)
-------
t !
! Mix Temp Mean Temp
Mjnth :F; (F)
!-naary 47 | 3<,
t :
1
i Febru-i.iy 4H 36
March 5'J 40
April i 66 bl
! 1
May i 84 60
June ; 39 7;
July 83 -;!
August 81 75
September 78 67
October t,7 56
November 54 42
December 50 37
i
Min Temp
(F;
33
33
33
36
43
57
68
66
52
45
35
33
OIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
.
envirosphere MISSOURI RIVER AMBIENT WATER TEMPERATURES
company
f A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
rii-B-3
111-14
-------
City obtains its water supply, approximately 28 million gallons
per day (mgd), from 16 wells in the Dakota sandstone. These
wells yield up to 1400 gallons per minute (gpm)12.
Wells utilizing the Dakota aquifer are not found in the
immediate vicinity of the site. The closest are those in the
Sergeant Bluff area, about 6 miles to the north. These wells
yield between 20 and 600 gpm from the Dakota layer which is about
340 feet thick. The sandstone aquifer is generally topped by 15
to 90 feet of shale, wells drilled to the Dakota Group near the
existing Neal units indicate the existence of a least five feet
of shale and up to 140 feet of alluvial fill.
The sands and gravels deposited in the Missouri River Valley
constitute another major aquifer. In the immediate vicinity of
the site the alluvium is tapped primarily for domestic and
industrial water supplies.
A sample of wells within two miles of the site shows that a
number of residences obtained water supplies from well points in
the alluvium. These are generally bacteriologically safe but may
have problems with high iron or hydrogen sulfide content13. More
than 15 miles to the southeast, the towns of Onawa, which has
wells yielding 2.2 mgd, and Whiting, with wells yielding 0.4 mgd,
use the alluvium as a source of their community supplies.
The depth of groundwater varies from near surface adjacent to
the river, to about 18 feet in some parts of the site. The water
table appears to slope generally downstream and toward the river.
As the river and aquifer appear to be hydraulically connected,
fluctuations in the river level will cause fluctuation in the
groundwater level.
Yields from the alluvial aquifer may be quite high because of
the permeable nature of the sands and gravels. Five 12-inch
wells were drilled in 1965 for the Terra Chemical Company which
is located adjacent to the existing units. The wells were 110
feet deep and produced 650 gpm with only 2 to 6 feet of drawdown
with a specific yield of 200 to 300 gpm per foot of drawdown.
3. Water Usage
The major users of water in the vicinity of the proposed site
are industries and the George Neal Steam Electric Station. The
municipalities of Sioux City, Iowa and Dakota City, Nebraska are
the major municipal users.
The industrial facilities include livestock and meat
processing, food processing and fertilizer manufacturing and
together with the municipalities utilize groundwater for their
needs. The Neal Station uses Missouri River water for the major
part of its water requirements.
111-15
-------
The list of major water users in the area surrounding the
proposed site is given in Table III-B-4. This table also gives
the source and quantities for each user and the treatment
provided before disposal.
111-16
-------
INDUSTRIAL
NAME
PRODLCT, PROCESS OR SERVICE
The Beerman Brothers. Sergeant Bluff. Iowa
Alfalfa Dehydration
Flavor Land Industries. Sioux City. Iowa
(Formerly Needham Packing)
Cattle Processing
Flavor Land Industries. Sioux City, Iowa
(Formerly Needham By Products)
Rendering Plant. Meat & Hide By Products
Iowa Beef Packers. S Sioux City. Nebraska
Cattle Processing
Iowa Public Service Co . Port Ncal. Iowa
Units 1 2 & 3 Coal-Fired SES
Kay Dee Feed Co , Sioux City. Iowa
Agricultural Fertilizer
Kind and Knox Gelatin Inc . Sergeant Bluff.
Iowa — Gelatin Manufacture
Nutra Flow. Sioux City. Iowa
Manufacturers of Liquid Fertilizer
Raskin Packing Co . Sioux Citv. Iowa
Cattle Processing
Sioux Citv Cold Storage. Sioux City. Iowa
Frozen Food Products
Sioux City Dressed Beef
See Flavor Land Industries
Sioux Citv Stock Yards. Sioux City. Iowa
Livestock Sales Holding Pens
Swift & Co . Sioux Citv. Iowa
Hog Processing
PROCESS
WET DRY
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X Animal Intake
and Flushing
X
WATER
AMOUNT
SOURCE GPM
No Process Water
3 Wells 695
2 Wells 2.146
3 Wells 2.100
Missouri 490.000
River and
Wells
Well and 90
City Water
Well 695
City Water 1.000
System
3 Wells 35
Well plus 430
City Water
4 Wells 5,530
Wells 165
DISPOSAL
TREATED UNTREATED
Screening.
City Stp
Primary before-
City Stp
Iron Removal
Pressure Sand Filters.
Aeration
Sanitary Cooling Water
Septic Tank Untreated
Cooling Only
Plant Flotation
City Stp
Daily Sampling Water
Ouality and Temperature
City Stp
No Process Wastewater
Heat Exchanger Cooling
Crude Screening
City Stp
Vibrating Screen
City Stp
RECEIVING
Missouri
Missouri
Missouri
Missouri
105 Acre
Lagoon
Evaporation
Missouri &
Floyd
Missouri
Floyd
Missouri
Missouri
PRODUCT
Livestock
Feed
Beef for
Consumer Mkt
Meat and Hide
By-Product
Beef for
Processors
and Market
Electric
Power
Agricultural
Fertilizer
Gelatin for Food.
Pharmaceutal and
Photography
Agricultural
Fertilizer
Beef Carcass
Frozen Meat &
Food Products
Livestock
Sales
Pork Meat
Products
SEASONAL
OPERATIONS
Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
OIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
envlrospHere WATER USE AND WASIEWATER TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL IN THE NEAL UNIT 4 AREA
company (SHEET i OF 2)
TABLE
III-B-4
-------
1
INDUSTRIAL
NAME
PRODUCT, PROCESS OR SERVICE
The Terra Chemical Co . Port Neal. Iowa
Ammonia & Nitric Acid Manufacture
United Packing of Iowa. Sioux Citv. Iowa
Slaughter and Process Hogs
Wilson Frailer. Sioux Citv. lovL\
Livestock Trailer Cleaning
Farmland Industries, Port Neal, Iowa
Soybean Processing
PROCESS
WET
X
X
X
MUNICIPAL
Dakota City Sewage Treatment Plant
Dakota City. Nebraska
Sioux Citv Sewage Treatment Plant
Sioux Citv. Iowa
DRY
X
SOURCE
Wells
2 Wells
Citv Water
Svsiem
Wells
POPULATION
Data Source-
Data collected hv telephone survey and from the
Storet Data Retrieval System of the Optimum Systems
Incorporated. 5272 River Road, Bethesda. Mary and.
dated August 2-4. 19?3
envtrospnere
company
A WVISIOK OF EBASCO SEBvlCES INCOHPORA-ED DATE:
-oo
8S.OOO
AMOUNT
GPM
660
435
%
3000
WATER
TREATED
Stabilisation
Ponds
City Stp
Cttv Sip
No Process
Cooling
DISPOSAL
UNTREATED
Wastewater
Only
PLANT FLOW - GPM
120
12.000
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL
WATER USE AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL IN
(SHEET 2 OF 2)
RECEIVING
Missouri
Missouri
Missouri
Missouri
FINAL
PRODUCT
Fertilizer and
Feed
Pork Meat
Products
Livestock Trailer
Cleaning & Maintenance
Soybean Meal
TREATMENT
Holding Tank — Primary
Primary
Designs <
nd Plans for Secondary
Treatment Late '75. Early '^6
SEASONAL
OPERATIONS
No
No
No
No
RECEIVING
UNIT 4
THE NEAL UNIT 4 AREA
SCALE:
Missouri
Missouri
1
TABLE
III-B-4
-------
C. WATER QUALITY AND AQUATIC ECOLOGY
1. Overview
The aquatic environment in the region surrounding the
proposed Neal Unit U is composed of:
• The Missouri River main stem
• Missouri River cutoffs
• Natural Oxbows
Neal Unit H will primarily influence the Missouri River main
stem. As discussed in detail in Section III-B (hydrology), river
flow in the Missouri River main stem is controlled by upstream
storage reservoirs operated by the Corps of Engineers. In
addition to mandating control of upper Missouri River discharge.
Congressional legislation (River and Harbor Act of 19U5) also
called for channel improvements, or channelization, on the
Missouri River and its tributaries.1,2 Channelization involves
straightening the natural meanders, clearing the banks, and
widening and deepening the channel; thus facilitating containment
of most floods and, due to a lowered base level, drainage of
adjacent flood plains.3 The Missouri River has been channelized
from its mouth just above St. Louis, Missouri, to a point some 52
miles downstream of Gavins Point Dam.2 Incorporated along its
length are various current-directing and/or bank stabilizing
structures, including pile dikes, trail dikes, and revetments.1
Examples of these structures are apparent in Exhibit III-C-1.
Besides the main channel and channel banks, the Missouri
River has numerous backwater areas along its course called
"cutoffs.11 Most of these are "open", that is they are diked at
their upper ends, and open to the river at their lower ends.
Open cutoffs are shallow, horseshoe-shaped waters.* Their depths
vary markedly in response to river discharge and they provide
boat access from the river only at times of maximum discharge.
Certain cutoffs have been closed at their lower ends, and fish
management programs have been undertaken in them.*.
In the Sioux City area there are three principal sources of
waste discharges into the Missouri River: domestic wastes;
industrial wastes associated with food processing (meat packing
in particular); and wastes from ammonium nitrate and insecticide
manufacturing plants.5 All wastes discharged to the Sioux City
municipal sanitary sewer system had been receiving primary
treatment since 1970.5 There are six major waste water outlets in
the Sioux City area5. These are associated with:
111-19
-------
c
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co, - NEAL UNIT 4
AERIAL VIEW OF THE MISSOURI RIVER
AT PORT NEAL, IOWA
EXHIBIT
III-C-i
DATE:
SCALE:
111-20
-------
• A packing plant in Dakota City, Nebraska
• The Sioux City municipal waste water treatment
plant
« The effluent from chemical plant detention ponds at
Port Neal
« Three major stockyards in Sioux City each with a
separate discharge.
In addition to point-source discharges* nonpoint sources and
land-runoff are also responsible for significant waste input into
the Missouri River. Comparison between Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) data from two-day, wet-weather surveys and
eight-day, dry-weather surveys, indicate fecal coliform increases
of several orders of magnitude during the former period.5 Such
two-to-three day runoff peaks, as indicated on hydrographs for
Missouri River tributaries, occur about a dozen times a year on
the average.
Basically, organic materials, containing bacteria and viruses
are discharged into the Missouri River. Fecal coliform counts
are generally in excess of State of Iowa Water Quality Standards
of less than 2000 organisms/100 ml (February 12, 1974). In
addition, persistence of a fecal sterol, coprostanol, confirmed
the presence of relatively fresh animal excreta in the river.5
Coprostanol is one of the principal sterols in the feces of man
and other higher animals - reportedly the only sources of the
compound.6 Salmonella a pathogenic group of bacteria, has been
isolated from Missouri River water. Additionally, organic
contamination of channel catfish held captive in cages at Sioux
City has been indicated by taste panel studies.
The EPA,5 in summary, stated that the Missouri River
represented a potential hazard to anyone using it as a source of
drinking water or recreation. It could, however, be restored to
a relatively clean river through implementation of existing waste
water treatment technology.
Ecologically, the Missouri River provides a variety of
habitats. However, the amount of productive habitat has been
significantly reduced by channelization over the years.
Estimated losses, due to channelization, of Missouri main stem
and/or tributary habitat range from 67 percent of the benthie
area2 to 95 percent of the "aquatic habitat'1.8 Gould and
Schmulbach7, found almost twice as many fish in the unchannelized
portions of the Missouri River as in the channelized portions.
Recreational fishing pressure reflects these differences.
Green19, found that the annual fishing pressure on the portion of
the Missouri River which includes the Neal 4 site was 901
hr/mile/year. The upstream unchannelized portions of the river
received 1,218 hr/mile/year while the Gavin's Point Dam tail
waters received 33,886 hr/mile/year. These values can be
compared to those reported by Green19 for other rivers, including
the Mississippi (8,811 hr/mile/year) the Des Moines (10,U1^
hr/mile/year) and the Platte (4,439 hr/mile/year). Still, the
111-21
-------
Missouri River below Sioux City supports a characteristic
assemblage of fish species, which have been recruited primarily
from upstream (unchannelized) areas, wing dike habitats, and
cutoffs.
The main channel and channel border of rivers such as the
Missouri have fish communities composed of channel and flathead
catfish, carp, smallmouth and bigmouth buffalo, carpsuckers, and
freshwater drum.10 These communities differ little from those of
large prairie streams, in which, quoting Funk,»o the "catfish -
carp -carpsucker community is prevalent in all but the smallest
... (low-gradient) streams." Other game species in this community
include sauqer, crappie, bullhead, white bass, northern pike,
bluegill, and paddlefish.* Carp, drum, goldeye, and channel cat
were the fish most frequently taken by sport fisherman19, and
they, as well as flathead catfish, buffalo, and suckers, support
a very modest commerial fishery in the Missouri River. Forage
species include tiie gizzard shad, various chubs, shiners, and
minnows.
Table III-C-1 presents commercial fishery landings for 1972-
1975 from Iowa boundary waters of the Missouri River. Spinner ll
considered the fishery "insignificant", as contrasted to the
Mississippi Fiver, and attributed low catches of fish in the
Missouri Fiver to stream channelization. As an indication of the
magnitude of the fishery, in 1972 there were 400 linear feet of
gill net and 11,000 linear feet of trammel net licensed for use
in the Missouri River. By contrast, over 250,000 combined linear
feet of these gear were licensed for use in Iowa boundary waters
of the Mississippi River.1* Numbers of hoop and slat nets in use
on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers bordering Iowa in 1972
were 94 and 8845, respectively. Missouri River commercial
fisheries accounted for an estimated $4,283.88 in 1972, while
Mississippi River fisheries were valued at $442,162.56.*l The
total annual recreational value of the fishery from the Gavin's
Point Dam to Rulo, Nebraska has been estimated at $619,000.19
2. Site Specific Ecological Data
Since July, 1971, Iowa Public Service Company (IPS) has
sponsored a detailed pre- and post-operational study of the
Missouri River aquatic ecology in the vicinity of Neal Unit 3,
located about 1.8 miles up-river from the Neal Unit 4 site.
Briefly, the program has involved collecting and analyzing
bi-monthly water quality grab samples, and identifying biologic
populations and communities along the river. The methodologies
employed in the program are summarized in the following
paragraphs. A more detailed description of procedures can be
found in Appendix A III-C. Water quality analyses were performed
according to methods and procedures outlined in Standard Methods
for The Examination of Water and Waste Mater.*z
The biotic communities studied included phytoplankton,
periphyton, macrophyte, zooplankton, benthic macroinvertetrate.
111-22
-------
Harvest
Species
(Ibs/Round)
1972 1973 1974 1975
Avg Price/lb
1972
1973
1974
1975
1972
($)
1973 1974
1975
Carp
17,038 24,510 15,502 17,689 0.05
0.06
0.05
0.05
851.90 1,470.60 775.00 bd4.45
Buffalo
Sr:allr.iOuth
Black
3,693 10,088 6,432 8,742 0.15
0.15
0.16
0.22
553.95 1,513.20 1,029.00 1,923.24
Catfish
Channel
Flathead
4.SS3 6,419
1,485 2,683
5,186 5,734
2,984 2,444
0.35
0.35
0.46
0.46
0.45
0.45
0.49
0.49
916
965 1,243 1,701
3.08
0.10 0.10 0.11
Sturgeon Sand
147
97
323
0.35 0.41 0.35 0.32
7,375 7,946 6,942 3,339 0.05 0.04 0.05
0.05
Others
Xoor.eye
Goidcye
Shad
330
412
784
40 0.04
0.02
0.03 0.03
13.20 8.24 24.00 12.00
Bullhead
TOTAL
36,821 54,355 40,508 41,891
4,283.88 7,819.57 6,226.00 7,631.05
undressed
Source: Spinner —
o
envirosphere
company
_A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
COMMERCIAL LANDINGS IN IOWA BOUNDARY WATERS OF THE
MISSOURI RIVER (1972-1975)
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-1
-------
and fish. Phytoplankton samples were collected by filtering five
gallons of river water through a Wisconsin Net (No. 20,76 u
mesh). Zooplankton in the June 1973 - December 1975 sampling
period were identified from phytoplankton and drift net studies.
However, in the June 1975 - August 1975 study, zooplankton were
also collected by towing a metered Wisconsin plankton net so that
150 liters passed through the net. Organisms were identified to
lowest possible taxon in replicate samples mounted in a
Sedgewick-Rafter cell. A drift net was used to sample
invertebrate drift; and a series of artificial substrate baskets
was used to collect benthic macroinvertebrates. Quarterly
fisheries surveys were conducted using AC electrofishing
apparatus, seine nets and gill nets, as conditions allowed.
Larval fishes were sampled with Wildco stream drift nets.
From July 1971 through April 1973, water quality and plankton
samples were taken along three transects (Exhibit III-C-2) :
• Transect I - 14,100 feet (2.67 miles) below Neal
Units 10-3;
• Transect II - 3,000 feet below Neal Units 1-3;
• Transect III - 1,380 feet above Neal Units 1-3.
Since then, a new series of eight stations, spaced linearly
along the Iowa shore of the Missouri river, has been established
for these purposes (Exhibit III-C-3). Transect I was located
5,700 feet below the proposed Neal Unit 4, whereas. Station 1 of
the new series of stations is approximately 4,785 feet above the
Neal Unit 4 site. Artificial substrate stations are located from
Browers Bend (just above Neal Units 1-3) to Snyder Bend (just
below Neal Unit 4), and fisheries seining stations extend to Unit
4. Data taken from the stretch of the Missouri River from Brower
Bend to Snyder Bend are considered representative to evaluate the
proposed Neal station expansion.
Data presented here are essentially restricted to a nineteen
month period from May 1973 to December 1975. This corresponds to
the time when new stations were designated for water quality and
plankton monitoring. However, limited use is made of water
quality data gathered at Transect I, from August 1971 through
April 1973. Fisheries data are included in their entirety.
Detailed data tabulations for Transects I-III, and additional
benthic invertebrate (substrate) data are given by Baldwin and
Hey13 and Hey and Baldwin14
a. Water Quality
The 1973-1974 monitoring program documented bimonthly changes
in temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total and
orthophosphate, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, chemical
oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, and total, dissolved, suspended,
and volatile solids. In addition, total and fecal coliform, and
fecal streptococci were measured at monthly intervals. In the
following discussion only data collected at Stations 1 and 6 (see
111-24
-------
GEORGE NEAL STATIONS 1-3
Proposed George Neal
'Unit 4
c
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
WATER QUALITY AND PLANKTON SAMPLING
STATIONS, JULY 1971 - APRIL 1973
DATE:
SCALE;
111-25
EXHIBIT
III-C-2
-------
GEORGE NEAL STATIONS I-3
LOCATION
I.- 3000 FEET DOWNSTREAM FROM NFAL 1-3
AND 10 FEET OFFSHORE
2.-700 FEET DOWNSTREAM AND 10 FEET
OFFSHORE.
3.-80 FEET DOWNSTREAM AND 10 FEET
OFFSHORE.
4.- NEAL 1-3 OUTFLOW.
8.- NEAL 1-3 INTAKE.
6.- 200 FEET ABOVE NEAL 1-3 AND 10 FEET
OFFSHORE.
7- TERRA CHEMICAL OUTFLOW.
8.-S40FEET ABOVE TERRA CHEMICAL
AND 10 FEET OFFSHORE.
Proposed George Neal
Unit 4
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
WATER QUALITY AND PLANKTON
SAMPLING STATIONS. MAY 1973 - PRESENT
DATE:
SCALE:
111-26
EXHIBIT
IU-C-3
-------
Exhibit III-C-3) , will be considered. Station 1 is located
approximately 3000 feet downstream from Neal Unit 3 and
represents ambient conditions for Neal Unit 4.
As water quality at Station 1 is influenced by inputs from
the Port Neal Industrial arear a statistical comparison was made
between Stations 1 and 8 to determine if the Missouri River water
quality is being affected by these inputs. The results are
summarized in Table III-C-2.
The comparisons were made using the "t" statistic as applied
to paired variables. This technique substantially increases the
sensitivity of the test in that eliminates the large variability
in the raw data resulting from seasonal and short-term effects,
e.g. flow. To be strictly valid, the samples would have to have
been obtained allowing for the time travel between stations. As
this was not done, the statistical analysis should be interpreted
as only indicating possible differences between stations. The
levels of ammonia, nitrogen, total solids and chemical oxygen
demand (COD) were significantly greater at Station 1 than at
Station 8. The increases most probably result from discharges
from Station 7. They were observed to have high levels of
ammonia-nitrogen, up to 200 mg/1; IDS, up to 4000 mg/1; and COD,
up to 240 mg/1. Phosphate was significantly greater at Station
8; the reason not apparent.
i. Existing Water Quality - Neal Unit 4
Station 1 was selected as best representing tne ambient
conditions for Neal Unit 4. The result of two years of water
quality sampling and analysis is summarized in Table III-C-3 and
discussed in detail in the following sections.
The pH levels observed during the study period are presented
in Exhibit III-C-4. Most of the samples were slightly alkaline,
in the pH range 8.2 to 8.8. The relatively low pHs, 7.6 to 8.0,
recorded during the colder months, November 1973 through April
1974, most probably resulted from subsurface releases from the
Gavins Point dam. These releases would be expected to have
rather high CO2 concentrations, which would depress the pH
levels.
Alkalinity and Hardness
As shown in Table III-C-3, alkalinity and hardness levels in
the Missouri River are high. The mean total alkalinity and total
hardness concentrations were 167 and 250 mg/1, respectively.
111-27
-------
Standard Confidence
Parameter Mean Difference Deviation Interval
(1-8) (95%)
pH (Std Units) 0.005 0.131 +/-0.034
Dissolved Oxy- -0.085 0.346 +/-0.104
gen (mg/1)
Nutrients
-i-
Ortho-Phosphate -0.02" 0.010 +/-0.003
(mg/1)
Total Phosphate 0.005 0.020 +/-0.006
(mg/1)
Ammonia (mg/l-N) 0.116" 0.209 +/-0.063
Nitrate (mg/l-N) -0.001 0.122 +/-0.037
Solids
Total (mg/1) 9.50" 18.9 +/-S.76
Total Suspended 8.45 32.0 +/-9.7S
(mg/1)
Dissolved (mg/1) 5.66 20.6 +/-6.26
Total Volatile 1.04 17.6 +/-S.38
(mg/D
Turbidity (FTU) -1.81 6.21 +/-1.87
Chemical Oxy- ,v
gen Demand (mg/1) 1.86' 5.12 +/-1.56
The difference between stations is significant at the 95 percent
confidence level.
envirosphere
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
A COMPARISON OF WATER QUALITY AT
STATIONS 1 AND 8
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-2
111-28
-------
(mg/D
Percent Satura-
tion
Alkalinity (mg/1)
Total
Phenolphth-
aleine
Total Hardness
(mg/1)
BOD
Total Iron
Nutrients
Ortho - PO, (mg/1)
Total - P04 (mg/1)
NH3 - N (mg/1)
N03 - N (mg/1)
Solids
Total (mg/1)
Min
7.6
-1.0
6.9
84
148
0
196
1.4
1.09
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.06
Max
9.0
26.8
15.4
122
188
12
304
9.0
31.7
0.11
0.14
1.50
1.14
491
691
98
167
3.7
250
4.2
5.7
0.032
0.050
0.236
0.327
549
5.6
12.3
4.0
23.6
2.8
9.8
0.022
0.031
0.270
0.296
32.9
c
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
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SUMMARY OF WATER QUALITY AT
DATE:
- NEAL UNIT 4
STATION 1
SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-3
-------
OJ
o
Parameter
Total suspended
(rag/1)
Dissolved (mg/1)
Total Volatile
(mg/1)
Turbidity (FTU)
COD (mg/1)
Range
Min
Max
11
432
42
9
5.6
130
613
150
39
56.5
Mean
55.3
493
69.7
23.9
13.2
Standard
Deviation
18.1
28.3
16.9
8.1
6.8
o
envirosphere
company
DATE:
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
SUMMARY OF WATER QUALITY AT STATION 1
SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-3
(cont'd)
-------
9 . 0
e
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» OiViSiON Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
SEMI-MONTHLY LEVELS OF pH
DATE:
AT STATIC N 1
SCAIE:
EXHIBIT
III-C-4
-------
Iron
The concentrations of total iron reported are rather high for
a surface water, up to 32 mg/1 with a mean of 5.7. The iron
content is most probably associated with suspended sediment in
the form of Fe2(OH)3.
Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels at Station 1 are relatively high
and exhibit the normal seasonal variation for DO concentrations,
as shown in Exhibit Ill-c-5. Because of the seasonal variation
in DO concentrations, the percent saturation is generally a more
useful parameter for assessing the oxygen regimen of a stream.
As shown in Exhibit III-c-5 the percent DO saturation levels are
satisfactory. The seasonal variation in saturation levels
results from the higher rates of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD),
Nitrification Oxygen Demand (NOD), and benthal oxygen demand
during the warmer months. Several observations exceeding
saturation were noted during the colder months. This may have
resulted from the entrapment of small air bubbles, resulting from
the highly turbulent flow of the Missouri River.
Temperature
Temperature variation is given in Exhibit III-C-6.
Temperatures showed the normal seasonal variation, with maximums
occuring during July and August and minimums during January and
February. During the two-year study, the average temperature was
12.3° C with a maximum of 26.8° C and a minimum of -1° C.
Nutrients
The levels of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen, and phosphates,
both total and ortho, were determined at semimonthly intervals
over the study period. Exhibit III-C-7 presents the
concentrations of NH3-N, NO3-N and total PO4 at Station 1.
Nutrient levels exhibited seasonal fluctuations, with minimum
levels observed during the late summer, July through September.
During the winter months the nutrient levels remained relatively
constant; sharp increases in nutrient levels were noted during
the spring.
The decreased nutrient levels during the summer most probably
result from increased biological activity, especially algae,
while sharp increases in the spring probably result from the
application of fertilizers during the planting season.
Solids and Turbidity
Suspended solids concentration in the Missouri River are
moderately high, a mean of 55.3 mg/1, as would be expected of a
rapidly flowing, highly turbulent river. In general, levels
tended to be somewhat lower during the low flow stages, non-
111-32
-------
— —— —— LiSSOLVtD OXYGEN
PERCENT SATURATION
130
120
I 00
9 0
80
•» I 6
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SEMI-MDNTHLY I£VELS OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN AND
PERCENT SATURATION AT STATION 1
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
III-C-5
-------
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SEMI-MONTHLY LEVELS OF TEMPERATURE AT STATION 1
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
tII-C-6
-------
2.0
AMMONIA -N mg/l
NITRATE -Nmg/l
TOTAL PHOSPHATE mg/lx10
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, 3IV,-,,ON OF iBASCC MIVi;!, ,N,;-i- -l.A',0,
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SEMI-MONTHLY NUTRIENT LEVE
DATE:
NEAL UNIT 4
L S AT S TAT ION 1
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
11I-C-7
-------
navigation season, with maximum levels associated with rainfall
events. Turbidity levels generally paralleled the suspended
solids. The average turbidity at Station 1 was 23.9 Formazin
Turbidity Units (equivalent to Jackson Turbidity Units) .
Total dissolved solids levels remained relatively constant,
varying between UOO and 600 mg/1.
Chemical Oxygen Demand
The COD levels at Station 1 varied between 5.6 and 56.5 mg/1
with a mean of 13.2 mg/1. The COD levels measured are typical of
a slightly polluted environment.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD^
BOD levels with a mean of 4.2 are characteristic of slightly
polluted streams. The mean COD to BOD ratio is 3:1, and
indicates the organic pollutants in the stream are readily
degradable.
Bacterial Indicators of Pollution
Table III-C-4 summarizes the total coliform (TC) , fecal
coliform (FC) , fecal streptococci (FS) , and FC/FS ratio from
Station 1. The means presented are geometric means, (X1 • X2 ...
Xn) 1/n. FC counts were high at Station 1, the mean number per
100 ml exceeds the Iowa water quality criteria for the Missouri
River by a factor greater than two.
ii. Summary
The water quality in the vicinity of the Neal station remains
rather high considering the substantial pollutional loads from
the Sioux City area, both sewage and stockyard wastes. The high
flow rates, flow velocity, and resulting turbulence combine to
provide the Missouri River with an extremely high capacity for
self purification. This is evidenced by high dissolved oxygen
percent saturation levels even with substantial BOD loadings from
the Sioux City region.
From a water quality standpoint the most significant
consideration for the Missouri below Sioux city is the high FC
and FS levels which results from the discharge of inadequately
treated sewage and animal wastes. The high levels indicate a
potentially serious health hazard to swimmers in water bodies fed
from the Missouri.
b. Algae
Detailed data of abundance and distribution of phytoplankton
genera found in the vicinity of the George Neal Station Units1-4
from May 1973 through April 1974 and from June 1974 to December
1975, are presented in Appendix Table A-III-C-1. Exhibit III-C-8
111-36
-------
Total Co li form
Fecal Coliform
Fecal Strepto-
cocci
FC/FS Ratio
Geometric
Mean
per 100 ml
31,700
4,600
920
5.0
Maximum
per 100 ml
146,000
103,000
17,000
98
Minimum
per 100 ml
2,600
180
140
0.09
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
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- MEAL UNIT 4
MONTHLY BACTERIAL COUNTS STATION 1
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-4
-------
LEGEND.
BLUE-GREENS
J GREENS
L
J
DIATOMS
Number above each bar indicates
abundance in cells/liter
! "E" FORMAT - 10' )
NO DATA
us
GO
G
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VISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED"1
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DIVERSITY (NUMBER OF GENERA) AND ABUNDANCE
(NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS) OF PHYTOPLANKTON, STATIONS 1-8
MISSOURI RIVER, IOWA
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
III-C-8
-------
represents a consolidation of the data from May 1973 to February
1974.
The data indicate an overwhelming year-round dominance by
diatoms. The most abundant genera observed during the study were
Asterionella, dominant from January or February through June or
July, and Cyclotella, usually dominant from July or August
through December or January. However, in the November and
December 1975 samples, Asterionella was dominant while in the
October 1975 sample Nitzchia was dominant. Both Asterionella and
Cyclotella are euplanktonic. Other important diatoms included
Fragillaria, Melosira, Nitzchia and Navicula. Nitzchia and
Navicula are benthic and were more abundant at Station 4 on
various dates (see Appendix A-III-C-A) . Abundance of other
benthic diatoms, (Diatoma, Gomphonema, Synedra) was usually
independent of levels of Navicula and Nitzchia. Kite diagrams
showing temporal changes in the relative contribution of
Asterionella, Cyclotella, Nitzchia, and Navicula to the total
sample composition (May 1973 to May 1974) are presented in
Appendix A-III-C-A.
Green algae reached their peak abundances in late summer 1973
and during June 1974 and June 1975. Distribution of green algae
was variable (Exhibit III-C-8).
Blue-green algae were present in low numbers, usually 2000
cells/liter and were generally absent in plankton samples in
winter and early spring. Blue-greens, as a group, grow optimally
in higher temperatures than green algae and diatoms.23 However,
there appeared to be no significant differences in their
abundances among the stations sampled, although the May 1973 to
May 1974 data showed small increases in blue-green numbers
observed at Station 4. Commonly sampled genera of blue-green
algae included Oscillatgria, Spirulina, Anacystis and
Stichosiphon.
Similarities and dissimilarities in the composition of the
plankton community among the seven stations are apparent when
faunal affinity indices are used. Sanders* 2* index of affinity
was used to produce trellis diagrams for each sampling date from
May 1973 to April 1974 (Appendix Exhibits A-III-C-1 through 11).
Appendix Exhibits A-III-C-2 and 4 effectively illustrate, with a
single number, the sample differences. The dominance of samples
taken in June at Station 4 by Navicula and Nitzchia, and of
samples taken in August, by Nitzchia, is reflected in low
similarities between that station and others sampled. Numbers of
Asterionella and Cyclotella which dominated the other samples on
a percentage basis, were approximately the same for all stations
(with the single exception of Asterionella at Station 4, in June
1973).
Differences in levels of abundance of key species from May
1973 to February 1974 were also reflected in dendrograms, or tree
diagrams depicting station similarities. These are shown in
111-39
-------
Appendix Exhibits A-III-C-12 to 20, and were formed by regrouping
stations on the basis of a general similarity coefficient given
by Gower.26 Differences in samples taken at Station 4 stand out
distinctly in Mayf June, July, August and October (Appendix
Exhibits A-III-C-12 to 15 and 17), when levels of similarity with
respect to other stations were between only 0.30 and 0.40 on a
scale of 1.00.
Dendrograms based simply on the presence or absence of genera
convey yet a different picture (Appendix Exhibits A-III-C-21 to
29). No consistent community patterns emerge in Appendix
Exhibits A-III-C-21 through 28.
Two qualitative "periphyton" surveys (as they have come to be
called) were conducted in the Port Neal area in 1973. In June
1973, rocks were sampled upstream and downstream of Neal Units 1
and 2 discharge. In August 1973, rocks were sampled upstream of,
downstream of, and on the discharge structure. Results are given
in Appendix Tables A-III-C-A-1 and 2. Station differences in
green algae were essentially opposite for the two sampling dates,
and the presence of blue-greens at and fcelow the discharge was
noted in August. Genera found were comparable to those reported
in the Missouri River near Brownville, Nebraska,21 where
communities colonizing glass panels were generally dominated by
Nitzchia and Navicula.
c. Macrophytes
In the channelized sections of the Missouri River, few if any
macrophytes exist because of flow manipulation and shifting
substrate. However, in the backwater areas during the lower
river levels of 1973 and 1974, the relative abundance of
Phraqmites comrcunis, Polygonum and Typha spp. increased. Sedges
and rushes became more important, and cottonwood and willows
established themselves on exposed sandbars.17 In 1975, during the
high river flows, this vegetation was submerged.
d. Zoopiankton
According to phytoplankton and zooplankton samples collected
in the Missouri River from June 1973 through December 1975, a
copepod, Cyclops, was the dominant animal, although Diaptomus
(another copepod) and Daphnia (a cladoceran) occurred regularly
in the summer of 1973. Daphnia was by far the dominant genus
collected in drift net samples. Organisms such as mites
(Hydracarina) and hydroids (Hydra) occurred with low, but equal
frequency. Rotifers, which have been described as nearly always
dominating the riverine zooplankton16, were notably absent
(Appendix Table A-III-C-1.) This was probably due to the fact
that size of the drift net (243 u) was too large to trap rotifers
(according to Pennakss, rotifers range from 100-500 u long).
During June and July of 1975 when zocplankton samples were made
by towing a metered Wisconsin net made of 76 u mesh nitex,
samples included both protozoa and rotifers. The ten species of
111-40
-------
9 . 0
8 . 8
8 . 6
8 . 4
8 2
8 . 0
7. 8
7 .6
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A 0( VISION OF E&ASCO SERVICES INCOBPOBATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
SEMI-MONTHLY LEVELS OF pH AT STATION
1
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
III-C-4
-------
Iron
The concentrations of total iron reported are rather high for
a surface water, up to 32 mg/1 with a mean of 5.7. The iron
content is most probably associated with suspended sediment in
the form of Fe2(OH)3.
Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels at Station 1 are relatively high
and exhibit the normal seasonal variation for DO concentrations,
as shown in Exhibit IlI-c-5. Because of the seasonal variation
in DO concentrations, the percent saturation is generally a more
useful parameter for assessing the oxygen regimen of a stream.
As shown in Exhibit III-c-5 the percent DO saturation levels are
satisfactory. The seasonal variation in saturation levels
results from the higher rates of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD),
Nitrification Oxygen Demand (NOD), and benthal oxygen demand
during the warmer months. Several observations exceeding
saturation were noted during the colder months. This may have
resulted from the entrapment of small air bubbles, resulting from
the highly turbulent flow of the Missouri River.
Temperature
Temperature variation is given in Exhibit III-C-6.
Temperatures showed the normal seasonal variation, with maximums
occuring during July and August and minimums during January and
February. During the two-year study, the average temperature was
12.3° C with a maximum of 26.8° C and a minimum of -1° C.
Nutrients
The levels of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen, and phosphates,
both total and ortho, were determined at semimonthly intervals
over the study period. Exhibit III-C-7 presents the
concentrations of NH3-N, NO3-N and total PO4 at Station 1.
Nutrient levels exhibited seasonal fluctuations, with minimum
levels observed during the late summer, July through September.
During the winter months the nutrient levels remained relatively
constant; sharp increases in nutrient levels were noted during
the spring.
The decreased nutrient levels during the summer most probably
result from increased biological activity, especially algae,
while sharp increases in the spring probably result from the
application of fertilizers during the planting season.
Solids and Turbidity
Suspended solids concentration in the Missouri River are
moderately high, a mean of 55.3 mg/1, as would be expected of a
rapidly flowing, highly turbulent river. In general, levels
tended to be somewhat lower during the low flow stages, non-
111-32
-------
rotifers collected were evenly distributed at the three sites
sampled. Difflugia was the most abundant protozoan collected.
Copepods were present in all samples in June 1975, but their
abundance, and that of the rotifers, decreased as the summer
progressed. The Cladocera were less numerous than the Copepoda,
and were represented by Bosmina and Daphnia.
e. Macroinvertebrates
i. Drift
Drift studies in the Missouri River have been conducted by
Russell*, Holz33, and Morris et al^2. Dipterans were found by
Holz33 and Russell* to be the dominant insects near the
Iowa/South Dakota line. Hey and Baldwin15, in the present series
of investigations (Appendix Table A-III-C-2), also found that
Diptera was the most abundant order of insect collected.
Ephemeroptera (mayflies) and Diptera comprised approximately
equal percentages of the insect drift in studies by Morris et
al2, however, mayflies were not abundant in drift at the Port
Neal site. Morris et aj.2 found greater crustacean biomass in the
drift from unchannelized portions of the Missouri River, but
biomass of insects was higher in the drift in channelized areas.
ii. Artificial Substrates
Artificial substrates were used to collect macroinvertebrate
samples. The data collected in the vicinity of the George Neal
Stations'!-4 during April 1973 to November 1975 are given in
Appendix Table A-III-C-3. Aquatic macroinvertebrates have
classically been used as indicators of organic pollution.30, 3S,
3* The kinds of invertebrates colonizing substrates in the Port
Neal area of the Missouri River were generally the facultative
and/or intolerant groups30, as opposed to the more pollution
tolerant forms such as tubificids, and certain snails and
beetles.
Dominant macroinvertebrates at Port Neal were midges
(Tendipes), caddis flies (order: Trichoptera) , mayflies (order:
Ephemeroptera), planarians (phylum: Turbellaria), and hydras
(phylum: Hydrazoa), Nematodes (roundworms), stoneflies (order:
Plecoptera) , and sow bugs (Asellus; class: Crustacea), were
occasionally abundant, overall, the class Insecta, and primarily
the orders Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Diptera were dominant.
Their numbers, expressed as medians over all stations sampled
(Exhibit III-C-9), are presented in Exhibit III-C-10 for April
1973 to October 1973.
There was considerable variability in distribution and
abundance of invertebrates among individual samplers. This
variability is illustrated in Exhibit III-C-11 (April 1973 to
October 1973) for insects, as well as in trellis diagrams of
indices of affinity using all animals sampled (Appendix Exhibits
A-III-C-30 to 36), April 1973 to November 1973. At times.
HI-41
-------
GEORGE NEAL STATIONS 1-3
6 \ 700'DOWNSTREAM
ProposedjGeorge Neal
Unit 4
e
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
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ARTIFICIAL SUBSTRATE SAMPLER STATIONS, 1973
DATE:
SCALE:
111-42
EXHIBIT
III-C-9
-------
100 <
v>
_ 100 <
a:
UJ
m
100
TRICHOPTERA
EPHEMEROPTE R A
D I P T E R A
A/M'M/J ' J/J ' J/A 'A/8 'S/O'O/N
EXPOSURE PERIOD
e
envirosphere
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A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MONTHLY MEDIAN ABUNDANCE OF TRICHOPTERA
(CADDISFLIESJ. EPHEMEROPTERA (MAYFLIESj,
AND DIPTERA (MIDGES), OVER ALL ARTIFICIAL
SUBSTRATE STATIONS,, MISSOURI RIVER,
IOWA AND NEBRASKA
DATE:
SCALE;
111-43
EXHIBIT
III-C-10
-------
NUMBER OF OMDIVODUAD.S
J i < 100
J 100 <: 250
J 250 < 500
> 500
-g
5
NO DATA
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C'VERSITY (NUMBER OF FAMILIES! AND ABUNDANCE (NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS)
OF AQUATIC INSECTS COLLECTED ON ARTIFICIAL SUBSTRATES
MISSOURI RIVER. IOWA
DATE:
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
III-C-11
-------
abundance of insects was higher downstream (Stations 1, 2, 3 and
22, 23, 24) than upstream (Exhibit III-C-11). However, no
consistent patterns emerged, and the data failed to indicate a
deleterious effect on aquatic insect communities due to operation
of Neal Units 1 and 2 (primarily thermal, see Table III-C-5 for
example). Upon closer inspection of data given in Appendix Table
A-III-C-3, certain trends however do, appear; i.e., caddis flies
and mayflies were often more abundant in semiprotected areas
along the Nebraska shore (Stations 16, 17, 18, and 22, 23, 24)
than they were on the Iowa shore. Also, the crustacean Asellus
(sow bug) had a tendency to be more abundant at Stations 13 to
15, compared to other stations on the Iowa site. Other animals
showed wide spatial variability. The correlation between drift
organisms and organisms populating artificial substrates was not
obvious, although Diptera were commonly numerous in both sets of
samples.
f. Fish
Fish species indigenous to the Missouri River have been
described in a general way in Section III-C-1, and commercial
data for 1972-1975 have been presented. The community is
dominated by catfish, carp, and carpsucker with additional
species such as northern pike, sauger, buffalo, gizzard shad, and
others enhancing the diversity of the system. Channelization has
been cited as the major cause of decreased productivity in the
Missouri River. Existing species are dependent upon wing dike
habitats, upstream areas (in particular below the Gavins Point
Dam), cutoffs, and seasonally-inundated flood plains for spawning
and recruitment.
Often, spawning of riverine fish is accompanied by a general
upstream movement,, and significant losses to populations within
the normal adult "home range" are thus averted.16 This may be
true of carp, carpsuckers, catfish, minnows, and others, although
specific data are not available. Sauger may move upstream to
spawn in the vicinity of Gavins Point Dam, and some sauger are
probably recruited from Lewis and Clark Lake above the dam.38
Recruitment from Lewis and Clark Lake may also be expected for
carp, carpsucker, channel catfish, freshwater drum, walleye, and
shiners.38 Intrastream movements may also normally occur for
reasons other than spawning. For example, up and downstream
movement of channel catfish has been well documented39, *°, 41
and it has been suggested that at any given time both sedentary
and mobile groups may exist within the population.16
Abundance of fishes in the Missouri River was studied by bag
seining, electrofishing, trammel netting, and gill netting.
Common and scientific names of fish species collected at Port
Neal, are given in Table III-C-6. Carp, river carpsucker,
goldeye and gizzard shad were the most common species found in
the greatest numbers an all habitats present in the study area.
111-45
-------
Depth
Surface
1'
2'
5'
LO1
Sampling Sites:
#1 #2 #3 #6 08
83.1 82.8 86.0 82.4 82.0
(1.1) ( .8) (4.0) ( .4) (0.0)
82.8 83.3 86.7 82.2 81.7
( .8) (1.3) (4.7) ( .2) -( .3)
82.8 83.3 86.0 82.2 82.0
( .8) (1.3) (4.0) ( .2) (0.0)
82.9 83.5 85.8 82.2 82.0
( .9) (1.5) (3.8) ( .2) (0.0)
82.8 83.5 84.6 82.0* 82.0**
( .8) (1.5) (2.6) (0.0) (0.0)
* depth at bottom 8.8'
** depth at bottom 9.0'
Note: ambient river temperature determined at
4:00 p.m. prior to sampling site-
thermal profiles « 82.0°F
Location of Sampling Sites Used in Preoperational Study for Neal III
1 3000 feet
downstream from George Neal Station and 10 feet out from
shore (same as old Site II-Iowa)
2 700 feet
downstream from George Neal Station and 10 feet out from
shore (same as Site II-A)
3 80 feet downstream from George Neal Station and 10 feet out from shore
6 200 feet
upstream from George Neal Station and 10 feet out from shore
8 approximately 400 feet upstream from the Terra Chemical outflow
and 10 feet out from shore
4 Neal Station outflow - not included here
5 Neal Station intake - not included here
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
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THERMAL PROFILES TABLE
SAMPLING SITES (° F) - JULY 12, 1973
DATE: SCALE:
111-46
-------
Common Name
Bigmouth buffalo
Black bullhead
Black crappie
Bluegill
Blue sucker
Bullhead Minnow
Burbot
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel catfish
Flathead catfish
Flathead chub
Freshwater drum
Gizzard shad
Goldeye
Green sunfish
Johnny darter
Largemouth bass
Longnose gar
Minnows
Mirror carp
Mooneye
Northern pike
Orangespotted sunfish
Pallid sturgeon
Plains flathead chub
Scientific Name
Ictiobus cyprinellus
Ictaluras melas
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Lempomis marochirus
Cycleptus elongatus
Pimephales vigilax
Lota lota
Cyprinus carpio
Carpiodes carpio
Ictalurus punctatus
Pylodictus olivaris
Hybopsis gracilis
Aplodinotus grunniens
Dorosoma cepedianum
Hiodon alosoides
Lepomis cyanellus
Etheostoma nigrum
Micropterus salmoides
Lepisosteus osseus
Notropis spp.
Cyprinus carpio
Hiodon tergisus
Esox lucius
Lepomis humilus
Scaphirhynchus album
Hybopsis gracilis
envlrosphere
company
A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT 4
COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF
FISH COLLECTED IN THE PORT NEAL AREA
OF THE MISSOURI RIVER AND ITS BACKWATERS
(SHEET 1 OF 2)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-47
TABLE
III-C-6
-------
Common Name
Pumpkinseed
River Carpsucker
River redhorse
Sauger
Shorthead redhorse
Shortnose gar
Shovelnose sturgeon
Skipjack herring
Smallmouth bass
Smallmouth buffalo
Stonecat
Walleye
White bass
White crappie
White sucker
Yellow perch
Scientific Name
Lepomis gibbosus
Carpiodes carpio
Moxostoma carinatum
Stizostedion canadense
Moxostoma macrotepidotum
Lepisosteus platostomus
Scaphirhynchus platyorynchus
Alosa chrysochloris
Micropterus dolomieui
Ictiobus bubalus
Noturus flavus
Stizostedion vitreum vitreum
Morone chrysops
Pomoxis annularis
Catostomus commersoni
Perca flavescens
o
envirosphere
company
«. DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT 4
COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF
FISH COLLECTED IN THE PORT NEAL AREA
OF THE MISSOURI RIVER AND ITS BACKWATERS
(SHEET 2 OF 2)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-48
TABLE
III-C-6
(Cont'd)
-------
Fish species were collected in varying life history stages,
depending on the habitat sampled and gear selectivity. For
example, bluegills, minnows, johnny darters, crappies, largemouth
bass and yellow perch were only collected by bag seining in
backwater areas (Exhibit III-O12). Most of these, and other
species collected by seining, were young-of-the-year individuals
(Appendix Table A-III-C-4).
Electrofishing was the most successful sampling method,
although it is apparently not effective on channel catfish32, *2.
The presence of channel catfish was indicated by commercial
fisheries data (Section III-C-1) and Neal Units 1,2 and 3 intake
screen impingement data (Section IV-B). A summary of trammel and
gill net data for 1971-1975 is given in Table III-C-7, and
electrofishing data for areas above and below the present Neal 1
and 2 discharge are given in Table III-C-8. Gammon42 has shown
that carp, carpsucker, and buffalo are attracted to warm water
discharge in the Wabash River, Indiana, and a trend toward
increased abundance of carp and carpsucker and total number of
species in the discharge plume of Neal 1 and 2 has been observed.
The most productive backwaters were sites, D, E, J and K
although sites D and F are apparently being filled by riparian
owners. In fact, all sites are subject to year-to-year river
level fluctuations and often winterkill. Sites F and J in
Nebraska, for example, experienced an extensive winterkill in
1973 resulting in the death of many carp, carpsucker, bullhead,
freshwater drum, crayfish, and frogs.is
Eggs arid larvae of the various fish species inhabiting the
Missouri River were taken in drift net samples and entrainment
(by Neal Units 1 and 2) samples in 1973, 1974, and 1975.
Of 1487 larvae taken in drift and entrainment samples from
May through August 1974, 79 percent were drum; 20 percent were
minnows; and 1 percent remained unidentified. Of 1,001 larvae
collected from May through August 1975, 42 percent were
freshwater drum and 57 percent were minnows (Tables III-C-9 and
10).
In comparison of data presented in the Environmental Report
for the Fort Calhoun Unit 1 nuclear station located about 65
miles to the south of Neal Unit 4, to the data provided herein,
differences in numbers of fish collected are significant.
Available literature19, substantiates these results. Green19
divided the portion of the Missouri River he studied into four
sections. Of these. Section II extends from Sioux City, Iowa to
Blair, Nebraska and includes the Neal 4 plat site. Section III
extends from Blair, Nebraska to Nebraska City, Nebraska and
contains the Ft Calhoun plant site. Section IV extends from
Nebraska City, Nebraska to Rulo, Nebraska. He states that "all
channelized river sections are not alike because of effects man-
made structures have had upon the river. For example. Section II
had more oxbow lakes with functional connections to the river
111-49
-------
GEORGE NEAL UNITS l-3i
Proposed George Neal
Unit 4
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
FISHERIES BACKWATER AND SHORELINE
SEINING AREAS
(A THROUGH K)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-50
EXHIBIT
III-C-12
-------
October 1971
(2 Trammel Nets - Each Set for 6 Hours)
Species Number Caught
Goldeye 2
Gizzard Shad 1
Northern Pike 2
Carp 9
Channel Catfish 1
Carpsuckers 30
Shortnose Gar 2
47 Total
May 1972
(1 Gill Net - Set for 3 Hours)
Species
Number Caught
Goldeye
Carpsuckers
Yellow Perch
Northern Redhorse
Carp
June 1972
10
21
1
1
_2
35 Total
(1 Gill Net - Set for 3 Hours)
Species Number Caught
Carpsuckers 4
Shortnose Gar j.
5 Total
August 1972
(3 Gill Nets - 2 Set for 3 Hours Each, 1 Set for 17 Hours
2 Trammel Nets - 1 Set Overnight, 1 Set and Fish were Driven Into It)
Species
Crappie
Gizzard Shad
Goldeye
Sauger
Shortnose Gar
Carpsucker
Channel Catfish
Bigmouth
Number Caught
G
5
9
3
2
6
T
1
25
30
1
_1
33 Totals
13/
,147
Baldwin and Hey^— and Hey and Baldwin—'
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OE EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SUMMARY OF MISSOURI RIVER TRAMMEL AND GILL
NET DATA, 1971-1975
(SHEET 1 OF 3)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-7
111-51
-------
April 1973
(1 Gill Net - Set Overnight; 1 Trammel Net Set Overnight)
Species
Redhorse
Shortnose Gar
Goldeye
Channel Catfish
Carp
Number Caught
2
1
2
August 1973
(1 Trammel Net Set Overnight)
1
1
I
3 Totals
Species
Number Caught
Carpsucker 13
Channel Catfish
Gizzard Shad
Largemouth Buffalo
Sauger _1
14 Total
July 1974
(1 Trammel Net Set Overnight)
Species
Number Caught
Carpsucker
Sauger
2
I Total
October 1974
(2 Gill.Nets and 1 Trammel Net, Each Set Overnight)
Species Number Caught
Channel Cat
Gizzard Shad
Goldeye
Sauger
Shortnose Gar
1
0
6
1
0
8
0
2
2
0
4
8 Totals
13/
Source: Baldwin and Hey—'
Hey and Baldwin-^/—/
147
Hey and Baldwin^'
envirosphere
company
«, DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SUMMARY OF MISSOURI RIVER TRAMMEL AND GILL
NET DATA, 1971-1975
(SHEET 2 OF 3.)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-52
TABLE
III-C-7
(Cont'd)
-------
(2 Gill Nets and 2
Species
Blue sucker
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel Catfish
Goldeye
River Redhorse
Shortnose Gar
S auger
(2 Gill Nets and 2
Species
Bigmouth Buffalo
Black Crappie
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel Catfish
Freshwater Drum
Gizzard Shad
Goldeye
Longnose Gar
May 1975
Trammel Nets, Each Set Overnight)
Number Caught
G T
3 0
0 2
1 3
1 0
10 10
1 1
2 1
1 _0
19 17 Totals
July 1975
Trammel Nets, Each Set Overnight)
Number Caught
G T
0 2
0 3
2 3
4 20
0 5
0 2
0 1
6 26
1 0
Shorthead Redhorse 0 6
Shortnose Gar
5 0
Smallmouth Buffalo 0 4
White Crappie
(2 Gill Nets and 4
Species
Black Bullhead
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel Catfish
Gizzard Shad
Goldeye
Largemouth Bass
Perch
Sauger
_i __!
19 73 Totals
October 1975
Trammel Nets, Each Set Overnight)
Number Caught
G T
0 2
1 5
2 17
0 1
2 0
4 30
1 0
1 1
4 3
Shorthead Redhorse 3 3
Shortnose Gar
White Bass
9 2
_1 _0
28 64 Totals
G = Gill Net; T = Trammel Net Source: Baldwin and Hey — and Hey and Baldwin —
OIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SUMMARY OF
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION. OF r \SCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE:
MISSOURI RIVER TRAMMEL AND GILL
NET DATA, 1971-1975
(SHEET 3 OF 3)
SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-7
(Cont'd)
111-53
-------
Carp
Carpsucker
Redhorse
Scnallmouth buffalo
Gizzard shad
Freshwater drum
Goldevc
Bigmouth buffalo
Blue sucker
Fiathead catftsh
White sucker
Channel catfish
9-P--I
Above
1-1
H
1
1
1
1
1
Stonecat
Bc!o«
9
I i
2
1
1 t
4
1
Mi rmr carp :
Shortnose gar
Green sunfish ; 1 1
White has s ^
S auger ! j 1
lalleye
6-8-7}
Above
28
4
4
2
1
1
I
1
1
!
Below
X
2
3
3
6-J6-73
Above
14
15
1
1
1
1
1
i ]
"
Below
9
13
3
2
I
I
1
1
1
1
"-H-73
Above
14
9
2
1
2
2
Below
16
17
1
1
1
3
! 7
j
10-4-73
Above
8
4
15
1
1
2
Below
5
4
3
U
2
3
1
4-19-74
Above
4
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
Below
18
4
1
1
1
1
5-4-74
Above
6
5
- 1
1
-.1
1
Below
18
9
2
1
1
-.1
4
-1
-.1
1
1
5-20-74
Above
3
3
,<1
U
Below
5
3
2
3
1
<1
1
5-31-74
Above
8
4
<\
2
1
<\
Below
12
5
<1
4
<1
1
<1
1
Source: Adapted from Baldwin and Hey —
and Hey and Baldwin —' —
envirosphere
company
A DIVISIC*-! Of :6ABCO SERVICES iNCORE'GPA-E!:
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
SYNOPSIS OF ELECTROFISHING RESULTS ABOVE AND BELOW GEORGE NEAL UNITS 1 & 2 (CATCH PER 1000 FT SHOCKED)
(SHEET 1 OF 2)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III -C B
-------
1
Bigmouth Buffalo
Blue Sucker
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Freshwater Drum
Gizzard Shad
Goldeye
Largemouth Bass
Mirror Carp
River Redhorse
S auger
Shorthead Redhorse
Shortnose Gar
Smallmouth Buffalo
tfalleye
tfhite Sucker
White Bass
k
Cr
envirosphere
company
July 25, 1974
Above
14
10
1
1
Below
1
19
11
1
<1
<1
1
< 1
5
November 1974
Above
6
11
<1
5
1
2
i
Below
7
13
<1
2
1
<1
May 1975
Above
4
12
<1
<1
<1
<1
<1
2
Below
1
1
6
10
1
<1
2
2
<1
<1
3
<1
July 1975
Above
4
17
2
<1
3
1
<1
Below
1
4
11
<1
<1
3
<1
1
<1
October
Above
1
3
2
3
2
<1
1
.
1975
Below
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
SYNOPSIS OF ELECTROFISHING RESULTS ABOVE AND BELOW
GEORGE NEAL UNITS 1 & 2 (CATCH PER 1000 FT SHOCKED)
(SHEET 2 OF 2)
DATE: SCALE:
1
3
5
<1
1
40
1
1
2
<1
1
III-C-8
(Cont'd)
-------
Date
May 1974
Notropis
Sauger
Unidentified
June 1974
Freshwater Drum
Notropis
Unidentified
July 1974
Freshwater Drum
Notropis
Unidentified
August 1974
Freshwater Drum
Notropis
Condenser Passage
Drift Net
Total
42
4
0
110
0
1
152
4
1
826
108
6
62
33
132
101
1
2
51
157
888
141
6
1,035
134
152
1
287
8
Collected with a Wildco Stream Drift Net - Nytex #6 - Aperature 243u
Weekly interval collections
Condenser passage data represent a composite: of 4 thirty minute samples for each date
Drift Net Data for each date represent a composite of 3 five minute drift net
samples. Source: Hey and Baldwin - 17/
A
envirospnere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
LARVAL FISH SURVEY, SUMMER 1974
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-9
111-56
-------
8,600 gallons
*
river water sampled
Condenser Passage
(Net placed in one in-
Date
5/15/75
5/22/75
5/30/75
6/ 3/75
6/ 6/75
6/10/75
6/13/75
6/17/75
6/19/75
6/23/75
6/26/75
6/30/75
11 3/75
11 6/75
envirosphere
company
take bay of Neal 2
none
1 egg
1 Notropis
none
none
1 Drum
2 Notropis
4 Notropis
8 Notropis
6 Drum
13 Notropis
,
1 egg
11 Drum
15 Notropis
72 Drum
10 Notropis
35 Drum
22 Notropis
34 Drum
10 Notropis
1 Blue Sucker
11 Drum
14 Notropis
IOWA PUBLIC
Intake
Velocity
(f/sec)
0.5
0.7
0.9
1.0
0.7
0.7
8,600 gallons
river water sampled
\
Drift Net
(Along shoreline,
just upstream from in
take house at Site 6)
Notropis
6 Notropis
1 Unidentified
9 Notropis
20 Notropis
25 Notropis
1 egg
- River
Velocity
(f/sec)
2.2
1.4
2.4
1.6
1.7
1.6
2 Bigmouth buffalo
0.5
0.6
0.4
0.8
1.0
0.8
0.5
0.6
SERVICE
1 Drum
13 Notropis
1 egg
4 Drum
104 Notropis
1 egg
7 Notropis
1 egg
6 Drum
1 Goldeye
23 Notropis
48 Drum
36 Notropis
1 Unidentified
96 Drum
19 Notropis
1 egg
47 Drum
25 Notropis
19 Drum
50 Notropis
1.4
2.3
1.4
1.8
1.5
1.8
1.6
1 Bigmouth buffalo 1.8
1 Catostomus
6 Drum
22 Notropis
Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
LARVAL FISH SURVEY, SUMMER 1975
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED' DAT E : SCALE:
TABLE
III-C-10
111-57
-------
8,600 gallons
river water sampled
Condenser Passage
(Net placed in one in- Intake
Date take bay of Neal 3 Velocity
(f/sec)
7/14/75 12 Drum
10 Notropis
7/17/75 1 Ictaluridae 0.4
33 Notropis
7/22/75 5 Notropis
7/25/75 2 Notropis
7/28/75 1 Drum
7/31/75 none 0.6
8/ 6/75 none 0.5
8/13/75 none 0.5
8/18/75 2 Notropis
8/25/75 none
*
Amount sampled using two nets
Source: Jane Hey. ^riar Cliff College,
Sioux City, Iowa.
Personal Communication
August 1976
OIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE
8,600 gallons
river water sampled
Drift Net
(Along shoreline,
just upstream from in- Intake
take house at Site 6 Velocity
(f/sec)
3 Drum
5 Notropis
1 Centrarchidae 1.6
2 Drum
31 Notropis
7 Notropis
1 Unidentified
1 Drum
7 Notropis
7 Notropis
2 Notropis 1.8
none 1.6
none 2 . 8
2 Notropis
none
Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
TABLE
envirosohere LARVAL FISH SURVEY, SUMMER 1975 in-c-io
company rr.ont'
-------
than the other sections and the main channel of Section IV was
deeper".
g. Trophic Relationships
Relationships among members of the various trophic levels
described in Section III-O2 are summarized in Appendix Exhibit
A-III-C-37. Rooted aquatic macrophytes are noticeably absent in
the channelized sections, and some of the larger fish species are
depicted as ingesting large quantities of allochtonous
materials - particularly abattoir, or slaughterhouse wastes.
Such species include the carp, carpsucker and channel and
flathead catfish.
Many invertefcrates and fish are opportunistic, taking
organisms, or perhaps wastes, in relation to their availability
in the ecosystem. Their food habits reflect relative abundances
of food items falling within ingestible size ranges in the
waterbody.31 Those of others indicate selection of one prey
species in preference to another. The potential for impact on
specific components on the generalized food web shown in Appendix
Exhibit A-III-C-37 is discussed in Section IV-B.
h. Rare and Endangered Species
No species of fish indigenous to the Missouri River at Port
Keal are included on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service list of
threatened species. However, the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus
album) has been suggested for inclusion by Dr. Frank Cross of the
University of Kansas. The State of Nebraska rates the skipjack
herring (Alosa chrysochloris) as rare, and the blue catfish
(Ictalurus furcatus) as endangered. A skipjack herring was taken
by bag seining in Spring 1972, and a pallid sturgeon was taken by
hook and line in 1972.
111-59
-------
D. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY
The site of George Neal Steam Electric Station is in the
Missouri River Valley at an elevation of about 1075 feet mean sea
level (MSL). There are hills about 2 miles southwest of the site
with a northwest-southeast orientation. Maximum elevations are
about 1500 feet MSL.
The climate of the area is characterized by large
fluctuations in precipitation and temperature from season to
season and from year to year; this is due to its mid-latitutde
and interior continental location. There is a prevailing moist
southerly flow from the Gulf of Mexico during the April to
November period, causing a summer rainfall maximum with frequent
thunderstorms and convective type precipitation. Occasionally
hail, high winds and even tornadoes are associated with the
thunderstorms. Winters are cold and relatively dry due to the
prevailing northwesterly flow of dry Canadian air.
Air masses from the Pacific Ocean moving across the western
United States frequently reach the area, producing comparatively
mild and dry weather. The autumnal "Indian Summers" are a result
of the dominance of these modified Pacific air masses. Unusually
hot temperatures and periodic droughts in the area are generally
associated with a flow of hot dry winds originating in the
southwest desert portions of the country.
The climatology of the site area is mainly based upon
meteorological data observed at the National Weather Service
Forecast Office at the Sioux City Municipal Airport. The airport
is located about 7 miles north of Neal Unit H at an elevation of
1095 feet MSL. Meteorological conditions at the airport are
considered representative of the site area as there are no
significant differences in topography, elevation and physical
features. Actual weather conditions at the site, however, can
only be detei"mined by on-site measurements.
Meteorological data from Des Moines, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska
have been used whenever specific data from Sioux City were not
available. Des Moines is about 155 miles southeast and Omaha
about 80 miles south of the site. Although climatic conditions
are generally similar, the distances between these stations and
the site limit the representativeness of these data to specific
weather conditions in the site vicinity.
1. Temperature
Table III-D-1 gives average and extreme dry bulb temperatures
and Table III-D-2 gives the specific frequency of monthly and
seasonal wet bulb temperatures. These temperatures are based
upon data for Sioux City for the base periods specified in the
tables. A computer program was utilized to tabulate specific
frequencies of wet bulb temperatures from hourly data.
111-60
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
Daily Avg.
Maximum
(°F)
27.9
31.7'
42.5
59.9
72.9
82.5
89.5
86.9
78.2
66.9
46.7
34.5
60.0
Daily Avg.
Mininum
<°F>
9.5
12.6
23.7
37.8
49.8
60.3
65.2
63.2
52.8
41.1
25.5
15.4
38.1
Monthly
Average
(° F)
18.7
22.2
33.1
48.9
61.4
71.4
77.4
75.1
65.5
54.0
36.1
25.0
49.1
Extreme
Highest
<°F>
59.0
66.0
91.0
94.0
102.0
104.0
102.0
101.0
101.0
93.0
77.0
64.0
104.0
Year
1964
1972
1968
1960
1967
1961
1964
1964
1971
1963
1971
1970
1961
Extreme
Lowest
<°F>
-26.0
-26.0
-22.0
19.0
28.0
40.0
42.0
43.0
30.0
13.0
- 6.0
-19.0
-26 0
Year
1970
1962
1960
1968
1967
1969
1971
1967
1967
1972
1964
1968
1970
Extreme temperature data based on 13 Year base period.
Source: Sioux City local Climatological Data, U S Department of Commerce, 1972.
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. -
AVERAGE AND EXTREME DRY BULB
SIOUX CITY, -IOWA (1931 -
DATE:
NEAL UNIT 4
TEMPERATURES
1960)
SCALE:
/
TABLE
III-D-1
-------
Month/Season
December
January
February
Winter
March
April
May
Spring
June
July
August
Summer
September
October
November
Fall
Annual
Specific Frequency (Percent) ^ '
' 1 *
f)\
\f-.i
50.0° F
40.0
44.0
45.0
54.0° F
64.0
72.0
63.0
77.0° F
79.0
79.0
78.0
77.0°F
68.0
56.0
67.0
76.0° F
40.0° F
35.0
37.0
37.0
47.0° F
58.01
68.0
58.0
74.0° F
76.0
76.0
75.0
73.0° F
62.0
49.0
61.0
72.0° F
10
35.0° F
32.0
34.0
34.0
42.0° F
54.0
66.0
54.0
72.0° F
74.0
74.0
73.0
70.0° F
60.0
46.0
59.0
69.0° F
20
31.0° F
28.0
31.0
30.0
37.0° F
50.0
62.0
50.0
69.0° F
72.0
72.0
71.0
66.0° F
56.0
42.0
55.0
64.0° F
i
50
22.0° F
16.0
23.0
20.0
31.0° F
41.0
55.0
42.0
64.0° F
67.0
67.0
66.0
57.0° F
46.0
33.0
45.0
46.0° F
Above data based on 3.985 4,464 hourly observations per month.
75
11.0° F
4.0
13.0
9.0
25.0° F
35.0
49.0
36.0
59.0° F
63.0
62.0
61.0
50.0° F
40.0
27.0
39.0
29.0° F
90
1.0° F
-6.0
5.0
0.0
17,0° F
30.0
43.0-
30.0
54.0° F
59.0
58.0
57.0
45.0° F
34.0
18.0
32.0
15.0° I
(1) Specific frequences defined as the percent of time that wet bulb temperature equals or exceeds
the corresponding wet-bulb temperature given in the table.
(2) Temperatures rounded to nearest whole degree.
Source: Hourly Meteorological Data Sioux Citv. Iowa. 1959 1964. U S Department of Commerce,
EDS, Asheville, North Carolina.
o
envirosphe
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES IN
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SPECIFIC FREQUENCY OF MONTHLY AND
re SEASONAL WET BULB TEMPERATURES(° F)
SIOUX CITY, IOWA (1959-1964) 1I1-D-2
:ORPORATEQ, DATE: " SCALE:
111-62
-------
The average monthly dry bulb temperature ranges from 18.7°F
in January to 77.4°F in July with an annual average of 49.1°F.
The extreme highest and lowest temperatures recorded during a 12-
year base period were 104°F in June 1961 and -26°F in January
1970 and February 1962. As is characteristic of continental
climates, there is a large diurnal range in temperature.
The wet bulb temperature is, along with the dry bulb
temperature, a measure of the humidity of the air. It is usually
used as the temperature criterion in evaporative cooling
processes. The specific frequency of wet bulb temperature
indicates the percent of time that it equals or exceeds a given
value. The data given in Table III-D-2, for example, indicate
the wet bulb temperature in May is 68°F or higher five percent of
the time. In September, however, the five percent level is 73°F.
Wet bulb temperatures in the site vicinity are highest in July
and lowest in January with fall wet bulb temperatures somewhat
higher than those found in spring.
2. Precipitation
Average monthly precipitation amounts range from 0.74 inches
in December to 4.33 inches in June with slightly less than 3/4 of
the annual (24.77 inches) precipitation occurring during the 6-
month April-September period. Precipitation amounts ranging from
trace to 9.69 inches have occurred during a single month.
Average and monthly extreme precipitation data for the site area
are presented in Table III-D-3.
Table III-D-4 presents maximum short period rainfall at Sioux
City for time periods ranging from 5 minutes to 24 hours. These
maxima all occurred during summer months and are typical of
maximum rainfall values at other recording stations in the region
(Des Moines, Omaha, Drexel and Sioux Falls).1 The Sioux City
maximum values are far less than the maximum observed rainfalls
in other parts of the United States.
3. Drought
Drought occurs periodically in Iowa; the most severe in
recent decades was during the 1930ls. Other years of drought
were 1886, 1894, 1901, 1910, 1916, 1918, 1927 and the mid-1950's.
4. Snowfall
Snowfall occurs primarily during the months from November to
March, although snow has been recorded as early as September and
as late as May. The average annual snowfall at Sioux City is
31.6 inches. However, the annual snowfall has ranged from 7.9
inches during the 1968-1969 season to almost 66 inches in the
1959-1960 and 1961-1962 seasons. Snowfalls of one or more inches
occur on an average of 10 days per year. The maximum snowfall in
the area in a 24-hour period was 20 inches in April 1913.
111-63
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
Average
Precipitation
0.78
0.89
1.46
2.25
3.23
4.33
3.11
2.66
2.74
1.42
1.16
0.74
24.77
Maximum/ 1 \
Monthly
2.44
2.48
3.19
4.35
8.46
8.67
6.12
7.75
9.69
3.73
4.10
1.68
9.69
Year
1949
1954
1962
1951
1959
1957
1962
1951
1965
1946
1948
1945
1965
Minimum
Monthly
0.11
0.17
0.29
0.45
0.60
1.87
0.41
0.61
0.07
T(2)
0.04
0.01
T
Year
1948
1949
1956
1942
1955
1958
1947
1955
1950
1958
1949
1943
1958
(1 ) Maximum and minimum data based on a 26-Year period of record.
(2) Trace is defined as an amount too small to measure.
Source: Sioux City Local Climatological Data, U S Department of Commerce, 1972.
envirosphei
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* DIVISION Of- tBASCO SERVICES INCC
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
AVERAGE AND MONTHLY EXTREME PRECIPITATION
•e
(INCHES) SIOUX CITY, IOWA (1931-1960)
5RPORATED DATE: SCALE:
/
TABLE
III-D-3
111-64
-------
lime
Period
5 min
10 min
15 min
30 min
1 hr
2 hr
3hr
6 hr
12 hr
24 hr
Period of
Record
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1907-1961
1891-1961
Rainfall
(Inches)
0.77
1.40
1.75
2.73
2.94
3.43
3.58
4.02
5.11
5.12
Date of
Occurrence
7/21/28
7/21/28
7/21/68
6/13/30
7/21/28
8/21/61
61 3/40
61 3/40
61 3/40
61 3/40
Source: Maximum Recorded United States Point Rainfall, U S Weather
Bureau, 1963.
e
envirosphere
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* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM SHORT PERIOD RAINFALL
SIOUX CITY, IOWA
DATE: SCALE:
-
i TABLE
III-D-4 j
111-65
-------
Table III-D-5 presents the average and maximum monthly
snowfall and the average number of days each month with a
snowfall of one inch or more at Sioux City.
5. Severe Weather
Destructive storms in the region include thunderstorms, hail
and freezing precipitation (glaze). Table III-D-6 gives the
monthly and annual frequency of these phenomena in the area.
About 94 percent of the 47 thunderstorms per year occur during
the April to September period, with June having the greatest
frequency. Damaging hailstorms reach a maximum in early summer,
average three per year destroying about 1 or 2 percent of the
major crops.2 Freezing precipitation is the result of supercooled
rain or drizzle falling on surfaces with temperatures below 32F.3
The precipitation is supercooled by passing through subfreezing
air just before striking the ground. Severe storms of this
nature can considerably reduce highway traffic, stretch or break
transmission lines and damage trees. There are, on the average,
nine glaze storms per year at Des Moines, with December being the
month with the maximum frequency of these storms. During the
1953-1962 period, 15 tornadoes were reported in the Sioux City
area.
6. Winds
The prevailing wind directions at Sioux City during the
winter months (November through April) are northwest and north-
northwest with average wind speeds of about 14 miles per hour
(mph). Prevailing winds are from the southeast and south-
southeast during the June-September period with average speeds of
about 12 mph. Winds are transitional in May and October.
Northwest and north-northwest winds have a total annual frequency
of about 21 percent and southeast to south-southeast winds have a
total annual frequency of about 22 percent. Calm conditions have
a monthly frequency that ranges from 1 percent to slightly less
than 3 percent. An annual wind rose is shown in Exhibit III-D-1.
The extreme mile wind speed is equal to the one mile passage
of wind with the greatest speed during a given period at a height
of 30 feet above the ground. Table III-D-7 gives monthly extreme
mile wind speeds and Table III-D-8 gives the recurrence interval
of extreme mile wind speeds. The maxiirum mile wind speed during
a 32-year period was 91 mph in June 1945. Winds of this
magnitude can be expected every 100 years, and winds with 70 mph
wind speeds can be expected to occur every 10 years.
The persistence of winds from a given direction is, along
with speed and direction, another identifying characteristic of
the wind regime at a given locale. Table III-D-9 presents the
maximum persistence of wind direction at Sioux City during a 6-
year period. A computer program was utilized to determine the
maximum number of hours during the period that the wind was from
each of 16 wind sectors (each sector is 22.5 degrees) and also
III-66
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
Average
Snowfall
(Inches)
6.1
6.1
8.2
1.2
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
T(2)
0.4
3.0
6.4
31.6
Average
Number of
Days ot I Inch
or More
2
2
3
* *
0
0
0
0
1
2
10
Maximum
Snowfall I1)
(Inches)
19.4
25.0
26.2
8.8
4.0
0.0
0.0
'.).0
0.4
5.1
15.1
20.6
26.2
Year
1936
1936
1962
1937
1945
-
-
-
1961
1970
-J959
1968
1962
(1) Period of record 1933-1973.
(2) Trace is defined as less than 0.05 inches.
** Less than one-half day.
Source: Sioux City Local Climatological Data, U S Department of Commerce, 1972.
envirosphere
company
'A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
AVERAGE AND EXTREME SNOWFALL DATA
SIOUX CITY, IOWA (1931 - 1960)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-D-5
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
Frequency (Number of Days per Month per Year)
Thunderstorms^ >
*
*
1
4
8
10
9
8
5
2
*
*•
47
HaU(l)
0
0
**
1
1
1
* *
* *
* *
* *
0
0
3
Freezing^)
Precipitation
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
9
(1) Thirty-two year period of record for Sioux City, Iowa
(2) Ten-year period of record for DCS Moines. Iowa
* Less than one-half day per month
** Less than one day per month
Sources: Sioux City Local Climatological Data. U S Department of Commerce. 1972.
Climatic Summary of the U S - Sioux City. U S Weather Bureau. 1930.
Glaze - It's Meteorology and Climatology, Geographic Distribution and
Economic Effects. Quartermaster Research and Engineering Command.
Tech Report EP-105. 1959.
o
envirosphere
company
• »
•A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
SEVERE WEATHER PRECIPITATION TABLE
SIOUX CITY - DES MOINES, IOWA III-D-6
DATE: SCALE:
111-68
-------
\0-3 4-7 8-12 13-M W-24 >2S
• •
MPH
or wm DIWCTIO* AKD snto
DIRECT m
HOTW.Y OBSi«v»n«w or WIHD SPEED
(in MILES ret HOMO AV
AT srnv
0-3 ft - 7 8-12 13-18 1» - 2ft 25-31 32-38 39-46 OVE« TOTAL
St
E
SE
r '.
WWW
KKW
CALM 1.
TOTAL 9,
'•
j
;.
2.
L-
i!
;•
L
3.
4.
3.
'•
l!
.
t.
2.
'•
1.
l'
'•
.4
*
+ +
.1 * * 1
.3 .1 * - 1
.2 .! T <-
!:!,!.
1.3 1.4 2.6 1.8 .9 .3 .1 1
19.9 31.0 24.8 10.1 3.6 .9 .2 +
»!
^ 8.
1 .
1 •
1 '
..'
| '
on i .;
e
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION Of :BASrO Sf»VICi= iNCOHPOBATiiJ
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY -
SURFACE WIND ROSE - SIOUX CITY
ANNUAL (1951 - I960)
DATE:
NEAL UNIT 4
, IOWA
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
III-D-1
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual
Speed
(mph)
56
54
61
68
80
91
66
56
66
70
59
53
91
Direction
NW
NW
N
W
W
W
NW
NW
S
W
NW
NW
W
Year of
Occurrence
1967
1947
1950
1946
1956
1945
1967
1951
1957
1940
1954
1968
1945
Extreme mile windspeed is the one mile passage of wind with the
greatest speed at a height of 30 feet above the ground. Data base
is a 32-year period of record.
Source: Sioux City Local Climatological Data, U S Department of Commerce, 1972.
o
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM MONTHLY EXTREME MILE WINDSPEED TABLE
SIOUX CITY, IOWA iii-D-7
A DIVISION of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE: SCALE:
111-70
-------
Extreme
Mile Windspeed
(mph)
70
75
81
90
Recurrence
Interval
(Yrs)
10
25
50
100
Extreme mile windipced is the one mile pamfc of wind with the greatest speed at a height of
30 feet above the ground. Data base is a 21-year period of record.
Source: Thorn, H.C.S.
12/
o
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
RECURRENCE INTERVALS OF EXTREME MILE
WINDSPEEOS SIOUX CITY, IOWA
DATE:
SCALE:
111-71
TABLE
III-D-8
-------
One-Sector Wi'id Direction (*)
Wind
Direction
N
NNE
NE
ENE
E
ESE
SE
SSE
S
SSW
SW
WSW
w
WNW
NW
NNW
Date
1-13-60
12-20-62
6-20-59
4- 3-64
5- 2-64
3-15-60
1-30-60
11-28-62
5-25-59
4-25-62
5-12-59
10-31-59
4-14-64
9- 2-59
1-16-59
10-24-59
Avg.
Speed
(mph)
10.4
9.7
9.3
,20.1
8.5
12.5
12.3
13.1
20.1
20.1
10.3
15.0
20.3
11.1
15.7
25.7
Hours
13
21
9
21
16
28
23
35
16
16
9
7
21
14
29
32
Three-Sector WinH Direction (2)
Wind
Direction
NNW-N-NNE
N-NNE-NE
NNE-NE-ENE
NE-ENE-E
ENE-E-ESE
E-ESE-SE
ESE-SE-SSE
SE-SSE-S
SSE-S-SSW
S-SSW-SW
SSW-SW-WSW
SW-WSW-W
WSW-W-WNW
W-WNW-NW
WNW-NW-NNW
NW-NNW-N
Date
1-11-63
12- 1-60
3-26-59
2- 3-64
3-15-60
5- 6-61
3- 3-62
6-25-63'
5-17-62
2- 3-59
4-24-62
4-14-64
5-24-62
9-24-64
12-30-59
2-12-63
Avg.
Speed
(mph)
16.2
20.2
19.6
11.0
12.5
18.0
13.0
15.5
17.3
17.3
13.4
20.3
14.7
12.7
18.8
16.0
Hours
49
67
56
42
43
57
67
71
64
20
18
21
28
50
97
62
The maximum persistence of wind direction is the greatest number of consecutive
hours during the 1959-1964 period that the wind direction was from the given
direction or directions. Data is based on 52,589 hourly observations during the 1954-1964 period.
(1) Wind was from the one given wind direction for the given number of consecutive hours.
(2) Wind was from any one of the three adjacent wind directions for the given number of consecutive hours.
Source: Hourly Meteorological Data - Sioux City, Iowa, 1959-1964, U S Department of Commerce,
EDS, Asheville, North Carolina. v
envirosphere
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IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM PERSISTENCE OF WIND DIRECTION TABLE
SIOUX CITY, IOWA (1959 - 1964) m-D-9
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPOBATED DAT E ' SCALE:
111-72
-------
from each of 16 groups of three adjacent wind sectors. The
maximum persistence of wind direction from one sector was 35
hours of winds from the south-southeast on November 28-29, 1962.
The maximum persistence of wind direction from any one of three
adjacent directions was 97 hours of winds from either the west-
northwest, northwest and north-northwest during a period starting
December 30, 1959. The data indicate that in general, winds from
the northwest, southeast and adjacent directions tend to be the
most persistent; these also are the prevailing wind directions in
the Sioux City area.
7. Visibility and Fog
Table III-D-10 gives the percent frequency of restricted
visibility at Des Moines and fog at Sioux City. The restricted
visibilities given in this table are mainly due to haze, smoke,
fog and precipitation. The percent frequency of dense fog is
associated with visibilities reduced to 0.25 miles or less.
The incidence of both restricted visibility and fog is
greatest during the fall and winter months and least during the
spring and summer months. This is probably due to the higher
frequency of inversions during the winter and fall seasons which
inhibit the dispersion of water vapor and pollutants (see Section
IIJ-D-8) .
8. Diffusion Climatology
The dispersion characteristics of the atmosphere depend
mainly on horizontal wind speed, thermal stability and surface
roughness. The distribution of these parameters defines the
diffusion climatology at a particular site.
Pasquill5 correlated thermal stability with solar radiation
and surface wind speed. The resulting Pasquill classification of
thermal stability ranges from extremely unstable (Class A) to
extremely stable (Class F). Turner6 proposed a scheme for the
classification of thermal stability which utilized hourly surface
meteorological data. The Turner stability classes are described
and compared to those of Pasquill in Table III-D-11.
Table III-D-12 gives the seasonal percent frequency of
stability classes at Sioux City, These frequencies were
determined by a computer program for the period 1959-1969.
Hourly meteorological observations from Sioux City were
stratified into stability classes in accordance with the method
developed by Turner. This procedure correlates the vertical
temperature lapse rate with solar elevation angle, total cloud
cover, cloud ceiling height and wind speed.
Neutral (Class 4) conditions prevail most of the time (58.1
percent) while stable (Class 5-7) and unstable (Class 1-3)
conditions are less frequent (27 percent and 15 percent,
respectively) . Neutral conditions are most prevalent in spring
111-73
-------
Season
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Annual
Restricted Visibility (Miles)^1)
0.0-0.5
7.9
2.4
0.5
1.5
3.1
0.5-1.0
6.6
3.0
0.6
2.5
3.2
1.0-2.0
8.9
4.9
1.1
3.8
4.7
2.0-6.0
27.1
20.1
12.2
28.1
21.9
Total
50.5
30.4
14.4
35.9
32.8
Dense (2)
Fog
10.0
4.3
3.3
5.5
5.2
(1) Des Moines, Iowa. Data base is 12,591 observations.
(2) Sioux City, Iowa. Thirty-two year period of record. Dense fog has visibility reduced to
0.25 mile or less.
Sources: Airway Meteorological Atlas for the United States, U S Weather Bureau, 1941.
Sioux City Local Climatological Data, U S Department of Commerce, 1972.
o
envirosphere
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A DIVISION CF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
PERCENT FREQUENCY OF RESTRICTED
VISIBILITIES AND FOG
DES MOINES - SIOUX CITY, IOWA
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-D-10
111-74
-------
PAM,'( ILL -TAHll.m CLASSIFICATIONS
A. EXTREMELY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS
B MODERATELY (NSTAPLE CONDITIONS
C SLIGHTLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS
D. NEITRAL CONDITIONS - APPLICABLE TO HEAVY OVERCAST
DAY OR NIGHT
E. SLIGHTLY STABLE CONDITIONS
f. MODERATELY STABLE ( ONDITIONS
RELATION OK TTRNER STABILITY' < LASS TO PASQLTLL
STABILITY < LASS
Subilitv Clas
Pasqmll
ability CU
RELATION OF PASOUILL STABILITY TO LEATHER CONDITIONS
Surface Wind
Speed, m/sec.
Less than 2
2
4
6
More than 6
Strong
A
A-B
B
C
C
Solar Radiation
Moderate
A-B
B
B-C
C-D
D
Slight
B
C
C
D
D
Nighttime Conditions
Thin Overcast
or 4/8
Cloudinm*'
by
E
D
D
D
3/8
Cloudiness
b/
F
E
D
D
a, The degree of cloudness is defined as that fraction of the sky above the local apparent horizon which is
covered by clouds.
b Mo classifications have been made because the plume is unlikely to have any definable travel.
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A LWISION OF tBASCO «SVIC^ INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
RELATION OF PASQUILL STABILITY TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
RELATION OF TURNER STABILITY CLASS TO PASQUILL STABILITY
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
Ill-D- 11
-------
Stability
Class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Seasonal Frequency (Percent)
Winter
0.00
1.13
6.70
64.27
13.39
10.26
4.24
Spring
0.21
3.64
8.14
68.67
9.87
6.84
2.64
Summer
1.09
8.77
16.40
47.55
12.17
10.24
3.78
Fall
0.04
3.43
10.41
52.08
15.70
13.00
5.34
Annual
0.34
4.26
10.44
58.06
12.79
10.10
4.01
Data based on 52,589 hourly mean observations.
Source: Hourly Meteorological Data - Sioux City, Iowa, 1959-1964, U S Department of
Commerce, EDS. Asheville, North Carolina.
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF STABILITY CLASSES
SIOUX CITY, IOWA (1959 - 1964)
DATE; SCALE:
TABLE
III-D-12
-------
as a result of the higher wind speeds during this season and
unstable conditions occur most often during the summer due to
increased solar radiation. Stable conditions are most frequent
in the fall.
Table III-D-13 gives the annual percent frequency of
stability classes according to wind direction. The coincident
wind speed is also given for each wind direction. These data
give an areal representation of the diffusion characteristics of
the atmosphere in the site vicinity. In general, the dispersion
capacity of the atmosphere increases with increasing instability
and higher wind speeds.
Wind direction is not highly correlated with stability but
the dispersion capacity of the atmosphere is somewhat greater
with winds from the south and west than from other directions
(winds from the south-southwest are associated with instability
22 percent of the time). Winds from the northwest through north-
northeast have the highest incidence of neutral conditions (68
percent).
The site is in an area which rarely experiences the
occurrence of stagnating high-pressure systems.7 Consequently,
there is little potential for persisting high levels of air
pollution.
The mixing height is defined as the thickness of the
atmosphere layer above the earth's surface through which
pollutants are presumed to mix by convection.8 The higher the
mixing height, the greater the dispersion potential of the
atmosphere. A study by Holzworth9 indicates that the potential
for episodes with limited dispersion conditions in the site
vicinity is less than 5 days per year. An episode of limited
dispersion was defined as follows:
• All mixing heights 4920 feet or less.
• Average wind speeds 13 mph or less.
• No significant occurrence of precipitation.
• Above conditions satisfied continuously for at least 2 days.
Mean maximum mixing heights at Omaha, Nebraska*° range from
1214 feet in January to 4395 feet in July. January mixing
heights at other reporting stations in the continental United
States range from about 561 feet in Jackson, Wyoming to 4092 feet
in Miami, Florida. July mixing heights range from 924 feet in
Seattle, Washington to 13,134 feet in Ely, Nevada. The values
for Omaha, therefore, are somewhat less than average values in
the country but fairly representative of mixing heights for otner
reporting stations in the upper midwest.
The mixing height is coincident with the height of the
inversion base. This height is a boundary delineating the two
distinct layers: a well mixed layer below and a stable inversion
layer above. Table III-D-14 gives the percent frequency of
111-77
-------
Wind
Direction
N
NNE
NE
ENE
E
ESE
SE
SSE
S
ssw
sw
wsw
w
WNW
NW
NNW
Calm
Total
Avg. Wind
Speed (mph)
11.1
9.8
10.0
10.1
8.7
8.9
10.1
11.5
12.7
12.2
9.1
8.1
8.5
0.6
13.8
13.5
0.0
Wind Speed (mph) -
Stability Class
1
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.03
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.06
0.34
3.8
2
0.25
0.21
0.21
0.15
0.21
0.19
0.38
0.54
0.31
0.29
0.22
0.13
0.19
0.22
0.33
0.28
0.16
4.26
5.7
3
0.42
0.36
0.30
0.24
0.38
0.67
1.24
1.47
1.00
0.84
0.40
0.25
0.41
0.50
0.90
0.84
0.21
10.44
9.3
4
3.18
2.51
1.89
1.93
2.38
J-. 9 7
6.25
7.25
4.38
2.64
1.18
0.73
1.21
2.51
8.25
7.54
0.28
58.06
13.6
5
0.43
0.39
0.24
0.25
0.60
2.43
2.68
1.26
0.52
0.24
0.21
0.23
0.46
0.57
1.32
0.97
0.00
12.79
8.7
6
0.39
0.37
0.25
0.19
0.51
1.77
1.45
0.73
0.46
0.28
0.35
0.32
0.61
0.64
0.95
0.71
0.12
LQ.10
5.6
Data based on 52.589 hourly mean observations for period January 1, 1959-Dccember 31, 1964
Source: Hourly Metrorological Data - Sioux Citv, Iowa, 1959-1964, U S Department ot Commerce, EDS,
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
7
0.19
0.18
0.07
0.08
0.15
0.17
0.24
0.19
0.17
0.15
0.21
0.18
0.27
0.27
0.32
0.29
0.87
4.01
2.4
Total
4.88
4.05
2.98
2.85
4.24
9.23
12.24
11.47
6.86
4.46
2.60
1.85
3.16
4.71
12.07
10.64
1.71
100.00
Asheville, North Carolina
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
PERCENT FREQUENCY OF STABILITY CLASS BY WIND DIRECTION AND
COINCIDENT WIND SPEED
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
II1-D-33
-------
Season
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Annual
Local Standard Time
0500
72
60
80
64
69
0800
57
23
15
42
34
1700
43
8
9
22
20
2000
61
58
70
71
65
Average
42
27
33
38
35
Base on inversion less than 500 feet above the station elevation.
Source: Hosier, C.R.,
I!/
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
PERCENT FREQUENCY OF INVERSIONS
OMAHA, NEBRASKA (1955 - 1957)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-79
TABLE
III-D-14
-------
inversions with bases less than 500 feet at Omaha, Nebraska. The
seasonal and diurnal variation of inversion frequency is
characteristic of a continental climate.11 Nocturnal stability
and daytime instability are prevalent in the lower levels of the
atmosphere and there is a higher frequency of inversions during
the winter and fall seasons than during the spring or summer.
The higher frequency of stability during the colder months is
mainly due to a maximum length of a stable nocturnal period with
strong radiational cooling from the earth1s surface. Average
inversion frequencies for Omaha range from 42 percent during the
winter to 27 percent during the spring. The annual frequency is
35 percent. The incidence of inversions is greatest during the
early morning hours [an annual frequency of 69 percent at 0500
local standard time (LST)] and least during the afternoon with an
annual frequency of 20 percent at 1700 LST.
111-80
-------
E. BACKGROUND AMBIENT AIR QUALITY
Measurements of background air quality in the vicinity of the
Neal Station have been taken by the Iowa Public Service Company
intermittently between May of 1972 and March of 1976 as discussed
in detail in Appendix A-III-E. For the purposes of this report,
ambient data were also obtained from the 1975 reports of the Iowa
Air Pollution Control Commission (IAPCC) and the Air Pollution
Control Division of the Nebraska Department of Environmental
Control (NDEC).
1. Particulate Concentrations
Particulate concentrations were measured by IPS
simultaneously with four high volume samplers surrounding the
Neal Station.* By comparing the four simultaneous concentrations,
(Table III-E-1) it was possible to determine if any level was
either incorrect because of a sampling or analysis error, or not
representative of the area-wide background because of a localized
effect. Such incorrect and non-representative values were not
considered in the background analysis. The remaining values,
when represented using a log-normal frequency distribution, had a
median of 30 ug/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.9.
These results correspond to the levels of natural and
agricultural dust typical of rural areas, (see USEPA Publication
AP-49, Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter 1969, p. 15).
Although the 75 ug/m3 annual particulate standard is not
violated, statistical extrapolation of the data indicates that
the 150 ug/m3 24-hour secondary standard is probably exceeded
about twice yearly, while only one such excess is permitted. The
24-hour primary standard of 260 ug/m3 is not expected to be
exceeded. It should be noted that this situation is area-wide
and is not attributable to the Neal Station, since point-source
effects were excluded from the ambient data. The effects of the
Neal Station will be described subsequently in Chapter IV.
Particulate matter monitored by the IAPCC in Sioux City
exhibited a median of 50 ug/m3 and a geometric standard deviation
of 1.8. Although the 75 ug/m3 annual standard is met, the 150
ug/m3 24-hour secondary standard is projected to be exceeded 11
times yearly. The 260 ug/m3 24-hour primary standard is
projected not to be violated.
The RDEC particulate data for South Sioux City, Table
III-E-2, have a median value of 130 ug/m3 and a geometric
standard deviation of 1.7. The 75 ug/m3 annual standard is
contravened at this location. The 150 ug/m3 24-hour secondary
standard is estimated to be exceeded 144 times yearly, and the
260 ug/m3 24-hour primary standard 35 times yearly.
The occurrences of high particulate concentrations discussed
above are evaluated in detail in Section IV-C-4-c.
*The locations of these stations are presented in Appendix
Exhibit A-III-E-1 and Table A-III-E-1.
111-81
-------
All Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) Data reflects 24-hour sampling periods.
Sampling ran from midnight to midnight. All final concentrations are expressed
in Micrograms/M .
Micrograms per Cubic Meter
Day Sampled
(midnight-
midnight)
11/17/75
11/24/75
12/01/75
12/08/75
12/14/75
12/21/75
12/28/75
1/04/76
1/11/76
1/18/76
1/25/76
2/ 1/76
21 8/76
2/15/76
2/22/76
2/29/76
North Site Terra Site
*
•31 24
21.72 25.11
33.11
59.70
65.21
*
140 08
53.69 28.30
16.13 12.96
12.75 11.94
67.73 103.31*
6.72 17.71
60.67 89.19
3/07/76 19.02 19.47
3/14/76 16.75 21.72
*
Not considered.
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E6ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
AIR QUALITY MONITORING
HIGH VOLUME SAMPLER
Nebraska Site
23.31
7.80
27.24
27.10
39.00
28.11
41.52
91.60
25.10
14.54
13.68
55.62
17.98
61.41
25.49
20.24
- NEAL UNIT 4
SYSTEM
DATA
DATE: SCALE:
South Site
50.20
47.90
40.40
28.21
42.26
65.60
43.20
71.08*
27.30
45.04
22.39
62.85
22.68
TABLE
III-E-1
111-82
-------
DATE
1/06/75
1/18/75
1/30/75
2/11/75
2/23/75
3/07/75
3/19/75
3/31/75
4/12/75
4/24/75
5/06/75
5/18/75
5/30/75
6/11/75
6/23/75
7/05/75
7/17/75
7/29/75
8/10/75
8/22/75
9/03/75
9/15/75
9/27/75
10/09/75
10/21/75
11/02/75
11/14/75
11/26/75
12/08/75
12/20/75
CONCENTRATIONS WIND DIRECTION
(micrograms per (degrees)
cubic meter)
Invalid 190
24.8 290
53.3 30
71.3 320
98.5 340
46.9 330
210.0 220
182.2 340
137.0 240
219.5 100
295.8 120
196.1 70
129.8 350
73.2 290
145.8 150
138.9 290
271.0 180
169.8 140
119.1 110
119.7 100
160.6 340
92.0 170
105.4 180
205.5 ' 280
221.6 340
148.4 150
87.4 50
Invalid
62.9 310
99.1 340
North is equal to 0 and 360 .
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
TOTAL SUSPENDED PARTICULATES
TABLE
CITY - SOUTH SIOUX CITY, COUNTY - DAKOTA
LOCATION - CITY OFFICES III-E-2
DATE: SCALE:
111-83
-------
2. Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) monitoring conducted by the IAPCC at an
urban location (Sioux City) and by the NDEC at more industrial
(South Sioux City, Table III-E-3) and rural (Grand Island,
Nebraska) sites, indicate that background S02 levels in the
region are negligibly low. Similarly, background sulfate levels
which may result from the oxidation and hydration of SO2 as it is
transported over great distances appear also to be low in the
area. Based on EPA data, background sulfate levels are expected
to average 2 ug/m3.
3. Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations
Nitrogen dioxide (N02) concentrations measured (using a wet
chemical method) by IPS at the Neal Station exhibited a median
value of 7ug/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.9. The
NDEC NO2 data for Lincoln have a median value of 30 ug/m3 and
geometric standard deviation of 2.0. The 100 ug/m3 annual NO2
standard is satisfied at both locations.
4. Emission Inventory Data
Current emission inventory data obtained from the IAPCC (for
Woodbury County) and the NDEC (for Dakota and Thurston Counties)
offer some support for the ambient air quality situation
discussed above. The major single existing source of particulate
matter, is the Neal Station Units 1-3 emitting 1,554 tons per
year (tpy). There are also five other major industrial sources
within the near vicinity which emit over 2400 tpy for a total
emission of over 4000 typ.
There are no point sources in the area which emit sulfur
oxides in quantities comparable to the Neal Station emissions.
Other than Neal Station Units 1-3, the only major source of
nitrogen oxide emission in the area is one nearby industry which
emits approximately 1100 tpy. The major source of hydrocarbon
emission in the area is Concrete Pipe Machinery in Sioux City
(672 tpy).
Table III-E-4 presents a summary of background air quality
data.
111-84
-------
DATE
1/06/75
1/18/75
1/30/75
2/11/75
2/23/75
3/07/75
3/19/75
3/31/75
4/12/75
4/24/75
5/06/75
5/18/75
5/30/75
6/11/75
6/23/75
7/05/75
7/17/75
7/29/75
8/10/75
8/22/75
9/03/75
9/15/75
9/27/75
10/09/75
10/21/75
11/02/75
11/14/75
11/26/75
12/08/75
12/20/75
CONCENTRATIONS
(parts per million)
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.004
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
.000
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
S02 BUBBLER CITY - SOUTH SIOUX CITY
COUNTY - DAKOTA,LOCATION - CITY OFFICES
DATE:
SCALE:
111-85
TABLE
III-E-3
-------
Contaminant
Particulates
Location
Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfuric Acid
Nitrogen Dioxide
Hours of Data
Neal Sta.(4 sites) 1,272
Sioux City, la. 1,296
S.Sioux City, Ne. 672
Sioux City, la. 1,320
S. Sioux City, Ne. 720
Grand Island, Ne. 720
Regional Estimate
Neal Station 360
Lincoln, Ne. 1,344
Median Concentration
30 ug/m"
3
50 ug/nT
130 ug/m3
0 ug/m
3
0 ug/m
0 ug/m3
2 ug/m
7 ug/
m
30 ug/m
Geom. Std. Dev.
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.9
2.0
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
BACKGROUND AIR QUALITY
DATE:
- NEAL UNIT 4
DATA SUMMARY
SCALE:
TABLE
III-E-4
-------
F. TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY
1. Vegetation*
a. Brief History of Natural Vegetation of Woodbury and
Dakota Counties
The natural and undisturbed vegetation of Woodbury, Monona,
Dakota and Thurston Counties originally consisted of two
community types, bluestem or tall grass prairie, and floodplain
forests. The former extended from North Dakota and Minnesota
south to Oklahoma. It was characterized by the four principle
grasses: big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, and Indian
grass.1 Bluestem comprised eighty to ninety percent of the
Missouri River lowland vegetation cover, with switchgrass and
prairie cordgrass dominant in wetter sites and needlegrass in the
dry sandy hillsides2 (locally scarce in the vicinity of Neal
Unit 4). Because of the rich mollisol soils developed under the
tall grass, this community type has been entirely replaced by
agricultural crops (corn, soybeans); patches of native bluestem
prairie may still be found along roadways and railroad tracks.
Floodplain forests formerly extended from the Missouri
River's edge to almost a half mile on either side; thin lines of
trees and shrubs continued along tributary river and stream banks
breaking up the expanses of Nebraska and Iowa tall grass prairie.
Soil moisture availability, more than any other factor,
determined the distribution of wood plants. Insufficient
rainfall limited forested regions to generally riparian and mesic
hillside sites.3 Pure stands of cottonwood and willow, described
in more detail below, covered the more frequently flooded first
floodplain, while the poorly drained soils of the remaining
portions of the valley which were only occasionally flooded,
consisted of marshland, cordgrass and bluestem prairies.2 Forests
dominated by basswood (linden) and red oak, presently not found
on the Iowa side of the river near the proposed sites, covered
the more mesic protected slopes and bluffs.*
As with the native prairie, farm crops have replaced much of
the original forest vegetation, which now comprises only four and
five percent of Woodbury and Dakota Counties, respectively.5,6 A
relatively large portion of the basswood-red oak and bur
oak-Kentucky coffeetree-black walnut types remains on the
Nebraska uplands of Dakota and Thurston Counties while the
cottonwood - willow floodplain forest is limited to scattered
patches along the Missouri's banks.
b. Existing Local Natural Vegetation
Exhibit III-F-1 depicts the distribution of plant communities
found in the floodplain area of Neal Unit 4. The following
descriptions are derived from the study of aerial photographs,
visual field inspections,7 and literature accounts.2,*
*The latin names of plant species cited in the text are
presented on Table III-F-1.
111-87
-------
Colloquial Name
Latin Name*
Cattail
Big bluestem
Little bluestem
Switchgrass
Indian grass
Prairie cordgrass
Needlegrass
Kentucky bluegrass
Brome grasses
Bunchgrass
Corn
Wild rye
Sedges
Bullrushes
hastern cottonwood
Sandbar willow
Peach-leaved willow
Black willow
Bitternut hickory
Red oak
Bur oak
Red elm
American elm
Hackberry
Mulberry
Knotweed
Typha latifolia
Andropogon gerardi
Andropogon scoparius
Panicum virgatum
Sorghastrum nutans
Spartina pectinata
Stipa spartea
Poa pratensis
Bromus spp.
Sporobolus airoides
Zea mays
Elymus sp.
Carex spp.
Scirpus validus
Scirpus fluviatilis
Scirpus acutus
Populus deltoides
Salix interior
Salix amygdaloides
Salix nigra
Carya corditormis
Quercus rubra
Quercus macrocarpa
Ulmus rubra
Ulmus americana
Celtis occidentals
Morus rubra
Polygonum spp.
O
envirosphere
company
«i DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
LATIN NAMES OF PLANT SPECIES
CITED IN TEXT (SHEET 1 OF 2)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-88
TABLE
III-F-1
-------
Table 111-Pi (Cont'd)
Latin Names of Plants Cited in Text
Colloquial Name
Latin Namea
Prairie rose
Kentucky Coffee-tree
Indigobusb
Soybean
Smooth sumac
Poison ivy
Silver maple
Boxelder
Riverbank grape
Virginia creeper
Basswood
Russian olive
Roughleaf dogwood
Green ash
American germander
Wolfberry
Coral berry
Elder
Goldenrods
Oxeye
Sunflowers
Rosa blanda
Trymnocladus dioica
Amorpha fruticosa
Clycine max
Rhus glabra
Rhus radicans
Acer saccharinum
Acer negundo
Vitis riparia
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Tilia americana
hlaeagnus angustifolia
Cornus drummondi
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Teucrium canadense
Symphoricarpus occidentalis
Symphoricarpus orbiculatus
Sambucus canadensis
Solidago spp.
Heliopsis helianthoides
Helianthus spp.
According to Fernald
isy
envlrosphere
company
DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
LATIN NAMES OF PLANT SPECIES
CITED IN TEXT (SHEET 2 OF 2)
DATE:
SCALE:
111-89
TABLE
III-F-1
(Cont'd)
-------
i. Cottonwood
Homogenous, even aged stands of mature prairie cottonwood and
an understory of hackberry, roughleaf dogwood, poison ivy, green
ash, and red elm are characteristic. Black and peach-leaved
willows are often sparsely distributed. The vines riverbank
grape, poison ivy, and Virginia creeper are ubiquitous. With
suitable soil conditions, basswood and silver maple may in time
replace the mature coottonwoods.7
Various successional stages of riparian vegetation
communities, which are included in Exhibit III-F-1 in the
cottonwood type, are developing along the banks of streams and
rivers which flow into the Missouri, following establishment by
willows (sandbar and black) and cottonwoods, are shrubs such as
coral berry, wolfberry, elder and indigobush. Eventually,
cottonwood, elm (red and American), and green ash may comprise a
thin strip of closed canopy vegetation.
ii. Open Cottonwood
A sparse distribution of mature cottonwood trees allows
development of an extensive shrub layer often consisting of
roughleaf dogwood, indigobush, prairie rose, young willows
(black, sandbar, and peach-leaved), cottonwoods, and red elms.
Commonly associated with these shrubs are the non-woody plants:
cordgrass, switchgrass, American germander, and sunflowers.
iii. Mixed Cottonwood
These stands are comprised of mature cottonwood, boxelder,
green ash, and peach-leaved willows.
iv. Willow-Elm-Cottonwood
Peach-leaved willow, red elm, and cottonwood constitute
canopy species; roughleaf dogwood and poison ivy form a shrub and
vine community.
v. Basswood-Oak
Restricted mostly to upland sites, this forest type exhibits
a canopy of basswood, red elm, bur and red oak, and hackberry.
Red oak predominates mostly along ridges and other xeric sites,
while basswood is restricted to more mesic locations.
vi. Bur Oak-Elm
Found on sandy slopes and bluffs, this forest is dominated by
bur oak, red elm, and an understory of smooth sumac.
111-90
-------
o
LEGEND
I COTTONWOOO
1 OPEN COTTONWOOD
HI MIXED COTTONWOOD
\V WILLOW-ELM-COTTONWOOO
V 8ASSWOOD- OAK
VI BUR OAK - ELM
VII OPEN SHRUB
VIII RIPARIAN SHRUB
IX BROWNS LAKE MEADOW
X SAND DUNE
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IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
EXISTING NATURAL FLOODPLAIN VEGETATION
SERGEANT BLUFF TO WINNEBAGO BEND
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
m-F-1
-------
SIOUX CITY
IPAL AIRPORT
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - HEAL UNIT 4
EXISTING NATURAL FLOODPLAIN VEGETATION
SERGEANT BLUFF TO WINNEBAGO BEND
envirosphere
company
EXHIBIT
III-F-1
(Cont'd)
-------
vii. Open Shrub
Browns Lake open shrub evidences a few scattered mature
cottonwoods, and consists chiefly of shrub and grass communities
of roughleaf dogwood, smooth sumac, Kentucky bluegrass, switch
grass, and brome grass.
viii. Riparian Shrub
This conglomeration of plant communities is constantly
responding to changes in water level and drainage. Some areas,
such as the northern portion of Snyder Bend, are comprised almost
exclusively of cottonwood saplings and Equisetum spp., with
sparsely distributed clumps of bunch grass, willows (sandbar,
black and peach-leaved), and roughleaf dogwood.
Sites recently inundated by the Missouri River exhibit
scattered individuals of cottonwood and willow (sandbar).
Areas exposed to standing water for parts of the year are
characterized by cattails, knotweed, and barnyard grass.
ix. Browns Lake Meadow
This area has been described as an ecocline of three
communities:7 where standing water is present, cattails
predominate; rushes and sedges occupy moist but less inundated
sites; and golden rod meadow with switch grass and wild rye as
the dominant grasses develops on the most xeric locations.
Russian olive and mulberry are common shrubs of the drier
meadows.
x. Sand Dune
Relatively unique, this vegetation type is characterized by
large open areas of zones having sparsely distributed cottonwood
seedlings and shrubs, and colonies of bunch grass.
2. Wildlife
a. Rare, Endangered, or Threatened Species
The Iowa Conservation Commission does not know of any
threatened or endangered terrestial fauna, including waterfowl,
currently residing in the vicinity of the proposed site8,9.
Whistling swan, Ross' goose, and golden eagle, which are
generally uncommon in northwestern Iowa*7, utilize the backwaters
of Snyder and Winnebago bends during migration10. Brant, which
usually migrate along the eastern flyway21, have also been
reported in this area10. Bird species which may be declining
significantly in population according to the National Audubon
Society's Blue List11, and which occur along the Missouri River
in Iowa, are noted in Table III-F-2.
111-93
-------
Species
Double - crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Black - crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Sharp - shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooper ii)
Marsh hawk (Circus cyaneus)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus)
Pigeon hawk (Falco columbarius)
American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Piping plover (Charadrius metodus)
Least tern (Sterna albifrons)
Barn owl (Tyto alba)
Burrowing owl (Speotyto cunicularia)
Loggerhead shrike ( Lanius ludovicianus)
Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii)
Grasshopper sparrow (Arnmodramus savannarum)
Status3
Common migrant
Uncommon breeding bird
Uncommon permanent resident
Rare breeding bird
Common migrant, uncommon permanent
resident
Uncommon migrant
Casual
Uncommon migrant
Common breeding bird, uncommon
permanent resident
Rare breeding bird in
western Iowa
Uncommon breeding bird
Rare permanent resident
Rare breeding bird
Uncommon breeding bird, rare permanent
resident
Common breeding bird
Common breeding bird
^ As noted in Brown, '-A
CIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
BIRD SPECIES OF AUDUBON BLUE LIST
envifOSphere 117 FOUND IN THE IOWA-NEBRASKA
company ~~~ FLOODPLAIN
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE! SCALE:
TABLE
III-F-2
111-94
-------
Approximately 80 to 100 northern bald eagles are estimated to
winter in the area of Snyder Bend 1Z. The cottonwood forest
vegetation type provides shelter for wintering bald eagles, which
feed on the winter-killed shad found in the oxbow lakes.
b. Tall-grass Prairie Community
Almost the entire land area originally comprising the tall-
grass or tig bluestem prairie is presently utilized for
agricultural production. Much of the fauna associated with this
biome, therefore, is now relatively rare. Table III-F-3 lists
those mammals originally indigenous to the Neal site prairie
area.
Most of the former prairie is now planted with corn and
soybeans. Deer from bottom land forests range several miles into
cropland to feed. Cropland is also utilized by raccoon, opossum,
badger, quail, pheasants, and eastern cottontail. These
croplands are considered marginal for the latter three game
species due to harsh winters, predator pressure, and the lack of
cover nesting habitat.12
c. Riparian Community
The riparian community includes backwaters, marshlands and
floodplain forests which border the Missouri River within the
region of Neal Unit 4. Table III-F-4 provides density estimates
for the most important (recreationally) vertebrates of Snyder
Bend and Browns Lake.
The floodplain forests can provide shelter and winter browse
for a small population of white-tailed deer.19 Several deer have
been observed at the northern end of Snyder Bend on the site of
Unit 4. Locally, high densities of bobwhite quail and ring-necked
pheasants occur in the dense cottonwood shrub - Equisetum
thickets19. This habitat provides undisturbed winter cover and
nesting habitat, both of which are limiting factors for quail and
pheasants in this region of Iowa12.
Mammals inhabitating the ecotone along the Missouri River
include mink, muskrat, fceaver and badger. Other mammalian
residents of the Snyder-Winnebago Bends riparian community, as
reported1o are: fox squirrel, eastern cottontail, raccoon, red
fox, coyote, opossum, striped skunk, and a variety of small
rodents.
Raptors such as the red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, rough-
legged hawk. Cooper1 s hawk, and great horned owl migrate along
the Missouri River and utilize the cottonwoods for resting sites.
Other birds observed in the cottonwood forest during summer
include the mourning dove, common flicker, easter kingbird, blue
jay, black-capped chickadee, house wren, American robin, yellow
warbler, common yellowthroat, northern oriole, and common
111-95
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Bison (Bison bison)
Pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana)
Wolf (Canis lupus)
Badger (Taxidea taxus)
Blacktail jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)
Whitetail jackrabbit (Lepus townsendi)
Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus fioridanus)
Thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Citellus tridecemlineatus)
Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)
White-footed mouse (Peromyscus leocopus)
Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
Pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)
i
Prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
As reported in Carpenter --J ; Common and Latin names modified according to
16/
Burt and Grossenheider —'
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. -
MAMMALIAN SPECIES OF THE
GRASS ;3RAIRIE COM;
- NEAL UNIT 4
CENTRAL TALL
•IUNITY
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-F-3
111-96
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Species1
White-tail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Beaver (Castor canadensis)
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)
Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Bob-white quail (Colinus virginianus)
Blue-winged teal (Anas discors)
Wood duck" (Aix sponsa)
Density3
1-1.5/100 upland acresb- c
1 lodge/3 miles of river'1' e
0.7/wetland acref< g
0.2-0.3/upland acrec
1.0 covey/100 acres**
1.0 nesting pair/5 wetland areas
1.0 nesting pair/10 wetland acres
Values are approximate estimates, provided by District Wildlife Biologist,
Neil Heiser 121,.
Upland acres includes all land which is above the cattail zone (without standing water.
most of the year).
Winter-season estimate.
Value is approximate estimate provided by Ken Baldwin, ~U Briar Cliff College,
Sioux City, Iowa.
Yearly average.
Wetland acres include all areas located below the cattail zone (covered by standing water
most of the year).
Early fall-season estimate.
Summer-season estimate.
Latin names according to Burt and Grossenheide
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co, - MEAL UNIT 4
DENSITIES OF IMPORTANT VERTEBRATES OF
SNYDER BEND AND BROWNS LAKE PARKS AREA
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-F-4
111-97
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grackle20. Red-winged blackbirds and long-billed marsh wrens
have been observed in the marshland areas of Snyder Bend20.
Partially inundated zones of the riparian shrub lands support
populations of nesting blue-winged teal, wood duck, and
mallards7. Aquatic plant productivity, especially the emergent
plants bullrush, knotweed, and wild rye, supports flocks of
migrating shovelers, gadwalls, lesser scaups, baldpate,
buffleheads, pintails, and green and blue-winged teal13. Nesting
great blue herons and pied-billed grebes, and migrating
canvasbacks, and common mergansers, utilized fish, amphibians and
crustaceans for food13.
Snow, blue, white-fronted, and Canada geese migrate along the
Missouri Flyway; the first two often winter at Snyder-Winnebago
Bends7. Snyder Bend provides 250,000 duck-use days for migrating
waterfowl during a typical fall season12. Large numbers of snow
geese and mallards often utilize the floodplain marshes of Snyder
bend. One census, performed November 17, 1972 at Snyder Bend,
revealed 5500 mallards and HHQQ snow geese12.
Reptiles and amphibians with ranges including the Port Neal
area are listed in Table III-F-5. Particularly common reptiles
are snapping, painted and softshelled turtles, and the eastern
hognose and garter snake (2 species).10.
d. Existing Stresses on Terrestrial Communities
The encroachment of agricultural operations resulting in
artificial drainage of riparian habitat and thus affecting more
area of existing natural communities, may represent the greatest
presently occurring stress on the biological system near Neal
Unit 4. Exhibit III-F-1 depicts the rarity of remaining blocks
of cottonwood forest and floodplain forest in general. This
paucity of large areas of undisturbed wildlife habitat,
particularly forest habitat, increases the sensitivity of
terrestrial species to additional environmental stresses which
interefere with animal behavior.
Drought, by acting as a differential natural selection agent,
may also affect animal and plant abundance.
111-98
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-*
Species (3)
Common snapping turtle
1 .use map turtle
Ouaclu'a map turtle
Wesu i '' panned untie
Ornate box turtle
HlaiuJinj/s turtle
Smooth soitshen tin
le
Hf-d::;; sprim' sottshell turtle
(
I j>tc>;; -,pnng solishcil turtle
Nerrhern prairie skuik
Ki\e lined skmk
Six-lined rjn' runnel
Northern water snake
Western plains ganer snake
(
Red- sided garter snake
Wes'ern nbbon snake
Northern lined snake
I astern hogno>e snake
Prairie inigneck snake
Lasicrn \.:llo>.v-bellied racer
Western siuooih green snake
Bullstiake
Wesiern to\ snake
Red milk snake
Prairie rattlesnake
Lasteni tiger salamander
Plains spadetoot
Roek\ mountain toad
Great plains toad
Eastern gray treetrog
Blanchard's cricket trog
Western chorus trog
Boreal chorus Irog
Northern leopard trog
Latin Name
Chelydra serpentina
Ciraptemys pseudographica
Graptemys pseudographica ouachitensis
Chrysemys picta belli
lerrapene ornata ornata
-him doidea blandingi
Irionyx muticus
Irionyx spmit'er nartwegi
"lrioM>\ spiniler spiniler
l-.umeces septentrionalis septentrionaiis
F'Aimeces iasciatus
C nemidophorus sexlineatus
Natrix sipedon sipedon
Ihamnophis radix haydeni
Storena occipitomaculata
Ihamnophis sauritus proxnmis
1 ropidoclomon lineatum Imeatum
Helerodon platyrhinos
Diadoplu> punctatus arnyi
(olubci constrictor llaviventris
Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi
Pituophis melanoleucus sayi
l-laphe xulpina vulpina
Lampropeltis dohata s>spila
( rotalus vindis viridis
Ambystoma tigrmum tigrinum
Scaplnopus bombilrons
But'o woodhoLi.sei woodliousei
liut'o cognatus
Hyla versicolor versicolor
Acns crepitans blanchardi
Pseudacris tnseriata trisenata
Pseudacns triseriata maculta
Rana pipiens pipiens
.'V> recorded in Corunt - .
o
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPOSA'tD
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
REPTILIAN AND AMPHIBIAN SPECIES WITH TABLE
RANGES INCLUDING PORT NEAL AREA III-F-5
DATE: SCALE:
111-99
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G. HISTORIC, SCENIC, AND RECREATIONAL SITES
The history of the vicinity of the proposed site and the
recreational and scenic development of the surrounding territory
is tied to the Missouri River and the associated use of the
shorelands. The first complete exploration of the Missouri River
occurred between 1804 and 1806 when Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark undertook the officially sanctioned Lewis and Clark
Expedition. Since that time, the river and abutting lands have
undergone intensive periods of use for settlements, commerce,
transportation, and agricultural development. More recently the
river area has been developed for multipurpose use, such as
navigation, irrigation and flood control, the production of goods
and services, and scenic and recreation uses.
The following discussions, will present information regarding
the historic background of the general site area, the historic
and archaeological sites in the general region, the existing
parks and recreational areas in the region, and the status of
proposals for additional recreational areas.
1. Historical Background of the Site Area
The history of the Missouri River flood plain in the vicinity
of the proposed site has been greatly affected by the continuous
relocation of the river channel. Through a cycle of erosion and
deposition, the Missouri developed oxbow bends which were
subsequently cut off, forming shallow lakes and eventually
becoming dry land. This process occurred rapidly and was
repeated many times in the region surrounding Neal Unit 4.
The cycle has been documented by explorers, river navigators,
and scientific parties since the late 1700fs. In more recent
times man has become the major cause of both realignment and
channel stabilization.
The process of river realignment and the corresponding change
in adjacent lands has been responsible for the following three
major historical consequences in the area of the proposed site:
the creation of nearby oxbow lakes; the irregularity of the state
boundary between Iowa and Nebraska; and the difficulty in
identification of past historical sites.
a. The Creation of Nearby Oxbow Lakes
Several nearby oxbow lakes are present in the area of the
site, including Winnebago Lake and Snyder Lake (closest to Neal
U). These lakes and their surrounding areas of sandbar, willow
bar, and marsh were created by man-made action in 1962 when the
straightening of the Missouri River channel cut off the oxbows
from the remainder of the river.
HI-100
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b. Irregularity of the State Boundary
Another recent example of the effect of river action concerns
the precise location of the state boundary. The 1943
Iowa-Nebraska Boundary Commission established the official state
boundary as the middle of the then stabilized Missouri River
channel. Once established, however, the navigation channel has
been altered in several places, notably downstream from Neal
Unit 4, shifting land once on the Nebraska side of the river to
the east side of the present channel.
c. Difficulty in Identification of Past Historical
Sites
Because of the continuous process of relocation of the
channel of the river, past records, historic sites, and stopping
places along the river are difficult to locate. The process has
resulted in an uncertainty on the location of some past recorded
events, and the river action has probably removed other sites.1
The first white traders and explorers used the Missouri for
commerce and transportation, but only temporary camp sites and
trading posts were placed within reach of the river. The Lewis
and Clark Expedition is known to have set up camp in the vicinity
of the proposed site, probably west of present day Browns Lake.
However, all traces of this temporary camp have been destroyed,
most likely as a result of past river action.
Between the 1820*s and the Civil War period, the Missouri
River was the main means of access for supplies and
transportation from the Mississippi River into the frontier West.
After the advent of the railroads, additional areas of the
countryside were opened up, as was the case with the subsequent
widespread use of the automobile.
Agricultural development did not make use of the flood plain
land until the late 1920's, when work was begun on channel
stabilization. Historic sites along the river have therefore
been at a minimum, except at major nodes of river transportation
activity and at major river crossing points.
The portion of the Missouri River near the proposed site is
part of the river's major navigation system developed after World
War II under the Pick-Sloan Plan. This navigational channel
stretches from the river*s mouth to its terminus in Sioux City.
2. Historic and Archaelogical Sites
Coordination with state and local historic offices led to the
identification of seven known sites of historical or
archeological interest in the two-county area of Neal Unit 4.
For Woodbury County, Iowa, the Division of Historic Preservation
of the Iowa state Historical Department* and the Sioux City
III-101
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Public Museum3 identified three historic sites which are on the
National Register* while one other is nominated for the Register.
The three National Register sites in Woodbury County are all
located in Sioux City. The Sergeant Floyd Monument, which is a
national landmark, is a 100-foot obelisk commemorating the Lewis
and Clark Expedition. Floyd, who was a co-leader of the
expedition, died of an illness in 1806 as the expedition
proceeded up the Missouri River.
The Sioux City Central High School on Nebraska Street is
commemorated for its Gothic Revival architecture and its
contribution to education. In use from 1892 to 1972, it is Sioux
City's oldest community high school.
The Woodbury County Courthouse is of historical significance
because of its architecture and architectural sculpture.
Designed by Steele, Purcell & Elmslie, it is considered the
largest public Prairie School style building. This courthouse
has been in use since it was built in 1918.
The two National Register sites in Dakota County are Emmanuel
Lutheran Church in Dakota City, and Homer village, northeast of
Homer.5 The Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Hickory Street, Dakota
City, was built in 1860 and may be Nebraska's oldest Lutheran
Church still standing. The Church's Greek Revival frame and
structure has been virtually unaltered. Homer Village, or
Ton-Wan-Tonga, is an archaeological site last occupied by the
Omaha Indians around 1800. The home of Chief Blackbird, the
Village was visited in 1796 by James McKay, a fur trader, and in
1804 by Lewis and Clark.
The O'Connor House, south of Dakota City, is a site which has
been nominated for the National Register. It is a two-story
Italianate house constructed by Captain Cornelius O'Connor, c.
1875.
In addition to these National Register sites. Fort Charles, a
fur-trading post set up by James McKay, is known to have been
located on a knoll or rise in the vicinity of Homer. The exact
site has not yet been determined.
All of the sites described above are a minimum of seven miles
away from Neal Unit 4, and there are no reported historic or
archaeological sites in the immediate vicinity of Neal Unit 4.
In May 1973, a historical, archeological and cultural survey
was conducted and included air and surface examinations of the
nearby proposed Snyder - Winnebago Bends Recreation Areas for the
U.S. Corps of Engineers.1 No evidence of historical,
archeological or cultural activity was found in the area.
III-102
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The following is a listing and brief description of
additional sites in Dakota County identified by the Historic
Preservation Office of the Nebraska State Historic Societys and
the Dakota County Historical Society* as being historically and
archeologically significant:
• Bobier site - c.1400-1450 A.D.
Prehistoric aboriginal earth lodge site assigned to St.
Helena Focus. This site is located approximately 4 1/2 miles
southeast of Homer.
• Nelson Site - c.1400 A.D.
Earth lodge village located approximately one mile northwest
of Homer.
• Ryan Site
Prehistoric and historic woodland burial mound, located just
southeast of Homer.
• Site 2SDK 18
Southeast of Homer, is reportedly a Winnebago trading post.
• Combs Schoolhouse
Erected in 1857, it is the only remaining one-room
schoolhouse in Dakota County. It is located near the O'Connor
House, south of Dakota City.
The following is a listing of additional sites in Woodbury
County identified by the Sioux City Public Museum as worthy of
preservation:
• The War Eagle Monument
It is located on a high bluff above the Missouri, near the
place where the Sioux River empties into it. War Eagle was a
Sioux Indian chief who was friendly to the white settlers. His
son-in-law, Theophile Bruguier, is recognized as Sioux City's
first white settler, having built a cabin on the banks of the
Sioux in 1849.
• Prospect Hill Monument to a Prayer Meeting
Commemorates a prayer meeting held on Prospect Hill (high
bluff on Sioux City's west side with a fine view of Iowa, South
Dakota and Nebraska) on April 29, 1869, by three Presbyterian
ministers. One of them, the Reverend Sheldon Jackson, was so
inspired by this experience that he persuaded his church to
appoint him Superintendent of Missions to the Western states.
The monument was erected in 1913.
102a
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• Monument to Cordua and Roberts
This marker is near the spot where two pioneer Sioux Cityans,
Henry Cordua and Thomas Roberts, were murdered by the Indians
while cultivating their potato field on July 9, 1861. It was
dedicated October 13, 1928, by the Woodbury County Pioneer Club
and is located on the Correctionville Road, old Highway 20, about
three and one half miles east of Sioux City. The crime alerted
Sioux Cityans to the ever present danger of the Indians and
prompted them to beef up their home guard.
• First Bride's Grave
Grave site of Rosalie Menard Leonais, of French and Indian
descent, believed by some to be Sioux City's first bride. It is
located on a bluff across from the Floyd Monument on Highway 75
south.
» The Peirce House
Present site of Sioux City Public Museum. It was built by
John Peirce in 1891-1892 of South Dakota quartzite at an
estimated cost of $80,000. Mr. Peirce has been described as
Sioux City's most energetic and ambitious developer, and this
house was built to impress eastern investors with Sioux City's
potential for growth. Throughout the years the house has been
owned by various families, the most prominent having been the
T.S. Martin's, one of Sioux City's foremost merchants. In 1960
the house was purchased by the Junior League of Sioux City for
$10,000 and donated to the city for a public museum.
According to the Division of Historic Preservation of the
State Historical Department of Iowa, there have been no new
submissions of sites for nomination to the National Register.
None of the known historical sites in either Woodbury or
Dakota Counties are expected to be adversely affected by the
proposed project.
102b
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3. Existing Parks and Recreation Areas
There are presently several recreational areas and scenic
attractions in the general Sioux City-Missouri River vicinity and
in the area of the proposed site. These areas offer
opportunities for water-oriented activities, camping and
picnicking, trail-oriented activities, sightseeing and general
recreational activities.
In 1970, Woodbury County had an estimated 2874 total acres of
federal, state, county, and municipal parks and recreational
areas. In addition, Dakota County, Nebraska had three existing
areas, and the surrounding region provided additional
recreational opportunities.
In the portion of the Missouri River region where Neal Unit U
is to be located, the following six recreation resources are
considered significant (see Exhibit III-G-1):
• two parks of regional importance, one north (Stone State
Park), the other south (Lewis and Clark State Park),
each in excess of 15 miles from the proposed site
• three locally important parks, located east (Browns Lake
State Park), southeast (Snyder Bend County Park), and
northwest (Omadi Bend State Recreation Area) of the
proposed site.
• one state game management area and undeveloped state
park (Winnebago State Park), located immediately south
of the proposed site.
In addition, both Nebraska and Iowa have wayside areas,
stopping points, municipal parks, and other areas of local
importance in the general region.
Recreation information for parks of regional importance and
parks outside the immediate area of the proposed site has been
included for completeness. More detailed information on existing
facilities is available in the recreation and open space plans of
the Iowa Conservation Commission, the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, and the comprehensive plans of the individual
counties.
a. Stone State Park
This state park in the northern Sioux City area is visited by
an estimated 275 thousand visitors from the region each year.
Located approximately 17 miles upstream from the proposed site,
the park provides facilities for campsites, lodging, trailers,
picnicking, fishing, as well as horseback riding and hiking
trails. The park's 918 acres overlook the Big Sioux River above
the point where it joins the Missouri.
III-103
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OMADI BEND
STATE RECREATION AREA
IOWA
NEBRASKA
PROPOSED
NEAL UNIT 4
NOTE'
LOCATIONS OF PARKS ARE
APPROXIMATE ONLY.
BROWNS LAKE
STATE PARK
SNYDER BEND
'COUNTY PARK
WINNEBAGO BEND STATE PARK
8 MANAGEMENT AREA
N
LEWIS AND CLARK
STATE PARK\
ONAWA
CITY
10
15
MILES
A
envlrospnere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
REGIONAL RECREATIONAL AREAS
DATE:
SCALE:
III-104
EXHIBIT
m-G-i
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b. Lewis and Clark State Park
The park, located 20 miles south of Neal Unit 4 in Monona
county, is the eighth-most used state park in Iowa. The Iowa
Conservation Commission estimated that 1973 attendance was more
than 315,000. In terms of the combination of regional importance
and proximity to the site, the park can be regarded as a southern
counterpart to Stone State Park. Facilities include provisions
for boating, fishing, campsites, shelter, lodging, picnicking,
and trailers.
c. Omadi Bend State Recreation Area
Ihis park is operated by the Nebraska Game, Fish and Parks
Commission and is situated on 33 acres of land adjacent to an
oxbow remnant of the Missouri River, approximately 5 miles
northwest of the proposed site. The park is accessible from
Homer, Nebraska, and the area to the west and south. The present
fcscilities include cookout grills, picnic tables, and a boat
ramp.
d. Browns Lake (Bigelow Park)
Situated on the southeast shore of Brown's Lake, due west of
Salix, Iowa, the park is state owned and is operated and managed
by Woodbury County. The park is located about two miles east of
the proposed site on a shallow oxbow lake. Facilities include
provisions for boating, fishing, picnicking, swimming, and
qeneral recreational activities.
Browns Lake (P-iaelov? Park) has received fnndinrr assistance
fron the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This funrb'prr has been
used to develop the par!-'s recreational facilities. Therefore
the park's land is subject to the provisions of Section P(f) of
the Land and Fater Conservation Fund T'ct, as amended, which
requires that chanaina land fron recreational use must be
approved by the Secretary of tho Interior.
e. Snyder Eend County Park
Snyder Bend Park, operated by the Woodbury County
Conservation Commission, provides an area of 34 acres of parkland
and access roads, located about one mile southeast of the
proposed site. Existing facilities include provisions for
boating, fishing, picnicking, camping, field sports, and
swimming. The park is situated on the shores of Snyder Lake,
which was created in 1962 through relocation of the Missouri
River channel. Boats are not allowed on the lake after September
15 of each year, at which time a portion of the lake is managed
as a waterfowl refuge.
f. Kinnebago Bend State Park and Management Area
Located on the oxbow lake south of Snyder Lake, the Winnebago
Bend park area is approximately 5 miles south of the proposed
site. The park area itself is undeveloped. The oxbow lake is
managed by the Iowa Conservation Commission as a game management
area. Existing use of the overall area is light, primarily
focusing on fishing, hunting, and sightseeing.
III-105
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4. Status of Proposals for Snyder-Winnebaqo Bends
Recreation Areas
Since the creation of the Snyder and Winnebago Bend oxbow
lakes in 1962, there has been a series of proposals concerning
additional park and recreation facilities in this general region
of the Missouri, as well as concerning the enlargement,
consolidation, and reorganization of existing facilities. The
development of the proposed Snyder-Winnebago Bends recreation
areas has been variously modified, suspended, and revised as a
result of the changing situation concerning: the boundary dispute
between Iowa and Nebraska, the ownership claims and participatory
rights of the Winnebago Indian Tribe, and the arrangements
concerning the precise properties, facilities, and development
schedule to be utilized.
Under present development plans, the proposed recreation area
will be created by the combination of Snyder Bend lake and
Winnebago Bend lake, and the consolidation of the existing
recreation facilities around them.
Major new improvements to be undertaken include: a connecting
channel between the two oxbow lakes; the construction of levees
between the Missouri River and the two cutoff channels; and the
construction of water control structures for the lakes:
Recreational development is planned to include facilities for
camping, hiking, picnicking, swimming, fishing and horseback
riding in addition to the provision of access roads, parking
areas and sewage disposal facilities. It is planned that motor-
boating and related water sports activities will take place in
the Winnebago oxbow lake, while less intensive recreational use
along with fish and wildlife resource improvement will be goals
for Snyder Lake.
Regulations concerning farming or private development
activities on lands adjacent to the park have not been developed.
Original proposals for the park occurred in 1963 and 1964
when the initial project design was prepared under the authority
of the Corps of Engineers. The designs were temporarily
postponed, but were revised several years later. In January 1968,
the State of Iowa agreed to act as the local sponsor. The
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officially agreed in February
1969 to participate in the project and to assume its
proportionate share of costs for development, operation, and
maintenance of the project.
At this stage, the plans for the proposed recreation area are
progressing. Land acquisition began in March 1970, and
construction plans and specifications were completed and sent out
for bid in May 1970. Plans for the proposed park were again
suspended, however, in June 1970, because of objections by the
Winnebago Indians concerning the right of government to acquire
Indian lands without the consent of the Tribe.
Ill-106
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The plans for the proposed park were again proceeding by
January 1973, and a tentative agreement was reached with the
Winnebago Indians in May 1973. Since that time, the scheduled
development of the proposed park has undergone additional
revisions and alterations, and the area enclosed in the proposed
park has been slightly modified.
The recreational park project is proposed to be a joint
undertaking between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersv Omaha
District, and the State of Iowa, State Conservation Commission.
The Federal responsibility would include initial land acquisition
and the construction of a protective levee, water control
structures, and initial facilities. The State of Iowa, as the
local sponsor, would be responsible for the provision of access
roads and for operating and maintaining the recreation facilities
for the life of the project. Project development costs were
proposed to be divided 50 percent each, with the State share
primarily comprising State land contributions, including the
existing recreation facilities in the area, described above.
III-107
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H. LAND AND TRANSPORTATION
1. General Existing Land Use
The existing land use of the area surrounding the proposed
site, shown in Exhibit Ill-H-1, was investigated in the following
four regions - listed in terms of decreasing area and increasing
detail:
• The four county region, defined as WOodbury and
Monona Counties, Iowa, and Dakota and Thurston
Counties, Nebraska - 2213 square miles.
• The Sioux City Standard Metropolitan Statistical
Area (SMSA) - 1126 square miles.
• Woodbury County, Iowa - 871 square miles.
• The site study area - 160 square miles.
Existing land use within the four county area - Woodbury and
Monona Counties in Iowa, and Dakota and Thurston Counties in
Nebraska - is primarily devoted to agriculture. Agricultural
production accounts for approximately 90 percent of the total
land area of the counties. Within the site study area,
approximately 76 percent of the total land area is devoted to
agricultural use with another 20 percent belonging to forest,
grassland, marsh, and vacant lands. The remaining 4 percent of
available land is accounted for by other represented land uses of
the area including: industrial, public, commercial, residential,
and urban. Existing land use within the site study area,
expressed in acres and percent of total study area, is given in
Table III-H-1.
2. Agriculture
Within the four county regional area 90.5 percent of the
total land area is devoted to agricultural production, including
all types of croplands, orchards, and grazing lands as indicated
in Table III-H-2.. Some of the more important crops produced
within this area include: field corn, soybeans, hay, sorghum, and
other grains and vegetables. Major livestock produced include
cattle and calves, hogs and pigs, and, to a lesser extent,
poultry, sheep and lambs. Intensive agriculture takes place in
the Missouri River valley and on the surrounding hills of the
four county region, with grazing lands found on the steeper and
less suitable lands.
A breakdown of the agricultural statistics within Woodbury
County revealed that, as of the 1969 Census of Agriculture, 92.7
percent of the total land area was designated for farm or
farm-related uses. Total cropland for all purposes accounted for
approximately 84.5 percent of this amount, while harvested
cropland totaled 55.1 percent, and cropland used only for pasture
III-108
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e
envirosphere
company
A ^::*.o: OF [BAiCO :i t.'CF- ',•;> oa"OaA-EC
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
EXISTING LAND
DATE:
- NEAL UNIT 4
USE MAP
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
m-H- 1
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Land Use Category
Agriculture
Industrial
Public (Airports, Schools, Churches, Etc.)
Commercial
Residential
Urban \
Cemetery
Parks and Recreation
Forest, Grassland, Marsh and Vacant
Total Land Area
Acres
78,292
496
895
114
349
860
96
424
21,075
102,601
Percent of
Total
76.31
0.48
0.87
0.11
0.34
0.84
0.09
0.42
20.54
100.00
c
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company
A DIVISION Of E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
EXISTING LAND USE WITHIN THE
NEAL SITE AREA
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-H-1
III-110
-------
Woodbury County.
Iowa
Monona County, Iowa
Dakota County. Nebraska
Thurston County, Nebraska
Total Four County Region
Four County Region
Total Land in Farms Percent
Land Area (Inc. Woodland & of
(Sq Miles) Grazing Land) Total
870.7 806.8 92.7
699.2 . 636.7 91.1
255.4 223.9 87.7
387.5 336.2 86.8
2,212.8 2,003.6 90.5
Detailed Classification,
Woodbury County
Unincorporated Area:
Agriculture
Transportation. Commercial & Utilities
Industrial
Commercial
Residentia
Public & Semi-Public
Undeveloped Open Space
Subtotal
Incorporated Cities & Towns
Total Woodbury County
Acres
•
502,517
13.873
753
34
145
961
9.888
528.171
39,711
567,882
Percent
of Total
88.7
2.4
0.1
--
-
0.2
1.7
93.1
6.9
100.0
Source: U S Bureau of the Census, 1969 Census of Agriculture (Top);
General Development Plan, Woodbury County, Iowa, 1970 (Bottom).
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
EXISTING LAND USE IN THE FOUR TABLE
COUNTY REGION, AND ,,,„->
WOODBURY COUNTY, IOWA in-H-2
DATE:
SCALE:
Ill-Ill
-------
or grazing accounted for 12.3 percent. The major agricultural
crops produced are representative of those in production within
the four county region, with vegetables and fruits being of minor
importance. Livestock production in Woodbury County, on the
other hand, accounts for more poultry farms than the other three
counties of Monona in Iowa and Dakota and Thurston in Nebraska.
Additional information on agricultural production can be found in
Appendix Tables A-III-H -1 and A-III-H-2.
Existing agricultural land use within the immediate site
vicinity includes intensive production within the Missouri River
valley and surrounding hillsides, with some forests and grazing
lands occupying the steeper, less usable slopes. However,
livestock grazing and poultry production are minimal within the
site study area.
3. Industrial
Industrial land use within the four county study area
includes manufacturing enterprises, mainly electronic components,
tools, beef products, and chemical and food processing plants.
Most of these industrial establishments are located in or within
the vicinity of Sioux City, especially along the Missouri River
where the land is relatively flat and water is readily available
for industrial purposes.
The Port Neal Industrial District comprises almost 3000 acres
of relatively flat land along the bank of the Missouri River in
Woodbury County. Some of the industries represented in this
district include Iowa Public Service Company, Borden Chemical
Company, Iowa Beef Processors, Terra Chemicals International,
Inc., Kind & Knox Gelatin, Inc., and Farmland Industries. The
existing George Neal Steam Electric Station is located within the
heart of this Industrial District. The Neal Unit 1 site is
located approximately one and three quarter miles south of the
existing units.
4. Commercial
Commercial development within the four county area is
primarily limited to the vicinity of Sioux City and the South
Sioux City area, and along the major roads and highways leading
in and out of these urban centers. Most commercial activity
outside of the cities and towns is confined to highway oriented
services, such as service stations, motels, drive-in restaurants
and theaters, etc. In Woodbury County, commercial development is
located primarily along Highway 20 between Sioux City and
Moville. Smaller commercial centers are found in most of the
unincorporated towns. Additional information on industrial and
commercial establishments is presented in Appendix Tables
A-III-H-3 and A-III-H-H.
Ill-112
-------
5. Public and Semipublic
Public and semipublic uses include such forms as airports,
schools, churches, parks, government buildings, etc. Within the
four county area most of these uses are found within the vicinity
of Sioux City and South Sioux City. The principal public land
use within the site vicinity is the Sioux City Municipal
Airport - approximately 6 miles south of Sioux City and about 7
miles north of the plant site along the Missouri River. Other
public and semipublic uses are located near some of the outlying
residential areas in the vicinity of the towns of Salix, Dakota
City, and Crystal Lake. Additional information on parks and
recreational areas was presented in Section III-G.
6. Residential
Residential areas outside of urban clusters are concentrated
in the four county region along the fringes of the metropolitan
areas, and within the smaller unincorporated towns. In the
immediate site area there are some 349 acres of residential area
or less than one percent of the total study area. Residential
clusters are located to the east of Sergeant Bluff, south of
Sioux City, scattered around the perimeter of Crystal Lake, and
clustered along the southeast shore of Browns Lake, about one
mile to the east of the proposed site.
7. Urban
Urban lands within the vicinity of the proposed site comprise
0.8 percent of the total land area, or about 860 acres of land.
Urban areas include portions of Sioux City and South Sioux City,
all of Dakota City, Sergeant Bluff, and Salix. The urban areas
are located within the Missouri River valley except for Sioux
City which is partially built upon the Missouri River bluffs
along the east bank of the river.
8. Transportation
Major transportation routes within the surrounding region
include the north-south Interstate Highway, 1-29, which extends
along the Missouri River valley. The route passes through Omaha,
Nebraska and Sioux City, Iowa, as well as other Missouri River
communities. At its closest point, Interstate 29 passes within
2-1/2 miles east of Neal Unit 4.
The major east-west highway route is Highway 20 which passes
through Sioux City, and continues east to Fort Dodge and
Waterloo, and west across the Missouri River into Nebraska.
Within the immediate site area, a system of paved roads extends
south from the town of Sergeant Bluff, and existing roads are
present to the north and east of the proposed site boundaries.
Rail transportation within the four county study area
includes the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific; the
III-113
-------
Chicago and Northwestern; the Burlington Northern; and the
Illinois Central Railroads - all serving the Sioux City area.
The Chicago and Northwestern tracks parallel Interstate 29 to the
east of the site, and a spur which serves the existing Neal units
and the Port Neal Industrial district is readily available to be
extended and utilized for Neal Unit 4.
III-114
-------
I. DEMOGRAPHY
The discussion of demography includes an analysis of past
population trends, the composition, distribution, and various
other demographic characteristics of the current population, and
projections of future population. Areas of focus include
Woodbury County, the region within 10 miles of the proposed site,
the four counties surrounding the proposed site, and the region
within a 100 mile radius of the proposed site.
1. Population History
Woodbury County experienced continuous and significant
population growth earlier in this century. This is presented in
Table III-I-1 which lists the decennial population counts from
1900 to 1970 for Woodbury County, the Sioux City urbanized area,
and the rural portion of Woodbury County. From 1900 to 1930, the
County's population increased from 56,610 to 101,669. The
statistics indicate that this 46.3 percent increase was due to
the growth of the Sioux City urbanized area as opposed to
population changes in the rural part of the county. In fact,
during that period, the population of the urbanized area
increased by 139 percent while the rural area grew by less than 5
percent. Since the 1930 Census, however, the county1s population
grew slowly to a peak reflected in the 1960 Census and then
declined by the 1970 federal count to a point below that recorded
in 1940. An examination of Table III-I-1 reveals that the
pattern of the past 40 years was caused by a significant loss of
rural population to the Sioux City urbanized area.
In 1900, the rural area of Woodbury County comprised 39.4
percent of the total county population. By 1930, this percentage
was reduced to 17.3 percent. The 1970 statistics revealed a
further decline to 16.9 percent. Table III-I-2 illustrates the
changes that have occurred in the urban and rural populations
from 1930 to 1970.
Table III-I-3 presents decennial population counts and
forecasts from 1920 through 1990 for Woodbury County and the
three counties that are within 10 miles of the proposed site.
Woodbury County is significantly more populous than Monona,
Dakota, or Thurston counties. Among these counties only Dakota
County registered a substantial population increase during the
past half century (71 percent).
2. Current Demographic Characteristics
There are eight named places within 10 miles of the proposed
site. Exhibit III-1-1 shows a map of this area and a table
listing the 1970 populations and positions of each of these
places relative to the proposed site. These places ranged in
1970 population from approximately 50 (Luton) to 1153 (Sergeant
Bluff). Salix had a 1970 population of 387. Exhibit III-I-2
shows the positions of centers of over 10,000 population which
III-115
-------
Year
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
Woodbury County
Rural
21,499
19,788
20,944
22,486
21,263
19.926
18,690
15.973
Sioux City
Urbanized Area
33,111
47.828
71,227
79,183
82,364
83,991
89,159
87,079
Total
54,610
67.616
92,171
• 101,669
103,627
103,917
107,849
103,052
Source: Past population counts provided by U S Bureau of the Census 1973 data
are provisional estimates for July 1, provided-by the U S Bureau of the Census.
Projected populations from the Iowa State Office of Planning and Programming
(Des Moines, Iowa), 1973, and the University of Nebraska. Bureau of Business
Research (Lincoln. Nebraska), 1973.
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT 4
WOODBURY COUNTY POPULATION TREND
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IH-I-1
III-116
-------
Year
1930
1940
% Change
1950
% Change
1960
% Change
1970
% Change
Woodbury County
Sioux City
Urbanized Area
79,183
82,364
+4.0
83,991
+2.0
89.159
+6.2
87.079
2.3
Rural
22,486
21,260
-5.5
19,926
-6.2
18,690
-6.2
15,973
-14.5
Total
101,669
103,627
+1.9
• 103,917
+0.3
107,849
+3.8
103,052
-4.4
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
General Population Characteristics
PC(1)-B17 Iowa
o
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ft DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT 4
URBAN AND RURAL POPULATION CHANGES
IN WOODBURY COUNTY, 1930-1970
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-I-2
III-117
-------
Year
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1974
1975
1980
1985
1990
Woodbury Co.
92,171
101,669
103,627
103,917
107,849
103,052
103,800
108,800
114,400
120,700
126,400
Dakota Co. (Neb)
7,694
9,505
9,836
10,401
12,168
13,137
14,800
14,401
15,391
16,236
16,925
Thurston Co. (Neb)
9,589
10,462
10,243
8,590
7,237
6,935
7,300
6,681
6,559
6,603
6,733
Monona Co.
17,125
18,213
18,238
16,303
13,916
12,069
11,900
12,700
13,200
13,900
14,500
Source: Past population counts provided by U S Bureau of the Census 1974 data are provisional
estimates for July 1, provided by the U S Bureau of the Census.
Projected populations from the Iowa State Office of Planning and Programming
(Des Moines, Iowa), 1975, and the University of Nebraska, Bureau of Business
Research (Lincoln, Nebraska), 1973.
A
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company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
PAST AND PROJECTED POPULATION
(COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF THE
NEAL SITE)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-I-3
III-118
-------
IRCDAK
[LEGEND
United States
\J Interstate
CD State Route
10 MILES
PLACE
Salix
Sergeant Bluff
Homer, Neb.
Luton
Dakota City , Neb.
Sloan
Winnebago, Neb.
Bronson
POPULATION
387
1,153
457
50*
1,057
799
675
193
DISTANCE
FROM SITE
(miles)
4
7
7
7
8
8
8
10
DIRECTION
FROM SITE
E
N
W
ENE
NNW
SE
SW
NE
* 1974 population estimate provided by Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan
Planning Council (SIMPCO)
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
Number of Inhabitants
PC ( I ) -AI7 IOWA, Table 6
e
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
POPULATION: PLACES WITHIN 10 MILES
OF PROPOSED SITE
DATE:
SCALE:
III-119
EXHIBIT
III-I-l
-------
100 MILES
PLACE
Sioux City, IOWA
Fremont, NEB.
Norfolk, NEB.
Yankton, S.D.
Omaha, NEB.
Council Bluffs, IOWA
Bellevue, NEB.
Columbus, NEB.
Spencer, IOWA
Sioux Foils, S.D.
DISTANCE
FROM SITE
(miles)
14
60
60
65
75
75
80
80
85
90
DIRECTION
FROM SITE
N
S
wsw
NW
SSE
SSE
SSE
SW
NE
NNW '
1970
POPULATION
85,925
22,962
16,607
11,919
347,328
60,348
19,449
15,471
10,278
72,488
I960
POPULATION
89,159
19,698
13,640
9,279
301,598
55,641
8,831
12,476
8,864
65,466
% CHANGE
-3.6
16.6
21.8
28.5
15.2
8.5
120.2
24.0
16.0
10.7
SOURCE: U.S.Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
Number of Inhabitants
U.S. Summary, PC(I )-AI,Table 31
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
CENTERS OF OVER 10,000 POPULATION
WITHIN 100 MILES OF PROPOSED SITE
DATE:
SCALE:
III-120
EXHIBIT
III-I-2
-------
are located within a 100 mile radius of the proposed site. Sioux
City is of most significance to the proposed site because of its
high population (85,925 in 1970) and close proximity (14 miles).
Sioux City, however, was the only listed city to experience a net
loss of inhabitants (36 percent) from 1960 to 1970. Omaha,
Nebraska, 75 miles south-southeast of the proposed site, is the
largest city in the region. Over the same ten year period, its
population increased 15.2 percent, to 347,328.
The 1974 population estimates for counties within 10 miles of
the proposed site are presented in Table I1CI-I-3. Woodbury
County, with an estimated 103,800 people, is more populous than
the other 3 counties combined. During the 1960's, Woodbury
Countyfs population declined by 4.4 percent as shown in Table
III-I-2. A decline was registered in both urban and rural areas
although the percentage drop was considerably greater in the
rural sector.
The proposed site is located within Liberty and Lakeport
townships which had a 1970 population of 1022 and 210,
respectively (shown in Table III-1-4). Liberty is among the more
heavily settled townships in Woodbury County. While the County
experienced a 4.4 percent decline in population between the last
two decennial federal censuses. Liberty township was the most
stable among the twenty-four Woodbury County subdivisions with a
decline of only 1 percent.
The components of population change of a community are
births, deaths and migration. Migration, the least amenable to
measurement and especially to forecasting, plays the most
important role in population fluctuations. The components of
population change in Woodbury County from 1960 to 1970 are given
in Table III-I-5. During that decade, Woodbury county had a net
loss of 4797 persons, equivalent to a decline of 4.4 percent.
This compares to the state increase of 2.4 percent. The natural
increase, which is defined as the excess of births over deaths,
for the county was 10,463 persons or 9.7 percent while the state
experienced a natural increase of 9.1 percent. Due to a heavy
out-migration from the county (14.1 percent, or almost 1 out of 7
residents), the net change was a loss of 4.4 percent. The net
change in the state's population was an increase of 2.4 percent
because net migration was not significant enough to negate the
gain in population due to natural increase.
As indicated in Table III-I-6, the median age in Woodbury
County in 1970 was 28.8 years; 12.5 percent of the population was
65 years of age or over. These statistics are similar to those
of the Sioux City urbanized area, the State of Iowa and the State
of Nebraska, as well as to the two Nebraska counties in the
immediate vicinity of the proposed site. Monona County, however,
had a considerably older population with a median age of 36.9
years, and 16.9 percent of the population 65 years of age or
over.
III-121
-------
Minor tivil Division
Arlington township
Banner township
Concord township
Floyd township
Grange township
Grant township
Kedron township
Lakeport township
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
Listen township
Little Sioux township
Miller township
Morgan township
Moville township
Oto township
Rock township
Rutland township
Sioux City city
Sloan township
Union township
West Fork township
Willow township
Wolf Creek township
Woodbury township
Woodbury County
1970
1,639
818
828
722
302
372
1,180
210
1,022
895
661
251
330
336
541
754
858
85,925
1,086
886
427
600
353
2,056
103,052
1960
1,602
788
657
778
343
426
1,082
277
1,032
961
804
491
421
441
644
1,020
923
89,159
1,056
948
545
730
487
2,234
107,849
Percent
Change
+2.3
+3.8
+26.0
-7.2
-12.0
-12.7
+9.1
-24.2
-1.0
-6.9
-17.8
^8.9
-21.6
-23.8
-16.0
-26.1
- 7.0
- 3.6
+2.8
- 6-5
-21.7
-17.8
-27.5
-8.8
-4.4
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
Number of Inhabitants
PC(1) -A 17 Iowa, Table 10
o
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
POPULATION OF WOODBURY COUNTY
SUBDIVISIONS, 1960 AND 1970
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
111-1-4
111-122
-------
1960 Population
Natural Increase
(Birthsj
(Deaths)
Net Migration
Net Change
1970 Population
Woodbury County
Number
107,849
10,463
(21,689)
(11,226)
-15,260
- 4,797
103,052
Percent Change
+9.7
-
•-14.1
-4.4
Iowa
Number
2,757.537
251,431
(541,097)
(290,666)
-183,592
+66,839
2,824,376
Percent Change
+9.1
^6.7
+2.4
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
Components of Population Change of County, 1960-1970
P25 #461
O
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A DIVISION OF EBA5CO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE
IN WOODBURY COUNTY 1960 TO 1970
DATE:
SCALE:
III-123
TABLE
UI-I-5
-------
County
Woodbury
Dakota (Neb)
Thurston (Neb)
Monona
Sioux City Urbanized
Area
STATE OF IOWA
STATE OF NEBRASKA
Population
103,052
13,137
6.935
12,069
95,937
2.8 1 4,. J, 76
1,483,493
Age Characteristics
Median
Age
28.8
26.0
27.4
36.9
28.2
28.8
28.6
Percent
Under
18 Yrs
34.6
38.7
38.9
32.3
34.5
34.5
34.2
Percent
65 Yrs &
Over
12.5
' 10.1
12.4
16.9
12.3
12.4
12.4
Percent
Rural
15.5
39.7
100.0
72.8
-
42.8
38.5
Native
Pop. -
Percent
Residing
In State
of Birth
70.0
50.4
83.2
82.1
65.8
78.7
72.3
Persons 25
Yrs & Over -
Median
School Years
Completed
12.3
12.1
11.2
12.1
12.2
12.2
12.2
Households
Number
32,854
3,910
2,036
4.134
30,657
896,295
473,902
Persons
Per
Household
3.04
3.30
3.34
2.87
3.03
3.05
3.02
Source: U S Bureau of the Census u $ fiureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population 19?n Census of Popu]ation
General Populat.on Characteristics General Social and Economic Characteristics
PC(1)-B17 Iowa, Tables 16, 24 and PC(1)-C17 Iowa, Tables 82, 83 and
PC(1)-B29 Nebraska, Tables 20, 22, 35 and 36 PC(l)-C29 Nebraska, Table 43
envirosphere
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A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, TABLE
1970: (COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF III-I-6
THE NEAL SITE)
DATE: SCALE:
-------
3. Population Projections
County population projections for 5-year intervals through
1990 were made available by the Iowa State Office of Planning and
Programming and the University of Nebraska Bureau of Business
Research and are listed in Table III-I-3. Woodbury County's
population is expected to increase over the 15-year period ending
in 1990. The population of Monona County is projected to
increase at a slower rate, while Thurston County's population is
anticipated to remain relatively stable. The population of
Dakota County is also expected to increase.
III-125
-------
J. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
The discussion of social and economic characteristics
includes an analysis of educational attainment, residential
moves, housing characteristics, incomes, and commutation. Most
of the information used in this study was obtained from the U.S.
Bureau of the Census, the Iowa Employment Security Commission,
and the Iowa Crop Reporting Service. Areas examined are Woodbury
and Dakota Counties (which comprise the Sioux City Standard
Metropolitan Statistical Area); the two other counties within 10
miles of the site; and the Sioux City urbanized area.
1. Education
The level of education is an indicator of the socio-economic
status of a community. A summary of educational levels for
Woodbury County is shown in Table III-J-1. In 1970, persons 25
years of age and over residing in Woodbury County had achieved a
relatively high level of educational attainment with a median
number of 12.3 school years completed. This may be compared with
12.2 years for the median for the state and 12.1 years for the
nation. In 1960 the median for both the county and state was
11.3 years of school completed. Both the county and the state,
therefore, experienced substantial gains in the level of
educational attainment during the intervening decade.
Contributing heavily to this increase was the larger number of
residents attending college during the 1960*s and reaching
adulthood by the 1970 census. High school graduates accounted
for 59.3 percent of the county1s adult population in 1970.
An opposite indicator of educational attainment is functional
illiteracy. Functional illiteracy is measured as the number of
persons, 25 years old and over, who have completed less than 5
years of school. In 1970, 2.6 percent of Woodbury County*s
population was in this category. This is higher than the state's
figure of 1.9 percent, but substantially below the national total
of 5.5 percent.
Among the counties within 10 miles of the proposed site,
Woodbury had the highest median number of school years completed,
as shown in Table III-I-6 in the previous section. The median
for Thurston County, Nebraska was considerably lower with 11.2
years completed while those for Dakota County, Nebraska and
Monona County were both 12.1 years.
2. Residential Moves
The native population, as measured by the percent of the 1970
population residing in their state of birth, was 70 percent for
residents of Woodbury County, as shown in Table III-1-6. Table
III-J-2 presents information regarding residential moves for
residents of counties within 10 miles of the proposed site. Of
the Woodbury County residents in 1970, almost 40 percent had
moved since 1965; among those who changed residence, about 60
III-126
-------
Total Persons,
25 Years old and over
No School Years
Completed
Elementary
1 to 4 Years
5 to 7 Years
8 Years
High School:
1 to 3 years
4 Years
College:
1 to 3 Years
4 Years or More
Median School
Years Completed
1970
Woodbury County
Number
55,908
555
877
3.011
8,399
9,894
20,932
6.733
5,507
Percent
100.0
1.0
1.6
5.4
15.0
17.7
37.4
12.0
9.9
12.3
Iowa
Percent
100.0
0.6
-
1.3
5.7
18.5
15.0
38.7
11.1
9.1
12.2
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
General Social and Economic Characteristics
PC(1)-C17 Iowa, Tables 46 and 120
O
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DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
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WOODBURY COUNTY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
DATE:
SCALE:
III-127
TABLE
III-J-1
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County
Woodbury
Dakota (Neb)
Thurston (Neb)
Monona
STATE OF IOWA
STATE OF NEBRASKA
Total
94,647
11,791
6,343
11,274
2,591,320
1,362,316
Same
Residence
53,610
6,545
4,541
7,206
1,479,159
734,027
Residence in 1965
Difference Residence in U S
Number
37,638
4,814
1,464
3,739
1,015,866
559,209
Percent
of Total
39.8
40.8
23.1
33.2
39.2
41,0
Same
County
23,265
2,352
786
1,954
580,843
295,308
Percent
of Total
24.6
19.9
12.4
17.3
22.4
21.7
Different
County
14,373
2,462
678
1,785
435,023
263,901
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
General Social and Economic Characteristics
PC(1)-C17 Iowa, and
PC(1)-C29 Nebraska, Tables 45 and 119
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
RESIDENTIAL MOVES, 1965 TO 1970
(COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF
THE NEAL SITE)
DATE: SCALE:
Percent
of Total
'15.2
.20.9
10.7
15.8
16.8
19.4
TABLE
1 1 1 - J - 2
-------
percent had moved within the county. These figures are quite
similar to those for the State of Iowa as a whole. Among the
four counties in the immediate study area, Thurston County,
Nebraska, had an especially stationary population with only 23.1
percent having changed their residences since 1965.
3. Housing Characteristics
Several 1970 housing characteristics of the four counties in
the immediate site vicinity and the Sioux City urbanized area are
presented in Table III-J-3. More than 99 percent of all housing
units in these four counties are year-round units. Of these
year-round housing units in Woodbury County, only 6.3 percent
lacked some or all plumbing facilities while the comparable
figure for the state was 7.5 percent and for Thurston county,
Nebraska, it was 22.1 percent. The median value of $ 12,900 of
owner occupied housing units in Woodbury County was higher than
that in the other three counties and also exceeded the state
averages. More than 1500 housing units in Woodbury County in
1970 were vacant and available for sale or rent.
For the Sioux City Urban Area, under conditions of moderate
growth, forecasts of housing and land requirements through the
year 2000 have been prepared by the Siouxland Interstate
Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO). As presented in Table
III-J-4, 2,537 acres in the area require development to support
11,870 new housing units, both single and multi-family types.
U. Economy
According to the Iowa Crop Reporting Service located in Des
Moines, Iowa, livestock in Woodbury County produced more total
cash receipts than did crops in 1973. Cattle and hogs were
responsible for similar cash receipts with dairy products
following. Corn, soybeans and oats are the main crops. Woodbury
County is characterized by the Iowa Crop Reporting Service as a
consistently good producing agricultural county.
In 1970 there were 39,179 employed persons 16 years of age
and over in Woodbury County. The figures for Monona, Dakota, and
Thurston Counties were, respectively, 4251, 1889 persons, and
2421 persons. Information regarding employment by industry to
1970 is presented in Table III-J-5. Due to the influence of
Sioux City on the character of Woodbury County, the retail trade
employed 19.6 percent of those working, and manufacturing
accounted for 17.4 percent. Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
together accounted for 4.7 percent or 1842 persons. In Dakota
County, Nebraska manufacturing and the retail trade also employed
the highest percentages of workers, with 23.2 percent and 19.5
percent, respectively. Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
together accounted for 9.5 percent of those employed in Dakota
County. Monona and Thurston Counties, Nebraska, both exhibited
markedly different industrial profiles from those of Woodbury and
Dakota Counties, Iowa. In these counties, agriculture, forestry
III-129
-------
County
Woodbury
Dakota (Neb)
Thurston (Neb)
Monona
Sioux City Urbanized
Area
STATE OF IOWA
STATE OF NEBRASKA
Total
Housing
Units
35,127
4,174
2,211
4,511
32,626
964,060
515,069
Year-Round Housing Units
Total
35,093
4,171
2,207
4,478
32,614
954,801
511,891
Percent
Lacking
Some or
All Plumbing
Facilities
6.3
7.4
22.1
4.5
5.4
7.5
6.1
Owner -Occup ied
Total
22,816
2,753
1,239
2,908
21,200
642,676
314,600
Median
Value
(dollars)
12,900
11,800
7,400
8,100
13,200
9,900
12,400
Renter -Occup ied
•-
Total
10,018
1,158
794
1,225
9,457
253,635
133,279
Percent
La.ki..g
Some or
All Plumbing
Facilities
11.4
8.4
28.2
11.3
11.6
9.6
7.6
Median
Contract
Rent
(dollars)
72
76
51
49
74
77
77
Vacant
for
Sale only
or
For Rent
1,572
152
67
110
1,547
28,070
17,672
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
General Housing Characteristics
HC(1) -A17 Iowa and
HC(1 ) -A29 Nebraska. Tables 2, 3. 4 and 29
GIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS, 1970
envirosphere (COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF TABLE
company THE NFAL S!TE^ "I-J-3
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE- SCALE!
-------
New Housing Units
Year
Housing Type
Single Family
Low
Medium
High
Multi Family
Low
Medium
High
Totals
Lot Area
20,000
8,000
6,600
4,000
2,800
1,000
Gross Acres/
Housing Unit
.662
.293
.254
.153
.119
.062
1980
145
1,501
732
367
732
183
3,660
1990
302
2,650
1,590
1,514
1,135
379
7,570
2000
474
2,970
2,492
2,374
2,374
1,186
11,870
Additional Acres
to be Developed
1980
96
440
186
56
87
11
876
1990
200
776
404
232
135
23
1,770
2000
314
870
633
363
283
74
2,537
Source: Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO), Economic Report, 1972.
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION o1 rs/v-co 'ssvia.- KGJRPOKA-ID
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MODERATE FORECAST OF GROSS NEW RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND LAND REQUIREMENTS
SIOUX CITY URBAN AREA
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-J-4
-------
Industry
Agri
-------
and fisheries employed a plurality of the working force,
amounting to more than 28 percent. In Monona County, retail
trade and education were the next largest industries (19 percent
and 8.9 percent, respectively) while in Thurston County retail
trade and manufacturing both accounted for 13.0 percent.
Table III-J-6 presents forecasts, under conditions of
moderate growth in the Sioux City urban area, of employment by
industry groupings through the year 2000.
In Woodbury County, taxable payrolls during the first quarter
of 1972 amounted to $51,077,000, which represented a 10.2 percent
increase over the previous year (Table III-J-7). The larger role
of agriculture in Monona and Thurston Counties is reflected in
the relatively low taxable payrolls in these two counties.
Thurston County did, however, experience a 20.3 percent increase
in taxable payrolls during 1972 (Table III-J-7).
5. Occupation Characteristics, Incomes, and Commutation
The occupational groups of the employed labor forces in each
of the four counties within 10 miles of the site are shown in
Table III-J-8. Data in Table III-J-9 indicate generally higher
earnings in Woodbury County than in the other three counties
studied. Earnings for comparable occupations were generally
lowest in the Thurston County, Nebraska, which is entirely within
the boundaries of the Omaha and Winnebago Indian Reservations.
Per capita and family income in Woodbury County was typical
of the State of Iowa (Table III-J-10) while levels for Monona
County were generally lower. The per capita income in Woodbury
County was 32886 in 1969, and the median family income was $9035
in 1970. Among the 25,863 families in Woodbury County, 9.2
percent had incomes below poverty level ($3,259), while 16
percent had incomes of $15,000 or more. Monona County's family
income was lower than Woodbury County. Thurston County had
significantly lower per capita and family income than other
counties in the study area.
According to data supplied by the Iowa Employment Security
Commission (IESC), the January 1976 unemployment rate in the
Sioux City SMSA (comprising of Woodbury and Dakota Counties) was
3.8 percent*, or less than half the national average.
Unemployment has, in fact, decreased steadily over the past three
annual surveys. U.S. Census Bureau statistics, arrived at by a
different methodology, show higher levels of unemployment for
this area. However, these are still relatively low rates of
unemployment and can be ascribed to three characteristics of the
State of Iowa as a whole:
* Agriculture, a relatively non-volatile industry, is
at the base of the state's economy.
* Not seasonally adjusted. Local unemployment rates are currently
undergoing a data revision process which will, in the case of
Sioux City, cut the rate by about 0.5*. (Iowa Unemployment
Security Commission, telephone contact, March 31, 1976).
III-133
-------
Industry Grouping
Year
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Agriculture
Construction
Meat Processing
Other Food Manufacturing
Other Manufacturing
Transportation, Communications
and Utilities
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
1980
38
2,078
5,422
1,448
6,623
3,502
3,565
8,618
1990
43
2,153
5,850
1,430
8,865
4,005
3,954
9,789
2000
47
2,275
6,402
1,661
11,323
4,616
4,436
11,332
Trade Sub-Total (7 & 8)
9 Finance, Insurance and Real
Estate
10 Education
11 Medical Services
12 Other Services
Services Sub-Total (10, 11, 12)
General Government
13
TOTALS
(12,183)(13,743)(15,768)
2,357 2,735 3,194
2,137 2,511 2,957
3,203 3,666 4,221
4,604 5,453 6,472
(9,944) (11,630) (13,650)
2,052 2,309 2,630
45,647 52,763 61,566
Source: Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO),
Economic Report, 1972.
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. - NEAL UNIT 4
MODERATE FORECAST OF TOTAL
EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY GROUPINGS
SIOUX CITY URBAN AREA
DATE:
TABLE
III-J-6
III-134
-------
County
Woodbury
Dakota (Neb)
Thurston (Neb)
Monona
STATE OF IOWA
STATE OF NEBRASKA
1972
Number of
Employees,
Mid-March
Pay Period
32,533
4,281
1.076
1.382
683,626
379,781
Taxable
Payrolls,
Jan-Mar
(I 1000)
51,077
7,269
1,241
1,349
1,127,543
579,520
1971
Number of
Employees,
Mid-March
Pay Period
31,181
4,323
943
1,302
660,427
361,041
Taxable
Payrolls,
Jan-Mar
($1000)
46,355
6,954
1,031
1,254
1,010,141
511,269
Percent Change ,
Taxable Payrolls,
First Quarters
1971-1972
10.2
4.5
20.3
7.6
1
1.6
13.3
*Excludes government and railroad employees, self-employed persons, farm workers, and domestic service workers.
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
County Business Patterns, 1972
CBP-72-17 Iowa and
CBP- 72-29 Nebraska. Table 1F
(
envir
cor
A DIVISION OF E6AC
BIOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
EMPLOYMENT AND PAYROLL, FIRST
OSDhere QUARTER 1971 AND 1972:(COUNTIES WITHIN
npany 10 MILES OF THE NEAL SITE)
ro SERVICES INCORPORATE:; DATE- SCALE"
TABLE
III-J-7
-------
Occupation
Professional, Technical
Managers and
Administrators, Non-Farm
Sales
Clerical
Craftsmen, Foremen
Operatives, Non-Transport
Transport Equipment
Operatives
Laborers, Non-Farm
Farmers, Farm Managers
Farm Laborers,
Farm Foremen
Service
Private Household
Total
Woodbury County
Number
4,983
4,281
3,376
6,429
4,900
3,959
1.637
1,898
1,318
386
5,545
467
39,179
Percent
of
Total
12.7
10.9
8.6
16.4
12.5
10.1
4.2
4.8
3-4
1.0
14.2
1.2
100,0
Dakota County
Number
395
438
358
579
738
680
278
231
363
80
655
94
4,889
Percent
of
Total
8.1
9.0
7.3
11.8
15.1
13.9
5.7
4.7
7.4
1.6
13.4
1.9
99.9
Thurston County
Number
257
175
80
273
166
192
92
173
505
161
294
53
2,421
Percent
of
Total
10.6
7.2
3.3
11.3
6.9
7.9
3.8
7.1
20.9
6.7
12.1
2.2
100.0
Monona County
Number
418
400
254
446
451
225
174
200
952
' 226
411
94
4,251
Percent
of
Total
9.8
9.4 _
6.0
10.5 -
10.6
5.3
4.1
4.7
22.4
5.3
9.7
2.2
100.0
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
General Social and Economic Characteristics
PC(1)-C17 Iowa and PC(1)-C29 Nebraska Table 122
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
EMPLOYED PERSONS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, BY OCCUPATION, 1970
(COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF THE NEAL SITE)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-J-8
-------
Occupation
Professional. Managerial, an
Kindred Workers
Craftsmen, Foremen, and
Kindred Workers
Operatives, including
Transport
Laborers, except Farm
Farmers and Farm
Managers
Farm Laborers and
Foremen
Clerical and Kindred
Workers
d
Woodburv Co.
Median Earnings
Males
$10,282
7.633
6.615
4.313
6,153
3.492
Females
$3.152
3.552
Dakota Co. (Neb;
Median Earnings
Males
$9.547
7.492
6.880
6.364
5.741
2.893
Females
$3.366
3.284
Tliurston Co. (Neb;
Median Earnings
Males
$6,897
5,300
4,742
3,800
4,635
2.939
Female:,
$3,407
2,065
Monona Co.
Median Earnings
Males
$9,071
6.433
5,545
4,250
5.892
2,662
Females
-
—
-
$2,254
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of
Population
General Social and Economic Characteristics
PC"i;'-C17 Iowa
PC 1 ;-C29 Nebra
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF FBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
and
ska, Table 122
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MEDIAN EARNINGS OF PERSONS IN EXPERIENCED CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE
FOR SELECTED OCCUPATION GROUPS, 1969: (COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF
THE NEA! SITE)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-J-9
-------
County
Woodbury
Dakota (Neb)
Thurston (Neb)
Monona
STATE OF IOWA
STATE OF NEBRASKA
Sources: U S Bureau of
Per Capita
Income
(dollars)
2,886
2,593
1,875
2,603
2,894
2,814
Families
Total
Number
25,863
3,273
1,672
3,273
713,490
372,430
Median Income
(dollars)
9,035
8,557
( 6,075
6,975
9,018
8,564
Percent
Less Than
Poverty Level
9.2
9.5
20.2
12.3
8.9
10.1
Percent
$15,000 or
More
16.1
11.3
5.4
12.4
16.2
14.9
Civilian Labor
Force — Percent
Unemployed
4.6
2.5
1.3
3.9
3.5
2.7
the Census
1 970 Census of Population
General Social
and Economic Characteristics
PC(1) -C17 Iowa and
PC(1) -C29 Nebraska, Tables 44, 68, and 124
U S Bureau of
the Census
1 970 Census of Population
General Population Characteristics
PC(1) -B17 Iowa and
PC(1) -B29 Nebraska, Table 22
e
envirosphere
company
A D VISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
PER CAPITA INCOME, 1969 AND FAMILY INCOME AND UNEMPLOYMENT 1970
(COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF THE NEAL SITE)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
III-J-10
-------
• Much of the industry is also correspondingly
stable, e.g., farm machinery manufacturing and food
processing.
• The state is experiencing a net out-migration which
tends to diminish unemployment.
In 1970, among workers residing in Woodbury County, 7.2
percent worked outside that county (Table III-J-11). About 10
percent of Monona County's workers commuted outside the county to
their jobs. Comparable figures for Thurston and Dakota Counties,
Nebraska were 12.0 percent and 40.4 percent.
Future employment rates in the Sioux City Urban Area under
moderate growth conditions have been forcasted by SIMPCO and are
presented in Table III-J-12. On the basis of these data, a
steady increase in the percent of population employed and the
labor force participation rate is expected through the year 2000.
III-139
-------
County
Woodbury
Efckou (Neb)
Thurston (Neb)
Monona
All
Workers
38,590
4,857
2,481
4,201
Worked
In
County of
Residence
34,024
2,722
1,941
3,425
Worked
Outside
County of
Residence
2,621
1,843
264
394
Place of
Work
not
Reported
1,945
292
276
382
Percent of
Reported Total
Working Outside
of County
7.2
40.4
12
.0
10.3
Source: U S Bureau of the Census
1970 Census of Population
General Social and Economic Characteristics
PC(1)-C17 Iowa and
PC(1)-C29 Nebraska, Table 119
envi
CO
A DIVISION OF EB
OM PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - IMEAL UNIT 4
rosphere PLACE OF WORK, 1970: (COUNTIES WITHIN 10 MILES OF THE NEAL SITE)
mpany
ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE: SCALE!
TABLE
III-J-11
-------
1980
Year
1990
2000
M
I—'
-P-
Employment (FTE)
Percent of Population Employed
Total Population
45,650
39.0
117,000
52,760
41.0
128,700
59,480
42.0
141,600
FTE - Full Time Employment
Source: Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO),
Economic Report, 1972.
O
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MODERATE POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT FORECASTS,
SIOUX CITY URBAN AREA
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
III-J-12
-------
-------
IV - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF
THE PROPOSED PROJECT
A. CONSTRUCTION
1. Impact on Local Socio-Economics
The development of the proposed Neal Unit 4 is not
anticipated to introduce a major or abrupt alteration in the
socio-economic character of the area. The overall effect of the
proposed action on both a local and regional basis is projected
to be consistent with the area's existing character as well as
recent trends and developments.
From an economic viewpoint, the proposed project will have a
generally beneficial, though not substantial, impact on the Sioux
City Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA); ie, the area
consisting of Woodbury county, Iowa, and Dakota County, Nebraska.
These benefits include the creation of new jobs during the
construction of the project, and secondary economic activities
resulting from the project.
To evaluate construction impacts, present socio-economic
developments in the area were examined and related to the
experience gained from construction activities which occurred in
the same general vicinity for the existing Neal Units 1,2 and 3.
a. Employment and Labor Force
The primary effect of construction on employment and the
labor force is expected to occur within the Sioux City SMSA
because the proposed project will be located only 14 miles from
the center of the Sioux City urbanized area. The project
development would be in keeping with employment patterns for the
area since the construction industry has generally accounted for
more than 5 percent of the labor force.
A number of construction workers for the plant will be
available because of two factors. First, because of the recent
completion of George Neal Unit 3 in December 1975, a number of
the workers required for the construction of George Neal Unit 4
will already be in the area. Construction of George Neal Unit 3
required an average of 350 to 400 workers. Second, based on 1970
U.S. employment statistics,* a total of 5,727 construction
workers are available within an approximately ninety minute drive
of the site.
The average unemployment rate between 1970 and 1976 for
construction workers in the State of Iowa has been approximately
10 percent2. This rate along with the knowledge that George Neal
Unit 3 has just been completed indicates there should be
approximately 600 construction workers available in the area to
work on George Neal Unit 4.
IV-1
-------
Construction employment for the proposed project is scheduled
to extend over an approximately 3-1/2 year period. Construction
began in March 1975, and trial operation is scheduled for
September 1978. The projected average construction work force on
the site is 700 workers and a maximum of 1,200 workers.
b. Housing and Relocation
Based on the projected work force it will be necessary during
various phases of construction to employ relocated workers. It
is estimated that anywhere from 100 to 700 workers will relocate
to the Sioux City area during various periods of construction.
Assuming an average family size to be 3.1 persons3, relocation
would result in a maximum increase in population of 2,170
persons. The derived population increase may be higher than
would actually be experienced, since many relocated construction
workers should be staying in the area for a relatively short
period and are not expected to bring families. Compared to the
population of the Sioux City SMSA (118,600 in 1974), this influx
will result in a maximum increase of 1.8 percent. Therefore,
construction worker immigration should have little, if any,
adverse impact on housing and social services in the area. In
addition, because of the higher levels of housing available in
the Sioux City SMSA than in adjacent rural counties, no adverse
impact or pressures are predicted for these counties.
c. Other Economic Factors
Some important considerations include: the economic benefits
resulting from construction activities; the subsequent economic
activity resulting from secondary or "multiplier11 effects; and,
the growth in the local tax base, including those resulting
directly and those resulting indirectly from increased payrolls
and business activity.
The potential taxes resulting from the construction of the
proposed project will accrue to both state and local government.
The beneficial impact of the proposed project is augmented by the
fact that construction will not cause a substantial temporary
loss in annual property tax due to dislocation of houses or
businesses.
Neal Unit 4 will have no effect on the economic costs to the
consumer during construction because the Iowa Commerce Commission
does not allow construction work in progress to become a part of
the rate base.
The unit has a projected heat rate and operating cost
equivalent to the Neal 3 unit. The budgeted installed cost of
the unit is $276,000,000. The increased burden to the consumers
of all the partners in the project based on today's taxes, cost
of money, depreciation rate, and allowable rate of return on
investment amounts to $41,400,000 per year. This would be
realized from increased consumption by existing consumers.
IV-2
-------
increase in number of consumers, and individual company related
savings due to decreased operation of less efficient generating
units.
d. Community Facilities and Services
The construction of the proposed project is expected to have
an impact on community facilities and services. The majority of
construction employees are expected to commute to the project
site from the nearby Sioux City area. Interstate 29, which
extends south from Sioux City, is located approximately 2-1/2
miles east of the proposed site. A secondary access road runs
from Interstate 29 to the site vicinity.
The traffic resulting from construction activities will
generally be of two types: construction employees commuting to
and from work, and road usage by construction trucks and
equipment, which will be on an intermittent basis. To a large
extent trucks and equipment will be limited to the project site
while commuting traffic will be on regional routes and project
access roads.
During the workday when construction workers are at the site,
support facilities and services required from local communities
are anticipated to be minimal. Based on past experience at Neal
Units 1, 2 and 3, normal community services, including police,
fire, health facilities, and similar public and semi-public
activities should not be significantly affected.
Due to the sparsity of workers that are expected to reside
near the site, the effects on local school enrollment by the
proposed project is estimated to be small. Waste disposal and
operation of sanitary facilities will be accomplished in
accordance with applicable federal, state, and local standards.
2. Impact on Land Use and Aesthetics
Environmental disturbances resulting from construction
include: the disruption of local transportation during
construction; displacement of land from agricultural production,
excavation and stockpiling requirements; and reduction of the
scenic value in the area.
The site is located at the southern end of several existing
industrial developments in a region generally surrounded by
agricultural lands. According to current zoning practices, with
the presence of the Port Neal Industrial District and the
existing Neal Station to the north, the addition of Neal Unit 4
will not conflict with present land use patterns or recent
development trends.
Since the site is just south of the existing power plant
complex, additional facilities for vehicles and rail
transportation are necessary. Existing roads are sufficient for
IV-3
-------
construction access to the site. About 1-1/2 miles of rail spur
have been constructed. Due to the generally low population
density in the vicinity of the proposed project, and the presence
of the Port Neal Industrial District, the effects of noise, dust,
and smoke disturbances from construction and transportation
vehicles should not be significant.
Construction of the proposed project has displaced an area of
land most of which was in agricultural production. The 415 acres
of cropland on the site constituted less than 0.1 percent of the
total agricultural land in Woodbury County.
The construction of the proposed project will have no direct
or indirect effect on properties listed in the National Register
of Historic Places and the National Register of Natural
Landmarks. No known historic or archaeological sites will be
affected by the project. The seven sites of historical or
archeological interest in the Dakota-Woodbury County region are
each a minimum of 7 miles away from the proposed location, and
there are no reported historic or archaeological sites in the
immediate vicinity of the proposed project.
The greatest impact on existing land use and features will
occur during construction. During construction operations, areas
will be excavated, earth will be stockpiled, construction
materials stored, and protective fencing erected. These
construction activities will initiate a temporary impact both
physical and visual on the site area. To mitigate the adverse
visual and other negative environmental consequences associated
with construction, a program of specific practices and safeguards
will be adopted by the construction contractor. These practices
include:
• Soil and water conservation procedures, including
the retention and protection of natural vegetation
wherever possible and the removal and appropriate
treatment of top soil during construction.
• Development of appropriate temporary ground cover
and the reduction of soil erosion by minimizing the
duration of soil exposure.
• Dust control procedures, including the water
sprinkling of roads and construction areas, where
appropriate.
• Appropriate management, removal and disposal of
construction debris and unsightly materials.
• Compliance with state and local safety and health
regulations, including statutory and administrative
regulations which are applicable to the project
activities.
IV-4
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• Permanent landscaping and planting of appropriate
vegetation consistent with the precepts of a
program for landscaping and horticultural
practices.
3. Impact on Water
High infiltration rates occur at the plant site (as noted in
Table III-A-1 the maximum infiltration rate ranges from 2 to 20
inches/hour) . Therefore, since these rates are greater than 5
inches/24 hours (equal to the 10 year-24-hour rainfall event), it
is estimated that no runoff will result due to construction
activities.
Construction practices, moreover, are planned to minimize and
inhibit soil erosion. These practices are:
• Minimizing cleared areas
• Avoiding steep slopes during grading operations
• Establishing plant cover as rapidly as possible
after grading
Specific practices to be followed during construction of the
intake and discharge structures are as follows:
• Excess concrete from the construction of the intake
and discharge structures and the cleaning of
concrete truck's chutes will not be discharged into
the river.
• All areas disturbed along the bank during
construction will be protected against soil
erosion.
• Measures will be employed to prevent spillage of
oils, fuels, or other types of hazardous materials
and to keep these materials from entering the river
during or after construction.
• In order to protect water quality and aquatic life,
all construction activities will be accomplished in
a manner to minimize turbidity.
• Debris will not be left on shore after cleaning
operations to prevent the possibility of its
entering the waterway.
• The excavated material not used for backfill will
not be placed in the river or in a wetland area.
IV-5
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4. Impact on Land
a. Effects on Biological Communities of Site Area
i. Removal of Vegetation
Tne areas of natural vegetation which have been cleared for
plant construction are shown in Exhibit IV-A-1. These areas
consist of 4 acres of riparian shrub, 24 acres of sand dune
border, and 6 acres of cottonwood forest. The remaining area to
be cleared consists of approximately 415 acres of cropland.
The direct effects of construction will result in the loss of
animals having restricted ranges or those which are sedentary
(e.g., amphibians, reptiles, some small mammals, and most
invertebrates). These animals will probably be eliminated
because of clearing, excavating, grading and filling operations.
Larger mammals such as deer and coyotes and most birds will
emigrate to adjacent undisturbed habitats. The animals not
suffering mortality from predation during migration may utilize
temporary habitats. However, since most habitats are at maximum
carrying capacity prior to migration, the populations of these
animals will decrease and revert back to the pre-migration
population size after winter kills and predation. Therefore, the
number of larger mammals and birds will be reduced as a result of
construction.
Removal of riparian shrub, including wetlands, will eliminate
the habitats of: deer dependent upon the cottonwood thickets for
shelter and winter browse: pheasants which roost in the thickets
and feed in the dry grassy areas: and, waterfowl which feed on
the emergent aquatic plants of the partially inundated zones.
The removal of cottonwood trees bordering a section of stream
located within the site will represent a loss of habitat for
deer, rabbits, pheasants and squirrels and therefore a loss in
population numbers.
The direct impact of construction on wildlife will be severe
but highly localized. Because of the small area of natural
vegetation found on the proposed site, reductions in densities of
game species and other wildlife resulting from vegetation removal
are expected to be small.
Discontinuation of agricultural practices on the remaining
415 acres of the proposed site will reduce food supply for
wildlife on the site and surrounding region. The Iowa State
Conservation Commission owns a large refuge and state game
management area south of the site (see Exhibit III-G-1) which
includes cropland and many cover types.5
Iowa Public Service, in conjunction with the Iowa State
Conservation Commission, has planted some vegetation for food and
cover for wildlife at the site with a shelterbelt. The
IV-6
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Rl PARI A N
SHRUB
NEAL UNIT 4
SITE
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
NATURAL VEGETATION OF
NEAL UNIT 4 SITE
DATE:
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-A-1
IV-7
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shelterbelt has been planted along the perimeter of the site. It
covers approximately 33 acres and is about 110 feet wide by
12,900 feet long. The belt consists of russian olive, ponderosa
pine, red cedar, honey suckle, redosier, dogwood, native plum,
soft maple and cottonwood. It will provide food, nesting sites,
and protective cover for many kinds of wildlife.*
ii. Construction Activities
The increased presence of humans and the activities
associated with plant construction may inhibit certain wildlife
species from utilizing habitat adjacent to the site, such as the
Browns Lake and Snyder Bend areas which are between one-half and
three miles from the site. Construction noise may cause many of
the more mobile species of wildlife to emigrate temporarily from
areas adjacent to the noise sources. This avoidance behavior
could restrict their access to food or shelter and, therefore,
adversely affect their survival.7 Breeding and feeding near
construction areas is also expected to be less than in areas
outside of hearing distance of the construction noise. Animals
relying on auditory signals for courtship and mating, and for
detecting prey and predators, will be affected by increased noise
levels if they remain near the noise source. Some animals may
adapt to noise produced during the construction phase of the
project and utilize areas adjacent to construction noise
sources.8
It has been observed that sparrows, blackbirds, and quail
utilize open field habitat adjacent to power plant construction
sites but flush when earth movers, bulldozers, or personnel come
within the species flushing distance. Construction traffic can
be expected to result in an unquantifiable increase in road kills
of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
b. Effects on Regional Terrestrial Ecosystem
The assessment of plant construction impacts on the regional
terrestrial ecosystem must consider the uniqueness of removed or
disrupted vegetation types, the segmentation or separation of
natural terrestrial areas, and the interference with particularly
productive communities. The four vegetation types affected by
site preparation activities are: sand dunes; riparian shrub;
cottonwood forest; and cropland. Because the latter three types,
as depicted in Exhibit III-F-1, are common, the loss of riparian
shrub, cottonwood forest, and cropland is not likely to
significantly alter the diversity of vegetation and wildlife
habitat types in the regional ecosystem.
Most of the plant communities of the type found on the site
are not unique to the region. However, the sand dune areas
represent a relatively unique terrestrial community. The area
destroyed by site construction, however, is small and is
primarily a transition between sand dune and shrub woods.
IV-8
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The effect of plant construction on regional productivity is
unquantifiable. As described above, parts of the productive
riparian shrub zone of Snyder Bend may experience a decrease in
wildlife utilization as a result of the area's close proximity to
Neal Unit 4. Behaviorally wary species which rely to some extent
on vegetative cover along the river's shore, such as deer,
beaver, and mink, may be affected by plant construction and
operation. There is some evidence that wintering bald eagles in
the Snyder Bend area avoid present construction activities by
flying along the western side of the Missouri River when foraging
past the site.9
While the area of habitat affected by Neal Unit 4 is small in
comparison with the total amount of these habitats which exist in
the region surrounding the site, the loss of approximately 450
acres of vegetation and wildlife habitat for industrial use,
nevertheless, represents a small but negative incremental impact
on the terrestrial ecosystem of the Missouri River valley.
Construction of Neal Unit 4 in the Port Neal Industrial District
extends into agricultural and natural terrestrial communities.
This industrial district, with the addition of Neal Unit 4, will
border a large block of relatively undisturbed habitat on the
east side of the Snyder-Winnebago Bends. This block will
therefore not be divided into smaller segments.
c. Effects on Soils
Conversion of agricultural land to impervious buildings and
pavements causes an increase in runoff because precipitation is
prevented from soaking into the soil. In addition, soil is
compacted by the passage of vehicles and cannot infiltrate
precipitation as rapidly as undisturbed soil. In both situations
the impact effect is a greater amount of runoff in a shorter time
than would occur on the undisturbed soil. For the proposed site,
however, this impact should not be great for two main reasons.
First, the terrain is relatively flat which is not conducive to
rapid runoff. Second, soils are mostly permeable which would
allow for drainage into the soil if it has been scarified and
vegetated after construction.
If the proposed site is cleared at the latest possible time
and some portions are revegetated as soon as possible after
construction, sedimentation and erosion should be mimimal even
though credible soils are present.
5. Impact On Aquatic Ecology
Several effects of power plant construction on aquatic
systems can occur. These can be fitted into the general
categories of habitat modification and habitat loss. In the case
of George Neal Unit 4, no aquatic habitat will be lost as a
result of construction.
IV-9
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Habitat modifications result primarily from changes in
chemical water characteristics. Of these, increases in total
suspended solids (TSS) due to site dewatering, runoff, and in-
water construction of the intake and discharge structure usually
has the greatest potential for impact. However, TSS
concentrations in the Missouri River were greater than 50 mg/1
(Table III-C-3) in every month except December, January and
March. Assuming all discharges and runoff are treated to reduce
TSS to 50 mg/1 as required by federal regulations, no impact
should result except possibly during the winter months.
McKee and Wolf*°, report that fish generally tolerate TSS at
concentrations of 20,000 mg/1 and higher. However, several
centrarchid species are sensitive to concentrations of 75-100
mg/1 during spawning periods. Because treated discharges from
the construction area will contain lower concentrations of TSS;
spawning of sensitive species in the Missouri River occurs during
late spring; and centrachids will not spawn directly in the
Missouri River, but in quiet backwaters or flooded areas; no
impact due to raised TSS levels during the winter months is
expected.
Higher TSS levels in the Missouri River due to the in-water
construction of the intake and discharge structure will occur
only at the time of cofferdam placement and removal. Although
TSS levels at these times could exceed critical values for
spawning of some centrachids, the increased levels will occur for
only brief periods of time and are not expected to persist in
backwater areas where spawning occurs.
Other potential changes in chemical water characteristics
could result from spillage of corrosion inhibitors, oil, etc.
Care will be exercised in the storage and use of these materials,
and any spillage is immediately reported and properly dealt with.
One small backwater located immediately behind the Iowa rip-
rap. Site A in Exhibit III-C-12 may be disturbed by construction.
This backwater is a potential source of recruitment for Missouri
River fish populations given a free connection with the river in
summer and fall. However, it often serves as a sink, wherein
spawned individuals are lost due to receding water levels, high
temperatures and low oxygen concentrations.
6. Air Quality
During construction, care will be taken to minimize
significant adverse effects on air quality. The project will
comply with the provisions of the Iowa Air Pollution Control
Commission "Rules and Regulations Relating to Air Pollution
Control" which are applicable during construction activities.
All construction waste material will be disposed of either by
hauling to landfill sites, or by on-site burning as provided
under the Iowa State Regulations. Waste from landscape clearing
IV-10
-------
may be burned as permitted under the State of Iowa Air
commission's Rules and Regulations Subsection Number 4.2 (455B),
Openburning, with the following restrictions: "However, burning
of landscape waste produced in clearing, grubbing, and
construction operations shall be limited to areas located at
least one-fourth mile from any inhabited building. Rubber tires
shall not be used to ignite landscape waste."
Construction techniques at Neal Unit 4 will follow the
guidelines set forth in Subsection Number 4.3(2)c, Fugitive Dust,
of the State of Iowa Air Pollution Control Commission's Rules and
Regulations. During dry periods all access roads will be watered
or treated with calcium chloride to suppress fugitive dust. In
addition, all cleared storage areas which may create a dust
problem will be paved or rocklined.
The effects of airborne fugitive dusts will be minimal due to
the above outlined steps and the location of the plant in an
industrial park area away from residential areas.
Construction equipment and practices will be in compliance
with Iowa Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality
Commission Rules and Regulations Relating to Air Pollution
Control, Sections 4.3(d) (2) Gasoline-powered vehicles and
4.3(d) (3) Diesel-powered vehicles. Gasoline vehicles are
prohibited from emitting visible emissions for longer than five
seconds. Diesels are prohibited from emitting smoke equal to or
darker than 40 percent opacity for longer than five seconds.
It is anticipated that most construction workers will use
Interstate 29 for travel to and from the plant site. This
traffic can be expected to result in an increase in
concentrations of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide,
photochemical oxidants and particulate matter in the vicinity of
the highway.
IV-11
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B. CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM
1. Intake System
The cooling water for Neal Unit 4 will be withdrawn from a
reinforced concrete intake structure located on the east bank of
the Missouri River. During normal plant operation, about
317,400 gpm (707 cfs) of cooling water will be passed through the
condenser and then discharged directly back to the river through
a seal well located downstream from the intake structure. This
comprises approximately 2 to 5 percent of the monthly average
river flow that passes the site. Combined with condenser flow
through Neal Units 1-3, this could represent a total circulating
water system passage of about 11 percent of the river flow in
December, January, February; 8 percent in March; and 5 percent
the rest of the year. The velocity through the traveling screens
will be about 0.9 feet per second (fps) with an approach velocity
of about 0.4 fps at the design mean water elevation of 1055 feet
(river flow = 12,000 cfs). At mean high water, (el 1067 feet
river flow = 50,000 cfs), the velocity through the traveling
screens will be about 0.7 fps with an approach velocity of
0.3 fps. A more detailed discussion of the intake system is
found in Section II-B-2.
a. Effects on Aquatic Ecology
Power plant intake operation can effect the ecology of a
water body by entraining and impinging aquatic organisms. These
potential impacts are treated in detail in the following
sections. The bases for assessments given here are acute
temperature mortality data; time-temperature exposure data where
available; empirical data on condenser passage mortalities at
other steam electric stations; life history and behavioral
information; and actual operating data for Neal Units 1, 2, and 3
regarding impingement rates and mortalities, and entrainment
rates.
i. Condenser Entrainment
Entrainment is the process whereby aquatic organisms are
carried through a power plant circulating water system. Only
those organisms that are not filtered by the traveling screens
(mesh size = .95 cm) are entrained. Because organisms this small
are relatively non-motile when compared to water velocities at
the intake, it is assumed individuals cannot avoid entrainment.
If entrainment is non-selective and if the distribution of
organisms in the water body is homogeneous, the relative number
IV-12
-------
of entrained organisms is equal to the relative amount of the
river flow withdrawn.
Homogeneity of organism distribution has been experimentally
tested at Port Neal. Appendix Table A-IV-B-1 includes the
results of this study. The river was divided at two stations
(Transects 1 and 6, Exhibit III-C-3) into Iowa, mid-river, and
Nebraska sections. Triplicate phytoplankton samples were taken
at random within each section, and counts of organisms present in
a single strip across each of three Sedgewick - Rafter cells were
made. This subsampling experiment is illustrated in
Exhibit IV-B-1.
Distribution and abundance of green algae were highly
variable. This could have been due to current vectors and
velocities but the lack of diatom variation among stations
suggests that this is not the case. Analysis of variance of the
results using transformed counts of total green algae indicated
that significant differences occurred even at the replicate -
within stratum level (Table IV-B-1). This suggests that the
variability could be due to inadequate sample size, an
insufficient number of replicates, and/or some other aspect of
the sampling design.
By dividing the circulating water system flow rate for Neal
Unit 4 by Missouri River flow rates, it can be seen that between
1 and 8 percent of the entrainable organisms present in the river
will be entrained (see Table IV-B-2) . Under average flow
conditions between 2 ana 5 percent of the organisms will be
entrained. During the spring and summer months, when greatest
numbers of fish eggs and fry, zooplankton, drift and
phytoplankton were observed, only 1-2 percent of the flow will be
v/ithdrawn.
While passing through a circulating water system, entrained
organisms are subjected to pressure changes, temperature changes,
changes in water chemistry and mechanical damage. Effects of
these stresses are dependent upon the type of organism, the
maximum stress encountered, and the duration of the stress.
Phytgplankton
The effects of entrainjnent on phytoplankton appear to be
primarily a result of exposure to increased water temperature1.
Increased temperatures can either increase or decrease
productivity depending upon the intitial water temperature and
the amount of temperature increase1,2,3. Most algae prefer
temperatures between 20-25°C although a few prefer lower
temperatures and many, especially the blue green species, prefer
higher temperature4,5,6. Maximum temperature tolerances of
greater than 30°C have been reported for Nitzchia, Chlorella^
Oscillatoria, Lyngbya, and AnKistrodesmus?. Although the test
species were not necessarily the same as those found in the
Missouri River, it is generally reported that diatoms, the
IV-13
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3 RANDOM REPLICATE
PLANKTON SAMPLES
TRANSECT
6
TRANSECT NEBRASKA
COUNT 1
COUNT 2
\SEDGEWICK
X RAFTER
1 \\\ COUNTING
\\CHAMBER
-,' \ \
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SCHEMATIC OF PLANKTON SUBSAMPLING
EXPERIMENT, MAY 30, 1974
DATE:
SCALE:
IV-14
EXHIBIT
I V - B - 1
-------
Level
3 (Stations)1
2 (Strata: Stations)-
1 (Replicates: Strata)
0 (Slides: Replicates)
Sum
of
Squares
19.592
31.459
21.655
26.973
Degrees
of
Freedom
1
4
12
36
Mean
Squares
19.5915
7.0647
1.8046
0.7492
F Ratio
10.8564**
4.3582*
*
2.4085
* Significant at the .05 level of probability.
** Significant at the .01 level of probability.
1-Station 1 vs. Station 6 (Exhibit II1-C-3).
2-lowa, Mid-River, Nebraska (Exhibit IV-B-1).
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF fBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE ON TRANSFORMED COUNTS
(/TH5) OF TOTAL GREEN ALGAE ENUMERATED IN
THE SPECIAL PLANKTON DIST. STUDY, MAY30, 1974
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-B-1
IV-15
-------
.
Month
Jan
Kch
Mar
Apr
Max
V1.i> iniuin
(low
(iipm s IO3)
10.350
27.000
18.810
34.380
23.040
Jim 31.410
Percent
ol Max How
Withdrawn
By Neal 4
3
1
:
1
1
1
Jnl 24.345 1
^IJS
Sept
Get
Nov
Dec
20.325 !
25,425 ; ''•
23.760
25.065
21,690
1
i
1
,WK,.',
6.975
7,200
10.350
15.300
15.300
16.200
16.650
18.000
17.325
15.300
15.750
7.425
Percent of
Average How
Withdrawn
By Neal 4
90 Percent
Low 1 km
(gpni \ 10-")
5 3.825
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
4.050
4.500
12.510
1
3.050
3.050
3.612.5
4.085
4.085
3.612.5
12.150
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
NEAL UNIT 4 DESIGN CWS FLOW (317,400 GPM) AS A
FUNCTION OF MONTHLY MISSOURI RIVER FLOWS
DURING THE PERIOD 1965-1972
DATE: SCALE:
4.500
Percent ul
Low How
Willulrawn
B\ Nea! 4
8
8
7
2.5
"
L.
2
'
2
2
3
7
TABLE
IV-B-2
IV-16
-------
dominant phytoplankton in the Missouri River, tolerate
temperatures near or slightly above 30°C8.
On the basis of the preceding, it appears likely that
phytoplankton entrainment will result in primary productivity
increases during winter months, and decreases during summer
months. However, Morgan and Stress1 suggest that the pressure,
chemical and mechanical stresses of entrainment may lessen any
productivity stimulation. Because no biocides will be used in
Neal Unit 4, these additional negative effects may be negligible.
In any case, changes in phytoplankton productivity are not
likely to have any significant ecosystem effects. The river
water is so turbid that autochthonous production is likely
restricted to the limited aufwuchs community found on the shallow
portions of river control structures and other solid substrates.
When compared to allochthonous sources of carbon, autochthonous
production probably contributes little to the total carbon
budget.
Zooplankton
The zooplankton species subject to entrainment were described
in Section III-C-2. Data obtained in summer, 1973, and in spring
and summer, 1974 on passage of organisms through the existing
Neal Units 1 and 2 condensers are included in Appendix
Tables A-IV-B-2 and 3. These data were collected by suspending
nets in the intake forebay of Neal 1 and 2 between the traveling
screens and the trash racks and provide a good baseline for
evaluating Neal 4. The discrepencies between the two sets of
data arose from a smaller mesh net being used in 1974, resulting
in higher and more representative number of Daphnia than in 1973.
Together, the studies convey a realistic picture of large
zooplankton entrainment at Neal Units 1 and 2. Small zooplankton
species, especially rotifers, immature cladocerans, and immature
copepods, were not effectively sampled by the large mesh nets
that were generally employed. However, large individuals are most
important as prey for fish9,1**, including freshwater drum11,12,
channel catfish fry13, gizzard shad1*, and bigmouth buffalo12.
Mortality of zooplankton resulting from entrainment is not
likely to have a significant ecosystem impact. Hynes1s notes
that turbid rivers carry few true plankton and the Cladocera
(other than Bosminidae) are especially susceptible to silt. The
large numbers of Daphnia found in the Missouri River indicates
much of the zooplankton production is occurring in backwater
areas and upstream reservoirs, and many of the individuals
sampled are strays from these areas. As these individuals are
not contributing to the secondary productivity of the system and
as their biomass remains available to other trophic levels after
entrainment, few effects of these mortalities are expected.
IV-17
-------
Undoubtedly, some zooplankton, especially rotifers, are
viable producing populations. Rotifers, however, are more
resistant to high temperatures so their entrainment mortality
should be low. Because members of this phyla also have rapid
regeneration times16 and because only a small portion of the
standing crop will be entrained, little impact should result from
entrainment of viable members of this zooplankton community.
The smaller members of the drifting benthos are also subject
to entrainment. Drift samples taken as part of the baseline
survey (see Appendix Table A-III-C-2) provide an indication of
the constant (ie, daytime) drift*7. Research*8 has shown that the
greatest numbers of drifting organisms occur at night, often in a
sharply peaked, bi-modal pattern. Because of this behavioral
drift the sampling data could underestimate numbers entrained.
A more accurate estimate of entrained macroinvertebrates is
provided by operating data from Units 1 and 2. Sheet 2 of
Appendix Table A-IV-B-2 presents the numbers of organisms
entrained over a 24 hour period. The remainder of Appendix
Tables A-IV-B-2 and A-IV-B-3 presents data for macroinvertebrates
comparable to those previously described for zooplankton
entrained in 1973 and 1974.
Although little work has been done on temperature tolerances
of larval macroinvertebrates, one study19 indicated that the
median tolerance limit (TLM) of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddis
flies was in the range 20°C (68°F) -30°C (86°F). Ephemerella
subvaria and Stenonema tripunctatunij both mayflies, had TLM«s of
21.5°C (70.7°F) and 25.5°C (77.9°F), respectively. Brachycentrus
americanus, a caddis fly of the family Brachycentridae, had a
96 hr TLM of 29°C (8U.2°F) Dipterans of the family Tendipedidae
(midges) have been found to exhibit upper lethal temperature
tolerances of between 29°C (84.2°F) and 35°C (95°F)2o,21,22, and
thus may be less affected by heat than the other orders of
insects. Mihursky and Kennedy22 cited data indicating that some
genera showed upper limits as high as 37.8°C (100°F) and 39.4°C
(103°F). Temperatures achieved inside the Neal Unit 4 condensers
will be in excess of 32.2°C (90°F) in summer.
Benthic macroinvertebrates are important to lotic ecosystems
because of their role in processing organic material and as a
food item for fish15,18,23,2*,25. In the Missouri River in the
vicinity of the George Neal site, channelization has resulted in
a habitat generally unsuited to benthic invertebrate production.
For this reason, the importance of benthic invertebrates to the
ecosystem in this region is suspect. When compared to planktonic
invertebrates, the benthic populations are more susceptible to
damage resulting from low level continuous mortality because of
their much greater regeneration times. However, in the case of
entrainment, only that portion of the benthic community
comprising the drift is subject to this mortality. Waters23
reports that drift invertebrates usually comprise .01 to .5
percent of the total benthic community at any one time.
IV-18
-------
Entraining 2 to 5 percent of these should result in little
impact.
Fish
Effects of power plant entrainment on fish eggs and larvae
were reviewed recently by Marcy26. He noted that, while most
studies have dealt with the effects of increasing temperatures,
some of the more recent work has indicated that many of the
observed mortalities may be due to mechanical stress. Marcy27
reported that 80 percent of the mortality experienced by young
white perch, carp, white catfish, American eelr spottail shiner,
and johnny darter, could be attributed to mechanical abrasion.
Schubel28 found that time-temperature exposure histories
experienced by fish eggs of a number of estuarine species did not
preclude successful hatching. Heat is responsible for some inner
plant mortality, however, and in fact coutant29 has developed
predictive equations for time-temperature moralities of a number
of young fish, including gizzard shad and channel catfish.
Davies and Jensen30 (In: Marcy26) indicated that rapid mixing of
circulating water discharge helps minimize heat mortality, but
due to the combination of effects it is probably not unreasonable
to assume 100 percent mortality of entrained fish eggs and larvae
at Neal 4.
The majority of species inhabiting the river provided no
parental care of the eggs, and produced large numbers of eggs,
and in many cases demersal or demersal/adhesive ones. Numbers of
fish eggs and larvae at Port Neal are highest in May, June, July,
which is consistent with the life histories of the warm water
fish present in the river. Total numbers found in 1973, 1974
(Appendix Tables A-IV-B-2 and 3), and 1975 represented only a few
species (Table IV-B-3), including unidentified minnows,
freshwater drum, and sauger. Sauger were not abundant, the
minnows and drum comprised 20 percent and 79 percent,
respectively, of all larvae found in the 1974 samples. In the
1975 samples, minnows comprised 57 percent and drum made up 42
percent of all larvae found. Based on the median number of eggs
and larvae found in samples collected for entrainment on May 23,
May 31, June 22, and July 3, and July 19, 1973 (ie, 22.5
organisms), a gross estimate of 5500 eggs and larvae per day may
be given for the combined action of Neal 1-4 during the
productive season. About half that total would be due to Neal
Unit >4 alone. These are extremely crude estimates and recent
data provided by Hey and Baldwin3' indicate that at times the
numbers may be much higher. Estimates based on 1974 data were as
high as 500,000 larvae per day for Neal Unit 4. These are point
estimates, (see Table IV-B-4) and additional data are necessary
to produce more precise and representative projections. However,
the 500,000 larvae per day is similar to that reported at Omaha
Public Power District's Ft. Calhoun Station. During their May 7
to July 24, 1974 survey, they reported a mean larval density of
31.56 per 100 m3. Projecting this density to Neal Unit 4, which
will have an intake volume of about 20 m3/sec., amounts to
IV-19
-------
Month
May
June
July
August
Species
Notropis spp
(minnows)
Sauger
Unidentified
Notropis spp.
l-'reshwater drum
Unidentified
Notropis snp.
Freshwater drum
Unidentified
Nortropis spp.
Freshwater drum
Condenser
Passage
42
4
0
108
82(>
6
101
132
1
3
4
Drift
Net
110
0
1
33
62
0
51
2
0
1
0
Total
152
4
1
157
141
88X
(i
1035
152
134
1
287
4
4
8
Source: Hey and Baldwin-""-
Collection made at weekly intervals
Drift Net Data represent a composite of three, 5 minute drift net
samples (243 u)
Condenser Passage
Data represent a composite of 4 thirty minute samples for each date
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
COMPOSITION OF FISH LARVAE FOUND IN DRIFT
NET AND CONDENSER PASSAGE (ENTRAINMENT)
SAMPLES FROM MAY -AUGUST 1974
SHEET 1 OF 2
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-B-3
IV-20
-------
Month
May
June
July
August
Species
Notropis
Unidentified
Drum
Notropis
Bigmouth buffalo
buffalo
Goldeye
Unidentified
Drum
Notropis
Bigmouth
buffalo
Catastomus
Blue sucker
Centrarchidae
Ictiluridae
Unidentified
Notropis
Condenser
Passage
1
0
125
74
58
74
1
1
2
Drift
Net
18
1
202
272
2
1
1
31
131
1
1
1
1
2 I
^ 1
Total
19
1
20
327
346
2
1
1
677
89
205
1
1
1
1
1
1
300
4
~4
Collection made once a week in May and August and twice
a week in June and July
Time was the amount required to sample 4,300 gallons of water
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
COMPOSITION OF FISH LARVAE FOUND IN DRIFT
NET AND CONDENSER PASSAGE (ENTRAINMENT )
SAMPLES FROM MAY-AUGUST 1975
SHEET 2 OF 2
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-B-3
(Cont.)
IV-21
-------
N3
Estimated Number Entrained
Month
May
June
July
Species
August
Notropis
Drum
Notropis
Drum
Notropis
Blue Sucker
Ictaluridae
Notropis
Number
Sampled
1
125
74
58
74
1
1
2
Volume
Sampled
(gal)
17,200
34,400
34,400
43,000
43,000
43,000
43,000
8,600
Unit 4
26,573
1,660,815
983,202
616,494
786,561
10,629
10,629
106,292
(per Day)
Units 1-4
67,751
4,234,450
2,506,793
1,571,826
2,005,432
2,725
2,725
271,004
Based on 1975 condenser passage data;317,400 gpm intake flow for Unit 4; 491,850 gpm intake flow for Units 1-3.
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
POINT ESTIMATES OF FISH EGG AND LARVAE ENTRAINMENT*
NEAL UNITS 1-4 AND 4
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV -B -4
-------
545,356 larval fish per day. Walleye and sauger were a
significant part of the entrainment loss at Ft. Calhoun.
Table IV-B-5 is offered so the reader may parallel these first
approximations with fecundities reported in the literature for
Missouri River species. Some concern can be expressed regarding
mortality of freshwater drum, walleye and sauger; it is
impossible to state unequivocably what effect entrainment will
have on populations of these species in the river.
ii. Impingement
Impingement problems arise at cooling water intake structures
for a variety of reasons. These problems are dependent upon
location, physical design, intake water velocities, screen
rotation, spray wash velocities, and method for disposal of
impinged fish. The Environmental Protection Agency issued a
development document on proposed best technology available for
minimizing adverse effects of circulating water system intakes.32
At Neal Unit 4, each of the above parameters as well as the EPA
developed information and results from the biological studies
described previously have been considered, and the resultant
design should produce minimal fish mortalities.
Impingement at Neal Units 1 and 2 was monitored from February
1974 through February 1975. Data from these studies are given in
Appendix Table A-IV-B-4. They represent all time periods within
each week, and a variety of operating conditions (ie, number of
pumps and screens working). Samples were taken from three of
four intake bays for 16 hours per week from February through May
1974, and for 20 hours per week from June 1974 through February
1976. The following trends were observed in these data:
impingement rates exhibit seasonal trends; impingement
mortalities are depended upon the species of fish impinged; and
number of fish impinged exhibit a diurnal periodicity. These
trends are more readily observed in Table IV-B-6.
Seasonal patterns of impingement result from a combination of
several factors. Small, weakly swimming fish are more susceptible
to impingement than larger fish. In fact, 95 percent of the fish
in impingement samples taken at Neal Units 1 and 2 were less than
15 cm long. Small fish are more abundant in late summer when
young - of - the - year fish grow large enough to be impinged.
Warmed water, recirculated for intake deicing during the winter,
may attract fish to the intake and increase impingement during
that season. Catfish, in particular, may be attracted to the
structure due to increased temperature and the shelter afforded
them. Brown et al33 showed that channel catfish sought shelter
day and night when temperatures dropped below 4°C (39.2°F). Fish
also exhibit decreased swimming ability at lower temperatures.
This has been cited as a factor in increased impingement rates of
winter flounder at Brayton Point, Massachusetts3*. Hocutt35
examined the relationship between channel catfish swimming
performance between 30°C/no change and 30°C/15 drop. Swimming
speeds of catfish, 14 to 15.4 cm long, subjected to a 15°C (59°F)
IV-23
-------
Species
\ Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
(.oldeye (Hiodon alosoides),
(ii//ard shad (Uorsoma cepedianurn)
Carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio)
Bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprint 11 us)
I Channel catfish (Ictalurus nebulosus)
Walleye (Sti/ostedion vitreum vitreuir,)
Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)
Number of Eggs Per Female
30.000 to 1.400.000; most authors reporting
about I '2 million
5.800 to 25.200 average 14.150
22.405 to 5.439.12 average 300.000
4.828 to 149.744 average 102.766
Average 400.000
200 to 70.000
50.000 to 400.000
200.000 to 400.000
Sources: Carlander— Breder and Rosen— Lopinot—
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E6ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
FECUNDITIES OF SELECTED SPECIES OF
MISSOURI RIVER FISH
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-B-5
IV-24
-------
Mortality Rates, Total Mortality and
Percent Abundance of the Most Commonly Impinged Fish Species
Percent Mortality Percent Total Percent Total
Rate for each Mortality of all Abundance of all
Species Species Impinged Fish Impinged Fish
Gizzard shad
Freshwater drum
Channel catfish
Bluegill
Carpsuckers
67.7
37.2
13.7
9.8
33.3
54.8
21.3
2.0
1.1
3.9
36.7
25.2
6.3
6.3
5.2
A Comparison of Collecting Times and Total Fish Sampled per Interval
Number of Fish
Hours Collected
100
84
112
145
179
147
data represents compilation of all 24 hour per week studies
from June 1974 through February 1975.
9
1
5
9
1
5
:00
:00
:00
:00
:00
:00
a
P
P
P
a
a
m -
m -
m -
m -
m -
m -
1:
5:
9:
1:
5:
9:
00
00
00
00
00
00
P
P
P
a
a
a
m
m
m
m
m
m
Hours
8:00 a m
1:00 p m
7:00 p m
1:00 a m
12:00 p m
5:00 p m
11:00 p m
5:00 a m
Number of Fish
Collected
6
11
15
8
data represents compilation of all 16 hour per week studies
from February 1974 through June 1974.
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
IMPINGEMENT DATA TRENDS NEAL UNITS 1 & 2
1974-1975
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-B-6
IV-25
-------
temperature drop were above 1.38 fps. King36 found that channel
catfish under 10.0 cm swam at a maximum rate of 1.1 fps. Thus,
in winter, catfish coming in contact with the traveling screens
at Units 1-3 might not be able to escape. In the case of Neal
Units 1 and 2 (Appendix Table A-IV-B-4), all impinged catfish
were observed between the months of September and April.
Seasonal changes in river water levels also serve to cause
impingement variations. As noted previously, approach velocities
and velocities through the traveling screens are dependent upon
water levels. Finally, plant operations serve to cause seasonal
changes in impingement. For example, on many of the winter
sampling dates, only one of the two circulating water system
pumps was in operation.
Among the five most commonly impinged fish species, the
mortality rate ranges from 9.8 percent for bluegill to 67.7
percent for gizzard shad (see Appendix Table A-IV-B-4) . This is
undoubtedly due to species specific variations in response to the
factors mentioned previously.
Diurnal variations in impingement rates are best demonstrated
in the data collected from June 1974, to February 1975. During
this period of time, 471 fish were impinged between 9:00 pm and
9:00 am, while only 296 were impinged in the 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
sampling periods. A similar trend can be seen in the data
collected between February and June 1974, with 23 fish impinged
during the 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm, and 1:00 am to 5:00 am sampling
periods, while only 17 fish were impinged during the 8:00 am to
12:00 and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm sampling periods. When considered
on a monthly basis and subjected to statistical analyses using
the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test37 the combined data
were found to exhibit day/night differences significant at the
-------
Time of Day
Length Condition
Blue sucker
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel catfish
Drum
Flathead catfish
Goldeye
Green sunfish
Mirror carp
Notropis
Perch
Sauger
Shorthead redhorse
Smallmouth buffalo
Walleye
White bass
White sucker
Yellow perch
B
o
B E B B E E
U->
cd a, a a, ctj cs r-i
i-i in a-i i-i m c
n)
i i i i i i jz
4-1
E E B B B B
CO
co oj a. a, a. 03 co
in ey> i-i m
-------
Time of Day Length Condition
B
ca
a\
S
n)
in
Bigmouth buffalo
Black bullhead
Black crappie
Blue sucker
Carp
Carpsucker 2
Channel catfish 8
Drum 19
Flathead catfish 1
Gizzard shad 1
Green sunfish
No tr op is
Orange -spot ted
sunfish
Perch 1
S auger
Shorthead Redhorse
Smallmouth buffalo
White bass
White crappie
Yellow perch
Total 42
Crayfish 2
Note: Collection effort =
OIOWA PUBLIC
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Alive
Dead
f
m
w
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3
a
it
H-
o
3
-------
Neal Units 1 & 2
Channel catfish
Drum
Alive
I
2
Dead
1
Total
1
3
Total 3 1
Collection effort = 24 hr
Neal Unit 3
Black bullhead
Blue sucker
Carp
Carpsucker
Channel catfish
Drum
Flathead catfish
Gizzard shad
Perch
Sauger
Shorthead redhorse
Smallmouth buffalo
White bass
Alive Dead
2
1
1
1 1
6 2
12 20
4
1
9
1
1 1
3
Total
2
1
1
2
8
32
4
1
9
1
2
3
Total 42 24
Collection effort = 24 hr
66
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
IMPINGEMENT DATA, NEAL UNITS 1, 2 AND 3
FEBRUARY 22-28, 1976
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-B-8
IV-30
-------
screens with debris or ice, stop logging an intake bay, etc. It
is not known whether these velocities persist on a day to day
basis or were peculiar to the sampling date. However, if such
high velocities have characterized the operation of the Unit 3
intake, it would account for the observed impingement rates.
It should be noted that the mortality of impinged fish during
the three month period is substantially lower at Unit 3 (21
percent of impinged fish) than at Units 1 and 2 (36 percent of
impinged fish). This observation is not consistent with the
persistent high velocity hypothesis. Latent mortalities
(mortalities occurring after removal from the screens) are also
probably high at Units 1,2 and 3, as only a high pressure screen
wash is used and additionally in the case of Units 1 and 2,
because fish are returned to the river in the heated discharge
zone.
It is difficult to predict Unit 4 impingement effects on the
basis of the disparate data resulting from Units 1 and 2, and
Unit 3 operations. However, it appears likely that Unit 4
impingement rates will be lower than those at Units 1 and 2.
This prediction is based on two factors: the lack of
operating experience at Unit 3, and the superior Unit 4 intake
design.
Operation of Unit 3 commenced in December 1975, approximately
one month before the impingement monitoring program was begun.
As operating experience is gained, it should be possible to
optimize recirculated deicing water flow so that the intake can
be kept ice free with a minimum of fish attraction to that area.
Operating experience should also help to prevent the extremely
high velocities such as was observed on April 19, 1976.
Intake designs for the four Neal Units have been previously
described in Chapter II. Several design features of the Unit 4
intake should help to reduce both impingement rates and the rate
of mortality resulting from immediate and latent impingement.
The design low water level (DLWL) velocity (maximum
velocities) through traveling screens at Neal Units 1,2, and 3
is 2.25 fps. This is typical of most existing once-through
circulating cooling water systems (EPA32). The approach velocity
to the screens is 1.12 fps. These maximum velocities occur in
winter when water levels are lowest. During the rest of the
year, the velocity through the screens is less than or equal to
1.0 fps, and screen approach velocity is less than .8 fps.
The DLWL velocity through the screens at Neal Unit 4 is
0.9 fps, with the approach velocity equal to 0.4 fps. Velocities
in navigation season will be significantly lower (0.3 fps on
approach). Thus, the design specifications for intake velocities
at Neal Unit 4 are lower than those of Neal Units 1, 2, and 3 and
impingement rates, therefore, should be lower at Neal Unit 4.
IV-31
-------
At Neal Unit 4, fish mortalities will be reduced further by
use of "fish buckets" on the vertical traveling screens and
sluicing the removed fish back to the Missouri River, upstream of
the discharge plume but at a point where they are not likely to
be re-impinged. A sequential low and high pressure screen wash
system will be employed (Exhibit II-B-4) in order to remove fish
more gently from the traveling screens, and a vertical sand weir
will be used in an effort to reduce crayfish entrapment.
In view of present impingement rates at Neal Units 1 and 2,
considering the design modification established to date, and
assuming plant operations to minimize impingement, ecological
effects of Neal Unit 4 impingement should be slight. Although it
will be impossible to separate the impingement mortality impacts
of Neal Units 1-4 from effects of habitat reduction, careful
monitoring should establish at least the direct mortalities of
fish actually impinged.
b. Effect on Other Water Uses
The intake system for Neal Unit 4 will have little impact on
other Missouri River water uses. The Missouri River is primarily
used for navigation and irrigation in the vicinity of the
proposed plant site. In addition, however, the river is a primary
source of water for local industry, and is also used for
recreational purposes by the local population.
A total of about 317,400 gpm of flow will be withdrawn from
the river and utilized for condenser cooling water by Neal
Unit 4. The flow will be discharged directly back to the river
at a point located immediately downstream of the intake. The
proposed intake system will induce minimal consumptive water loss
on the river (approximately 20 acre feet per year) and therefore
will have little effect on the supply of river water available
for irrigation, recreation and municipal or industrial water
supply.
During the navigation season, the plant intake water demand
will represent only about 2 percent of the total river flow. In
addition, the intake structure will be constructed on the bank of
the river and will not intrude into the river navigation channel.
Consequently, the proposed intake system should have no
distinguishable impact on river navigation.
2. Discharge System
a. Effects on Missouri River Temperature Distribution
This section presents the results of the thermal analysis
performed for the proposed Neal Unit 4 condenser cooling water
system (Reference III-B-4) along with a discussion of the
applicable State and Federal thermal discharge criteria.
IV-32
-------
i. State Thermal Discharge Criteria
The information presented in this section has been obtained
from the Water Quality Standards adopted by the State of Iowa on
February 12, 1974.
• Mixing Zone
The Iowa standard applies outside of an
allowable mixing zone. With regard to the mixing
zone, the Iowa standard indicates that:
"The mixing zone shall contain not more than
twenty-five (25) percent of the cross-sectional
area or volume of flow in the receiving body of
water."
• Thermal Discharge Criteria
Iowa thermal discharge criteria state that:
"No heat shall be added to the Missouri River
that would cause an increase of more than 5 degrees
Fahrenheit. The rate of temperature change shall
not exceed 2 degrees Fahrenheit per hour. In no
case shall heat be added that would raise the
stream temperature above 90 degrees Fahrenheit."
ii. Federal Thermal Discharge Regulations
Final effluent Guidelines and Standards for Steam Electric
Power Facilities were published in the Federal Register on
October 8r 1974. Essential points stressed in these guidelines
are summarized briefly here.
• Thermal Discharge Standards
Neal Unit 4 is required under Section 306 of
the FWPCAA to achieve Standards of Performance for
New Sources. These Standards require that: "There
shall be no discharge of heat from the main
condensers except: (1) Heat may be discharged in
blowdown from recirculated cooling water systems
provided the temperature at which the blowdown is
discharged does not exceed at any time the lowest
temperature of recirculated cooling water prior to
the addition of the make-up water. (2) Heat may be
discharged in blowdown from cooling ponds provided
the temperature at which the blowdown is discharged
does not exeed at any time the lowest temperature
of recirculated cooling water prior to the addition
of the make-up water." However, Section 316(a) of
the FWPCAA does provide a means for further
IV-33
-------
consideration of modification of thermal effluent
limitations on a case by case basis.
At the time an application for an NPDES permit is filed the
applicant is eligible to notify the EPA Regional Administrator
that imposition of alternative thermal effluent limitations is
requested under Section 316(a) of the FWPCAA and to submit
evidence in support of this request. Section 316 (a) provides
that:
"With respect to any point source otherwise subject to
the provisions of Section 301 or Section 306 of this Act,
whenever the owner or operator of any such source, after
opportunity for public hearing, can demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the Administrator (or if appropriate, the
State) that any effluent limitation proposed for the control
of the thermal component of any discharge from such source
will require effluent limitations more stringent than
necessary to assure the protection and propagation of a
balanced, indigenous population of shellfish, fish, and
wildlife in and on the body of water into which the discharge
is to be made, the Administrator (or, if appropriate, the
State) may impose an effluent limitation under such sections
for such plant, with respect to the thermal component of such
discharge (taking into account the interaction of such
thermal component with other pollutants), that will assure
the protection and propagation of a balanced, indigenous
population of shellfish, fish, and wildlife in and on that
body of water. "
iii. Thermal Prediction Model
Missouri River ambient temperature characteristics in the
vicinity of the Neal Station were evaluated and presented in
Section III-B.
The mathematical model used in this study is the
Prych-Davis-Shirazi model. This surface jet model was originally
analyzed by Prych*1 utilizing Morton, Taylor and Turner1s*z
integral approach. Recently, Shirazi and Davis*3 improved this
model by calibrating it with prototype and series experimental
results.
Prych-Davis-shirazi*s thermal model appropriately considers:
hydrological and physical characteristics of the Missouri River
(Reference III-B-11), such as: volume of flow, velocity of flow
and cross-sectional area of the river**; meteorological factors;
such as: wind speed, air temperature and wet bulb temperature;
plant operational characteristics such as: temperature rise at
the discharge point, rate of discharge (volume, velocity) and
plant capacity factor; engineering details of the discharge
structure, such as: angle of discharge, depth of discharge and
width of discharge.
IV-34
-------
iv. Temperature Rise Predictions
The Missouri River temperature rise at the Unit U discharge
due to the operation of Units 1-3 was understood to be the
completely mixed temperature rise resulting from the Units 1-3
discharge3',*o. Previous analysis (Reference III-B-11) has shown
that the heated water discharge of Units 1-3 will be completely
mixed in the river by the time it reaches the Unit H discharge
structure location.
The impact of Units 1-3 downstream of the Unit U discharge
represented as the completely mixed temperature rise is tabulated
below for various river flow conditions.
Units 1-3
River Flow Discharge
Rate (cfs) Rate (cfs)
6000*
6000
6500**
20000***
1093
1093
1093
1093
Units 1-3
Capacity
Factor
(percent)
100
85
100
100
Units 1-3
Condenser
Temperature
Rise (°F)
19.5
16.5
19.5
19.5
Completely
Mixed
Temperature
Rise For
Units 1-3 (°F)
3.51
2.97
3.24
1.07
* 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF for Non-Navigation Season
(Iowa DEQ-Section III-B).
** 1 in 10 year MA7CDCF for Non-Navigation Season
(Ebasco - Section III-B) .
*** 1 in 10 year MA7CDLF for Navigation Season
(Ebasco - Reference III-B-4).
The effective allowable temperature rise for the Unit 4
discharge was computed by calculating the difference between the
allowable 5° F criterion and the completely mixed temperature
rise presented above. The allowable temperature rises for the
Unit i* discharge at various river flow conditions are presented
below.
IV-35
-------
Allowable
Unit 4 Unit 4 Temperature
Unit 4 Capacity Condenser Rise Outside
River Flow Discharge Factor Temperature The Mixing
Rate (cfs) (cfs) (precent) Rise (°F) Zone (°F)
6000 705 100 17 1.49
6000 705 85 14.5 2.03
6500 705 100 17 1.76
20000 705 100 17 3.93
Exhibit IV-B-2 presents the predicted isotherm of the 1.49° F
allowable temperature rise (ier 5° F effective temperature rise
considering effects of Units 1-3) for a river flow of 6000 cfs
and Units 1-4 all operating at 100 percent capacity factor. The
Unit 4 discharge velocity is 6 fps which is the minimum value
proposed for low flow operation and represents the most
conservative (high) case with respect to thermal plume
prediction. The downstream and off-stream extents of this
isotherm are 1410 ft and 260 ft, respectively. The maximum
cross-sectional area of the Missouri River affected by the
effective 5° F temperature rise is 35 percent of the full river
cross-sectional area.
Exhibit IV-B-3 presents the predicted isotherm of the 2.03° F
allowable temperature rise (ie, 5° F effective temperature rise)
for a river flow of 6000 cfs and Units' 1-4 all operating at 85
percent capacity factor. This value is representative of daily
average sustained plant operation (Reference III-B-11). The
Unit 4 discharge velocity is 6 fps. The downstream and offstream
extents of the effective 5° F isotherm are 980 ft and 210 ft,
respectively. The maximum cross-sectional area affected is 24
percent.
Exhibit IV-B-4 presents the predicted isotherm of the 1.76° F
allowable temperature rise (ier 5° F effective temperature rise)
for a river flow of 6500 cfs and Units 1-4 all operating at 100
percent capacity factor. The Unit 4 discharge velocity is 6 fps.
The downstream and offstream distances and maximum cross-section
area affected are 1140 ft, 230 ft and 27 percent, respectively.
Exhibit IV-B-5 presents the predicted isotherm of the 3.93° F
allowable temperature rise (ier 5° F effective temperature rise)
for a river flow of 20,000 cfs and Units 1-4 all operating at 100
percent capacity factor. The Unit 4 discharge velocity is 4 fps
which is the minimum value proposed for average flow operation
and represents the most conservative (high) case with respect to
thermal plume prediction. The downstream and offstream distances
IV-36
-------
RIVER FLOW RATE : 6000 cfs
RIVER VELOCITY: 12 fps
JET VELOCITY: 6 fps
PLANT CAPACITY FACTOR: 100 PERCENT
CONDENSER TEMPERATURE RISE: 17°F
600
UJ
u! 500
<
LO
O
I
U.
u.
o
UJ
o
CO
Q
400
300
200
100
EFFECTIVE
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800
DOWNSTREAM DISTANCE FROM DISCHARGE IN FEET
O
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
THERMAL PLUME ANALYSIS OF THE UNIT
DISCHARGE
DATE:
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-B-2
-------
UJ
UJ
u,
a:
o
u.
o
UJ
o
z
<
en
600
500
40°
300
200
100
RIVER FLOW RATE : 6,000 cfs
RIVER VELOCITY-. I.Zfps
JET VELOCITY: 6 fps
PLANT CAPACITY FACTOR: 85 PERCENT
CONDENSER TEMPERATURE RISE: 14.5°F
EFFECTIVE 5° F
PLUME CENTER LINE
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 IOOO 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500
DOWNSTREAM DISTANCE FROM DISCHARGE IN FEET
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBA5CO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
THERMAL PLUME ANALYSIS OF THE UNIT 4
DISCHARGE
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-B-3
-------
RIVER FLOW RATE: 6,500 cfs
RIVER VELOCITY. l.2fps
JET VELOCITY: 6 fps
PLANT CAPACITY FACTOR: 100 PERCENT
CONDENSER TEMPERATURE RISE: 17°F
LU
U
u.
UJ
cr
o
X
CO
LJ
O
z
<
h-
co
600
500
400
300
200
100
EFFECTIVE 5° F -,
PLUME CENTER LINE
N I t.K LINt —1
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
DOWNSTREAM DISTANCE FROM DISCHARGE IN FEET
c
envirosphere
company
A UVI-MON OF tBASr.Q it^.ic:^ INCORMORVtD
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
THERMAL PLUME ANALYSIS OF
DISCHARGE
DATE:
- NEAL UNIT 4
THE UNIT 4
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-B-4
-------
RIVER FLOW RATE: 20,000 cfs
RIVER VELOCITY: 2.4 fp«
JET VELOCITY: 4 fps
PLANT CAPACITY FACTOR: 100 PERCENT
CONDENSER TEMPERATURE RISE: 17°F
UJ
UJ
LJ
co
600
500
400
300
UJ
o
2 200
CO
100
EFFECTIVE 5* F
PLUME CENTER LINE
33
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700
DOWNSTREAM DISTANCE FROM DISCHARGE IN FEET
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICE? INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
THERMAL PLUME ANALYSIS OF THE UNIT 4
DISCHARGE
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-B-5
-------
and the maximum cross-sectional area affected are 770 ft, 120 ftr
and 5 percent, respectively.
v. Results of the Thermal Analysis
For a flow of 6000 cfs and the Neal Station (4 units)
operating at 100 percent capacity factor, the maximum cross-
sectional area affected by the 5° F effective temperature rise
isotherm is 35 percent of the full river cross-sectional area,
assuming a Unit 4 discharge velocity of 6 fps.
For, the same flow of 6000 cfs and the station (4 units)
operating at 85 percent capacity factor and a Unit 4 discharge
velocity of 6 fps, the maximum cross-sectional area affected by
the 5° F effective temperature rise isotherm will not exceed 25
percent of the full river cross-sectional area.
At a flow of 6500 cfs, discharge velocity of 6 fps and the
station (4 units) operating at 100 percent capacity factor, the
maximum cross-sectional area affected by the 5° F effective
temperature rise isotherm will not exceed 27 percent of the full
river cross-sectional area. Based on the results at a flow of
6000 cfs, thermal criteria would be satisfied at 6500 cfs, 6 fps
and 85 percent capacity factor.
For a river flow of 20,000 cfs, and 100 percent capacity
factor, the maximum cross-sectional area affected by the 5° F
effective temperature rise isotherm is estimated to be 5 percent
of the full river cross-sectional area.
b. Effects on Other Water Quality Parameters
The impact on water quality associated with the discharge of
once through cooling water should be negligible since no biocide
additions will be made. The only effect will be a slight
alteration in the CaCO3 equilibriums resulting from an increase
in temperature. The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is commonly
employed to calculate the state of the system with regard to
CaCO3 equilibrium. A negative LSI indicates that CaCO3 is under-
saturated and a positive LSI indicates a concentration exceeding
saturation. As the LSI is affected by temperature, an increase
in temperature will result in an increase in the LSI. Using the
data presented in Section III-C and assuming that calcium
hardness is approximately 65 percent of the total hardness, an
LSI of +0.5 is calculated. A temperature increase of 17° F will
result in an LSI of +0.7. The increase in LSI is of no
consequence, since the increase is temporary and will return to
ambient levels as the temperature returns to ambient.
c. Effects on Aquatic Ecology
Waste heat should be the primary source of impact on the
Missouri River due to coolant discharge. Substances associated
with the chemical waste system will be treated to meet effluent
IV-41
-------
standards prior to discharge. These wastes are discussed in
Section IV-E. No adverse effects should be noted in the Missouri
River. The levels of ammonia upstream of the plant site could be
a significant problem if Neal 4 were located above the existing
generating station, but concentrations at the Neal 4 site are
less than 0.5 mg/1 (Exhibit III-C-7).
Effects of temperature on aquatic organisms have been
extensively reviewed*sr 22 r «s, 46f 47, *8r *9r so. The
Environmental Protection Agency*sr si has excerpted data from
numerous publications on the effects of temperature on aquatic
organisms, and Bush, et also have synthesized data in the form of
predicted displacement temperatures for fish indigenous to six
North American rivers.
At the primary producer level, Bott et al8 pointed out that
replacement of diatoms by green algae usually takes place at
about 30° C (86° F). Temperatures approaching these optimum
ranges could be achieved within the 10° F (5.56° C) A T isotherm
from late July through August at Neal Unit 4. Based on these
data and the predicted temperative isotherms from Neal Unit 4,
localized short-term increases in green and blue-green algae can
be expected on the rocks below Neal Unit 4. However, periphyton
studies taken in relation to the existing once-through
circulating water system at Neal Units 1-2, showed no clear-cut
patterns of diatom, green, and blue-green algae abundance above
and below that discharge (Appendix Table A-IV-B-5). Plankton
studies at the Neal site have not revealed any consistent or
important upstream/downstream differences due to present thermal
discharges either (Section III-C and Appendix Table A-IV-B-1),
and thus it is expected that the discharge from Neal 4 will not
significantly affect the distribution and abundance of algae in
the Missouri River.
The importance of zooplankton to the river ecosystem has been
discussed in Section IV-B-1. Lethal temperatures reported by
Bush et also for zooplankton are generally higher than predicted
plume temperatures (e.g. 30° - 38.5° C for Cyclops spp and 27° -
44° C for Daphnia spp) . Individual zooplankton are exposed to
plume temperatures for limited time periods as they are washed
downstream. For these reasons, no substantial impact to the
ecosystem as a result of zooplankton exposure to the warm water
discharge is expected.
Benthic invertebrates are also thought to contribute little
to the Missouri River ecosystem at the Neal site. Because the
benthos is restricted in terms of movement, exposure to plume
temperature is long term. The potential for effects is thus
greatly increased. However, abundance and distribution of
invertebrates on colonizing test panels below Neal Unit 1 and 2
was not systematically affected by the surface discharge of warm
water (Section III-C). There is no reason to expect that the
warmed water from the Unit 4 surface discharge would cause a
different effect.
IV-42
-------
Appendix Table A-IV-B-6 presents a compilation of tolerance,
preference, or required temperatures of important fish species at
Neal Unit 4. Unless otherwise indicated, lethal thresholds
represent median tolerance limits. The data are more complete
for some species than others, based on availability in the
literature. It is evident that some of the most important
species; e.g., channel catfish, northern pike, carp, carpsucker,
and bullhead, exhibit high temperature tolerances as juveniles or
adults, and should not be adversely affected by the Neal Unit 4
discharge. However, most of these would probably avoid the
immediate area of the discharge (50 ft radius) in mid-summer.
Data obtained upstream (control area) and downstream
(affected by thermal discharge) of Neal Units 1 and 2 by Hey and
Baldwin3*, 5* r sa indicated a tendency for fish, particularly
carp and carpsucker, to be more concentrated in the plume area
than above it. In studies conducted from June to November
197453, it was concluded that when ambient river temperatures
were below 70° F, fish, especially carpsucker, were attracted to
the plume area when compared to a downstream control. However,
when ambient river temperatures were above 70° F, fish did not
appear to be attracted to the discharge plume. Length-
frequencies of these species in April and May 1974 are shown in
Exhibits IV-B-7 and 8. It is apparent that, although lengths
were similar in the two reaches, numbers were greater below the
plant. Additionally, differences in condition factors,
expressing relative "robustness" of fish, were statistically
significant between upstream and downstream groups, downstream
individuals displaying higher weights per unit length (Table
IV-B-9). No data are available at Neal Units 1 and 2 regarding
the growth of channel catfish above and below the plant. Andrews
and Stickney54 reported that fingerlings grew best at 30° C in
their lab experiments, which suggests that growth may be enhanced
in the Missouri River for much of the year.
Distribution of other fishes listed in Appendix Table
A-IV-B-6 may be affected differently by Neal Unit 4 discharge.
For example, in the April-November 1974 thermal plume attraction
study,53rss smallmouth buffalo was generally more abundant in the
warmed discharge plume than it was in control areas. However,
numbers are not large enough to permit statistical treatment of
possible plume attraction. Gammon56 indicated that goldeye and
smallmouth buffalo, as well as freshwater drum, gizzard shad,
white crappie, and white bass, selected the coolest thermal
regime available to them in summer at the Wabash, Indiana plant.
Based on data in Appendix Table A-IV-B-6, a similar pattern for
Neal Unit 4 is predicted. Sauger, white sucker and redhorse
would probably avoid mid-summer plumes. Their summer preferences
are given as 27-29° C,s* 19-21° C*s; and 26-27.5° CS6;
respectively. None of the species present at Neal Unit 4 should
experience temperature-related mortalities. They may avoid the
immediate area of the discharge plume in mid-summer, but should
be attracted to it during the rest of the year. Temperature
differences within a few hundred feet of the discharge on the
IV-43
-------
zoo
300
400
SIZE (mm.)
500
600
700
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
LENGTH-FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS OF CARP TAKEN UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM
OF NEAL 1&2 BY ELECTROSHOCKING, APRIL - MAY, 1974
DATE- SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-B- 7
-------
CD
si
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33"
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73
m
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-------
R.mse ol' K*
Moan K
I..'4
Moduli k
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M.inn Wining I lost (Sioiiol37)
A
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
CONDITION FACTORS OF CARP AND CARPSUCKtR TAKEN UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF
NEAL 1 AND 2 BY ELECTROFISHING APRIL-MAY 1974
DATE: SCALE:
1 ABU
1 \ -R .9
-------
Iowa shore would raise temperatures above spawning and egg and
larval development requirements for most species in May, June,
and July. However, no important spawning grounds have been
recognized there. One possible species which may spawn near the
site is the channel catfish. Improved reproductive success of
this species below a power plant on the Wabash River, Indiana has
been indicated by Gammon57. Species with lower spawning
temperature requirements, namely sauger, white crappie, northern
pike, carp, and white sucker, spawn in different habitats.
d. Effect on other Water users
Neal Unit 4 is not expected to affect the chemical
composition of the Missouri River other than as described in
Section IV-B-2-b. Also, no other industries are present
immediately below Neal Unit 4 which could require cooling water.
Thus, the circulating water system will have no effect on
downstream water users.
During the winter months, the Neal Unit U discharge will
affect river ice formation in the vicinity of the plant and
immediately downstream of the discharge structure. However, there
should be no measurable impact on ice formation downstream of
Synder Bend and, subsequently, no occurrences of downstream
flooding.
IV-47
-------
C. ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS
1. Description of Basic Predictive Methodology
Ground level concentrations of plant emissions were
calculated for 138 grid points within approximately 10 kilometers
of the Neal site (see Exhibit IV-C-1). Consideration was given
in the grid selection task to those areas around the site which
were most likely to experience high calculated ground level
concentrations of contaminants. The basic rationale used in
selecting the grid system is detailed below.
Areas likely to be impacted by looping plumes during unstable
atmospheric conditions were covered by an inner circular grid
surrounding Units 1-3 and another surrounding Unit 4 at distances
of from 1-2 km.
Areas likely to experience highest concentrations under
neutral atmospheric conditions, or during incidents of plume
trapping due to an elevated inversion, were covered with an outer
circular grid at distances from 5-9 km from Units 1-3.
Additional grid points were placed in the areas of elevated
terrain southwest and north-northeast of the site, since these
areas could experience high concentrations due to plume impaction
during stable atmospheric conditions.
Since the diffusion model utilized for the calculations
considers the physical separation of the stacks, the grid density
was increased in directions for which the stacks would be aligned
(i.e., NW, NNW, N and S, SSE, SE). It is in these areas that the
emissions of all four units could impact simultaneously,
resulting in high ground level concentrations of air
contaminants.
The elevation of each grid point was determined from United
States Geological Survey topographic maps of the area. In cases
where higher terrain existed in close proximity to a particular
grid point, the higher elevation was utilized for the grid point.
The locations and elevations of each of the grid points are
listed in Table IV-C-1.
The computerized atmospheric diffusion model employed for
this study uses plant design and operating parameters, hourly
surface meteorological data and twice daily radiosonde (upper
air) data as inputs. One full year was chosen based on an
examination of the meteorological data for the years 1960-1964.
Both surface and upper air data were readily available from the
National Weather Service in a computer-compatible format.
This examination indicated that the year 1963 exhibited
poorer diffusion characteristics (i.e., lower average wind speeds
and higher frequencies of both very unstable and stable
conditions) than the other years considered. Another earlier
IV-48
-------
envlrosphere
company
* DIVISION OF E9A5CO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
LOCATIONS OF GRID POINTS FOR AIR QUALITY STUDY
w
EXHIBIT
EXHIBIT
IV-C-1
DATE:
-------
Grid
Point
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
IS
16
17
13
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
23
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
from Unit
Distance
(ire te rs )
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1S3S
2173
2562
2936
3253
3485
3615
3547
3352
3065
2709
2319
1953
1700
5000
7000
9000
5000
7000
9000
5000
7000
9000
5000
7000
9000
5000
7000
9000
1685
2 Stack
Direction
(+/- 11.25°
N
NNE
NE
ENE
E
ESE
SE
SSE
S
ssw
sw
'WSW
w
WNW
JNW
KNW
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SSE
SSE
SSE
S
S
S
S
SSW
N
N
N
NNE
NNE
NNE
NE
NE
NE
ENE
ENE
ENE
E
E
E
SW
Elevat ion
1076
1076
1074
1078
1074
1074
1075
1065
1070
1071
1075
1075
1075
1065
1082
1080 •
1080
10S2
1075
1075
108O
1075
1070
1070
1065
1067
1070
1073
1070
1065
1095
1090
1095
1089
1092
1089
1085
1086
1086
1080
1084
1082
1083
1080
1078
1065
3-hour
Average
469
908
638
438
262
468
687
744
286
416
379
282
131
128
296
401
443
500
458
420
369
362
298
294
335
419
304
336
409
527
261
210
220
493
378
314
237
221
176
246
193
164
328
233
179
571
SO;
24-hour
Average
64
125
80
61
36
62
87
93
36
52
50
36
24
16
37
50
80
114
107
96
81
69
50
50
56
69
50
63
58
78
49
54
58
107
82
67
45
30
27
36
30
25
55
53
43
71
Annual
Average
1.79
1.79
1.40
0.90
0.83
1.10
1.41
1.38
0.80
1.12
1.12
0.81
0.63
0.70
1.15
1.84
2.59
3.16
3.32
3.39
3.39
3.36
3.28
3.19
J.25
2.70
1.39
1.46
1.69
1.93
3.45
3.37
3.22
3.32
3.21
3.13
1.68
1.49
1.44
1.13
0.91
0.94
1.46
1.24
1.29
1.90
Particulates
Annual
Average
1.22
1.24
0.93
0.57
0.53
0.71
0.97
0.97
0.56
0.77
0.75
0.53
0.41
0.44
0.78
.35
.01
.44
.57
.69
.74
.lit
.68
.63
2.61
07
01
04
22
43
2.51
2.42
29
39
28
18
15
03
0.99
0.78
0.64
0.65
1.02
0.89
0.92
1.38
24-hour
Average
3
6
4
3
2
3
4
4
2
3
2
1
i
1
2
2
4
5
5
4
4
3
3
• 2
3
3
2
3
3
4
2
3
3
5
4
3
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
2
3
Annual
Average
0.10
0.1C
0.08
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.07
0.07
0.04
0.06
0.06
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.07
0,10
0.13
0.16
0.16
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.16
0.16
0.13
0.07
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.18
0.17
0.16
. 0.17
0.16
0.15
0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06
0.05
0.05
0.07
0.06
0.06
0.09
24-hour
Average
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
. 3
1
1
2
1
2
2
6
7
8
9
9
8
6
9
6
5
3
3
3
2
2
3
4
7
7
7
4
4
5
10
9
8
7
7
6
2
HoSO/,
Annual
Average
0.04
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.03
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.04
O.C5
0.07
0.0-3
0.08
0.09
0.10
0.09
0.03
0.06
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.09
0.13
0.16
0.09
0.11
0.15
0.08
0.08
0.11
0.08
0.08
0.10
0.08
0.10
0.14
0.04
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM PREDICTED SO,, NO,, PARTICULATE
AND H2SOA CONCENTRATIONS 'NEAL UNITS 1-4
FOR EACH GR^D POINT
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-1
-------
Grid
Point
Number
',7
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
73
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
from Unit 2 Stack
Distance
(ire ters)
4634
5632
7000
9000
1414
4600
3637
5592
7000
9000
6583
4492
5457
5000
7000
9000
5COO
6000
7000
9000
5000 .
7000
90on
5000
7000
9000
5000
7000
9COO
5000
, 7000
9000
6433
2000
3000
5000
7000
9000
2000
3000
4000
5000
7000
9000
2000
3000
Direction
(+/-H.250)
SSE
SSE
ESE
ESE
NW
SE
HNE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SSE
SSE
SSE
SSE
SSE
S
S
S
S
SSW
SSW
ssw
sw
sw
sw
wsw
HSW
wsw
w
w
w
SSE
N
N
WNW
WNW
WNW
NW
NW
NW
NW
NW
NW
NNW
NNW
Elevation
1070
1070
1080
1080
1080
1080
1065
1073
1070
1076
1063
1065
1075
107j
1072
1070
1080"
1175
1300
1210
1360
1380
1370
1320
1400
1400
1089
1450
1350
1080
1090
1100
1073
1075
1075
1080
1090
1093
1080
1080
1080
1086
1090
1095
1078
1090
3-hOur
Average
349
332
197
158
460
422
259
427
439
358
369
250
372
314
301
246
194
172
294
194
700
877
795
295
351
329
207
773
358
149
143
142
336
332
316
389
316
256
537
372
430
367
299
260
597
484
S00
24 -hour
Average
54
56
51
50
72
79
39
85
95
75
73
42
66
54
54
48
34
39
53
46
96
123
109
75
85
70
35
130
59
37
36
46
58
6
57
56
51
44
104
88
64
71
57
58
158
118
Annual
Average
3.57
3.99
1.99
1.98
1.95
3.76
3.06
4.20
4.46
4.81
4.27
3.61
3.77
4.00
4.51
4.86
1.66
1.98
2.96
2.28
3.79
4.17
3.88
2.00
2.58
2.50
0.95
3.98
2.06
1.00
1.16
1.40
3.36
3.08
3.48
2.12
2.64
2.95
3.00
3.38
3.42
3.59
4.23
4.69
5.51
6.64
NO,
Particulates
Annual
Average
2.82
3.13
1.48
1.46
1.48
2.95
2.51
3.23
3.36
3.52
3.24
2.91
2.98
.15
3.48
3.62
1.25
1.55
2.32
0.72
3.06
3.30
0.76
0.92
1.10
2.61
26
51
62
03
25
2.24
2.52
2.58
2.79
3.28
3.58
4.20
4.58
24-hour
Average
3
3
2
2
4
4
2
4
5
4
4
2
3
3
3
2
2
2
3
2
5
6
6
4
4
3
2
7
3
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
2
2
5
4
3
3
3
3
8
6
Annual
Average
0.18
0.20
0.10
0.10
0.11
0.19
0.15
0.21
0.22
0.24
0.21
0.18
0.19
0.20
0.23
0.24
0.09
0.1.0
0.15
0.11
0.19
0.21
0.19
0.10
0.13
0.12
0.05
0.20
0.10
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.17
0.16
0.18
0.11
0.14
0.15
0.16
0.17
0.17
0.18
0.22
0.24
0.28
0.33
HjSO,
24-hour
Average
9
6
4
3
2
13
9
16
18
18
17
7
3
8
6
13
4
4
7
6
6
12
15
4
8
11
3
24
12
8
7
7
6
2
3
6
13
13
2
4
6
4
6
7
7
7
Annual
Averaee
0.13
0.16
0.11
0.14
0.05
0.15
0.10
0.19
0.26
0.36
0.23
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.21
0.32
0.07
0.11
0.23
0.23
0.19
0.34
0.41
0.11
0.24
0.30
0.06
0.59
0.29
0.09
0.12
0.19
0.13
0.06
0.08
0.17
0.31
0.43
0.09
0.14
0.18
0.22
0.37
0.56
0.14
0.23
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF tBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM PREDICTED S02, NOo, PARTICULATE
AND H2S04 CONCENTRATIONS NEAL UNITS 1-4
FOR EACH GRID, POINT
(ug/m3)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-1
(cont'd)
-------
Grid
Point
Number
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
from Unit 2 Stack
Elevation
NNW
NNW
NNW
NNW
N
NNE
N
NNE
NNE
NNE
'NNW
NNW
NSE
NE
NW
NE
NNW
NNW
NW
NNW
NNW
N
NNE
NNW
NNW
N
E
E
E
ESE
SE
SE
S
s
S
ssw
ssw
s
SE
wsw
sw
ssw
ssw
sw
sw
sw
1095
1095
1080
1082
1090
1070
1098
1250
1300
1200
1100
1097
1300
1034
1095
1083
'1090
1092
1080
1090
1082
1086
1090
1098
1097
1095
1086
1085
1075
1077
1075
1075
1073
1075
1075
1075
1075
1065
1080
1380
1410
1350
1440
1320
1450
1440
534
491
386
351
288
331
176
178
375
252
218
219
409
145
197
143
328
345
396
445
616
421
202
220
258
191
307
302
419
245
333
500
304
188
274
470
508
190
511
937
582
505
1153
326
767
826
3-hour
Average
534
491
386
351
288
331
176
178
375
252
218
219
409
145
197
143
328
345
396
445
616
421
202
220
258
191
307
302
419
245
333
500
304
188
274
470
508
190
511
937
582
505
1153
326
767
826
SOo
24-hour
Average
126
116
92
77
48
58
48
47
50
53
77
61
57
24
73
32
71
79
76
97
116
125
49
86
89
49
38
45
52
54
83
114
40
35
38
71
74
24
67
122
77
76
158
45
92
103
Annual
Average
6.64
6.85
7.08
7.35
3.36
4.24
3.17
2.79
4.37
3.19
7.50
6.33
4.76
1.48
5.12
0.95
5.86
6.13
4.93
5.50
5.26
5.20
3.40
7.77
7.93
3.29
0.97
1.38
1.85
2.23
3.14
3.58
2.11
1.40
1.46
1.82
1.90
0.70
1.09
3.09
3.04
4.06
7.11
2.45
3.96
4.04
Particulates
4.96
5.15
5.27
5.35
2.44
.30
.17
.92
.07
.21
.38
.60
.40
1.00
3.87
0.65
4.40
4.56
3.71
4.08
3.90
3.89
2.41
5.54
5.71
2.37
0.67
0.98
1.32
1.67
2.44
2.82
1.60
1.04
1.06
1.30
1.41
0.46
0.72
2.47
2.30
3.28
5.77
1.86
3.09
3.29
24-hour
Average
6
6
4
4
2
3
2
2
2
3
4
3
3
1
4
2
3
4
4
5
6
6
2
4
4
2
2
2
2
2
3
5
2
2
2
3
4
1
3
6
4
4
8
2
5
6
Annual
Average
0.33
0.34
0.36
0.37
0.17
0.21
0.16
0.14
0.21
0.16
0.37
0.32
0.24
0.07
0.26
0.05
0.30
0.31
0.25
0.28
0.27
0.26
0.17
0.39
0.40
0.16
0.05
0.07
0.09
0.11
0.15
0.18
0.11
0.07
0.07
0.09
0.09
0.04
0.06
0.16
0.15
0.21
0.36
0.12
0.20
0.20
24-hour
Average
7
8
9
10
2
6
5.
6
10
7
12
13
9
5
10
4
6
5
7
8
7
5
6
14
14
3
1
1
2
4
7
15
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
5
7
12
4
6
12
18
Annual
Averase
0.28
0.34
0.47
0.67
0.08
0.20
0.87
0.24
0.36
0.21
O.S1
0.73
0.29
0.12
0.80
0.10
0.39
0.28
0.23
0.21
0.15
0.17
0.16
0.87
t.82
0.14
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.10
0.13
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.01
0.02
0.26
0.33
0.34
0.69
0.25
0.38
0.43
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
MAXIMUM PREDICTED SOo, N02, PARTICULATE
AND H2S04 CONCENTRATIONS NEAL UNITS 1-4
FOR EACH GRID POINT
(ug/m3)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-1
(cont 'd^
-------
diffusion analysis for this plant (Ebasco Services Incorporated1)
confirmed the occurrence of the highest predicted concentrations
based on 1963 meteorological data.
The hourly surface meteorological data used were recorded at
the National Weather Service first order station at Sioux City
Airport, 8 km north of the site. Since radiosonde data are not
recorded at Sioux City, the upper air data utilized in this
analysis were obtained from the records of the National Weather
Service first order station at Omaha, Nebraska, which at roughly
120 km south of the Neal Station, is the nearest source of
radiosonde data. Both the surface and upper air meteorological
data are reasonably representative of site conditions.
A detailed description of the operation of the STACK SELECT*
diffusion model is presented in Appendix A-IV-C.
2. Federal Regulations
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are
published in the Code of Federal Regulations as 40 CFR Part 50
and are presented in Table IV-C-2. The primary standards are
pollutant concentration limits designed to protect human health.
Secondary standards are welfare related. These standards were to
be attained in the Iowa portion of -the Metropolitan Sioux City
Interstate Air Quality Control Region by July 1975
(40 CFR 52.827). Available monitoring data indicate that
standards have been attained in this region.
New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) have been promulgated
for power plants (40 CFR 60.40) and coal preparation facilities
(40 CFR 60.250). Standards for power plants are presented in
Table IV-C-3. These standards limit the amounts of particulates,
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides allowed to be emitted from new
power plants and the amounts of particulates allowed from coal
preparation facilities. The NSPS also require emission
monitoring for opacity, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and
either oxygen or carbon dioxide as outlined in 40 CFR 60.45.
Implementation of the federal emission and ambient air
quality standards are the primary responsibility of the states
according to the 1970 Clean Air Act. If a state does not
exercise regulatory control of air pollution, the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator is authorized
to perform this function. Enforcement of federal emission
standards is the responsibility of EPA unless delegated to the
states. The NSPS for power plants have been delegated to Iowa,
but coal preparation facilities have not.
3. Emission Rates
As discussed earlier in this section, the Federal New Source
Performance Standard for sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired
electric generating stations is 1.2 Ib per million Btu (mB) of
*Envirosphere Company
IV-53
-------
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Particulate Matter
a) Annual Geometric Mean
b) Maximum 24hr Concentration"''
Sulfur Oxides
a) Annual Arithmetic Mean
i /
b) Maximum 24 iir Cocnentration --'
c) Maximum 3hr Concentration
Nitrogen Dioxide
a) Annual Arithmetic Mean
Carbon Monoxide
a) Maximum
b) Maximum
Hydrocarbons
8hr Concentration
Ihr Concentration '
a) Maximum 3hr Concentration
(d am *•) am)
Primary Standard
(ug/irr »
75
260
80 (0.03 ppm)
365 (0.14 ppm)
100 (0.05 ppm)
10,000 (9 ppm)
40,000 (35 ppm)
H>0 (0.24 ppm)-/
Secondary Standard
(ug/mr)
60^
150
1,300
(0.50 ppm)
100 (0.05. ppm)
10,000 (9 ppm)
40,000 (35 ppm)
160 (0.24 ppm)£/
a' Guideline only, not a standard, h/ Not to he L.xcceded more than once per year.
c
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-2
-------
Particulate Matter
a/
Emission Rate"- Ib/mB
I/
Opacity for over 2 min in any hr
Opacity at any time - percent
Sulfur Dioxide
Emission RattM Ib/mB
Equivalent sulfur content in fuel - percent —
C. )
Equivalent concentration in flue gas - ppnr
Nitrogen Oxides (as N00)
a/
Emission Rate-*' Ib/mB
Equivalent concentration in flue gas - ppn£'
Coal
0.10
20
40
1.20
0.5
600
0.70
500
Oil
0.10
20
40
0.80
0.7
400
0.30
200
Gas
0.10
20
40
-
-
0.20
150
Emission rates are maximum 2-hr averages.
Based on typical heating values of 9,000 and 18,000 Btu/lb for coal and oil, respectively.
Based on typical flue gas compositions and expressed on a dry volume basis.
d/ A maximum of 40 percent opacity is permissible for not more than 1 minutes in anv hour
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF [BASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - NEAL UNIT 4
FEDERAL STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-3
-------
heat input. The typical sulfur content of 0.32 percent and the
heating value of 9507 Btu per Ib of the coal to be burned by Neal
Unit 4 will result in an SO2 emission rate of approximately 0.65
Ib per mB. At full capacity operation, 3800 Ib/hr of S02 will
typically be emitted from the stack. However, the SO2 emission
rates and the ground level concentrations presented in this
report are based on a sulfur content in the coal of 0.49 percent
and a heating value of 8125 Btu per Ib of coal which would result
in a maximum SO2 emission rate of 1.2 Ib/mB. At full capacity
operation, a maximum of 7100 Ib/hr of SO2 will be emitted from
the stack.
Emission rates for oxides of nitrogen are almost completely
dependent upon the mode of operation of the Neal Unit 4 furnace.
The Meal Unit 4 furnace manufacturer guarantees that under design
conditions as discussed in Section II-B-4-b, the unit will meet
the Federal New Source Performance Standard of 0.7 Ib/mB for
oxides of nitrogen. A maximum of 4140 Ib/hr of nitrogen oxides
will be emitted into the atmosphere at full capacity operation.
Suspended particulate matter emissions will be approximately
0.07 Ib/mB for coal based on a maximum 18 percent ash content,
and on a 99.6 percent collection efficiency for the electrostatic
precipitator. The New Source Performance Standard for
particulate matter emission is 0.10 Ib/mB. At full capacity
operation, a maximum of 420 Ib/hr of particulate matter will be
emitted.
Ambient pollutant concentrations presented in this report are
based on the diffusion calculations using the full load design
parameters and maximum values for Neal Unit 4 presented in
Table IV-C-4.
4. Ambient Air Quality
The maximum predicted ground level concentrations of all
contaminants for Neal Units 1-4 and for Unit 4 alone are
discussed below.
a. Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations
The maximum 3-hour average, iraximum 24-hour average and
annual average ground level sulfur dioxide concentrations
calculated for each receptor point due to the continuous full-
load operation of Neal Station 4 for the critical year of
meteorological record are presented in Table IV-C-5 and compared
to the Class II Significant Deterioration Standards. The maximum
3-hour value of 378 ug/m3 is 54 percent of the 700 ug/m3
standard. The 24-hour maximum value of 48.63 ug/m3 is 49 percent
of the standard and the annual average concentration of
3.13 ug/m3 is 1 percent of the standard. These SO2 values for
Neal Unit 4 are within the Class II Significant Deterioration
Standards.
IV-56
-------
Parameters
Stack Diameter (ft)
Stack Height
(ft)
Sulfur Content (percent)
Coal Heating
Value (Btu/lb)
Particulate Release Rate (Ib/hr)
S09 Release Rate (Ib/hr)
NO Release Rate (Ib/hr as N09)
! X ^
Mass Release
Rate (106 Ib/hr)
Stack Exit Temperature (F)
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
Unit 1 Unit 2 : Unit 3 | Unit 4
10.2 15.2 19.8 25.8
250 300 400 469
0.9 0.9 0.9
0.49
9000 9000 9000 8125
150 410 270 420
2910 6170 10020 7100
2080 2470 4010 4140
1.60 3.33 5.41
6.55
300 263 254 244
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY - MEAL UNIT 4
INPUT PARAMETERS FOR DIFFUSION CALCULATIONS
NEAL UNITS 1-4
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-4
-------
Contaminant
Sulfur Dioxide
Nitrogen Dioxide
Particulares
Sulfuric Acid
Averaging
Time
3 hr
24 hr
Annua 1
Annual
24 hr
Annual
24 hr
Annual
Maximum
1,153
158
8
6
8
<1
45
1
Neal
Units
1-4
Typical Total
Back- Concentra- Minimum^
ground tion Standard
0
0
0
7
30
30
2
2
1,153
158
8
13
38
<31
47
3
1,300
365
80
100
150
75
- - -
- - -
Percent
of
Standard
89
43
10
13
25
41
--
--
Neal Unit 4
Predicted
Concentra
tion,
(ug/m )
378.63
48.13
3
2.88
0.19
Percent
** **
Standard Standard
(ug/m )
700 54
100 49
15 1
30 10
10 2
.'National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Class II Significant Deterioration Standards
c
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SUMMARY OF MAXIMUM PREDICTED GROUND LEVEL
CONTAMINANT CONCENTRATIONS
(ug/m3)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-5
-------
The maximum 3-hour average, maximum 24-hour average and
annual average ground level sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations
calculated for each receptor point due to the continuous full-
load operation of Neal Station Units 1-4 for the critical year of
meteorological record are presented in Table IV-C-5. The maximum
3-hour value of 1,153 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) is 89
percent of the 1,300 ug/m3 3-hour standard. Less critical are
the 24-hour level of 158 ug/m3, 43 percent of the 365 ug/m3
24-hour standard, and the annual average concentration of
8 ug/m3, which is 10 percent of the 80 ug/m3 annual standard. As
discussed previously, background SO2 levels are negligibly low
throughout the area of plant air quality impact. Therefore,
ambient SO2 concentrations are expected to be within applicable
standards.
b. Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations
The calculated annual average nitrogen dioxide (N02)
concentrations are presented in Tatle IV-C-5. The maximum value
of 6 ug/m3 is 6 percent of the 100 ug/m3 annual standard. After
adding the typical background concentration of 7 ug/m3, the total
of 13 ug/m3 is 13 percent of the standard.
c. Particulate Concentrations
Table IV-C-5 presents the calculated maximum 24-hour average
and annual average particulate concentrations compared to both
the ambxent and significant deterioration standards. The maximum
24-hour value of 8 ug/m3 is 5 percent of the 150 ug/m3 ambient
standard. Adding the typical* background level of 30 ug/m3, the
total of 38 ug/m3 is 25 percent of the standard. The maximum
annual average is less than 1 ug/m3, which is about 1 percent of
the 75 ug/m3 annual standard. Adding the typical background
level, the total of 31 ug/m3 is 41 percent of the standard.
However, since background concentrations of particulate matter
are both high and subject to great fluctuation, the use of only a
single typical background level is not sufficient to assess
compliance with applicable ambient standards.
Primary ambient air quality standards for total suspended
particulates were attained in 1976 in the Sioux City Air Quality
Control Region. Since background particulate concentrations in
the Neal Station area of impact may be in violation of applicable
ambient air quality standards due to the high levels of natural
and agricultural dust, the potential incremental effect of the
Neal Station on existing contraventions must be considered in
more detail. The analysis of this problem, summarized in
Table IV-C-6, is discussed below.
*Measurements of particulate concentrations in the Neal 4 area,
when represented using a log-normal frequency distribution, had a
median of 30 ug/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.9
corresponding to levels of natural and agricultural dusy typical
of rural areas, (see Section III-E-1).
IV-59
-------
1— 1
<
0
Annual Neal Background Critical Additional
Receptor Downwind
Description Distance
Neal Sta. . .
... . . _ 2 km
Vicinity
Sioux City, „ ^
South Sioux ... .
„ , 17 km
City, Neb.
Direction Wind Station Atmospheric Plume Background Standard Background Violation
from Station Frequency Impact Stability Width Median Deviation Frequency Periodicity
NNW 11.0% 8 ug/m3 A or 1 1 sector 30 ug/m3 1.9 0.16% 16 yr
(sec. std.)
N 9.37. 2 ug/m3 D or 4 1/3 sector 50 ug/m3 1.8 0.17% 52 yr
(sec.
std.)
N 9.37. 2 ug/m3 D or 4 1/3 sector 130 ug/m3 1.7 0.24% 37 yr
(pri. std.)
0.98% 9 yr
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
(sec.
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
TWENTY- FOUR HOUR PARTICULATE IMPACT/BACKGROUND
JOINT FREQUENCY ANALYSIS
DATE; SCALE:
std.)
TABLE
IV-C-6
-------
It has already been noted that background particulate levels
in the Neal Station vicinity may exceed the 150 ug/m3 24-hour
secondary standard about two days yearly. Since the maximum Neal
Station impact based on continuous full-load operation is
8 ug/m3, the background concentration at the point of the maximum
would need to be in the range of 142 to 150 ug/m3 for the plant's
impact to result in an additional violation. From the background
particulate frequency distribution, the concentration would be in
this range 0.16 percent of the time, or about one day in two
years.
The south-southeasterly wind required to carry the Neal
Station plumes to the point of the critical concentration occurs
with an annual average frequency of 11.0 percent, assuming that
the background level and the wind direction are dependent.
Therefore, it can be seen that the joint frequency of the
background level and the wind direction being critical
simultaneously is 0.16 percent x 11.0 percent = 0.0176 percent,
or one day in 16 years.
Actually, the frequency of additional secondary standard
excesses at any point due to the operation of the Neal Station
may be significantly lower, given the infrequency of the large
atmospheric instability required to cause the plumes to impact at
the critical point.
When considering the above results, it should be emphasized
that the large majority of ground level locations within the area
of air quality impact are subject to maximum Neal Station 24-hour
average particulate concentrations of much less than 8 ug/m3. It
should also be noted that because of Unit 4's efficient
electrostatic precipitator and tall stack, the Unit 4
contributions are a small fraction of the maximum particulate
concentrations attributable to the total plant. For the above
reasons, the operation of Unit 4 is not likely to result in
additional excesses of ambient particulate standards at any
location in the vicinity of the Neal Station.
The considerations described above have also been applied to
Sioux City, Iowa and South Sioux City, Nebraska. Since the
maximum Neal Station impact is 2 ug/m3 at these locations, the
critical range of background concentrations approaching the
secondary standard is 148 to 150 ug/m3. Southerly winds, which
are required to transport the Neal Station plumes to the
locations, are recorded in the Sioux City Airport with an annual
average frequency of 9.3 percent. Under the conditions of
maximum plant impact (neutral atmospheric stability), the plume
width is one-third of a sector. Therefore, the wind actually
blows from the Neal Station toward any receptor point to the
north with an average frequency of 3.1 percent, or 11 days per
year. The results based on this frequency and the background
level distributions indicate that an additional secondary
standard excess attributable to the combined effects of a high
background level and the Neal Station impact may occur one day in
IV-61
-------
52 years at any ground level location in Sioux City, and one day
in 9 years in South Sioux City. Moreover, an additional excess of
the 365 ug/m3 primary 24-hour average particulate standard may
occur in South Sioux City one day in 37 years.
The steady-state assumption required by the diffusion model
(described in Appendix A-IV-C) employed in the Sioux City and
South Sioux City analyses lends conservatism to the results,
since the critical stability and wind conditions may not persist
long enough to transport the Neal Station plumes to the receptor
locations. The maximum plant impact of 2 ug/m3 is only about one
percent of" the applicable standards. Such low levels are below
the sensitivity of the high volume sampler, and thus are not
directly measurable. Again, since the Unit 4 contribution is a
small fraction of the total plant impact, the operation of Unit 4
is not likely to result in additional excesses of ambient
particulate standards in the Sioux City-South Sioux City area.
With regard to annual average particulate impacts, it should be
noted that the total Neal Station annual average impact at South
Sioux City was calculated to be only 0.2 ug/m3. This presents a
negligible increase of the existing average background level of
130 ug/m3, which exceeds the 75 ug/m3 annual average particulate
standard.
d. Sulfuric Acid Concentrations
The calculated maximum 24-hour average and annual average
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) concentrations due to the in-plume
oxidation of sulfur dioxide are presented in Table IV-C-5. The
maximum 24-hour concentration of 45 ug/m3, added to the typical
background level of 2 ug/m3, results in a total 24-hour average
of 47 ug/m3. The 1 ug/m3 maximum annual value, when combined
with the typical background level, results in a total annual
average of 3 ug/m3. Because of the very conservative assumptions
employed in modelling the formation and transport of H2SO4 (e.g.,
steady state conditions and conservative reaction rates) these
results should be considered as upper limits, not likely to be
attained.
Although there are no applicable H2SO4 ambient standards, it
may be noted that the threshold limit value for industrial
exposures to H2SO4 in 1,000 ug/m3.2 The most widely employed
standard for general populations is a 24-hour average of 100
ug/m3.3 The maximum concentrations expected in the vicinity of
the Neal Station are well within these levels.
IV-62
-------
5. Effects on Terrestrial Biota
a. Effects on Terrestrial Vegetation
i. Effects of Sulfur Dioxide on Terrestrial
Vegetation
Sulfur is an essential plant macronutrient and required in
relatively large amounts. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) which is taken up
by plants through leaf stomata* may be a source of sulfur for the
synthesis of sulfur-containing compounds. Although the source of
sulfur is generally sulfate (SO4) obtained by root absorption
from soil, foliar uptake of gaseous SO2 has proven, under
laboratory conditions, to be an alternative source5.
Agricultural soils may require, for maximum productivity,
addition of sulfur-containing fertilizers, if SOU in
precipitation and soil absorption of SO2 are insufficient to
compensate for depletion incurred by crop removal*.
The sensitivity to SO2 of woody plants and important
agricultural species of the George Neal area are indicated in
Table IV-C-7. Few plants other than economically important ones
have been investigated for sensitivity to S02.
Concentrations of SO2 predicted from operation of George Neal
Units 1-4 are presented in Section IV-C-4 and summarized in Table
IV-C-5. The maximum (including background level) predicted
ground level 3-hour, 24-hour and annual concentrations of SO2 are
1153 ug/m3, 158 ug/m3, and 8 ug/m3, respectively.
The maximum annual average SO2 concentration predicted for
George Neal Units 1-4, 8 ug/m3, is less than the 13 ug/m3
concentration reported to affect lichen species, which are
particularly sensitive to atmospheric pollutants. Although the
effects of chronic exposure to low concentrations of SO2 are not
generally known, it appears unlikely that the predicted maximum
annual concentration from George Neal Units 1-4 will injure flora
of the site and surrounding region.
The predicted maximum 3-hour concentration of SO2 exceeds the
suggested injury thresholds for sensitive plant species. If
conditions conducive to plant injury occur concurrently with SO2
concentrations exceeding the suggested injury threshold levels,
sensitive species may suffer visible injury. The effects of
possible foliar injury on yields of known sensitive species
occurring in the site region, alfalfa, soybeans, and grains,
depend on numerous factors and cannot accurately be predicted.
The presence of other pollutants in addition to SO2, such as
NO2 or O3, could alter the levels at which SO2 affects plants.
Available information on plant responses to mixtures of air
pollutants is not adequately complete to determine of thresholds
applicable to field situations involving SO2 and other gaseous
pollutants.
IV-63
-------
A. Woody Plants
Species
Juniper
(Jimi perns spp.)
Jack pine
(Piiuis hanksiana)
Austrain Pine
(Pinus nigra)
hastern white pine
(Pi nils s trot) us)
Red maple
(Acer rub rum)
Boxelder
(Acer iiegundo)
Sugar maple
(Acer saccharum)
Silver maple
(Acer saccharinum )
Birch
(Betual spp )
White birch
i Betulu papyrit'era)
(•lowering dogwood
(Cornus tlorida)
(ireen ash
(t:iaxinus pennsylvanica)
Tulip tree
( l.iriodendron tulipil'era )
Apple
( Mains spp. )
Sycamore
(Platanus occidentalism
o
envirosphere
company
A DIV SION OF EBASCO SERVICE? INCORPORATED
Sensitivitya
Tolerant
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Intermediate
X
Sensitive
X
X
X
X
X
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SENSITIVITIES TO SULFUR DIOXIDE OF WOODY AND
AGRICULTURAL PLANTS COMMON TO THE PORT NEAL AREA
(SHEET 1 OF 3)
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-7
IV-64
-------
Species
Sensitivity^
Tolerant
Intermediate
Sensitive
Eastern cottonwood
(Populus deltoides)
Pear
(Pyrus spp.)
Red oak
(Quercus ruhra)
Black locust
(Robinia pseudo-acacia)
Willow
(Salix spp.")
American elm
(Ulmus americana)
Basswood
(Tilia americana)
Mulberry
(Morus spp.)
Sumac
(Rhus spp.)
Honeysuckle
(Lonicera spp.)
Wild grape
(Vitis spp.)
B. Agricultural Crops
Soybeans
(Glycine max)
Alfalfa
(Medicago saliva)
Potato
(Solanum tuberosum
Corn
(Zea mays)
Wheat
(Triticum aestivum)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
c
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
SENSITIVITIES TO SULFUR DIOXIDE OF WOODY AND
AGRICULTURAL PLANTS COMMON TO THE PORT NEAL AREA
(SHEET 2 OF 3)
DATE:
SCALE:
TABLE
IV-C-7
(Cont'd)
IV-65
-------
Species
Sensitivity'
Tolerant
Intermediate
Sensitive
Rye
(Seeule eereule)
Oats
(Avena saliva)
Red elover
(Trit'oiumi sativuni)
X
X
X
a Compiled from references 11, 24, 25.
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
SENSITIVITIES TO SULFUR DIOXIDE OF WOODY AND
AGRICULTURAL PLANTS COMMON TO THE PORT NEAL AREA
(SHEET 3 OF 3)
DATE:
SCALE:
IV-6 6
TABLE
IV-C-7
(Cont'd)
-------
ii. Effects of Acid Rain and Sulfate Deposition on
Vegetation
Acid rain may result from the oxidation of SO2 and NO2 to
sulfuric (H2SOU), sulfurous (H2S03) and nitric (HNO3) acids.
Rain with pH values as low as 2.1 has been measured during the
past 20 years in samples collected in New Hampshire. These
decreases in pH have been tentatively attributed to coal
combustion and consequent increases of concentrations of these
acids in precipitation26. The extent to which stack releases
from coal combustion promote acid precipitation is currently
debated* ».
Sulfate deposition may affect terrestrial systems by lowering
the pH of rain and soil; the impact of SO4 deposition is
therefore discussed in terms of potential impact of acid rain.
Although high concentrations of SOU have been associated with
leaf chlorosis* and inhibition of uptake of calcium and
molybdenum,28 thesa effects have apparently not been attributed
to the deposition levels resulting from operation of power
plants. Deposition rates of sulfate (and soil absorption of SO2)
derived from coal combustion are small, even in heavily impacted
areas, when compared to amounts of SOU added to croplands to
offset sulfur losses by harvesting of crops29.
Likens and Bormann26 state that "the ecological effects of
acid rain are as yet largely unknown, but potentially they are
manifold and very complex." They note that possible consequences
of acid rain may include changes in leaching rates of nutrients
from plant foliage and soil, and long-term decreases in forest
productivity. Reuss29 concluded that acid rain leaching of
nutrients from soil in moderately to heavily impacted areas
"would be of little consequence in agricultural areas where
nutrients are commonly replaced, but may well be significant in
forests and areas not intensively farmed."
Present literature suggests that coal combustion may lower
the pH of rain within local or large regional areas. It appears
unlikely that possible decreases of rain pH resulting from Units
1-4 will affect agricultural systems. The extent, if any, of
rain pH change, and its potential effect on forest vegetation and
soils cannot be determined due to the present state-of-the-art.
iii. Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide on Vegetation
High concentrations of NO2 may cause plant injury. Symptoms
of acute injury are similar to those resulting from excessive
dosages of SO2 described in the preceding section. Chronic
injury induced by NO2 is characterized by discolored flecks on
leaf surfaces, and premature leaf abscission*. Plant responses
to NO2 vary with species, lengths of exposure, developmental
stage of the plant, and environmental conditions such as soil
moisture and light intensity".
IV -67
-------
Concentrations of NO2 which produce visible plant injury are
high, relative to ambient levels near fossil-fuel power plants.
Thompson et al33 suggested the following threshold levels of NO2
for visible injury: 18,800-2,200 ug/m3 for 1 hour, 4324 - 6580
ug/m3 for 8 to 21 hours, and 1800 ug/m3 for 48 hours. Limited
data suggest that plants exposed to NO2 for intervals longer than
48 hours may be affected by lower concentrations. For example,
the yield of navel oranges decreased, and leaf drop increased,
following an 8 month exposure to 470 ug/m3 NO2.36
Reductions in rates of photosynthesis may result from short-
term exposures to low concentrations of NO2. Hill and Bennett37
observed a reduction in uptake of CO2 in oats and alfalfa exposed
for 0.75 to 1.5 hours to 940 - 1316 ug/m3 NO2. They doubt that
significant growth reductions would occur from inhibition of CO2
uptake, however, without foliar damage12. Their data and that of
others indicate that "plants can repeatedly recover from
subnecrotic exposures to SO2, C12, NO2, and NO if sufficient time
is allowed between fumigation for full recuperation. Generally
an intervening nighttime period is sufficient."
Plant injury caused by NO2 can be increased by simultaneous
exposure to SO2. A discussion of this effect is included in the
preceding section.
Maximum concentrations of NO2 predicted from operation of
Units 1-4 are presented in Section IV-C-4. The predicted maximum
ground level 1 hour, 4 hour, and annual averages are 2315 ug/m3,
816 ug/m3, and 13 ug/m3, respectively. The predicted 1 and 4
hour maximum concentrations of N02 were calculated using the
methodology discussed in Section IV-C-1. Concentrations are
considerably less than the NO2 levels suggested as potentially
injurious to vegetation, and are not expected to significantly
affect plants of the site and surrounding region.
Plant responses to mixtures of NO2 and SO2 are discussed in
the section which assesses the effects on vegetation of S02.
iv. Effects of Particulate Matter on Vegetation
Information reported in the literature on the effects of
particulates on vegetation is limited, and precludes a complete
assessment of impact. Investigations of effects of particulates
on conifers growing near a power plant in West Virginia are
inconclusive, and are not considered applicable to situations
where fly-ash removal systems are operating properly. The lack
of information on fly-ash injury to vegetation suggests that
particulate emissions from power plants with properly operating
fly-ash removal systems are not likely to injure vegetation.
IV-68
-------
b. Effects on Terrestrial Wildlife
Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter may
adversely affect animals. These effects depend upon many
factors, including the sensitivity of a given species to specific
emissions, period of exposure and physiological conditions of
exposed organisms. In addition, emissions may indirectly
influence animals by affecting the quality of vegetation upon
which they depend for food and cover.
i. Effects of Sulfur Dioxide on Wildlife
Animals exposed in the laboratory to high concentrations of
SO2 show upper respiratory tract and ocular irritation and
bronchoconstriction43. The physiological and pathological
responses of animals to SO2 are shown in Table IV-C-8. Most of
these studies have used concentrations of SO2 higher than those
predicted for the area within 25 km of the proposed station.
The maximum predicted three-hour, 24-hour and annual
concentrations of SO2 (including background) within 25 km of the
proposed facility are 1153, 158, and 8 ug/m3, respectively (Table
IV-C-5). The maximum predicted three-hour level of S02 (1153
ug/m3) lies within the range of concentrations at which adverse
effects on laboratory test animals have been noted. Amdur and
Underbill4* found temporary increases in pulmonary flow
resistance of guinea pigs (sensitive to SO2) to 460 and 1310 ug
SO2/m3. However, other investigations, reviewed and synopsized
by Talisayon43 have shown guinea pig pulmonary function and blood
chemistry to be unaffected by year long exposures to SO2
concentrations of 240 to 15.0 x 103 ug/m3. Overall, present
knowledge of the effects of low SO2 concentrations on animals is
not well documented, and"... the presence or absence of adverse
effects of ambient levels of the order of 0.1 ppm (260 ug SO2/m3)
is, experimentally, still an open question"43.
The effects of both chronic and acute concentrations of SO2
from Neal Units 1-4 on local wildlife species cannot be predicted
adequately with the data presently available. However, the
information presented in Table IV-C-8 suggests adverse effects on
wildlife from SO2 emissions are unlikely.
ii. Effects of Sulfuric Acid Mist on Wildlife
SO2 from the Units 1-4 stacks will undergo atmospheric
oxidation to sulfate (SO4). A fraction of the SO4 formed may
exist as sulfuric acid mist (H2SO4). Sulfuric acid mist has been
shown to be more toxic than SO2 in experiments with laboratory
animals45. The predicted maximum 24-hour and annual average
ground level concentrations of sulfates (taken complete as H2S04)
from Unit 1-4 are 45 and 3 ug/m3, respectively (Table IV-C-7).
Concentrations of H2SO4 for these two exposure periods are
considerably lower than those tolerated by laboratory animals and
IV-69
-------
Stack Cuu':i.'i:l.raLion Li-n^Lli of An:. :il
Emission • (LII-,/;I!JI l>.r>t's'.ire 'IVi'ted Kffr,-i nr i- ...•nnnsc
SO 370 x 103 i54 hrs duino.-i Pigs LC 50-30 Percent. Mo r La lit
GO 3M x 103 847 hrs Mice, Cock- LC50-Mi.ce (l.isoct^ - Sir.i
roaches, Co Mice)
Grasshoppers
SO 460 and 1310 1 hr Guim-a Pigs Temporary increase in pul
* flow res is La nee
SO 79, 445, , 165 days Rats Sepresiicn oi r;-l c!,..;.li:i
2 17.8 x 10 "" ase, spl^.-n ci.- 1;y>.:r...-, , <-.:
hydra so, fine YiU.::.in C co
traticns in cor I." i:i cu^;an
SO 340, 2650, 1 yr Guinea Pigs No si ^:ii f ic.-ni <.lii"iorni;cc
2 15.0 x 10J pul:,.o.i.-:ry fu;;cti,v.i or cli
biochenical costs
SO. 1405-7673 14 v;i;s ;ioney Sees Hives gained less v.-cit-.:it,
iloCcci le;'S surplus ao:'.ey,
lecLed lest, pollen, and p
s-.:;aller jr.).)Js
SO 2.55 x 10 Honey Bees LC 50 for adnli.s, l.-irvae,
pupae v:. re 23,71, 147, ar.
1723 minutes, respectivol
j,,0 165 x 103 240m.i«. Kacs I.C 50
NO, 900 4 hr Rats ])e:-ranula tion in nnst rel
L pholofv of LIMIT
1900 1 hr Rats jje';r;mu1;i L.; en ir. mast eel
piiblo/y i;i lui;i:',
NO. 940 6-24 hr/day Mice Enlargement of alve.il i of
for 12 mos, enhanced r.u: cepLibility t
r espi ra r.oi'y infection as
strnt.ed by increased wort
after e.-posure to bacteri
(.CLciiicll;-' upe:r>'oniae_)
r i1. t ('• ifoncc
y (55)
:lar (55)
.-.onciry (46)
(43)
• o'~ -
ici_n-
s
s ii. (43)
niral
pro- (47)
cc.l-
roduced
etr-s, (47)
d
y
(48)
1 mor- (48)
1 mor-
lung; (48)
o
c er.ion-
ality
a
N0_ 470 4 hr/day Rabbits Structural changes in lung col- (48)
for 6 days lagen and el.'istin; condition
reversible but son;c damage per-
sisted after 7 days.
NO- 1500 Continuous, Rats Tachypnea and some terminal (48)
Lifetime bronchiolar hypertrophy
NO- 28.2 x 10 Continuous, Guinea Pigs Formation of circulating sub- (48)
1 yr stance in lung - possibly lung
antibody
GiOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF SOa, NOz
envirosphere ON TEST ANIMALS
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE I SCALED
TABLE
IV-C-8
IV-70
-------
therefore, are not expected to be harmful to wildlife in the
vicinity of Units 1-4.
iii. Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide on Wildlife
Nitrogen dioxide exerts its primary toxic effect on the lungs
of animals. The maximum one hour, four hour and annual
concentrations of NO2 (including tackground levels) from George
Neal Units 1-4 have been predicted at 2315, 816 and 13 ug NO2/m3,
respectively. The one and four hour concentrations of N02 were
calculated using the methodology presented in Section IV-C-1 of
this document, and the predicted annual concentration is found in
Table IV-C-5.
The predicted one and four hour NO2 levels are in the range
of concentrations which have been shown, experimentally, to
produce subtle changes in lung metabolism (e.g., lipid
peroxidation in rat lungs and alteration of lung collagen and
elastin) and lung pathology (e.g., degranulation of mast cells in
rat lungs)*8. However, most symptoms appear to be reversible
after short-term exposures to concentrations below 1900 ug NO2/m3
*8. Although the reaction of wildlife species to various levels
of NO2 has not been ascertained, laboratory experiments suggest
that potential minor and reversible lung damage to mammals may
occur during those periods of elevated NO2 concentrations.
The predicted annual concentration of NO2r 13 ug/m3, is two
to three orders of magnitude below concentrations which, during
continuous lifetime and/or one year exposures, have affected rats
and guinea pigs respectively (Table IV-C-8). No experimental
data suggest that concentrations of 13 ug N02/m3 will adversely
affect wildlife in the George Neal Plant vicinity.
iv. Effects of Particulate Emissions on Wildlife
Particulate emissions consist of heterogeneous and variable
mixtures of airborne solids. Ingestion of vegetation
contaminated by particulates containing toxic chemical components
may be detrimental to animal health. Detailed assessment of the
impact of the predicted concentrations of particulate matter on
wildlife cannot be made because of the paucity of the available
data.
The maximum predicted 24-hour and annual concentrations of
particulate matter within 15 km of the proposed facility will be
38 and 30 ug/m3, respectively (Table IV-C-5). The National
Secondary Standards for particulate matter are 150 and 60 ug/m3,
respectively. The maximum 24-hour and annual concentrations are
not to be exceeded more than once per year. Since the predicted
particulate matter levels of the proposed facility are below
standards which are designed to protect and conserve natural
resources and environment, no adverse effects on wildlife near
the site are expected.
IV-71
-------
v. Stack Interference
The stack of Unit 4 will be 469 feet high and about 26 feet
in diameter at its top. It will intrude into the airspace and
has a potential to obstruct the flight of birds, especially
nocturnal migrants. Tall structures, such as the Washington
Monument and television towers, have been noted as obstructions
to migrating birds56. More recently, cooling towers and stacks
associated with generating stations have been reported as
obstructions to birds57,5*,59.
Neal Unit 4 is situated in the Missouri River Valley, a major
avian flyway during fall and spring migration62. A study of
nocturnal bird migration conducted in Illinois has shown that
approximately 20 percent of the migrants fly below an altitude of
500 feet63. It is expected that bird mortality will be greater
in the fall than spring, owing to the large number of young birds
making their first migration. Small passerines will probably be
most susceptible to collision particularly during inclement
weather when a low cloud ceiling forces birds to fly at low
altitudes.
Based on the above discussion and reports of bird mortality
at structures of similar height,57,so,59 there may be a potential
for bird collision with the stack at Unit 4. It is difficult to
accurately estimate the extent of bird mortality because 1)
mortality studies at similar structures in the region are
presently not available, 2) bird densities and migration flight
height past the site are not known, and 3) the state-of-the-art
in predicting mortality under various meteorological conditions
is not adequate at present. However, the narrow dimensions of
the stack may preclude any significant affects on bird
populations.
IV-72
-------
D. IMPACT OF SANITARY HASTE SYSTEM
There will be no discharge of sanitary wastes to the Missouri
River. The treated effluent from the extended aeration activated
sludge treatment system will be discharged to a leaching field
and will not be monitored. The characteristics of the treated
wastewater are expected to be as follows:
Flow 3500 GPD
Suspended Solids 15-25 mg/1
BOD 15-25 mg/1
Phosphorus 10-15 mg/1 as P
Total Nitrogen 20-30 mg/1 as N
Total Dissolved Solids 500 mg/1
The sanitary wastes will have no detectable effect on
groundwater quality.
IV-73
-------
£. IMPACT OF CHEMICAL DISCHARGES
All discharges from the chemical waste and coal pile runoff
collection and treatment system, described in Section II-B, will
be in compliance with all applicable Iowa, Nebraksa and federal
regulations. As discussed in Section II-B, no chemical additions
will be made to the once-through main condenser cooling water.
In addition, during normal plant operations no water will be
discharged from any ash handling operation; the fly ash system
will be pneumatic, the bottom and economizer ash systems will
employ complete recycling of all sluice water.
The following estimate of water quality in the discharge is
based on average water quality in the Missouri River and normal
plant operation:
Parameter Mean
pH 8.0
TDS(mg/l) 3000.
Alkalinity (mg/1) 65.
Total Hardness (mg/1) 550
TSS (mg/1) 25
Oil 6 Grease (mg/1) <10
Total Iron (mg/1) <0.2
Total Copper (mg/1) <0.2
Flow (CFS) 0.73
Range
6.0-9.0
1000-4000
50-150
300-600
10-50
<10-25
<0.2-0.5
<0.2-0.5
0.1-1.5
Based on the above estimates there will be no measurable
effect on the water quality in the Missouri River resulting from
the discharge of effluents from the chemical treatment system.
Coal Pile Runoff
The quality of treated coal pile runoff will be as follows:
Parameter Range
pH
TSS
TDS
Alkalinity
Sulphate
Total Hardness
6.0-9.0
less than 50 mg/1
less than 500 mg/1
less than 100 mg/1
less than 50 mg/1
less than 100 mg/1
Coal pile runoff will be associated only with storm events.
Potential Leaching
There is a potential impact by the seepage of leachate from
ash ponds. This leachate may contain trace substances which can
contaminate ground water and adjacent wetlands. Self-sealing
capacity of the ash pond will be studied. Analyses of the
IV-74
-------
existing ash pond (Neal Unit 3) constituents will be used to
determine the need or lack of need for pond lining.
IV-75
-------
F. IMPACT ON LAND USE, RECREATIONAL SITES AND AESTHETICS
1. Land Use and Ovgrall Regional Character
The facilities of the proposed project will be located south
of the existing Neal Units 1-3. The proposed project's coal
storage area will be located in the middle portion of the site
and the disposal area will cover the eastern portion. The plant
structure will be situated in the western portion of the tract.
A spur from the rail line used for the existing George Neal
Station will service the site and connect it with the remainder
of the region.
Existing land use in the region is primarily agricultural and
agriculturally related. Agricultural production within the four
county area of Woodbury and Monona counties, Iowa, and Dakota and
Thurston Counties, Nebraska accounts for approximately 90 percent
of the total land use of the Sioux City region. Land devoted to
agricultural production in the immediate vicinity of the site
accounts for 76 percent of total land use. The remaining areas
include forest, grassland, marsh, and vacant land. Developed
areas in the vicinity of the proposed plant are predominantly
industrial. Of major importance is the Port Neal Industrial
District which encompasses nearly 3000 acres of industrial land
south of the Sioux City Airport. The proposed Neal Unit 4 is at
the southern extension of this District. A central component of
the industrial complex is the existing George Neal Steam Electric
Station.
According to the Woodbury County Planning and Zoning Office,
the Iowa State Office of Planning and Programming and the
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council, there are no
comprehensive projects or plans at present for the Neal Unit 4
area other than those now under consideration. There are no
public services (water and sewer) planned in the area in the
foreseeable future.
The proposed Neal Unit 4 site is situated in a generally
sparsely populated area. Across the Missouri River from the
proposed site, in Nebraska, there are no nearby population
concentrations or centers. Roads are present to the north and
east of the proposed site, but on-site project roads must be
developed which tie into the existing system.
The proposed 345 kV transmission line is not expected to
adversely impact land use since the right-of-way crosses
predominately agricultural lands and will not interfere with
cultivation.Noknown historic sites, archeologic sites or game
management areas will be adversely impacted by the transmission
facilities. Minimum impact on wildlife is expected because line
construction will alter little wildlife habitat.
The easement area will consist of approximately 423 acres of
real estate. Approximately 18 acres of the total 423 acres
IV-76
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consist of scattered tree growth. It is estimated that 6 acres
of the total 18 acres of tree growth will have to be removed for
the safe operation of the transmission line. Approximately 405
acres of the total 423 acres consist of open land (cultivated
land and pasture or hay land). It is estimated that
approximately 2.2 acres of the total 405 acres will be taken out
of production due to transmission line structure ground
encroachme nts.
In summary, the proposed plant site is situated in an
industrially zoned area in a generally agricultural region,
adjacent to an array of industrial facilities located to the
north. Since a power generating station and its attendant ash
handling, coal handling, and related activities already exists
within the industrial district, the addition of Neal Unit 4 is
not considered to be in conflict with present land use patterns.
The impact of Neal Unit 4 becomes more complex when viewed in
respect to anticipated, or future, land use. The
Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreation Area (proposed for development
by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) could be a major public
recreation facility in the vicinity of Neal Unit 4. When
completed, the park will extend along approximately seven and
one-half miles of the Missouri River south of Neal Unit 4. In
order to avoid possible negative visual impact here, it will be
necessary to maintain proper coordination with the developing
organizations of the proposed recreation areas.
The plant building, disposal area, and coal facilities will
be visible for some distance, due to the flat terrain of the
area. Zones from which the proposed site is highly visible
include: portions of Interstate Highway 29, several minor 2-lane
roads on both sides of the Missouri River, several existing
housing units scattered throughout the area, and the proposed
Synder-Winnebago Recreation Area. In order to contribute to the
reduction of visibility of various facilities of Neal Unit 4,
implementation of landscaping techniques will be carried out.
2. Zoning
The site of the proposed project occupies an area entirely
within a "MH" or heavy industrial zoning district of Woodbury
County. The "Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances for the
Unincorporated Area of Woodbury County," adopted January 1971 and
since revised, states that the heavy industrial district is the
least restrictive district of any district and may be used "for
any purpose whatsoever", provided certain designated regulations
are met. The proposed project is not in conflict with the
provisions mandated for the district and is in general compliance
concerning permitted uses, (See Appendix A-IV-F) .
Woodbury County zoning in the area of Neal Unit 4 is
presented in Exhibit IV-F-1. The southern portion of the site is
shown as being situated in the "FPC District', or floodplain and
IV-77
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PROPOSED
NEAL UNIT
No.4
P A V e D ROAO
GRAVEL ROAD
UNIMPROVED ROAD
CU
I AG-AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT
liiaiij fPC-FLOOOPLAIN AND CONSERVATION DISTRICT
«&&Sf AR-AGRICULTURAL-RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT
iiiiiiij fl-IO - SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT
A*iuli9 R-3O-MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT
RMH-MOBILE HOME PARK DISTRICT
L—__JCG - GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
H^H CHS-HIGHWAY SERVICE COM MERCJAL DISTRICT
I'.:'•,,'','/.',\ m -I ir.HT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
"" - "g ^"v INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
- PLAN DEVELOPMENT
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
WOODBURY COUNTY ZONING IN THE
AREA OF NEAL UNIT 4
DATE:
SCALE:
EXHIBIT
IV-F-1
IV-78
-------
conservation district. This area has been rezonedr however, to
industrial since map publication.
3. Visual Impactc Landscaping, and Horticultural Practices
The potential visual impact of Neal Unit 4 concerns exposure
of the plant buildings, stacks, disposal area and coal area.
In providing for the restoration and enhancement through
landscape treatment of the proposed project, two areas of primary
concern have been recognized. One, the high visibility of
various components of the proposed project from nearby
properties, roads, and proposed recreational facilities. Second,
the restoration and landscape treatment of the proposed site to
blend facilities into the existing environment and enhance the
visual setting.
In areas where considerable excavation and earth movement
occur during construction, landscaping techniques will be
employed to return the site to appropriate gradient and
preconstruction features. Planting will be used to complete the
restoration process, to provide screening in certain areas, and
to help relate the station structures to the visual environment.
Ornamental trees, shrubs, grasses, and other ground cover will be
applied as required in the immediate vicinity of the plant area.
More than 31,000 native and ornamental trees and shrubs have been
planted on the perimeter of the plant site area to act as
barriers and screening in order to eliminate or mitigate views of
objectionable areas. The use of ornamental and native plant
materials will also help to establish stable conditions and
control any potential erosion, especially along the east bank of
the Missouri River.
4. Fuel Supply
a. Mine Area
The primary source of coal for Neal Unit 4 will be the Red
Rim area of Sweetwater and Carbon Counties in Wyoming. A letter
of intent has been signed with the Rocky Mountain Energy Company,
a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation, to develop a plant for
a joint mining venture with the Energy Development Company, a
subsidiary of Iowa Public Service Company. Negotiations for a
formal agreement are in progress.
An alternative source of coal for Neal Unit 4 could be from
mines in the Hanna, Wyoming area. Three mines in this area are
currently under long-term contracts to supply fuel for Neal Units
1-3. Since the Neal Unit 4 boiler will have the capability to
burn coal with a wide variation in characteristics, the potential
for supplying Neal Unit 4 from mines in the Hanna area, or
subsequently from mines in other areas, could be investigated
should difficulties arise in the negotiations for the Red River
area.
IV-79
-------
The Energy Development Company, which will operate the Neal 4
mine, has implemented operational procedures involving the
leveling of stripped areas and replacement of topsoil followed by
reseeding of all areas with local grasses.
Both regional and site specific environmental and
socioeconomic studies for the mine areas have been completed or
are underway. In all cases, the mining operations would comply
with all existing regulations such as those set forth by the
State of Wyoming, U.S. Bureau of Land Management (43 CFR 3041),
U.S. Geological Survey (30 CFR 211) and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (40 CFR 434).
b. Fuel Delivery
The coal will move by unit train on the Union Pacific
Railroad which presently goes through the area. The Chicago
Northwestern Railroad will take the unit trains from the Union
Pacific Railroad at Council Bluffs, Iowa or Fremont, Nebraska and
deliver them to the Neal Unit 4 site. Since these are already
existing and active rail routes, except for the constructed spur
to the site, no impact on land use or changes in regional
character are expected.
IV-80
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G. NOISE IMPACTS
1. Introduction
Daytime ambient sound measurements at the Neal Unit 4 site
were taken on March 18, 1975. These measurements were taken
prior to any construction activities at the site and reveal a
residual sound level (approximating L90) of 42 dB(A).
The following instruments were used during the sound survey:
one (1) precision sound level meter and analyzer. General Radio
Company Type 193*3 (ANSI - Type 1), Serial No. 620 with electzet
condenser microphone Type 1962-9601, Serial No. 1367. This
instrument was calibrated just prior to and immediately after
taking sound measurements with a sound level calibrator, General
Radio Company, Type 1562-A, Serial No. 8710. A microphone
windscreen was used to reduce wind effects.
The impact of plant construction activities, operation and
maintenance and transmission facilities on the existing
environments at the Neal Unit 4 site is discussed in detail
below.
2. Plant Construction
a. Noise Characterization
At Neal Unit 4 the construction activities will last through
November 1978 and are being carried out in the following discrete
stages, each of which has its own characteristic mix of
equipment:
Site "clearing and grading
Excavations
Foundations and concrete pours
Structural steel and siding erection
Equipment installation
The work done during any one stage is often concurrent with
that of one or more other stages, such as work done on the siding
erection and simultaneous equipment installation. Table IV-G-1
depicts major noise sources during plant construction and their
correspondent average sound levels, and Exhibit IV-G-1 shows the
sound level produced by the construction activities at the
nearest residence (4900 ft). As can be seen from this Exhibit,
the construction site noise output changes as work progresses
from a maximum value of 55 dB(A) to a level of 20 dB(A) by August
1978.
IV-81
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80
70
60
50
40f
30 -
20 H
10
M AY
I 9 76
5 5
5 2
20
AJGU S T
1977
CONSTRUCTION TIME PERIOD
APRIL
1978
AUSUST
1978
NOVEMBER
1978
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION at EBASCO Sfvias irjcOBPORA'ED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY GEORGE NEAL UNIT 4
CONSTRUCTION SOUND LEV ELS AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 4900 FT.
FROM THE PLANT CONSTRUCTION CENTER
DATE: SCALE:
EXHIBIT
TV-r.-l
-------
Equipment
Truck Cranes
Mobile Cranes (Cherry Pickers)
Backhoes
Graders
Air Compressors
Pickup Trucks
Trucks
Bulldozers
Front End Loaders
Scrapers
Crane Derrick
Crawler Cranes
Pile Driver
Steam Blowout
Average
Sound Level
(db(A))
83
83
85
85
81
58
91
80
79
88
88
83
104 dB Peak Impact
129
Distance From
Equipment
(ft)
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MAJOR NOISE SOURCES
DURING PLANT CONSTRUCTION
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-G-1
IV-83
-------
At the Neal site, the normal construction workday is based on
a single shift, 8 hour day, 40 hour week, Monday through Friday.
However, extended workdays might be required as work progresses.
Table IV-G-2 shows an equipment utilization schedule that
indicates the type, quantity and operational period of the
equipment utilized during plant construction (between May 1976
and December 1978). There will also be construction work done in
connection with the holding pond dike and Table IV-G-2 depicts
the type and quantity of equipment associated with this work.
At the end of construction and prior to Neal Unit 4 trial
operation there will be noise produced by the steam blowout,
which is a temporary procedure that cleans the debris left in the
steam pipework. At Neal Unit 4, the steam blowout operation will
use silencers that will reduce the noise output during this
process.
Sound level estimates for individual pieces of equipment
shown in Table IV-G-1 were used in conjunction with the plant and
dike equipment utilization schedule shown in Table IV-G-2 to
develop the temporal construction sound output at the Neal Unit 4
site. The sound level associated with each period was computed
by estimating the sound pressure level produced by individual
pieces of equipment at a distance of 50 feet. These levels were
added logarithmically and represent the sound produced by the
construction activities at any given period of time. Exhibit
IV-G-1 depicts graphically the estimated sound levels projected
at a distance of about 4900 ft (nearest residence), and
demonstrates the temporal characteristics of the station
construction activities.
b. Plant Construction Noise Impact
The representative maximum sound level of the entire
construction period was projected in 5 dB(A) intervals using
hemispherical spreading and molecular absorption as shown in
Exhibits IV-G-2 and 3. Two acoustic centers were selected for
the propagation model: one near the power station boiler where
most of the construction activities are assumed to be centered,
and a second one in the center of the holding pond to represent
the dike construction. The dashed contours shown in Exhibit
IV-G-3 depict the sound levels produced by the construction
activities carried out in connection with the aforementioned
dike.
As can be seen from Exhibit IV-G-1 the maximum sound level
produced by the station construction activities at a distance of
about 4900 ft. varies between 55 dB(A) and 20 dB(A) during the
construction period (May 1976 through November 1978). Between
May 1976 and August 1978 the sound level ranges between 52 and
55 dB(A), and between August 1978 and November 1978 there is a
constant level of 20 dB(A).
IV-84
-------
PLANT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT SCHEDULE
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
10
1
1
1
1
1
8
4
1
3
1
4
2
1
Crawler Crane
Crawler Crane
Crawler Crtane
Crawler Crane
Crawler Crane
Crawler Crane
Truck Crane
Truck Crane
Truck Crane
Manitowoc 4100
Manitowoc 4100
Manitowoc 4000
Manitowoc 3900
Manitowoc 3900
Koehering 65T
American 65T
Linkbelt 65T
Linkbelt 50T
65T Truck Crane
75T Stiffleg Derrick -
14T Cherry Pickers
600 CFM Compressor -
Front End Loader
Backhoe
Backhoe
Loader
3/4T Pickups -
10T Dump Trucks -
Pile Driving Rig
2-1/2 2T Flat Bed Trucks
Grader
May 1976 to July
May 1976 to June
May 1976 to May
May 1976 to December
July 1976 to April
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to September
July 1976 to July
June 1976 to August
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to December
May 1976 to June
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to December
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to August
May 1976 to September
May 1976 to September
1978
1978
1978
1977
1978
1978
1978
1978
1978
1977
1977
1978
1978
1978
1977
1976
1976
1978
1977
1976
1978
1978
DIKE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT SCHEDULE
14 cu. yd .
D-8 Dozers
Grader
scrapers
- August 1976 to October 1978
- August 1976 to October 1978
- August 1976 to October 1978
e
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION Of EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co
PLANT AND DIKE CONSTRUCTION
- NEAL UNIT 4
EQUIPMENT SCHEDULE
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV -G -2
IV-85
-------
PLANT CC N S "RUCT ION 30UNC CONTOURS
-------
envirosphere
company
10 * A
P L
DATE:
A
PU B L
N r
L
C
S E R v
ON S
C E C 0 M P
TRUCT
A H r
10 N
G E C R 5 E
SOUND
N E A L J M ! T
CONTOUR
SCALE:
4
S
EXHIBIT
IV-G-3
-------
Construction noise levels are below the ambient noise level
(42 dB(A)Lgo) and would be only 20 dB (A) without the ambient
noise level.
Projections of the representative maximum sound level of the
entire construction period as depicted in Exhibits IV-G-2 and 3
show that 12 houses will be impacted by a sound level of
40-55 dB(A). These houses are located around the plant at a
distance of 4900-8400 ft southwest to east from the construction
center.
At a distance of 3000 ft south-southeast from the
construction center, the maximum sound level entering the
proposed Snyder-winnebago Bends Recreational Area will range
between 64 and 67 dE(A). However, development of the proposed
recreational area will not commence prior to Neal 4 becoming
operational.
The peak impact sound level produced by the pile driving
operations at a distance of 4900 ft is estimated to be 64 dB(A).
The temporary silenced steam blowout will generate a maximum
sound level of about 46 dB(A) at a distance of 4900 ft. This
steam blowout will occur intermittently only during the initial
startup of the boiler and will not be repeated after the station
is brought into operation.
In conclusion, the construction activities at the Neal 4 site
are not expected to create significant noise impacts, although
some sporadically high levels might occur.
3. Plant Operation and Maintenance
a. Noise Characterization
The sound level's of major sources of noise that will have an
impact on Neal Unit 4 environs have been developed from actual
field measurements of similar coal-fired plants, analytical
calculations and data supplied by various equipment
manufacturers. Table IV-G-3 depicts the potential major noise
sources, their equipment location and the type of operation, e.g.
continuous or intermittent.
Equipment located indoors, such as the turbine generator and
pulverizers, radiate noise through the station siding walls.
Because Neal Unit 4 is of an indoor type design, it is
intrinsically quieter than a similar plant of the outdoor type.
Maintenance activities usually consist of routine inspection
and replacement of machinery parts such as pumps and motor
components. These activities produce sound levels which are
normally lower than plant operation sound levels.
IV-88
-------
Equipment
Turbine Generator
Pulverizer
Induced Draft Fan
Forced Draft Fan
Primary Air Fan
Boiler Feed Pump
Boiler Feed Pump Turbine
Main Transformer
Auxiliary Transformer
Emergency Diesel Generator
Power Control Valve Discharge Pipe
Public Address System
Coal Crusher
Stacker Reclaimer
Coal Conveyor
Coal Car Shaker
Precipitator Rapper
Auxiliary Boiler
Safety Valve Discharge Pipe
*C = Continuous
I = Intermittent
Type of*
Operation
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
C
Equipment
Location
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Outdoor
Outdoor
Indoor
Outdoor
Indoor/Outdoor
Indoor
Outdoor
Outdoor
Outdoor
Indoor
Outdoor
A
envlrospnere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co.
MAJOR NOISE SOURCES DURING
- NEAL UNIT 4
PLANT OPERATION
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
IV-G-3
IV-89
-------
Ten major sound systems were selected as being representative
of continuous operation of Neal Unit 4. They are as follows:
• Two induced draft fans
• Two induced draft fans motors
• Two forced draft fans
« Two primary air fans
• Coal conveyor
• Power station building
* One main transformer
* Two auxiliary transformers
• Coal crusher house
• Plant ventilation system
Sound attenuation, by using materials of acoustical
treatment, has been provided as follows.
i. Plant Building
The power station building will be totally enclosed. The
turbine generator, boiler, pulverizers and other major auxiliary
equipment are located indoors.
The plant building will employ a four foot, eight inch high
concrete block wall around the periphery of the unit. From the
top of the concrete block to the tuilding roof, the walls will
consist of metal' siding, both insulated and uninsulated. The
coal crusher house walls and the circulating water intake
structure walls will be made of insulated metal siding.
ii. Forced Draft and Primary Air Fans
The two forced draft and two primary air fans will be located
in the fan room which will be made of twelve inch thick concrete
block. Silencers installed in the enclosure wall will attenuate
fan inlet noise.
b. Plant Operation And Maintenance Noise Impact
The ten representative noise sources, taking into account
sound attenuation as discussed above, were combined
logarithmically and projected in 5 dB(A) intervals using
hemispherical spreading and molecular absorption as shown in
Exhibit IV-G-4. Because the stacker-reclaimer is located about
2,800 feet from the power station building, it was necessary to
IV-90
-------
OO 0 10(X) 3000 fOOO 4UOO 5000 6000 7000 FEET
e
envirosphere
company
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICt COMPAN
PLANT OPERATION
DATE:
Y — 6EORSE HF.Kl UNIT 4
SOUND CONTOURS
SCALED
EXHIBIT
IV-G-4
-------
select two acoustic centers for the plant operation model: one
for the stacker-reclaimer and a second for the rest of the plant
centered on the power station building.
At a distance of 4900 ft. north of the plant center the
continuous sound level produced by the plant operation will be 60
dB(A), which is equivalent to a day-night sound level (Ldn) of
about 66 dB(A). One existing dwelling unit will be affected by
this value.
At a distance of 3000 ft. south-southeast of the plant, in
the proposed Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreational Area, the
maximum daytime sound level produced by the plant will be about
65 dB(A) or an Leg of 65 dB(A). Under the Noise Control Act of
1972, EPA is required to develop criteria identifying the effects
of noise on public health and welfare and specify the noise
reduction necessary for protection with an adequate margin of
safety. EPA's basic "levels" document, which identified noise
levels requisite to protection of public health and welfare, was
published in March 1974. It concluded that virtually all the
population is protected against lifetime hearing loss when annual
exposure to noise, averaged on a 24-hour daily level, is less
than or equal to 70 A weighted decibels. The noise level found
requisite to residential outdoor enjoyment is Ldn < 55 dB.
The results of the analytical calculations have indicated
that a maximum Ldn=66 dB(A) at the nearest residence could result
from the normal operation of Neal Unit 4. The primary source of
the noise is the unsilenced induced draft fans. Provisions are
being made to allow for the installation of silencers on these
fans if, after operation, the noise from the plant is found to be
unacceptable. Due to the significant cost associated with these
silencers, the probable conservatism in the analytical analysis
and the lack of residential dwellings in close proximity to the
plant, the installation of silencers on these fans may not be
necessary at the present time. However, IPS is prepared to
conduct a boundary noise survey after plant operation is
initiated.
Equipment such as the auxiliary boiler safety valves and
station power control valves operate intermittently and at
unpredictable intervals and are not included in the previous
calculations. The maximum "silenced" sound level (intermittent)
emitted by the emergency diesel generator at a distance of 3000
ft. will be about 42 dE(A) , and about 35 dB(A) at a distance of
4900 ft.
The coal car shaker operates intermittently and only in the
winter when frozen coal might te delivered to the plant. The
coal shakeout operation could take place every two days with the
arrival of the unit train and would last intermittently for about
seven to eight hours. The estimated sound level emitted by the
coal car shaker entering the proposed Snyder-Winnebago Bends
Recreational Area (2500 ft.) will be about 57 dB(A), and at the
IV-92
-------
nearest two residences (4500 ft. east) about 47 dB(A). The
estimated sound level at about 4500 ft. east of the unloading
hoppers for regular coal deliveries is expected to be 53-59 dB(A)
due to the operation of coal car bottom hopper doors.
Maintenance activities at Neal Unit 4 such as replacement of
machinery parts will generate a limited amount of noise without
any significant impact on noise sensitive land uses.
In conclusion, plant operation and maintenance activities at
Neal Uhit 4 may have an adverse noise impact on the surrounding
area due to estimated noise levels of unsilenced induced draft
fans.
4. Transmission Facilities
The additional transmission facilities required in connection
with Neal 4 will include two segments:
• A line 1.82 miles in length of 345 KV, and
• A line of approximately 23.3 miles in length of 345
KV.
The maximum noise level produced by the transmission
facilities at the right of way line is estimated to have a
maximum value of 48 dB(A), which is not expected to create an
adverse environmental impact in the area.
IV-93
-------
-------
V. - EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES
A. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES
Iowa Public Service Company (IPS), in tne process of
selecting coal as the energy source for Neal Unit 4 (a base load
unit), evaluated several alternatives which included:
• Not Providing Power
• Nuclear Power Plant
* Oil-Fired Power Plant
• Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant
• Gas Turbine Power Plant
• Hydroelectric Power Plant
• Diesel Generator Power Plant
* Other Energy Sources
Solar
Wind
Fusion
The evaluation of alternatives considered environmental
impacts, engineering feasibility, and economic factors associated
with each alternative. On the basis of this evaluation, which is
described in detail in this section, coal was selected because
there are reserves of low sulfur, low ash coal available at
comparatively low cost and because the environmental impacts of a
coal-fired facility can be maintained at a minimal level,
possibly less tnan that for the other alternative fuels. The
appropriateness of selecting low sulfur western coal as the
energy source is further evidenced by the following detailed
review of the above mentioned alternatives that were evaluated.
1. Not Providing Power
Justification of the need for power is described in detail in
Section I-C. Though Iowa Public Service Company (IPS) has
stopped promoting the sale of electric power and has initiated a
conservation effort, the area served by IPS, Interstate Power
Company, Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, Northwestern Public
v-i
-------
Service Company, and Corn Belt Power Cooperative, the five major
owners of Neal Unit 4, have exceeded previous forecast figures.
The most recent prediction by these companies, the Mid-Continent
Area Power Pool, and the Mid-Continent Area Reliability Agreement
region shows that electric power deficiencies will occur in the
latter part of this decade. The remaining eight owners of Neal
Unit 4 are Iowa municipalities which need electric power to meet
their long-range growth projections.
The five major owners of Neal Unit 4 are regulated by the
public service laws of their respective states and they are
required to provide electric service to their customers. Based
upon the anticipated energy requirements in the service area of
the Neal Unit 4 owners, as presented in Chapter I, additional
generating capability is essential to meet future needs.
Furthermore, if the possibility of restricting service is
viewed as an alternative to Neal Unit 4, it becomes apparent that
without an increase in the generating capabilities of these
utilities and municipalities, the supply of electrical energy
will be less than adequate for customers and for municipal
programs. Such a condition when applied "across the board,"
would restrict the use of electricity for a wide variety of
applications and would lead to curtailment of industrial growth.
In view of the obvious hardships which would result for the
utilities' customers and municipal programs and in view of their
legal obligations as public utilities, the alternative of not
supplying power is not feasible.
2. Nuclear Power Plant
An economic study of various alternative plans for meeting
the future power requirements of the Mid-Continent Area Power
Pool was conducted by a joint intercompany task force in 1970.
Units of various sizes and fuel sources were considered. The
results of this study indicated that a nuclear installation could
be considered from the standpoint of cost.
However, because of the protracted time period, approximately
8 to 10 years, required for installation of a nuclear unit as
compared to approximately 4 to 5 years required for installation
of a fossil-fueled unit, a nuclear facility for 1979 operation
was eliminated as an alternative.
3. Oil-Fired Power Plant
The annual oil requirement for Neal Unit 4 would amount to
approximately 193,000,000 gallons at 50 percent capacity factor
with a maximum hourly consumption of 44,000 gallons.
V-2
-------
In terms of national policy objectives, oil is much more
valuable to the overall economy of this country for its other
uses, which include space heating. In addition, current policy
calls for converting existing and new oil-fired plants to coal to
further conserve oil resources.
Thus, oil was not considered acceptable as a fuel supply for
the proposed unit.
4. Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant
Another alternative fuel is natural gas. However, there is,
at present, a shortage of natural gas throughout the country, and
no large scale additional supplies can be anticipated with
reasonable certainty.
The nearest major natural gas transmission pipeline in the
proximity of the proposed unit is owned and operated by the
Northern Natural Gas Company. Due to the severe gas shortage
that has persisted over the past few years, the Northern Natural
Gas Company is not selling gas to new large nonresidential
customers and nas even refused to increase deliveries to present
customers.
Natural gas requirements for the proposed unit would amount
to approximately 27.5 billion cubic feet per year or 740 million
cubic feet per day at 50 percent capacity factor. Furthermore,
the existing major gas transmission line which services Sioux
City is operated at its maximum capacity. Thus, even if
sufficient gas were available for the proposed unit, the gas
transmission line would not have the capacity to supply the gas.
In order to supply gas to the proposed unit from this line at the
prescribed high pressure, it would be necessary to construct
either a new loop line or add a compression station to boost
pressure or both. The increased costs and environmental impact
of such an undertaking would be significant.
For the above reasons, and in line with national policy
considerations which prefer gas usage for other purposes, natural
gas was eliminated as a fuel source.
5. Gas Turbine Power Plant
Since early 1962, electric utilities have rapidly expanded
their use of gas turbines to drive generators during peak loads,
and to fill capacity gaps caused by delays in bringing base load
units on line. Gas turbines are generally unsuited for the
continuous operation that is required of base load units due to
maintenance requirements and low efficiency. In addition,
because gas turbines would be fueled by either gas or oil, which
are in short supply, gas turbines have been eliminated from
consideration.
V-3
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6. Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Hydroelectric power plants have been eliminated from
consideration because there are no feasible sites for such plants
that would meet the base load requirements of IPS by the end of
this decade.
A pumped storage project would be unsuitable because of a
lack of feasible sites for such plants and because base load
capacity is required.
7. Diesel Generator Power Plant
There are several plants of IPS employing diesel engines to
drive generators. These plants are very small and cannot be used
for base loading, and for the same reasons given for gas
turbines, are impractical.
8. Other Energy Sources
As a result of the shortage of energy sources in the United
States, several new techniques are being sought by government as
well as industry to develop energy. These sources have potential
commercial use but are not feasible for application to meet IPS
needs by the latter part of this decade.
a. Sol ar
Based on available technology, the practical conversion of
solar energy is limited to space exploration and other unique and
small scale applications such as residential use. The time-table
for application on a large-scale is too distant to consider solar
energy as a viable alternative for Neal Unit 4 requirements.
b. Wind
Although wind powered generators are commercially available,
the largest unit has only about a 2MW capacity. Due to the
intermittent nature of wind and the need for storage of its
energy, wind is not capable of providing reliable and steady
production of power.
c. Fusion
A fusion reactor derives its power from energy releases when
very light elements are combined to form heavier elements. One
of the environmental advantages of this mode of power generation
is expected to be a significant reduction in the amount of waste
heat rejected. At the present time, technology to generate power
on a commercial scale has not been developed.
V-4
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B. ALTERNATIVE PLANT SITES
In anticipation of the need for additional power, the
applicant (IPS) initiated a survey to identify and analyze
candidate sites capable of accepting two 600 megawatt (MW) coal-
fired generating units. Neal 4, as the first of these units,
would be required to be operational in 1979 while a second unit,
as yet unidentified, may be anticipated at some future date. As
in most site selection surveys, efforts are made to identify
those candidate sites offering the most flexibility for
additional power generation development. The utilization of
these sites for subsequent units, however, may not be realized
but would offer opportunities in accumulating an inventory of
potentially viable locations for future needs.
Criteria established for the survey included the following:
• The site should be suitable for development and
construction leading to initial power generation in
1979.
• Environmental impact due to plant construction and
operation should be minimal.
• The unit should be capable of burning low sulfur coal,
and the stack effluent should meet the National Ambient
Air Quality Standards.
• The ash pond on the site should be sufficient in size to
provide for the accumulation of 30 years of ash with the
plant operating at an average capacity factor of 60
percent.
• The site should be suitable for a closed-cycle condenser
cooling water system with evaporative type cooling
towers, except for one site located on the Missouri
River. For this site, consideration was given to the
feasibility of once-through cooling.
Prior to the applicant's decision to construct on the present
site, the following five locations, identified on Exhibit V-B-1,
were considered in the site selection survey. In addition to the
Neal site on the Missouri River, three candidate sites. Lizard
Creek, Holiday Creek and £oone River, are on the Des Moines River
in the vicinity of Fort Dodge, Iowa, while the remaining
candidate site is on the Cedar River in the vicinity of Nashua,
Iowa.
The survey included both qualitative and quantitative
comparisons of the candidate sites taking into consideration
engineering/site development factors and environmental factors.
V-5
-------
e
'irospher
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF ffl«fO SERVICES IN
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE'COMPANY - MEAL UNIT 4
EXHIBIT
V-B-1
-------
1. Lizard Creek Site
a. Site Description
This site is located about four miles west of the Des Moines
River, on Lizard Creek in the Fort Dodge area. It was determined
that at this site the plant would utilize a portion of the Lizard
Creek basin as a makeup water storage reservoir. It was further
determined that damming would be necessary at a location
approximately one mile above the confluence of Lizard Creek and
the south branch of Lizard Creek. A 400 acre ash pond would be
located on a bluff east of the north-south leg of the reservoir,
approximately one mile from the plant area.
b. Engineering and Site Development Factors
This site requires an additional 560 acres for the makeup
water storage reservoir. The land requirement of approximately
550 acres for the plant island, cooling tower area, coal storage
and ash disposal area is the same as for the other candidate
sites.
At this site the till is from 80 to 110 feet thick underlain
by shale and sandstone. Therefore, piles can be driven a
reasonable depth to a firm base on the shale and sandstone.
This site would require a 2 mile spur from the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad line; however, it would tie in between
Clare and Tara just north of Lizard Creek. The site would also
require improvement of about one mile of light duty road.
As indicated above, the system includes reservoir storage for
makeup water. This would require a pumping station on the Des
Moines River at its nearest point to the reservoir. Water would
be pumped to the reservoir from the Des Moines River to maintain
the reserve supply at maximum levels. The makeup water for the
cooling tower system would be supplied directly from the Des
Moines River when the flow is sufficient to permit pumping.
However, during low flow periods the makeup water would be drawn
from the storage reservoir.
c. Environmental Factors
The area surrounding this site is generally zoned
"Agricultural". An airport with scheduled service is located
approximately 2 miles east. The site area itself is zoned
"Conservation District", and the existing land use is mainly
residential.
The visual impact of a plant at this site is considered to be
significant because of the residential character of the area.
V-7
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The population within a 3 mile radius, which includes the
city of Fort Dodge, is 32,000, and that within a 10 mile radius
is 43,276.
The effects of plant construction and operation on water
quality is judged to be significant in this area. This is
because the main water course, the Des Moines River, is a much
smaller river in terms of average flow than the Missouri River.
Consequently, the diluting capability is decreased.
The area along the Des Moines River in the vicintiy of Fort
Dodge has a floral community of floodplain forests. These
forests provide suitable habitat for a majority of the mammals
indigenous to the area. In addition, these are the only forested
areas for a significant distance in any direction. It is,
therefore, judged that a moderate ecological impact would be
experienced if a generating plant were to be located at this
site.
In addition, impacts on the aquatic and terrestrial ecology
are to be expected because Lizard Creek would be dammed and a
significant area benind the dam would be flooded^ This would
affect large areas of forest, which provide recreational
opportunities as well as habitat for animals indigenous to the
area.
2. Boone River Site
a. Site Description
This site is located approximately one mile south of Homer,
Iowa and straddles the line between Webster County and Hamilton
County. The area is generally bounded on the east by Prairie
Creek which provides water for a makeup water storage reservoir,
by Boone River on the south and by the Des Moines River on the
west.
b. Engineering and Site Development Factors
The land required for this site could be as much as 1,110
acres, which is considerably greater than for most of the other
candidate sites.
There are no boring logs available for the immediate
vicinity, but there are surface tills underlain by St. Louis
limestone. The limestone is only slightly permeable and is not
known to be cavernous.
Rail access to this site requires construction of an 8 mile
long spur due north connecting with the Fort Dodge, Des Moines
and Southern Railroad. An alternative would be to extend the
spur another 2 miles for connection to the Illinois Central line
between Fort Dodge and Webster City. Although these distances
V-8
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are considerable, they avoid the necessity of river crossings for
the spur.
Light duty roads currently provide access to the site. Some
improvement of the roads may be required.
This site would require a pumping station on the west bank of
the Des Moines River south of its confluence with Boone River.
This station would be designed to supply makeup water directly to
the cooling tower basins or to the reservoir on Prairie Creek. A
second pumping station would be required at the reservoir which
would supply the cooling towers during low flow periods on the
Des Moines River.
c. Environmental Factors
The area around the site is mostly agricultural. The river
valley, which is forested and used for recreational purposes, is
zoned "Conservation District".
The population within a three mile radius of the site is
sparse, and that within 10 miles of the site is 10,662. This
site was rated high for demographic considerations.
The effects of plant construction and operation on area water
quality are judged to be significant because of the relatively
low flows in the Des Moines River. The diluting power of the
river is therefore limited.
Makeup water for this site is drawn from the Des Moines River
when flows permit. A storage reservoir is required to provide
surge water to carry plant operation over periods of low river
flow. As previously discussed for the Lizard Creek site, the Des
Moines River basin is composed of floodplain forests. The
forests provide a habitat for the mammals indigenous to the area.
The formation of the storage reservoir necessitates the removal
of a part of this forested area.
The Des Moines River in this area is aquatically productive.
Many areas along the river valley provide sport fishing. The
impact of constructing and operating a plant at this site would
be significant.
3. Holiday Creek Site
a. Site Description
The Holiday Creek site is located approximately four miles
from Fort Dodge, and approximately one mile from Coalville in an
area bounded by the Des Moines River on the west and south. It
was determined that at this site the plant would utilize a
portion of the Holiday Creek basin as a makeup water storage
reservoir. It was further determined that damming would be
V-9
-------
necessary at a location 1,500 feet above the confluence with the
Des Moines River, 9 miles downstream of the Fort Dodge gage.
b. Engineering and Site Development Factors
This site requires an additional 250 acres for the makeup
water storage reservoir. The land requirement for the plant
island, cooling tower area, and coal storage area is
approximately 150 acres.
The boring logs for the area indicate 45 to 55 feet of till
underlain by 5 to 14 feet of gypsum, which is underlain by shale.
This site would require a 3 mile rail spur from the Fort
Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad line which would tie into
the Illinois Central Railroad. The site would also require a
medium duty highway bridge over Holiday CreeJc.
As indicated above, the system includes reservoir storage for
the makeup water. This would require a pumping station on the
Des Moines River at its nearest point to the reservoir. Water
should be pumped to the reservoir from the Des Moines River to
maintain the reserve supply at maximum levels. The makeup water
for the cooling tower system would be supplied directly from the
Des Moines River when the flow is sufficient to permit pumping.
However, during low flow periods the makeup water would be drawn
from the storage reservoir.
c. Environmental Factors
The area around the site is dedicated to agricultural and
residential use. Coalville, a small community with a population
of about 250, is located one mile southwest, while the city of
Fort Dodge is located four miles to the northwest. A quarry is
located in the vicinity of the site. Two rail lines run through
the general area. The site is zoned "Conservation District".
The population within a 3 mile radius of the site is 1,076
and that within a 10 mile radius is 34,871. The major population
center is Fort Dodge with approximately 32,000 persons. This
site was rated low for demographic considerations because of its
proximity to the Fort Dodge area.
The effects of plant construction and operation on area water
quality are considered significant at this site because of the
relatively low flows in the Des Moines River which would be used
to dilute plant releases and runoffs.
The impact of a plant in this area on terrestrial ecology is
substantial. This is caused mainly by the damming of Holiday
Creek to provide a storage pond. As previously discussed, the
Des Moines River Valley contains forested areas for a significant
distance in either direction. This area is used for recreational
purposes and provides the only habitat for mammals indigenous to
v-io
-------
the area. Flooding a large area and destroying the vegetation
within the area would alter the scenic and recreational values of
the land and reduce the amount of wildlife habitat.
Aquatic life in the area would be affected by the
construction of a plant at this site. Damming of Holiday Creek
and creating a relatively stagnant pond with constant water level
fluctuations would tend to diminish the aquatic productivity of
the creek. In addition, silt bearing runoff and plant liquid
releases which end up in the river could create potential
problems since the diluting potential of the river is relatively
small.
4. Nashua Site
a. Site Description
This site is located on the Cedar Fiver, about 2 1/2 miles
southwest of Nashua, Iowa in Floyd County. It was determined
that because of the low flows in the rivers adjacent to the site
(Cedar, Little Cedar, Shell Rock), the source of makeup water for
the cooling tower system would be groundwater.
b. Engineering and Site Development Factors
The total land requirement for the plant island, cooling
tower area and coal storage area is approximately 470 acres.
Rail access to the site would be provided by a 3 mile spur
connecting with the Illinois Central line between Nashua and
Waverly. Road access would involve some improvements to a road
which intersects US Route 218 due east of the plant.
As previously stated, groundwater would be utilized for
makeup water to the cooling towers. Assuming an average well
capacity of 3,000 gpm, the site would require a total of 4 wells
or 12,000 gpm to supply makeup to the cooling tower system.
c. Environmental Factors
The plant loacted at this site, within two miles of Nashua,
would be highly visible from both Nashua and Highway 128, a major
highway in the area. In addition, the land use surrounding the
site is generally agricultural and residential.
The "Little Brown Church in the Vale" is within two miles and
the "Carrie Land Chapman Catt Home" is within seven miles of the
site. Both o± these are historic sites.
The population within a 3 mile radius of the site is 1,742
and within ten miles is 13,814.
v-ii
-------
The effects of plant operation and construction on area water
quality are considered significant at this site because of the
relatively low flows of the adjacent rivers.
No destruction of forested lands is involved at this site,
and, therefore, the impacts on terrestrial communities would not
be significant.
5. Summary
Based on an evaluation of the engineering/site development
factors and environmental factors associated with the five
candidate sites, the existing George Neal Steam Electric Station
was considered to be the most suitable site for construction and
operation of Neal Unit 4 for the reasons outlined below:
• The proximity of the Missouri River would provide large
quantities of water for plant operation.
• Analysis of the environmental impact of the once-through
discharge of cooling water to the Missouri River, based
on the aquatic monitoring data developed by Briar Cliff
College for Units 1, 2, and 3 indicated that
construction and operation of a plant at this site
should not have a significant impact on aquatic biota in
the river.
• The proposed unit would be located in the Port Neal
Industrial District, and, therefore, the proposed
activities would be compatible with the present land use
practices of the area.
• Unlike most of the other sites, the Neal site is not a
forested area, and, consequently, the impact on
terrestrial communities would be less significant.
• The Neal site is about 14 miles from Sioux City, Iowa,
the major population center in the area.
• A low sulfur coal-fired unit at this site could meet the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards in combination
with the existing George Neal Station.
• The site would be in close proximity to the transmission
facilities and railroad line servicing the existing
George Neal Steam Electric Station.
V-12
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C. PLANT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
1. Cooling Water System
a. Introduction
This section presents an evaluation of the condenser cooling
water systems considered as viable alternatives to the once-
through cooling water system proposed for Neal Unit 4. The three
alternative systems discussed in this section are as follows:
• A closed-cycle cooling water system with a natural
draft cooling tower;
• A closed-cycle cooling water system with a round
mechanical draft cooling tower;
• A closed-cycle water system with a rectangular
mechanical draft cooling tower.
Other alternative condenser cooling water systems, such as
spray ponds, cooling ponds and dry cooling systems were
considered for this site but were eliminated because of economic,
environmental impact and/or engineering feasibility factors.
More specifically, cooling ponds and spray ponds were eliminated
from consideration because of the lack of available land at the
site. Spray ponds were also considered undesirable because of
the lack long-term operational experience with spray equipment.
Dry cooling systems or combination wet/dry systems were
eliminated from consideration because of their excessive cost and
because these systems are required primarily in areas where there
is a lack of adequate water supply.
A discussion of evaluation methods is presented in Appendix
A-V-C which dwells primarily on the methods of evaluating
environmental impact of cooling towers. The environmental impact
evaluation methods pertain to predictions of salt deposition and
fogging frequencies for cooling towers and the establishment of
terrestrial ecology impact criteria. In addition, the criteria
used in performing the economic analysis for eacn alternative
cooling water system are presented. The impact analysis of the
once-through system is discussed in detail in Chapter IV.
The conceptual designs for the three viable alternative
condenser cooling systems are presented herein. Based on these
conceptual designs, comparative cost estimates have been
developed for each cooling water system in absolute terms and in
differential terms relative to the selected once-through system.
An evaluation of the environmental impact on aquatic and
terrestrial ecology associated with each alternative is also
presented. These analyses, along with an evaluation of the
aesthetic impact inherent in each system, are used to develop
comparisons between the alternatives and the selected once-
through cooling water system.
V-13
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b. Natural Draft Cooling Tower
i. Engineering Description
Exhibit V-C-1 presents a conceptual plot plan of Neal Unit 4
utilizing a closed-cycle cooling water system with a natural
draft cooling tower. Approximately 317,400 gpm of condenser
cooling water would be passed through the natural draft cooling
tower to remove about 2.7 x 10® Btu/hr of waste heat. The
temperature rise across the condenser would be about 17°F during
plant operation at 100 percent capacity factor. The cooling
tower would be designed for a wet bult temperature of 77°F and a
dry bulb temperature of 89°F. Based on an approach to wet bulb
temperature of 18°F, the physical dimensions of the natural draft
cooling tower were determined to be as follows:
• Base Diameter 370 feet
• Overall Height 350 feet
• Top Diameter 160 feet
Three vertical one-half capacity circulating water pumps
would be provided in a pump chamber attached to the cooling tower
basin. During normal plant operation, two circulating water
pumps would be operating while the third pump would act as a
standby.
Makeup water would be provided to the cooling tower by pumps
contained in vertical rotary drum screens located on a platform
constructed along the bank of the Missouri River. Four makeup
water pumps would be installed on the concrete platform. Three
pumps would provide makeup water to the cooling tower basin wnile
the remaining pump would act as a standby. The rotary drum
screen assembly includes a vertical turbine pump operating with a
revolving steel casing whose lower end is fitted with a
perforated steel plate which acts as the screening mechanism.
Water is drawn through the perforated plate by the pump and is
piped to the cooling tower basin. As the screen casing revolves,
high-pressure spray nozzles clean off any debro.s on the screening
surface on the downstream side.
The concrete intake platform would be approximately 36 feet
wide and would extend out about 5 feet from the existing river
bank. Exhibit V-C-2 presents a schematic drawing of this makeup
water intake platform. The structure would be supported by two
steel H-piles and sheet piling along the river bank. The
structure would be enclosed on three sides by trashracks.
The blowdown from the cooling tower basin would be discharged
directly to the Missouri River. The blowdown would flow by
gravity through a concrete pipe that would extend out from the
river bank below the river surface.
V-14
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MAKEUP
INTAKE
PLATFORM
envirosphere
company
* DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
NATURAL DRAFT COOLING TOWER SYSTEM
NEAL UNIT 4 CONCEPTUAL PLOT PLAN
DATE:
SCALE:
V-15
EXHIBIT
V-C-1
-------
MAKEUP PIPE
GRADE EL 1076
SHEET PILE
I
TREMIE'
MAT
^ PUMP MOTOR
^ \ f
HANDRAIL
v~
•^A
ROTATING
PERFORATED
PLATE SCREEN
k. ' A W A
•"•*'V i I ' /a'•«'•'•
SECTION
^7
MHW
TRASH RACK (ON 3 SIDES)
EL 1055 MLW
L
RIVER BED EL 10421
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
MAKEUP WATER INTAKE PLATFORM
DATE:
SCALE:
V-16
EXHIBIT
V-C-2
-------
ii. Environmental Impact
• Effects on Aquatic Ecology
Biological and ecological effects of closed-cycle cooling
incorporating a natural draft cooling tower would not be
significant. Entrapment of juvenile and adult fish would be
negligible, and fractional amounts of plankton,
macroinvertebrates, and fish eggs and larvae would be entrained
in the makeup water. In January, at low river flows of 8500
cubic feet per second (cfs), approximately 0.24 percent of the
water would be required for makeup, whereas in August, when low
flows are in the range of 31,300 cfs, only 0.06 percent of the
river water would be required. During May, June, and July - the
months of peak fish spawning activity - approximately 0.07
percent of the Missouri River flow would be required for makeup.
No significant ecological effects would be expected as a
result of discharging cooling tower blowdown to the river. Table
V-C-1 presents the average ambient water quality of the Missouri
River at Neal Unit 4. Even at five cycles of concentration and a
maximum blowdown rate of 5 cfs, effects on the Missouri River
would be negligible due to the rapid mixing of the effluent. For
example, the total dissolved solids (IDS) level would be within
the allowable limits within a short distance of the point of
discharge. Table V-C-2 presents the monthly average blowdown
temperatures from the natural draft cooling tower. As stated,
because of the rapid dilution of the effluent, thermal effects on
river biota should be insignificant.
• Effects on Terrestrial Ecology
Salt deposition rates for a natural draft cooling tower
located at Neal Unit 4 are presented in Table V-C-3. Exhibit
A-V-C-1 presents the distribution of these rates and location of
potentially affected vegetation types. Spring season rates were
considered more critical than those of other seasons as some
plants, such as soybeans, are more sensitive to the chloride ion
during the early growth stages. Also, it has been noted that
seedlings obtain water from the upper soil surface, where
temporary maximum salt concentrations can occur before soluble
materials are transported by leaching and erosion.1
Lack of information on plant injury resulting from aerial
deposition of sulfate salts precludes accurate prediction of
effects of cooling towers on vegetation at Neal Unit 4. It may
be assumed, however, that the sulfate ion is no more toxic than
chloride: in general, sensitive plants are only affected by high
concentration of the former2, whereas species particularly
sensitive to chloride such as tobacco and fruits are known to
respond to relatively low chloride concentrations.* Incorporating
this assumption of equivalent toxicities and an estimate of
cooling tower salt composition of 75 percent sulfate into
criteria for calculating a salt deposition rate which will not
V-17
-------
{
envir
con
A DIVISION OF EBASC
Description
pH (unit)
Total alkalinity
Total hardness
Ca++
.Mg++
Na++
K+
HCCT,
co3
Cl
S04=
NH^N
NO^N
Total Phosphate
Silica
IDS
Total Suspended Solids
BODS
Concentration
8.1
(mg/l asCaCO}) 170
(mg/1 asCaCO}) -50
(mg/l asCaCO}) 155 j
(mg/1 asCaCO^) c'5
(mg/l asCaCO3) 37
(mg/l asCaCO}) 7
(mg/l asCaCO^) 170
(mg/l as CaC'O^) 0
(mg/l as CaCO}) Id
(mg/l asCaCO,) 208
(ing. 1 as N) 0.25
(mg'l as N) 0.30
(mg/l asP) 0.21
(mg/l as SiO-,) ().7
(mg/l) 480.
(mg/l) 150.
(mg/l) 2.1)
B IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
AVERAGE WATER QUALITY OF THE MISSOURI TABLE
osphere RIVER IN THE VICINITY OF NEAL UNIT 4 v-c-1
npany
•o SERVICES INCORPORATED DATE: SCALE:
V-18
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Auiui^t
September
October
November
December
Temperature (F)
55
58
64
72
74
85
87
88
82
75
65
54
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED)
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MONTHLY AVERAGE SLOWDOWN TEMPERATURE
NATURAL DRAFT COOLING TOWER
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
V-C-2
V-19
-------
Distance
From
lower
(ft)
5UU
1.000
1.500
:.uou
3. 000
4.000
5.1)00
10.000
Direction from Tower
S
53 0
13.0
4.:
4.5
4.0
: (,
\M
!.0
s\v
40.0
7.7
J.S
3.1
\v
<>0.0
7.7
3.8
4.1
:.^ , 3.7
1.7 • :.:
i :
1.0
I.X
1.0
\\\
207.U
18.0
S 8
N
40.0
^.7
4,h
M
15.0
().S)
3.1
c>..: 5.0 3.2
8.5 4. s> :.7
5>»
4.4
"> T
3.5
i 7
"" '
l.i
1.5
1.1
1.0
i.
17.0
7.:
3.1
3.2
2.5
1.3
1.0
1.0
SI
1 1'J.O
3:.o
S.I
8."
~" •>
5.4
4.0
1 X
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - MEAL UNIT 4
NATURAL DRAFT COOLING TOWER
ANNUAL SALT DEPOSITION, LBS ACRE YEAR
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
V-C-3
V-20
-------
affect terrestrial biota, a rate is arrived at of 1.6 Ib
salt/acre/month. Inspection of Exhibit A-V-C-1 indicates that
only a small portion (50 acres) of riparian shrub land is exposed
to salt deposition greater than 1.6 Ib/acre/month, indicating
that natural draft cooling towers are not likely to affect
vegetation in the area of Neal Unit H through aerial impaction of
salt crystals on leaf blades.
Chloride ion would comprise only two to three percent of the
cooling tower salts (based on preliminary calculations), and
would not be deposited to any significant degree at the rates
shown in Exhibit A-V-C-2. A natural draft cooling tower maximum
chloride deposition of 0.1 Ib chloride/acre/month is considerably
smaller than amounts added to the soil through precipitation,
which have been shown to range in the United States from 0.8 to
over 8.0 Ib chloride/acre/month.3
Operation of a natural draft cooling tower would not be
expected to significantly alter salinity of nearby soils.
Deposition of sulfur by natural precipitation can range up to 17
Ibs/acre/month, with no deleterious effects.*
iii. Aesthetic Impact
The natural draft cooling tower system will have a definite
aesthetic impact on the surrounding environment. The cooling
tower, along with the Unit U stack, would be visible for miles
from any direction. In addition to the physical height of both
structures, their associated vapor plumes would be visible during
certain periods of the year. The visual impact of the natural
draft cooling tower would be greater than that of the stack
because of the opacity of the plume and width of the cooling
tower. The diameter of the natural draft cooling tower would
vary from 160 feet at the top to a maximum diameter of 370 feet
at the tower base.
iv. Investment Cost
The investment cost for the closed-cycle condenser cooling
water system with a natural draft cooling tower has been
developed based on the evaluation method discussed in Appendix
A-V-C. The estimate for the natural draft cooling tower system
includes the cost of the concrete cooling tower, cooling tower
basin, makeup water intake platform, pumps, piping, valves and
electrical equipment. The initial capital investment cost was
estimated at $14,500,000 for the base year 1977. The total
investment costs including operating, fuel and maintenance costs
are presented below:
V-21
-------
ABSOLUTE COST
• Total Generating Cost $35,465,000
(Present worth value)
• Total Generating Cost $ 2,858,000
(Annual ized)
c. Round Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower System
i. Engineering Description
Exhibit V-C-3 presents a conceptual plot plan of Neal Unit 4
utilizing a closed-cycle cooling water system with a round
mechanical draft cooling tower. Approximately 317,400 gpm of
condenser cooling water would be passed through the mechanical
draft cooling tower to remove about 2.7 x 10* Btu/hr of waste
heat. The temperature rise across the condenser would be about
17 F during plant operation at 100 percent capacity factor. The
cooling tower would be designed for a wet bulb temperature of
77 F and a dry bulb temperature of 89 F. Based on an approach to
wet bulb temperature of 18 F, the physical dimensions of the
round mechanical draft cooling tower were determined to be as
follows:
• Number of Cells 12
• Overall Diameter 315 feet
• Overall Height 62 feet
Three vertical one-half capacity circulating water pumps
would be provided in a pump chamber attached to the cooling tower
basin. During normal plant operation, two circulating pumps
would be operating while the third pump would act as a standby.
Makeup water would be provided to the cooling tower by pumps
contained in vertical rotary drum screens located on a platform
constructed along the bank of the Missouri River. As in the
previous case with the natural draft cooling tower, four makeup
water pumps would be installed on the concrete intake platform.
Three pumps would provide makeup water to the cooling tower basin
while the remaining pump would act as a standby. The description
of the makeup water intake platform and the screened pumps is the
same as that presented in the previous section for the natural
draft cooling tower system.
The blowdown from the cooling tower basin would be discharged
directly to the Missouri River as discussed in the previous
section.
V-22
-------
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Temperature (F)
73
74
77
81
85
89
91
91
87
83
78
75
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED'
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
MONTHLY AVERAGE SLOWDOWN TEMPERATURE
MECHANICAL DRAFT COOLING TOWER
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
V-C-4
V-25
-------
Distance
From
Tower
(ft)
500
i .000
1.500
2.000
.1.000
4.000
5.000
10.000
Direction from Tower
S
505.0
108.0
69.0
::.o
22.0
13.0
13.0
1.0
sw
385.0
68. 0
46.0
1S.O
15.0
~ i
12
1.0
w
542.0
03.0
55.0
20.0
20.0
9.0
9.0
0.0
NW
1857.0
151.0
104.0
54,0
54.0
31.0
31.0
1.0
N
390.0
93.0
75.0
36.0
35.0
24.0
24.0
1.0
NI:
138.0
56 0
54.0
15.0
14.0
6.4
6.4
1.0
h
279.0
87,0
81.0
19.0
18.0
7.0
7,0
1.0
si:
i 197.0
2X2.0
1 16.0
49,0
48.0
32.0
32.0
1.0
o
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF E8ASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
ROUND MECHANICAL DRAFT COOLING TOWER
ANNUAL SALT DEPOSITION, LBS/ACRE /YEAR
DATE: SCALE:
TABLE
V-C-5
V-26
-------
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;^^5^K^^«^^
y c
\> A-j.J;/a'
LEGEMD
Surface
•oo-ooo'
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Soil pH
Surface Soil pH
Range: 6.
Range 7
6 - 7.
4-84
-Oo0ojo0o^0^
j>Vo0o0o-.
p;o:c:o;;o:o:o:o:;o; 3:y,-o-o;o-:o:3^o°o°o3^o°o°o^o°o^
':o-o;o-o:3;oro;ro-<
^.,,^o2<
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o
envlrosphere
company
4 DIVISION OF [BASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
RANGLS 0!- SURFACE: SOILS IM
UNiT d AREA
DATE:
SCALE:
V-27
EXHIBIT
V-C-4
-------
quantity of sulfate that plants can tolerate, when the salt
particles accumulate on leaf surfaces in this manner, is not
known.
Table V-C-6 lists woody plants which are known to be
sensitive to sodium chloride spray. Smooth sumac and greenbriar
are important shrub and vine components of terrestrial
communities in the Missouri River floodplain.
As discussed in Appendix A-V-C, chloride deposition rates
less than 1.2 Ib/acre/month are not expected to injure the most
chloride sensitive plants (tobacco and some fruits). Since only
approximately 2 1/2 percent of Neal Unit 4 cooling tower salt is
chloride, this rate translates into a salt deposition rate at
Neal Unit 4 of 48 Ib/acre/month. Only vegetation growing within
the boundaries of Neal Unit 4 and near the cooling tower would be
exposed to potentially injurious quantities of this ion.
The soil salinities of farmlands in the area of Neal Unit 4
would not be expected to change due to operation of a round
mechanical draft cooling tower; with sufficient drainage,
deposited salts would be leached into the groundwater system.
Poorly drained nonagricultural areas, however, could experience
small changes in sulfur concentrations.
iii. Aesthetic Impact
The aesthetic impact of the round mechanical draft cooling
tower system on the surrounding environment would not be
significant. The overall height of the cooling tower would be 62
feet and, while the cooling tower would be visible from both the
river and a portion of the site property line, the major
aesthetic impacts would be incurred by the plant island, the Neal
Unit 4 stack and, the coal handling facilities. However, during
periods of the year, a high altitude vapor plume would be visible
from the round mechanical draft cooling tower.
iv. Investment Cost
The investment cost for the closed-cycle condenser cooling
water system with a round mechanical draft cooling tower has been
developed based on the evaluation method discussed in Appendix
A-V-C. The estimate for the round mechanical draft cooling tower
system includes the cost of the concrete cooling tower, cooling
tower basin, makeup water intake platform, pumps, piping, valves
and electrical equipment. The intital capital investment cost
was estimated at $9,400,000 for the base year 1977. The total
investment costs including operating, fuel and maintenance costs
are presented below:
V-28
-------
Blackjack oak
Spanish oak
Red maple
Honey locust
Wild black cherry
Apple
Flowering dogwood
Sassafras
Red bud
Pepper bush
Hawthorn
Smooth sumac
Vireinia creeper
Greenbriar
(Quercus marilandica)
(Quercus palustris)
(Acer rubra)
(Gleditsia tricanthos)
(Prunus serotina)
(Malus spp.)
(Cornus florida)
(Sassafras spp.)
(Cercis canadensis)
(Clethra alnifolia)
(Crataegus spp.)
(Rhus glabra)
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
(Smilax spp.)
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - NEAL UNIT 4
WOODY PLANTS SENSITIVE TO
SODIUM CHLORIDE SALT SPRAY
DATE:
SCALE:
V-29
TABLE
V-C-6
-------
ABSOLUTE COST
• Total Generating Cost $27,635,000
(Present worth value)
• Total Generating Cost $ 2,227,000
(Annualized)
d. Rectangular Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower System
i. Engineering Description
Exhibit V-C-5 presents a conceptual plot plan of Neal Unit 4
utilizing a closed-cycle cooling water system with a rectangular
mechanical draft cooling tower. Approximately 317,400 gpm of
condenser cooling water would be passed through the mechanical
draft cooling tower to remove about 2.7 x 109' Btu/hr of waste
heat. The temperature rise across the condenser would be about
17°F during plant operation at 100 percent capacity factor. The
cooling tower would be designed for a wet bulb temperature of
77°F and a dry bulb temperature of 89°F. Based on an approach to
a wet bulb temperature of 18°F, the physical dimensions of the
rectangular mechanical draft cooling tower were determined to be
as follows:
* Number of Cells 12
• Overall Width 70 feet
• Overall Length 480 feet
• Overall Height 60 feet
Three vertical one-half capacity circulating water pumps
would be provided in a pump chamber attached to the cooling tower
basin. During normal plant operation, two circulating water
pumps would be operating while the third pump would act as a
standby.
Makeup water would be provided to the cooling tower by pumps
contained in vertical rotary drum screens located on a platform
constructed along the bank of the Missouri River. As in the
previous cases with the natural draft and round mechanical draft
cooling tower systems, four makeup pumps would be installed on
the concrete intake platform. Three pumps would provide makeup
water to the cooling tower basin while the remaining pump would
act as a standby. The description of the makeup water intake
platform and the screened pumps is the same as that presented in
the section for the natural draft cooling tower system.
The blowdown from the cooling tower basin would be discharged
directly to the Missouri River as discussed previously in the
section on the natural draft cooling tower.
V-30
-------
MAKEUP
INTAKE
PLATFORM
e
envirosphere
company
A DIVISION OF EBASCO SERVICES INCORPORATED
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE Co. - IMEAL UNIT 4
RECTANGULAR MECHANICAL DRAFT
COOLING TOWER NEAL UNIT 4
CONCEPTUAL PLOT PLAN
DATE:
SCALE:
V-31
EXHIBIT
V-C-5
-------
ii. Environmental Impact
• Effects on Aquatic Ecology
No significant ecological effects would be expected as a
result of discharging cooling tower blowdown to the river as
discussed in the section on the natural draft cooling tower
system. As indicated, even at 5 cycles of concentration and a
maximum blowdown rate of 5 cfs, effects on the Missouri River
would be negligible due to the rapid mixing of the effluent.
Table V-C-4 presents the monthly average blowdown temperatures
from the mechanical draft cooling tower. As previously stated,
because of the rapid dilution of the effluent, temperature
effects on river biota would be insignificant.
• Effects on Terrestrial Ecology
Salt deposition rates were not calculated for rectangular
mechanical draft cooling towers at Neal Unit 4 because reliable
estimates could be made from those deposition rates calculated
for round mechanical draft cooling towers. Although the total
salt emission would be the same as that for round mechanical
draft cooling towers, deposition rates would range up to
approximately four times higher due to a lower plume rise and a
corresponding decrease in deposition area.
Salt deposition rates would likely exceed the
1.6 Ib/acre/month criteria developed previously. Nearby riparian
shrub type of vegetation, which serves as a productive habitat
for deer, pheasant and waterfowl, would have a greater potential
for injury. The fourfold increase in concentrations of deposited
sulfate ions may be a source of more concern to this productive
riparian community.
Because salt deposition from a rectangular mechanical draft
cooling tower is concentrated in an area near the tower itself,
deleterious effects on agricultural crops and soils are not
expected.
iii. Aesthetic Impact
The aesthetic impact of the rectangular mechanical draft
cooling tower system on the surrounding environment would not be
significant. The overall height of the cooling tower would be 60
feet and, while the cooling tower would be visible from both the
river and a portion of the site property line, the major
aesthetic impact would be due to the plant island, the Neal Unit
i* stack and the coal handling facilities. However, during
periods of the year, a low altitude vapor plume would be visible
from the rectangular mechanical draft cooling tower.
V-32
-------
iv. Investment Cost
The investment cost for the closed-cycle condenser cooling
water system with a rectangular mechanical draft cooling tower
has been developed based on the evaluation method discussed in
Appendix A-V-C. The estimate for the rectangular mechanical
draft cooling tower system includes the cost of the concrete
cooling tower, cooling tower basin, makeup water intake platform,
pumps, piping, valves and electrical equipment. The initial
capital investment cost was estimated at $9,700,000 for the base
year 1977. The total investment costs including operating, fuel
and maintenance costs are presented below:
ABSOLUTE COST
• Total Generating Cost $28,258,000
(Present worth value)
• Total Generating Cost $ 2,299,000
(Annualized)
e. Comparison of Systems
i. Environmental Impact Comparison
The evaluation of the environmental impact of the alternative
condenser cooling water systems on the aquatic and terrestrial
ecology indicates that none of the alternatives should have a
significant adverse impact on the environment. The once-through
cooling water system, discussed in Chapter IV, would have its
greatest, although not necessarily significant, impact on the
aquatic ecology, while the closed-cycle cooling tower systems
would impact greatest on the terrestrial communities.
In most cases, the impact of the cooling water system on the
environment would be minimal. However, there is a possibility
that salt deposition from the rectangular mechanical draft
cooling tower might expose portions of the riparian shrub in the
Snyder Bend recreational area to possibly injurious
concentrations of chlorides. In addition, the consumptive water
use for the closed-cycle cooling tower systems would be about
7200 acre-feet per year (ac-ft/yr) while the once-through system
would have negligible consumptive water use (20 acre feet, per
year). The aesthetic impact inherent in each cooling water
system has also been discussed and the impact shown to be minimal
in all cases except for the natural draft cooling tower system.
ii. Engineering Cost Comparison
The evaluation of the engineering costs for the condenser
cooling water systems is based on the total generating cost
(present worth) associated with each system. As discussed in
Appendix A-V-C, the cost estimate prepared for each alternative
system were based on conceptual system designs developed from
V-33
-------
preliminary plot plans and plant operating characteristics and do
not include the cost of the condenser. The total generating cost
(present worth) for the once-through cooling water system was
lower than that for the closed-cycle cooling tower systems by the
amounts shown below:
Differential Cost
System (base year 1977)
« Once-Through System
• Round Mechanical Draft Cooling $ 4,219,000
• Rectangular Mechanical Draft
Cooling Tower $ 5,112,000
• Natural Draft Cooling Tower $12,049,000
It should be noted that the once-through circulating water
system intake structure presented in Chapter II is a modified
version of the intake structure evaluated in the engineering cost
analysis. Subsequent modifications to the original intake
structure have been made to further reduce the environmental
impact of the structure on the aquatic ecology. These design
modifications do not significantly affect the total generating
cost developed for the once-through cooling water system.
iii. Conclusions
The once-through cooling water system has been chosen as the
primary alternative for Neal Unit 4 based on analysis of
environmental impact, aesthetics and engineering cost. The once-
through system will have a minimal impact on the aquatic ecology,
no impact on terrestrial communities and will minimize
consumptive water loss. The aesthetic impact of the once-through
cooling system will be negligible. In addition, the total
generating cost (present worth) of the once-through system was
lower than that for the closed-cycle cooling tower systems.
Consequently, the applicant considered the once-through system to
be the preferred condenser cooling water system for Neal Unit 4.
2. Intake Structure
Power plant intakes have traditionally been designed solely
on the basis of satisfactory engineering design at minimum cost.
However, with current attention directed toward the potential
environmental effects of intake systems, these structures must be
designed to minimize their environmental impact, while keeping
the cost factors in proper perspective. In light of this, the
EPA issued the "Development Document for Proposed Best Technology
Available for Minimizing Adverse Environmental Impact of Cooling
Water Intake Structures" (December, 1973) followed by final
intake structure design guidelines as set forth in 40 CFR 402
(April, 1976) .
V-34
-------
The following alternative intake systems were considered for
use at Neal Unit 4:
a. Lagoon System
This alternative would involve the construction of an
offstream lagoon at the plant site. Offstream systems are
discussed in the aforementioned EPA Development Document and are
considered to be conducive to increased incidence of fish
entrapment. This is the result of the attraction of fish to the
still waters of the lagoon. A modified approach would be to
install screens flush with the river bank at the inlet to the
lagoon; however, this would entail increased operational problems
to maintain both the screens at the intake structure and the
additional screens at the river bank. Consequently, the lagoon
alternative was rejected for use at Neal Unit 4.
b. Groundwater Intake
This alternative would involve the construction of a system
of wells or Ranney collectors to provide the 317,400 gpm required
for the once-through condenser cooling water system at the plant
site. Because of the amount of land required for the
installation of a sufficient capacity well/collector system and
the reluctance to utilize a limited groundwater supply for
condenser cooling water when there is a large flow available for
such purposes in the Missouri River, the alternative was rejected
for use at Neal Unit 4.
c. Slotted Pipe Intake
This alternative would involve the construction of slotted
collecting pipes along the river bottom. Water would be drawn
through these pipes to a concrete caisson and then passed through
the Neal Unit 4 condenser. Because of the quantity of flow
required for the once-through cooling water system and the
necessity of designing a system that would not interfere with
navigation on the Missouri River, a series of these slotted pipes
would be required along the river bottom. However, because of
the continuous shitting of river bottom elevation resulting from
normal sediment transport and the potential future degradation of
the Missouri River bottom due to the effects of channelization,
this alternative was rejected for use at Neal Unit 4.
d. Shoreline Intake
This alternative would involve the construction of a
conventional shoreline intake along the bank of the Missouri
River. This alternative was selected for use at the Neal Unit 4
site.
A design study for a suitable intake system included
selection of intake approach velocity to the traveling screens,
design and location of the intake structure, trashrack design and
V-35
-------
selection of the traveling screens. for example, the approach
velocity to the traveling screens should be as low as practicable
to reduce fish impingement upon the screens and allow fish to
swim away from the intake area. A balance had to be achieved
between increased cost due to a larger intake required for lower
velocities, and reduced fish entrapment. Recent studies have
shown that intake approach velocities should be in the range of
0.5 fps to minimize injury to aquatic life.
In line with the above, the following criteria have been
developed for the design of the Neal Unit 4 intake structure:
i. Intake Velocities
The velocity through the traveling screens will be about
0.7 fps with an approach velocity of about 0.3 fps during the
navigation season. This season extends from about April 1 to
December 1.
li. Sand Weir
A vertical sand weir will be employed instead of one that is
inclined along the trashracks (Units 1-3) in an effort to reduce
crayfish entrapment.
iii. Screen Wash System
The screen wash system will consist of both high and low-
pressure sprays. The low-pressure sprays will be used to remove
any fish that may impinge on the screens to a trough where they
will be sluiced back to the river at a point located downstream
of the intake structure. High-pressure sprays will be used to
remove trash from the screens to a separate debris trough for
disposal back to the river.
A detailed description of the intake system is presented in
Chapter II.
3. Chemical Waste Treatment System
The following waste streams will require treatment before
discharge to be in compliance with the EPA Effluent Guidelines
and Standards: boiler blowdown, demineralizer regenerants, filter
backwash, floor drains and powdex wastes.
At Neal 4 chemical waste streams will be collected in various
flow equalization basins. Waste water will be diverted from the
basins through final treatment processes before discharge. The
following treatment systems are capable of producing effluents
meeting the applicable regulations:
V-36
-------
Evaporation
Ultrafiltration
Plain Sedimentation
Flocculation-Clarification
Sand Filtration
A description and evaluation of each alternative waste water
treatment system follows.
a. Evaporation
This treatment alternative will produce an effluent
essentially free of dissolved solids. The effluent would be
suitable for reuse in the boiler makeup water supply system.
Approximately 5-10 percent of the waste water stream, containing
all the dissolved and suspended solids from the waste water, may
require further treatment before disposal.
Evaporation systems require large capital and operation and
maintenance expenses, and impose a large power penalty on the
generating station.
b. Ultrafiltration
Ultrafiltration employs membrane filters for the removal of
suspended solids. Ultrafiltration systems operate at relatively
low pressures, 50 to 100 psig and produce a concentrated
suspension of suspended solids for disposal.
c. Plain Sedimentation
Plain sedimentation is sufficient to effectively remove
suspended solids from non-dissolved metal content wastes. This
system is inexpensive in terms of capital and operation and
maintenance costs.
d. Flocculation-Clarification
A flocculation-clarification system precipitates dissolved
heavy metals and fine colloidal suspended solids by entrapment
and sedimentation. To accomplish this a flocculating agent, lime
and/or an organic polymer, is added and the waste water is slowly
mixed to induce floe formation. The floes formed are removed by
s edimentation.
e. Sand Filtration
Sand filtration is a well developed technology with gravity
and pressure filters in common use. For effective filtration
close control of the hydraulic loading rate is necessary. Sand
filters are well adapted for use where the TSS concentrations are
relatively low, as high levels of TSS makes frequent backwashing
necessary.
V-37
-------
f. Comparison of Alternatives.
Based on the above, a flocculation-clarification system and
plain sedimentation system were selected for use at the Neal 4
Station to treat heavy metal content wastes and non-dissolved
metal content waste streams, respectively.
4. Sanitary Wastewater Treatment
For Neal Unit <*, the following sanitary wastewater treatment
systems were considered:
• Discharge to a municipal treatment system
• Extended aeration activated sludge treatment
• Physicochemical treatment
The following is a brief description of eacn treatment
alternative:
a. Discharge to a Municipal Treatment System
This alternative is not viable at the Neal 4 site as its use
would require the installation of a 12 mile pipeline and a
pumping station to reach the Sioux City, Iowa treatment plant.
b. Extended Aeration Activated Sludge Treatment
The extended aeration activated sludge process is an aerobic
biological treatment system. It is ideally suited for use with
discharge of raw wastewater because of its consistent treatment
efficiency and low excess sludge production. This system
incorporates an aeration basin where raw wastewater is put into
contact with aerobic microorganisms. The microorganisms
metabolize much of the dissolved and suspended organic solids.
After sedimentation, the effluent would be discharged to a
leaching field.
c. Physicochemical Treatment
Physicochemical treatment of sanitary wastes uses the unit
processes of flocculation-clarification, for suspended solids
removal, and carbon adsorption for removal of dissolved organics.
This treatment system is overly expensive when applied to small
systems, as the cost of chemicals, chemical feed equipment and
operation and maintenance costs would te high.
d. Comparison of Alternatives
Based on the above, the extended aeration activated sludge
system is the most viable alternative for both technical and
environmental reasons. The use of a leaching field will result
in no discharge of sanitary wastes to the Missouri River.
V-38
-------
5. Li9ui
-------
b. Auxiliary Cooling Water Discharge
The possibility of redirecting the cooling water discharged
from the auxiliary heat exchangers and coolers to Browns' Lake
State Park is under consideration at the request of the Iowa
State Conservation Commission. The total discharge of
approximately 6,800 gpm would be used to maintain the level of
the lake. An alternate discharge line would be provided to
divert the cooling water to the seal well when high water levels
occur in Browns Lake. Should this alternative in the future
prove beneficial to the management of the park then an
application for the necessary discharge permit would be made at
that time.
The most recent information regarding the project is included
in the Environmental Assessment for the Brown's Lake Restoration
Project prepared by Iowa State Conservation Commission in 1976.
The following impacts which may result from the
implementation of the project will require further study prior to
issuance of a NPDES permit for the discharge to Brown's Lake.
• Construction activities will involve increases in fuel
consumption, noise levels, fugitive dust, and smoke. Various
degrees of both soil erosion and compaction will occur. Minimal
impacts to local traffic should result. Temporary disturbance
and displacement of wildlife can be expected. Vegetation in the
"dry" marsh area will be destroyed at and near the construction
site.
• The proposed increased water level in Brown's Lake
should increase the water surface area from about 200 to 580
acres. This level will conform closely to the "ordinary high
water mark" of the lake. The "dry" marsh area, therefore, will
become "wet" marsh, which should result in more intensive use by
certain wildlife species. However, other animals, especially
upland species requiring nesting cover, will lose their habitat,
resulting in local losses in their populations.
Inundation will affect the amount of tree cover in marsh and
transition areas. Continuous flow of water through the ditch
will alter the types of vegetation in the low-lying areas.
However, operation of the ditch should not impose constraints on
existing land use.
• Thermal pollution to the lake as a result of discharging
cooling water may affect certain species of aquatic biota. The
timing and quantity of water released to Brown1s Lake will be
controlled to minimize any adverse environmental impact.
• Sedimentation resulting from the existing suspended
materials to be introduced to the lake by discharging cooling
water may affect the water quality of the lake. Deposits of sand
and silt in Brown's Lake will occur, however, the timing and
V-AO
-------
quantity of water released to the lake will be controlled to
minimize any adverse environmental impact.
• Operational impacts to be incurred by the lake include
minor increases in fuel consumption and air and water pollution
resulting from flat-water sports, especially motor boating.
Traffic congestion, possible trespass by potential users, and
soil compaction and erosion may occur as a result of intensive
usage. Increases in solid waste production will result.
c. Coal Pile Runoff
Coal pile runoff will be treated as required to meet New
Source Performance Standards (NSPS) effluent limitations and then
directed to the Missouri River. As in the case of the condenser
cooling water, should an application be made in the future for a
permit to discharge water into Snyder Bend, then the potential
inclusion of treated coal pile runoff in that discharge would be
evaluated at that time.
6. Air Quality Control System
a. Introduction
For a coal-fired electric generating station, such as Neal
Unit 4, air quality control techniques are applied to limit the
emission of polluting combustion products into the atmosphere,
and to utilize the potential of the atmosphere to dilute those
air pollutants that are emitted. The effectiveness of these
techniques can be measured, respectively, in terms of compliance
with the Federal New Stationary Source Performance Standard (40
Code of Federal Regulations 60) and the National Ambient Air
Quality standards (40 Code of Federal Regulations 50). An
evaluation is made in this section of the applicability of
various techniques to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of
nitrogen (NOx) and suspended particulate matter from the flue gas
and of the suitability of a major boiler stack parameter; i.e.,
height.
b. sulfur Dioxide Control
The typical coal evaluated in Chapter IV has a heating value
of 8125 Btu/lb and a sulfur content of 0.478 percent or less.
Hence, compliance with Federal emission standards can be realized
without the need for SO2 removal equipment. However, space is
being provided so that S02 removal equipment can be installed in
the future, if required by changes in coal characteristics or
regulatory standards.
V-41
-------
c. Oxides of Nitrogen Control
Compliance with Federal emission standards for NOx is
effected by efficient operation of the boiler. Stack monitoring
of NOx emissions and the manufacturer* s furnace guarantee provide
additional assurance that Neal Unit H will meet the above
standards. Present state-of-the-art removal of NOx from the flue
gas is economically unfeasible. The Environmental Protection
Agency has stated that combustion additives are ineffective as a
control measure. Therefore, no feasible alternative NOx control
technique exists at the present time.
d. Particulate Matter Control
In Section II-B-U, reasons were given for the selection of a
hot-side electrostatic precipitator for Neal Unit U. The
alternative particulate matter control devices include cold-side
electrostatic precipitators, mechanical collectors, baghouse
filters, wet scrubbers and various combinations of these devices.
i. Electrostatic Precipitator
Cold-side and hot-side electrostatic precipitators have
identical principles of operation (see Section II-B-4). However,
the latter is placed at the "hot" side (inlet) of the combustion
air heater while the former is placed at the "cold" side (outlet)
of the combustion air heater. Since the boiler flue gas cools as
it heats the combustion air, the cold-side precipitator
experiences flue gas temperatures in the range of 250 to 300 F.
At these temperatures the chemical properties of the flue gases
and suspended particles play a significant role. Sulfur and
moisture exhibit appreciable influence on particulate
resistivity. When sulfur content is low (up to 2 percent)
resistivities in this temperature range are generally higher than
the critical value of 10»° ohm - cm and electrical operation
becomes unstable. Freguent sparking could occur and it may be
difficult to achieve reasonable efficiencies.
The advantages of the cold-side precipitator are that
construction materials need only withstand moderately low
temperatures and volumetric requirements for a given mass flow of
the flue gas which are considerably less than for a hot-side
precipitator. Since Neal Unit 4 is a new plant, and since
materials technology is sufficiently developed, these advantages
cannot outweigh the previously mentioned characteristics of a
hot-side precipitator.
ii. Mechanical Collector
Mechanical collectors are utilized extensively, primarily to
remove relatively large sized particles. Mechanical collectors
can collect approximately 70 to 80 percent of fly ash in flue
gases produced by modern pulverized coal-fired steam generators.
Such low collection efficiencies are not adequate to comply with
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emission regulations. However, this does not preclude the
consideration of mechanical collectors in conjunction with other
more sophisticated emission control devices, such as
precipitators, in order to minimize associated problems with such
devices.
iii. Baghouse Filter
The baghouse filter is the oldest method of dust removal.
The principle of particle removal is simply to filter particulate
laden gas through a fabric which retains the particle and allows
the cleaned gas to proceed on through. The fabric filter
collector is capable of providing a high collection efficiency
for particles as small as 0.5 microns. The limitation in the
applicability of this collection technique is dependent upon the
chemical and physical properties of the fabric materials, and
"caking" associated with hygroscopic properties of some
particulate substances.
The primary limitation of baghouse filters corresponds to the
existence of a large amount of moisture. Condensation, occurring
inside the collector, will foster the buildup of a wet cake on
the fabric filter surfaces, increasing the resistance
sufficiently to curtail gas flow. The cohesive properties of a
"mud-like" cake impair removal of particulate buildup employing
ordinary design methods. The bags must be removed, washed, and
dried. Frequently, under these conditions, the bags will shear.
Some particulate substances are hygroscopic and build up
excessively on the bag surfaces when inconspicuous amounts of
moisture are present in the flue gas.
There is concern about the effects of the sulfur dioxide and
moisture content in the flue gas. This combination is conducive
to creating conditions which can shorten fabric life. Other
parameters taken on a large scale basis, such as bag cleaning,
resistance profile, etc., which are significantly related to fly
ash characteristics, have not been established.
These uncertainties, combined with the lack of any widespread
utilization by electric utilities, must restrict the use of
baghouse filters to special AQCS retrofit operations.
iv. Wet Scrubber
Wet scrubbing involves washing the fly ash laden flue gases
with a liquid, usually water. Wet scrubbers provide for intimate
contacting between the flue gas and the scrubbing liquid in such
a manner that the particulates are transferred from the flue gas
to the liquid and removed as a liquid effluent.
The most common type of scrubber is the venturi. The venturi
design uses the kinetic energy of the flue gas to shear the
curtain of liquid that converges with the high velocity flue gas
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at the throat section. The scrubbing liquid can either be
injected at the throat section or at the top of the converging
section.
To achieve at least 99 percent fly ash collection
efficiencies, pressure drops on the order of 10 to 12 inches of
water (gauge pressure) are required. To achieve 99 plus percent
collection efficiencies, pressure drops ranging upward from 12
inches of water (gauge pressure) to 20 inches of water (gauge
pressure) may be required. Exact operating pressure drop depends
upon the gas flow rate and the quantity of scrubbing liquid
injected into the scrubber. The liquid flow rate nominally used
is 15 to 20 gal per 1000 absolute cubic feet per minute (ACFM) of
flue gas. Saturation conditions (temperature and gas density) in
conjunction with the quantity of scrubber liquid determine the
precise pressure drop.
Fly ash scrubbing will also result in the removal of sulfur
dioxide from the flue gas. Different fly ashes possess different
alkalinity properties. Scrubbing units recirculating a high
alkaline fly ash have resulted in sulfur dioxide removal
efficiencies as high as 50 percent. Such removal requires
special materials of construction. Also depending upon the
locality, the bleed liquid from the recycle scrubbing liquid may
require neutralization before being transmitted to the existing
water treatment facilities.
The major factors in excluding wet scrubbers are larger
operating power requirements to overcome the relatively high
pressure losses, potential water quality problems requiring
additional intake water and water treatment facilities, potential
clogging, corrosion or abrasion problems which would affect
system reliability and economic cost.
v. Boiler Stack
The potential of the atmosphere to dilute air pollutant
emissions depends on meteorological conditions, topography, and
boiler stack height. Computation of pollutant ground-level
concentrations, presented in Section IV-C, shows that the 469
foot Neal Unit 4 stack is adequate to meet ambient standards. A.
taller boiler stack would permit greater dilution of the
pollutants emitted from the stack and thereby lower ground-level
concentrations. However, due to its proximity to the Sioux City
Municipal Airport, the Neal Unit 4 boiler stack cannot be
increased from its proposed height of 469 feet; this limit has
been established by the Federal Aviation Administration.
7 • Solid Waste Storaqe and Disposal
Neal Unit 4 will utilize an approximate 114 acre solid waste
disposal area to provide storage for plant generated sludge and
ash. Operational procedure will include alternating layers of
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waste material with layers of soil to provide the potential for
reclamation of this area at some future date. Provisions will be
made at the solid waste disposal area by use of water trucks to
minimize fugitive dust emissions.
Alternatives to this sytem and the reasons for their
rejection are presented below:
a. Wet Storage Ponds
Consideration was given to providing for storage of plant
generated ash and sludge in wet disposal ponds. The area
reguired for these ponds would be similar to that required for
the solid waste disposal area. Inherent in the use of a wet
system is the increase in plant consumptive water use to satisfy
sluice water requirements. In addition, blowdown from the bottom
ash and sludge ponds would require treatment to meet NSPS
effluent limitations prior to discharge back into the river and
fly ash sluice water could not be discharged. Consequently, for
these reasons the wet storage pond system was judged to be less
acceptable, both from an environmental and an engineering
viewpoint, than the solid waste disposal area.
b. Off-Site Disposal
Consideration was given to providing for total or partial
off-site removal of solid waste (ash) by an independent
contractor for marketing purposes. Unfortunately, at the present
time no firm market exists for utilization of the ash generated
by Neal Unit 4. However, should conditions improve in the
future, this alternative would be explored further.
8• Lining of Major Storage Areas
a. Coal Storage Area
Initial investigation of a coal storage area lining at Neal
Unit 4 indicated that the capital cost of either a stabilized
lime-fly ash or a high density polyethelene membrane lining would
be about $2,000,000. Because the ccal storage area is designed
so that rain water will predominately run off the coal pile and
will be transported by a ditch system to a holding pond, the
excessive cost associated with the installation of a lining under
the coal storage area was not deemed justified.
Preliminary tests of coal pile runoff at the existing station
indicates basic pH characteristics. It is the intention of Iowa
Public Service Company to conduct ground water quality monitoring
underneath the existing station coal pile and a control station
prior to establishing the location of the Neal Unit H coal pile.
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b. Coal Runoff Holding Pond
Based on the preliminary analysis of the coal from the Red
Rim area proposed for Neal Unit 4 (Section II-B-4), the low
sulfur characteristic of the coal indicated a high calcium
content that will result in a high pH of any runoff water
entering the holding basin. This is supported by field data
obtained from studies at Neal Unit 3 indicating pH values of 7-9.
The combination of this high pH runoff and the long detention
time in the holding pond would result in the precipitation and
sedimentation of materials in the runoff. In addition, this
effluent would be further treated in the wastewater system prior
to discharge. Based on the projected runoff characteristics, the
approximate cost of $500,000 and the fact that a lining could be
installed at a later date if it were deemed necessary, no lining
will be installed at the present time.
c. Solid Waste Disposal Area
The lack of deleterious environmental impacts associated with
the waste disposal areas at Neal Units 1-3, combined with the
excessive cost (approximately $5,000,000) associated with the
alternative of lining under the solid waste disposal area,
resulted in a decision that a lining in this area was unnecessary
and uneconomical.
9. Fuel Supply
The primary source of coal for Neal Unit 4 will be the Red
Rim area of Sweetwater and Carbon Counties in Wyoming. A letter
of intent has been signed with the Rocky Mountain Energy Company,
a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation, to develop a plan for
a joint mining venture with Centenial Coal, Inc., a subsidiary of
Iowa Public Service Company. Negotiations for a formal agreement
are in progress.
An alternative source of coal for Neal Unit 4 could be from
mines in the Hanna, Wyoming area. Three mines in this area are
currently under long-term contracts to supply fuel for Neal Units
1-3. Typical characteristics of the coal from this area were
presented in Chapter II. Since the Neal Unit 4 boiler will have
the capability to burn coal with a wide variation in
characteristics, the potential for supplying Neal Unit 4 from
mines in the Hanna area, or subsequently from mines in other
areas, could be investigated should difficulties arise in the
negotiations for the Red Rim area.
In all cases, the mining operations would comply with all
existing regulations such as those set forth by the State of
Wyoming, U.S. Bureau of Land Management (43 CFR 3041), U.S.
Geological Survey (30 CFR 211) and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (40 CFR 434). The Energy Development Company,
which will operate the Neal 4 mine, follows operational
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procedures which involve the leveling of stripped areas and
replacement of topsoil followed by reseeding of all areas with
local grasses. During five years of mining in this area, the
Energy Development Company has disturbed about 300 acres.
Approximately 90 percent of this area has already been reclaimed
or is in the process of being restored from wasteland to valuable
grazing land.
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D. ALTERNATIVES TO NORMAL MODE OF OPERATION FOR MINIMIZING
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
EPA is concerned about the loss of larval fish via condenser
and plume entrainment resulting from George Neal Station. At
certain flow rates in the river and at full power large numbers
of larval fish will be killed which may cause significant and
measurable adverse impacts on the Missouri River ecosystem.
As indicated in Chapter III, there is a difference in the
larval fish population reported at the existing George Neal
facility from that reported at Omaha Public Power Districts, Fort
Calhoun Station. It is acknowledged that there are geographical
differences and differences in the time of data collection,
however, it is EPA's opinion that data collected at Fort Calhoun
may represent the larval fish population in this section of the
Missouri River.
Because of the difference in estimated larval fish
population, and the somewhat uncertainty of the source of
recruitment of larval fish downstream of George Neal Station,
several studies will be conducted to lead to a selection of
possible alternative modes of operation. If data becomes
available to show that the proposed operational mode will indeed
result in significant adverse impact, EPA may recommend that one
of the following alternative modes of operation be adopted to
minimize the impact:
• Adjust power generation of Neal Unit U with resultant
reduction of cooling water flow, during the time of larval fish
passage to adequately reduce the environmental impact. Any
adjustment could be keyed to those species of fish which
potentially would be most severly impacted. For example, the
peak entrainment time for walleye and sauger occurs in May (Ft.
Calhoun data). It is possible a reduction in cooling water flow
during this time would reduce the impact of plant operation.
• Modification of the daily operational procedures of the
plant to retain its daily peaking ability, but reduce power
output during other times of the day to reduce entrainment
losses.
Detailed studies by the applicant to identify the areas of
spawning and recruitment along with additional documenting of the
species composition and numbers of local fish entrained may lead
to a conclusion that no operational modifications are necessary.
However, based on the information available at this time, the
above alternatives or other modifications described in this
chapter will be evaluated to minimize impact.
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CHAPTER VI
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF
MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF
LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY
A. INTRODUCTION
The term "local short-term uses11 of the Neal Unit 4 site
refers to the period of plant construction and operation (about
30 years). The term "long-term productivity" refers to the
environmental resource development potential through the lifespan
of the proposed plant and beyond. Short and long-term impacts,
both beneficial and adverse, may be associated with the use of
the Neal 4 site.
fi. SHORT-TERM USES
1. Beneficial Impacts
A short-term benefit of the expansion of the George Neal
Steam Electric Station will be the creation of generating
capacity adequate to meet the electrical power needs of the owner
utilities, Mid-Continent Area Power Pool Members and
Mid-Continent Area Reliability Coordination Agreement Region (see
Chapter I). This augmented supply of electrical energy would be
available throughout the service area to the public as well as
for industrial, commercial, agricultural, public service, and
recreational use. With the proposed capacity, Neal Unit 4 will
provide greater system reliability and a reduction in the
duration and extent of possible system disturbances.
Additional short-term benefits can be anticipated during the
construction phase. These include the creation of new jobs, the
expansion of local commerce and other related secondary economic
activities. Also, a growth in the local tax base will be
generated directly from the expanded facility because of
increased payrolls and business activity. On the basis of
current tax rates, Neal Unit 4 will represent $6,300,000 annually
apportioned to 36 counties and 400 school districts and
townships.
2. Adverse Impacts Which Cannot be Avoided
Environmental impacts which are likely to result from the
short-term use of the Neal Unit 4 site have been identified in
Chapter IV. These impacts must be traded-off in the short-term
in order to realize the beneficial effects of the proposed plant.
However, in most instances, measures are being taken to reduce
environmental impacts to minimal levels well within the
applicable standards of federal and state regulatory agencies.
Systems, including those used for dust control, water and
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wastewater treatment and air quality control are expected to
mitigate environmental impacts.
a. Water Quality
Neal Unit 4 will produce a certain amount of thermal (Section
IV-B-2), chemical (Section IV-E), solid and sanitary wastes
(Section IV-D). The regulations set down by appropriate state
and federal agencies limit the release and concentration of these
wastes. As presented in Chapter IV, no adverse impact on the
balanced indigenous aquatic populations is expected as a result
of discharges into the Missouri River.
b. Air Quality
Emissions of air contaminants and occurrences of ground level
concentrations due to the operation of a coal-fired power plant
such as Neal Unit 4 can te reduced, but not completely prevented,
by air quality control systems (Section IV-B-4). However, both
emission rates and ambient concentrations are expected to be
within the applicable federal and state standards established to
protect the environment from kncwn and anticipated adverse
effects, allowing a reasonable margin of safety. Therefore no
significant adverse effects on air quality are expected.
c. Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat
The short-term impact of Neal Unit 4 on the terrestrial biota
will be to remove a portion of the riparian shrub, winter browse
and agricultural land serving as habitat and food sources for the
many wildlife species inhabiting the area. If the Snyder-
Winnebago Recreation Area is instituted, the land immediately
south of Neal Unit 4 will remain a productive habitat for these
wildlife species throughout the life of the plant.
d. Aquatic Ecology
The probable adverse effects of operation of Neal Unit 4
which cannot be avoided include:
i. Impingement of fish on the intake structure
resulting in damage or death.
ii. Entrainment of planktonic organisms into the
circulating water system, resulting in damage
or death.
lii. Entrainment of planktonic organisms and fish
in the thermal plume, resulting in damage or
death.
Though mortalities of biota can be expected, the impact on
the aquatic ecosystem will not be measurably significant.
VI-2
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e. Land
An adverse environmental effect on land use would be the
withdrawal of the 450 acre Neal Unit U site from agricultural
use. Since this acreage is minimal (less than 0.1 percent)
compared to the total agricultural land available in Woodbury
County, it is not expected to present serious problems. Visual
impact of the plant complex from the potential Snyder-Winnebago
Recreation Area is probable. Opportunities for mitigating the
visual impact are being instituted through landscaping and
planting procedures at key locations on the site.
It is not expected that serious socio-economic problems will
be encountered in the surrounding area. Since the major
construction work force is expected to come from the Sioux City
area, social service impacts upon the local community will be
minimal.
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C. LONG-TEUM PRODUCTIVITY
The maintenance of the resources described below has been
dealt with in the previous chapters of this report. In this
section questions concerning their potential for long-term
productive use are discussed.
Maintenance of long-term productivity potential seems
acceptable especially in the areas of thermal discharge into the
Missouri River, aquatic biota, and ambient air quality since Neal
Unit 4 must comply with applicable state and federal regulations.
To maintain long-term productivity of wildlife habitats and
recreational use in the area, Iowa Public Service has a Wildlife
Management Agreement with the Iowa Conservation Commission. This
agreement sets aside several small areas totaling approximately
65 acres in the area surrounding the George Neal Station which
are reserved for wildlife nesting and winter cover area. Food
plot areas are left for winter feed from the farming operations
on lands of Iowa Public Service. Public hunting is allowed on
lands under the Wildlife Management Agreement. In addition, Iowa
Public Service, with the cooperation of the Iowa Conservation
Commission, has planted more than 30,000 trees in a buffer zone
which will also provide wildlife habitat at the Neal 4 site.
This Duffer zone is approximately 110 ft. wide and runs along tne
highway separating the Neal 4 site from Brown's Lake and along
the property line separating the Neal 4 site from the Snyder Bend
park area.
The Neal Unit 4 site includes about 114 acres for storage of
plant-associated solid wastes. This acreage is sufficient for
the life of the plant.
Since the Port Neal Industrial District is presently zoned
and developed for industry, land use is consistent with present
policy and this is not anticipated to change in the future.
Through replacement to meet demand, long-term productivity of
regional resources, dependent upon electric power, is expected to
continue long after the projected life of Neal Unit 4.
VI-4
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CHAPTER VII
IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES
A. GENERAL
Construction and operation of Neal Unit 4 will result in the
irreversible and irretrievable commitments of natural resources.
These resources will either be totally exploited or altered to
the extent where their restoration would be impossible.
B. FUEL
The coal used to operate Neal Unit 4 represents a principal
irreversible commitment of natural resources. After burning, the
major constituents of the coal will be bottom and fly ash. These
constituents have teen altered greatly from the fossil fuels they
once were.
During the 30-year life of the plant, approximately 50
million tons of coal will have fceen committed and irreversibly
changed, based on projected capacity factors. This represents
0.012 percent of the coal reserves in the United States.
C. LAND USE
1. Power _Plant Site
Land resources used for agricultural purposes prior to the
construction and operation of Neal Unit 4 will be eliminated. A
total of 450 acres of land will be converted from agricultural to
industrial usage, and wildlife habitat in those areas are to be
landscaped with "shelterbelts." In view of changing development
trends, zoning, and the availability of relatively inexpensive
energy, it is doubtful the land committed to the plant will
revert back to agricultural production after Neal Unit 4 is
decommissioned. Therefore, for all practical purposes, tne
agricultural productivity has been irretrievably lost.
2. Coal Mining Area, Wyoming
The overburden will te irreversibly altered by disturbance
and replacement. These changes will affect the physical
stratification, density, and compaction of the topsoil. The
terrain will be altered, potentially resulting in changed
drainage patterns.
3. Other
The increased power generated by the project may result in
other irreversible changes in land use from new commercial or
private development. This development is unpredictable and
cannot be quantitatively evaluated in this statement.
VII-1
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D. WATER
The cumulative loss of water in the Missouri River basin over
the 30-year life of the project will be about 600 acre feet,
resulting from evaporation of heated water in the discharge and
evaporation from the retention ponds. This will be a continual
incremental loss of water during operation.
According to present knowledge, trace elements carried in the
coal pile runoff and discharged into the Missouri River will have
an irreversible impact on the river's ecosystem since it is not
practical for these elements to be retrieved. The elements may
precipitate to the river floor or be suspended and transported
downstream. Whichever is the case, these elements are new
additions to the ecosystem which would not be present under
existing conditions.
The runoff from mining sites will be altered and will
irreversibly change the character of receiving bodies of water
(e.g., changes in pH and trace metal constituencies).
E. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Lxcept for materials which can te salvaged and recycled, most
man-made resources will be irreversibly lost or altered to the
extent that their use has been limited. These materials include
steel, aluminum, copper, zinc, lead items, oils and fuels, and
concrete.
F. LABOR AND MANPOWER
During the 3 1/2-year period of construction, an
irretrievable commitment of human resources will be made.
Approximately 25,900 iran-months of labor will be employed by an
average of 700 workers. This labor is needed to engineer,
construct and operate Neal Unit H.
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CHAPTER VIII
COORDINATION WITH OTHERS
A. CONTACTS MADE BY APPLICANT
The following federal, state, county and local agencies and
individuals were contacted by the applicant concerning the
proposed plan for construction and operation at Neal Unit 4:
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VII
Kansas City, Missouri
U. S. Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
Omaha, Nebraska
Federal Aviation Administration
Kansas City, Missouri
Iowa Department of Environmental Quality
Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa Natural Resources Commission
Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa Conservation Commission
Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa Commerce Commission
Des Moines, Iowa
Nebraska Department of Environmental Control
Lincoln, Nebraska
Woodbury County Health Department
Sioux City, Iowa
Woodbury County Board of Supervisors
Sioux City, Iowa
Woodbury County Conservation Commission
Sioux City, Iowa
Woodbury County Planning & Zoning Commission
Sioux City, Iowa
Mayor & Council, City of Salix
Salix, Iowa
Mayor and Council, City of Sioux City
Sioux City, Iowa
VIII-l
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Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council
Sioux City, Iowa
Mr. Ted Hoffman, Nebraska Chapter
Sierra Club,
Omaha, Nebraska
Sioux City Chapter Izaak Walton League
Sioux City, Iowa
Mr. George Wimmer
Sioux City Industrial Development Council
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City News media
VIII-2
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B. MEETING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
On July 8, 1976, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. corps of Engineers, Rural Electrification Administration and
Iowa Public Service Company held a meeting with some of the Sioux
City area environmental groups. Representatives from the Sierra
Club, Izaak Walton League, and Woodbury County Conservation Board
were present at the meeting. Representatives from the League of
Women Voters and the Audubon Society were invited but did not
attend. The purpose of the meeting was for the agencies to
receive input and information concerning Neal Unit U in the early
preparation stages of the impact statement.
Environmental issues such as water and air quality, land use,
and wildlife impacts were explored. The EIS process was
explained and discussed. Another important issue discussed at
the meeting was possibility of discharging cooling water into
Brown's Lake and Snyder Bend. It was stated that due to the
differences in the lakes' characteristics compared to those of
the discharges, they would have to be assessed as separate
discharges from the discharge into the Missouri River. This
would require a new NPDES permit and a separate environmental
evaluation.
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C. PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING
On August 25r 1976, EPA and the Corps held a public
information meeting wherein all citizens were invited to comment
on the project and/or the EIS preparation process. News releases
and public service announcements were used to publicize the
meetings.
In attendance at the meeting were representatives from the
federal agencies, ppwer company, news media, environmental
groups, and concerned citizens.
Topics of the meeting included type and degree ot water
pollution, possible usage of cooling water to upgrade Brown Lake
and Snyder Bend, schedules for Neal Unit 4, and explanations and
rationales for the various permits required for the construction
and operation of the power plant.
No controversies or objections to Neal Unit 4 surfaced at the
meeting.
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CHAPTER IX
WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED
AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
RESPONSES
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United States Department of the Interior
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
ER 76/1021
Dear Mr. Svore:
Thank you for your letter of October 12, 1976, transmitting
copies of the Environmental Protection Agency's draft envi-
ronmental impact statement for the George Neal Steam Electric
Generating Station, Unit 4, Woodbury County, Iowa.
Our comments are presented according to the format of the
statement or by subject.
^eneral Comments
We note from Exhibit l-A-2 that the project is approximately
one-third complete. As a result, many decisionmaker options
have been foreclosed and the utility of an environmental
statement at this point in project development greatly re-
duced. Especially significant is the elimination of oppor-
tunities to implement the alternatives discussed in Chapter V
with the exception of those mentioned in section D. For
example, further consideration of alternate plant sites and
alternatives to a once-through cooling system are precluded.
Outdoor Recreation
The environmental statement should recognize that the "Browns
Lake (Bigelow Park)" briefly described on page III-105 has
received matching assistance from the Land and Water Conserva-
tion Fund for the development of public recreation facilities.
Although it appears that no land will be taken from this park,
the applicant should be aware that this area is subject (in
its entirety) to the provisions of Section 6(f) of the Land
and Water Conservation Fund Act, as amended. This section of
the Act requires that changes from the recreational use of the
land be approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
IX-1
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We suggest that the noise impact on recreation on and around
Browns Lake during construction be evaluated. In addition,
the statement should include a non-technical discussion of
the noise impact of plant operation on both the Snyder Bend
and Browns Lake recreation areas. The discussion on page
IV-92 suggests that the noise level in the Snyder-Winnebago
Bends Recreation Area will substantially exceed the maximum
noise level found to permit residential outdoor enjoyment.
Therefore, the conclusion on page IV-93 that plant operation
"... should not have a significant adverse noise impact on
the surrounding area" seems unwarranted.
The statement should evaluate impacts on the vegetation,
wildlife, and water quality in nearby recreation areas re-
sulting from atmospheric emissions. Where scientific knowl-
edge is inadequate to make accurate predictions, estimates
should be given.based on observations of impacts resulting
from emissions from Neal Units 1-3.
Also, we believe that the final environmental statement
should include a discussion and worst condition analysis of
the cumulative impact of noise, visual intrusion, and atmos-
pheric emissions of all four Neal Units and the transmission
line on the continued recreational utility of the Browns
Lake and Snyder-Winnebago recreation areas.
Information presented in the statement contradicts the
conclusion on page V-12 that "the proposed activities would
be compatible with the present land use practice of the area."
Noise, aesthetic, and air quality impacts on nearby parklands
appear to be significant and are in need of a more complete
evaluation.
Historic and Archeological Sites
It is unclear from the discussion on page III-102 whether the
cultural resource survey undertaken in Kay, 1973, included
the proposed George Neal Steam Electric Generating Station,
Unit 4, as v;ell as the proposed Snyder-Winnebago Bends
Recreation Area. In the event that the 1973 inventory in-
cluded the Unit 4 project area, the statement should provide
detailed information concerning the inventory and analysis of
cultural resources within the affected area, including a
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description of the survey methods utilized and extent of arche-
lolgical testing. Complete coverage of the entire project
area including access roads and transmission facilities by a
professional archeologist is necessary.
Copies of correspondence with the State Historic Preservation
Officer (Mr. Adrian Anderson, Division of Historic Preserva-
tion, B-13 MacLean Hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242) and the State
Archeologist (Dr. Duane C. Anderson, 21 MacLean Hall, University
of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242) should be included within the
statement. The statement should further reflect procedures to
be followed should previously unknown archeological resources
be encontered during project development.
Fish, and Wildlife
We understand that the best possible methods will be used so
that impingement on aquatic life will be kept at a minimum.
This is commendable but it is quite certain that the entrain-
ment will be of a greater magnitude than that described in
the draft environmental statement. Species composition of
fishes found at other Missouri River generating stations do
not compare favorably with data gathered for the George Neal
Station. A fair job has been done in qualifying the fishes
that will be lost during the once-through cooling process;
a poor job has been done in quantifying these losses. Numbers
of fishes are of little use for entrainment studies when
these numbers are not correlated with volumes of water
sampled. The draft environmental statement should.identify
the problems of entrainment in a more definitive manner and
describe what is to be done to lessen the impacts resulting
from this type of cooling process. Two methods of mitiga-
ting the losses could be considered. One is to limit the
velocities of water withdrawn and a second is to limit the
times that the water is withdrawn both seasonally and diur-
nally. Potential mitigating measures of this nature should be
discussed in the final statement.
Lining of Storage Arenas
VJe are concerned that seepage from the ash disposal area and
the coal storage area will contaminate the groundwater. Page
V-44 indicates that linings under the coal storage area and
the solid waste disposal area are not considered necessary.
IX-3
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Likewise the liner for the coal runoff pond will not be
installed at this time but will be considered later, if
necessary. Little information is provided in the draft
statement to support these decisions. More detailed
justification for the conclusions should be given in
the final statement.
A proper analysis of the impacts of leachates from the
ash ponds should be provided. The suggested use of data
from existing ash ponds seems appropriate if similar
coals have been used in the existing units; we believe,
however, that data to be used should include information
on effects on the ground water beneath the existing ash
ponds in order to provide a firm basis for anticipating
or predicting effects. The ground water impact analysis
should also include consideration of effects from infil-
tration of chemicals from the retention ponds A and B
discussed on page 11-35.
Monitoring programs to determine the impacts on ground-
water in the ash disposal and coal storage areas should be
described in the final statement with specific indication
of the mitigating measures the applicant is prepared to
implement if contamination of the ground water is signifi-
cant.
•
Solid Waste Storage and Disposal
In the discussions on page V-43, we do not understand the
rationale of storing the ash and sludge on-site and alter-
nating layers of waste material with layers of soil to
provide a potential for reclamation of this area "at some
future date." The procedures employed for potential recla-
mation along with any specific plans for reclaiming the
area should be discussed more fully.
^§"ter_. Quality Monitoring Stations
Water-quality monitoring of the river below the proposed
plant should be considered. This would permit assessment
of any adverse effects resulting from the combined waste-
water discharges. The discussions on pages 111-24 to 27
appear to indicate that no monitoring stations will be
located below Unit 4.
IX-4
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Cumulative Impacts
No mention is made of the cumulative impacts of the various
generating stations along the Missouri River although Section
VII-D does mention the cumulative loss of water in the
Missouri River due to this project. There are, for instance,
fifteen generating stations along a 360 mile stretch of river
from Sioux City to Kansas City. Each plant is not an entity
apart from the others when the same air and the same body of
water are shared. As future additions are made to the power
generating facilities in this area, cumulative impacts will
become increasingly important. Recognition of this situation
should appropriately be given in the final statement with
some indication of its current significance.
Sin/rsrely yours,
t Secretary of the Interior
A3Sis
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
IX-5
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION. AND WELFARE
REGION VII
FEDERAL BUILDING
601 EAST JZTH STREET
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64106 OFFICE Of
November 24, 1976 THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
RE: Draft Environmental Impact Statement
George.NeaJ 5team Electric Generating Station
NeaT'Onit 4
Dear Mr. Svore:
Thank you for the opportunity to review the above referenced document and
to comment on it's impact on responsibilities and interest of the Depart-
ment of Health, Education and Welfare.
In the specific area of "Impact on Local Socio-economics" starting on
p IV-1 it is indicated that the Neal Unit #4 will have a construction
schedule of approximately 3% years with a projected average construction
workforce on the site of 700 to a maximum of 1200 workers. Further it is
estimated that it will require an estimated 100 to 700 workers with an
assumed average family size of 3.1 persons relocating to Sioux City area
during various periods of construction. It is conceded that not all
workers will relocate their families and that the maximum population
increase in Sioux falls and vacinity is expected to be 1.8% of the total
population. Based upon this, the conclusion is drawn that "construction
worker immigration should have little, if any adverse impact on housing
and social services in the area."
Data which is presented in the document would in part bear out this con-
clusion as far as housing is concerned however, there does not appear to
be any data presented as to the types, numbers, or case loads of social
services or the numbers and types of community facilities and services,
including health, from which a valid conclusion can be drawn relative to
impact on "social service".
Demographic information is presented in the document to show the ambient
state of the population in the area effected. Such information and data
should also include existing community facilities and services and other
IX-7
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Mr. Jerome H. Svore November 24, 1976
community resources which are utilized by the existing population with
discussion in the final EIS on the effect that the proposed project has
upon the services rendered.
Further, there should be some discussion to assure that adequate drainage
will be provided to borrow areas and construction sites to reduce or
eliminate ponding of water and thus the enhancement of vector control in
the area.
Sincerely
William H. Henderson
Regional Environmental Officer
IX-8
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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
REGION SEVEN
P. O. Box 19715
Kansas City, Missouri 64141
November 4, 1976
•
IN REPLY REFER TO:
07-00-ED
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Dear Mr. Svore:
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the George Neal Steam Electric
Generating Station, Woodbury County, Iowa, has been coordinated with the
Office of the Secretarial Representative, DOT, and the Statement adequately
considers the effect the project may have on road systems within the juris-
diction of the Federal Highway Administration.
Sincerely yours,
Steiner M. Silence
Director, Office of Environment & Design
IX-9
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
MA'LING ADDRESS
COMMANDER
SECONO COAST GUARD DISTRi
FLUERAl BLDfi
1',20 MARKET ST
bT LOUIS MO 63103
• 16475
Ser3
3 December 1976
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Attn: Mr. Jerome H. Svore
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, MO 64108
Gentlemen:
We have reviewed the draft environmental impact statement for George Neal
Steam Electric Generating Station, Neal Unit 4. We have no comment to offer
on this document.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this environmental impact statement.
C. E. JOHNSON, JR.
Environmental Protection Administrator
By direction of the District Commander
Copy to:
COMDT (G-WEP-2/73)
DOT SECREP Region VII
DOT (tes), Office of Environmental Affairs
CEQ (5)
IX-11
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
823 Federal Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50309
November 5, 1976
Jerome H. Svore
Region VII Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1736 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Dear Mr. Svore:
We have reviewed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
George Neal Steam Electric Generating Station, Neal Unit 4, in
Woodbury County, Iowa.
We have no comments at this time.
The opportunity to review and comment on this proposed project is
greatly appreciated.
The Soil Conservation Service would be happy to furnish assistance
with general site preparation through the local Soil Conservation
District.
Sincerely,
,./
/ <_-^
William J. Brune [ ,
State Conservationist
IX-13
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
DATE: November 16, 1976
IN REPLY rt .^,-r-, A
REFER TO: ACE~4
CENTRAL REGION
601 EAST 12TH STREET
KANSAS CITY. MISSOURI 64106
SUBJECT: Draft - EIS - George Neal Steam Elect. Generating Station, Unit
FROM: Chief, Planning and Appraisal Staff
TO: Jerome H. Svore, Regional Administrator
The stack and the generator building for the generating plant were the
subjects of Aeronautical Study No. 75-CE-579-OE and 75-CE-580-OE,
respectively, and received a "No Objection" airspace determination
January 19, 1976. This airspace determination expires July 19, 1977.
The stack was air spaced for a height of 470' (AGL) and a maximum of
1546' (AMSL). On the basis of our study, neither structure will exceed
obstruction standards of Federal Aviation Regulation, Part 77, and
neither will be a hazard to air navigation provided appropriate obstruc-
tion marking and lighting of the structures is accomplished.
.•
We have no objection to the generating plant or stack.
c
AMES H. KING )
o
m
IX-15
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FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
REGIONAL OFFICE
31st Floor, Federal Building
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
December 21, 1976
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Dear Mr. Svore:
As requested in your October 12, 1976 letter, ve have reviewed the
need for power presentation given in Chapter 1 of the Draft EIS being
prepared for the addition of the coal-fired, 576 megawatt, Unit No. 4 to
the George Neal Steam-Electric Generating Station operated by the Iowa
Public Service Company. Unit No. 4, scheduled for service in May 1979,
is to be jointly owned with major interests by Iowa Public Service Company
(43 percent), Interstate Power Company (17 percent), Northwest Iowa Power
Cooperative (17.4 percent), Northwestern Public Service Company (8.7 per-
cent) and Corn Belt Power Cooperative (4.9 percent). Remaining interests
in the Neal No. 4 Unit range from one to 15 megawatts and are divided
among eight municipally owned electric systems.
Comments of this office are in compliance with the National Environ-
mental Policy Act of 1969, and the August 1, 1973, Guidelines of the
Council on Environmental Quality.
The projected capabilities and capacity obligations of the Iowa
Public Service Company as shown in Exhibit I-C-4 are consistent with data
reported by them in the Mid-Continent Area Reliability Coordination Agree-
ment (MARCA) Report to the Federal Power Commission pursuant to Commis-
sion Order 383-3. Likewise, the capability projections of Exhibits I-C-2
and I-C-3 are the. same as the data reported by MARCA in their 1976 Appen-
dix A-l report.
Iowa Public Service Company, in their Form 12E-2 report to the
Federal Power Commission, projects an approximately 7.4 percent average
annual growth in system peak load over the period 1976-1985. Similar
peak data for the conbined Iowa Public Service Company and Corn Belt
T'ovctTC Cooperative systems presented in the MARCA Appendix A-l report
shows a projected growth rate of 7.6 percent for the 1976-1985 period.
Based on our analysis of these projections and a comparison of them with
data submitted by other systems in the area, we believe the estimates
are reasonable.
IX-17
-------
- 2 -
Analysis for the combined Iowa Public Service Company and Corn Belt
Power Cooperative load and supply presented in the 1976 MARCA Appendix A-l
report indicates that without the addition of the Neal No. 4 Unit as planned,
reserves for these systems will fall to 11.9 percent by the summer of 1979
and to 4.9 percent by 1980. This also assumes that approximately 135 mega-
watts of new combustion turbine peaking capability currently under construc-
tion and a 25 megawatt share of the new Council Bluffs steam unit will be
available prior to the 1979 summer peak period.
Interstate Power Company reserves for the summer of 1979, as deter-
mined from the 1976 MARCA Appendix A-l report, would be 15.9 percent of
their annual adjusted net demand if Neal No. 4 is not available and they
would fall to 10.0 percent by the summer of 1980 without the addition of the
Neal unit. Even with the addition of the No. 4 Neal Unit, Interstate's
reserves are projected to fall nearly 150 megawatts below their reserve ob-
ligation level before the addition of their next scheduled unit in 1985.
Northwestern Public Service Company's 1979 net generating capability
is projected to fall 16 megawatts below their projected system demand if
the Neal No. 4 Unit is not available as scheduled. Even with the addition
of the new Neal Unit, Northwestern1s reserves will be two megawatts below
their 1979 pool reserve obligation.
Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO), the remaining system with a
significant interest in the Neal No. 4 Unit, at present receives all its
power from the Basin Electric Power Cooperative and the U. S. Bureau of
Reclamation (USBR). With increasing capacity obligations to, .thel'f member
Cooperative systems and a leveling of hy'ropover available from USBR, it
is prudent for NIPCO to secure additional generation resources.
Finally, any surplus capacity upon initial installation of Neal. No. 4
Unit would be available to other systems in the MARCA region on'a short-
term basis. *"'w"
Minimum system reserves required to maintain a reliable electric ser-
vice are generally considered to be in the range of 15 to 25 percent. In
order to assure the continued reliability of the systems sharing in the
output of the proposed unit, we conclude that additional capacity equiva-
lent to Neal Unit No. 4 is necessary by the summer of 1979 to satisfy
applicants' desired reserve margin criteria.
Very truly yours,
Orel E. IlauLadahl
Acting Regional Engineer
IX-18
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)
OFFICE
OF
:. ANN ING
.'•NO
BOX 94601 • STATE CAPITOL • LINCOLN, NEBRASKA • 6C509 • (402) 471 -".
Governor J. James Exon
S;a;e Planning Officer
W. Don NoJi
Director
November 15, 1976
Mr. Jerome Svore, Regional Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri
Dear Mr. Svore:
Under the provisions of OMB Circular A-95, this office has
completed a state level review of the draft environmental
impact statement for the George Neal Steam Electric
Generating Station, Unit 4.
The proposed project does not appear to be in conflict with
any state level comprehensive plans. No comments were re-
ceived during the review of the statement.
This letter completes the state clearinghouse review.
Sincerely,
rafrHn G. White
Natural Resources Coordinator
WGW/klf
IX-19
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-------
£
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' \ ',
: o ,
)
i S.
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f
•"N :
\^__s/
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s
"^
V^-X
ROBERT D. RAY
Governor
ROBERT F. TYSON
Director
STATE OF IOWA
Office for Planning and Programmm;
523 East 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319 Telephone 515/281-3711
STATE CLEARINGHOUSE
PROJECT NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW SIGNOFF
Date Received: October 19, 1976 State Application Identifier: 770448
Review Completed: November 9, 1976
APPLICANT PROJECT TITLE:
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, George Neal Steam Electric Generating Station
APPLICANT AGENCY:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Address Region VII, 1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
FEDERAL PROGRAM TITLE, AGENCY U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
AND CATALOG NUMBER:
AMOUNT OF FUNDS REQUESTED:
NA
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: ~ ~~ ——
This is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the George Neal Steam Electric
Generative Station, Unit 4.
The State Clearinghouse makes the following disposition concerning this application:
/ X/ No Comment Necessary. The application must be submitted as received by
the Clearinghouse with this form attached as evidence that the required
review has been performed.
/ / Comments are Attached. The application must be submitted with this form
plus the attached comments as evidence that the required review has been
performed.
STATE CLEARINGHOUSE COMMENTS
CH-14 Rev. 9-75
Federal Funds Coordinator
IX-21
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STATE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT OF IOWA
DIVISION OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION
ADRIAN D. ANDERSON. DIRECTOR
HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER
December 3, 1976
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Re: DRAFT Environmental Impact Statement for George Neal Steam Electric
Generating Station, Neal Unit #4.
Dear Mr. Svore:
The opportunity to review and comment on the above draft EIS is
appreciated.
If we have properly interpreted the EIS, construction for the above
project has been underway since March 1975 (page 1-2). This construction
apparently was started without the benefit of a cultural resources survey
being conducted to determine if potentially significant archaeological,
historical and architectural properties might be impacted as a result of
alterations to the 450 acre site.
We wish to point out what we consider to be inadequacies of sections
of the report pertaining to cultural resources.
A) Section III G; pages 100-102.
1. Reference to published and unpublished, literature utilized
in preparation of the section is not indicated. This makes
it difficult to evaluate the accuracy of the section.
2. Also lacking is any indication that a cultural resources
survey was made of the project site.
3. Apparently there is a misunderstanding of the applicability
of information provided from the Division's inventory. The
The Division has not and does not consider the available.
inventory data to be sufficiently complete to adequately
represent the potentially significant cultural resources in
this area. Nor has the Division ever advised any agency
that such data obviates the need for thorough, well-planned
and well-executed, cultural resources surveys, nor is this
data intended to be a surrogate of such surveys.
IX-23
3.13 MAC LEAN HALL . IOWA CITY. IOWA 52243
TELEPHONE 31 9-353-6949/31 9-353-41 86
-------
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Draft EIS George Neal Steam Electric
Generating Station.
December 3, 1976
Page 2
4. The information contained in Section III G-2 does, however,
represent what was available, to our knowledge, at the time
It is, however, inadequate.
5. Reference to a "historical, archaeological, and cultural
survey" (III page 102) does not pertain directly to the
impact of the above project since it concerns the proposed
Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreation Areas.
B) Section IV 1 (page 76).
6. The statement, "No historic, archeologic site...will be
adversely impacted by the transmission facilities", is
made. This should be modified to read, "No (known) historic
sites, archeologic sites...will be adversely impacted by
the transmission facilities."
Additional comments, relating to the assessment of potential impacts
on cultural resources, are as follows:
7. No surveys known to us have been made of the proposed or
alternate transmission line routes. There are no known
sites which would be impacted along these routes but this
does not obviate the need for surveys and such should be
done prior to approval.
8. Finally, consideration should be given to two steamboat
wrecks recorded to have occurred somewhere within two miles
of the transmission facility. Six additional wrecks are
reported to have occurred between Sioux City and Winnebago
Agency.
We hope the above comments will be of use in preparing the final EIS
of the above project and look forward to reviewing a much improved section
of the final statement.
Sincerely,
/JL, u.
Adrian D. Anderson, Director
State Historic Preservation Officer
ADA/af
cc: Wil.liam Butler, IAS, Denver
Chuck Spilker, National Advisory Council IX-24
on Historic Preservation
-------
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Office of the State Archaeologist
Eastlawn
(319) 353-5175, 353-5177
1847
January 3, 1977
Mr. Daniel A. Vallero
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
RE: George Neal Steam Electric Generating Station, Neal Unit 4
Dear Sir:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this report. Reference is made
in the report to the identification of historic and archaeological sites in
the vicinity of the project (Chapter III, Section G, 101-102). However, the
sources for this work are not cited in the bibliography.
Further it appears from the discussion of cultural resources that only a
literature search was done of the project area and not a cultural resource
reconnaissance survey. A literature search alone is not sufficient for
evaluating the potential impact on cultural resources that may be present
in the project area. Could you please clarify these matters?
We would also like written assurance that if no cultural resource field
survey has been done, that such a survey will be conducted with ample lead
time prior to the construction of the generating station.
Duane C. Anderson
State Archaeologist
DCA:bh
IX-25
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State UniVerSl'tlj of Science and Technology ||| | Ames. Iowa 50011
Department of Earth Sciences
253 Science Hall I
Telephone 515-294-4477
October 26, 1976
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Mo. 64108
Dear Mr. Svore:
In looking over the draft environmental impact statement for the
George Neal Steam Electric Generating Station, Neal Unit #4, I have
the following comments:
1. I did not see any reference to the coal pile runoff area
being sealed on the bottom. Therefore, any material that
filters through the coal pile will certainly move into the
ground water. The leachate developed as it moves through
the coal pile has a possibility of containing some of the
trace elements listed in the table in the report. Likewise,
I did not see any reference to the dissolved solids composition
of the coal pile runoff. I do not know exactly what this
is, but I have read reports where this concentration can be
extremely high.
2. The leaching potential of the ash ponds was discussed as
a possibility and that an analysis would be conducted to
determine this. I did not see any alternatives listed
should the results show that leaching does occur and that
the ground water does become contaminated by the leachate
produced from the ash ponds. It is important that a proper
ground water study be conducted to determine the potential
for contamination from these ponds and also from the coal pile.
I feel that the potential contamination of the ground water by
both the coal piles and leachate developed from ash ponds is an area
'hat needs to be investigated properly. I do not know of recent liter-
ature that addresses itself to this problem and would be very
IX-27
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Mr. Jerome H. Svore
October 26, 1976
Page 2
interested in seeing the data developed by consultants for the
owners of this new generating plant.
Sincerely,
Lyle V. A. Sendlein
Professor of Geology
LVAS:bd
IX-28
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(Confederation of C^nuironmental \JraanizationS
P.O. Box 1147 • Ames, Iowa 50010
December 16, 1976
Mr. Jerry Svore, Regional Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Impact Statement Program
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, MO 64108
Dear Mr. Svore;
Please accept these comments respectfully submitted in response to the Draft EIS
on the George Neal Electric Station #4.
We conclude that the major issue is the need for George Neal #4 which has not
been demonstrated by the acceptable techniques of demand forecasting. Also,
equally serious omissions are alternat iyes to construction, most particularly
load balancing efforts, peak pricing mechanisms and public information and
conservation program to reduce demand in the" residential and industrial
sector.
A principal concern with respect to the George Neal complex is the air pollution
impacts of the existing three units and the fourth unit as projected. Our
specific comments point out the inadequate considerations given to the economic-
ally most important pollutants and emphasize the failure of the draft EIS to
review the scientific data available as well as the episodes of crop damage
due to coal-fired plumes that have already been documented.
Other shortcomings in the EIS are evident, but time and resources prevent our
full review at this time.
S incerely yours,
James J. O'Toole
Act ing Cha i rman
Enclosures
IX-29
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ICEO December 16, 1976
ALTERNATIVES TO PLANT CONSTRUCTION
Under Sec. 102(c)(iii) of NEPA, the alternatives to the proposed project
have not been adequately explored. This fact is emphasized in the description
entitled, "Need for Power11 starting on page 1-9. Documentation for need does
not appear in MARCA projections. Such documentation, to be valid, requires
the support of econometric projection based on price/demand techniques of
analysis which are well established. In general, electric utility marketing
programs until recently have ignored these scientific techniques for project-
ing power demand, with the result that the mushrooming cost of power production
has generated spiralling rate increases. These rapid sequences of rate hikes
have resulted in decreasing electricity usage, consequent idle generating
capacity and dramatic loss of investor confidence in the utility industry.
Overcapacity and decreased earning in 197^ and 1975 led to a crisis. Accord-
ing to Bankers Trust Company of New York, "Probably no industry has come
closer to the edge of financial disaster."
This dilemma within the industry has been the result of casual and in-
adequate demand projections based on historical extrapolations in a market
that has changed dramatically. Since 1970 when the cost of electricity pro-
duction stopped its downward trend, considerable increases in production costs
due to rapid rises in the cost of installed kilowatt capacity combined with
decreasing availability factors of newer large units, have harnessed utility
customers with a legacy of debt for idle generating capacity. The present
situation calls for a new pricing philosophy based on equitable and sound
economic techniques of analysis. Applications of these techniques are no-
where in evidence in this Draft EIS of the Nea1 generating station.
Basically, two major considerations need to be addressed.
IX-30
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ICEO 2 December 16, 1976
1. Failure of historical pricing mechanisms to relay to the consumer
through price signals the costs of his service on the basis of time and
quantity of demand.
2. The failure to apply appropriate and established econometric tech-
niques of price/demand analysis to project future demand, so critical to
estimation of capacity needs.
Correction of the flaws in pricing mechanisms are being undertaken by
many utilities, principally through orders from their state utility commis-
sions (Wisconsin, Missouri, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Florida, etc.).
These corrective actions are reflected in efforts to initiate marginal cost
pricing and time of day pricing which in combination can convey accurate
price signals and improve load balancing over short, intermediate and long
run periods. To list these specific cases and techniques requires consid-
erable space, but the options are well described in recent orders of the
Wisconsin Public Service Commission and in the recorded testimony of Iowa
Commerce Commission hearings of December 7, '976. Excellent detailed testi-
money by recognized rate economists are readily available (Charles J.
Cicchetti in Pacific Gas & Electric Company application #5^279 before the
California Public Utilities Commission and in Madison Gas & Electric Company
Docket #2-11-7^23 of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission; also Fred J.
Wells in Docket #U-1933 before the Arizona Commission on behalf of Tucson
Public Power.) A brief report by J. Robert Malko, Chief Economist of the
Wisconsin Public Service Commission (Public Utilities Fortnightly, July 15,
1976) is attached which describes the philosophy and feasibility of marginal
cost pricing and time of use pricing now being initiated in Wisconsin.
Efficient load management cannot be achieved without accurate cost of
IX-31
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ICEO 3 December 16, 1976
service information and the fair allocation of those costs to the users
creating the demand. The present declining block rate structure in general
practice does just the opposite, it rewards the consumers creating peak de-
mand through subsidies paid by off-peak users. Such rate structures did
not appear inequitable when the cost and price of electricity were de-
clining due to economies of scale and other efficiencies. Since 1970,
however, the increasing costs of power have only emphasized the social
inequities and economic fallacy of declining block rates.
Perhaps the most serious omission in the Nea 1 EiS is the absence of
justification supported by valid data which would lend credence to growth
projections claimed. In particular, the three utilities (Iowa Public Service
Company, Interstate Power Company and Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative)
claiming the lion's share of the George Nea1 IV output disclose no infor-
mation on cost of service or load analysis to support the need for the new
station. Specific data are also lacking on the capital cost of George
Nea] IV, its anticipated capability factor and its impact on retail prices
of electricity in the residential and industrial service sectors.
Such data voids cannot be explained away by claiming lack of information.
In particular, the methods of forecasting demand based on the accepted pro-
cedures using economic models is by now a we 11-recognized technique in the
industry. A study published in 1975 by the Federal Power Commission demon-
strated that the projections of power consumption by the National Electric
Reliability Councils for 1980 were about 40% too high when econometric demand
analysis techniques were applied to each NERC. In particular, MARCA projections
were 49% too high. A copy of the report, "Electricity Demand; Project Inde-
pendence and the Clean Air Act", ORNL-NSF-EP-89 is attached. Overforecasting
IX-32
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I CEO k December 16, 1976
demand is a serious economic flaw, especially since debt retirement of
today's new facilities accounts for roughly 75-80% of the average bill.
Exhibit A is a list of references describing applications and results
of demand forecasting. We urge that these techniques be considered in de-
veloping an economically and socially acceptable procedure that can more
accurately assess the need for George Neal IV.
The Neal Draft EIS does not adequately report upon nor discuss the
data used as the basis for projecting demand in the MARCA and MAPP region
as indicated in the EIS.
We anticipate that, to a large extent, the data necessary to accurate
demand forecasting is in the files of the utilities but additional data may
be required to apply the appropriate forecasting technique referred to in
our Exhibit A. The data needed for this type of analysis is well expressed
in the statement (Exhibit B) by Mr. Robert 0. Marritz, executive director of
the Missouri Basin Systems Group and in Exhibit C by Mr. Roy B. Hurlbut,
utility specialist and energy adviser. These two exhibits are taken from
testimony presented to the Iowa Commerce Commission at its hearing on
December 7, 1976. We urge that the data needs described in these two state-
ments be obtained and a re-evaluation of need for George Neal |y be made on
the basis of professional econometric analysis. NEPA is very clear in empha-
sizing that all agencies "Utilize a systematic, interdisciplinary approach...
in decision making."(102A) CEQ Guidelines (38 Fed Reg 20550-20562, 1973)
express the responsibilities of Federal agencies to develop a "rigorous ex-
ploration and objective evaluation of the environmental impacts of all
reasonable alternative actions, particularly those that might enhance environ-
mental quality or avoid some or all of the adverse environmental effects, is
IX-33
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I CEO 5 December 16, 19?6
essential." 1500.8(4). It is apparent that in the failure to treat the
issues of demand forecasting and the application of marginal cost pricing and
time of use pricing, viable alternatives, which might result in postponing
or cancelling this economically and environmentally costly generating capac-
ity, were precluded from consideration. We urge this omission be rectified
in a supplemental draft EIS.
ENERGY CONSERVATION OPTIONS
The role of energy conservation has been ignored in the Neal EIS.
Options to save energy in electric power consumption are many and varied.
The environmental and health costs of fossil fuel combustion are well docu-
mented in EPA and CEO. publications. The political implications of energy
saving have been emphasized in Project Independence reports and Federal
Energy Administration literature. The economic burden in higher utility
bills to consumers caused by the new George Neal IV station are not analyzed
in relation to the potential savings to be gained from conservation techniques.
It is obvious that any program of conservation requires some investment.
What is needed in this case is a Cost/Benefit analysis of alternatives
which in fact are called for under CEQ. guidelines.
Conservation measures should be considered in two general ways;
(1) greater efficiencies at the same level of consumption, and (2) modifi-
cations of technology and/or practice which decrease total energy consumption.
The first approach can be achieved through load balancing and full
substitution. Load balancing had been effectively demonstrated in peak
load pricing techniques in Vermont and is now underway in Wisconsin and
planned by several other states. Pennsylvania Electric Company simply
through a publicity campaign aimed at reducing residential peaks, realized a
IX-34
-------
ICEO 6 December 16, 1976
22% improvement with a $700,000 saving. Fuel substitution using the more
efficient fossil fuels for hot water and space heating as opposed to
electric is capable of reducing peaks as well as total use.
Information on appliance efficiency is a valuable help in consumer se-
lection of high wattage units. Air conditioners are a prime target since
they create the summer peaks in midwest residential demand. A study of a
Missouri service area showed that replacing all air conditioners of low
efficiency with the most efficient models available would be a cheaper option
than building the power plant required to meet the rising demand created by
the old air conditioner peak.
Such options for conservation should be analyzed on a cost/benefit basis
of KW of demand saved vs newly installed generation capacity. The response
of industrial customers in Iowa to load management programs is proved by
the successful test run by IPALCO to reduce load of 15 large consumers in
the summer of 1975. The projected periods of high demand were relayed to
the cusomters who were given credit for reducing their demand. Peak power
was reduced by 3521 KW at a cost of $10,563 in credits. Contrast this to an
installed cost of $800/kw which would require a capital investment of 2.8
million dollars. In summary, we urge that conservation alternatives be
initiated and developed under guidelines of the Energy Conservation Act of
1976 and the assistance of other Federal, state and private parties as
directed under NEPA and CEQ. Guidelines. The alternative of "Not Providing
Power", p. yl of the EIS, is a wholly inadequate statement in addressing
the alternatives contained in para. 102(c)2(iii) of NEPA.
IX-35
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7 December 16, 1976
AIR EMISSIONS
In estimating air emissions, first order consideration is coal composition.
In the EIS, p. II-3, the presently operating Neal Units 1-3 are described as
using Hanna Wyoming coal with an average sulfur content of 0.6%. This coal
created an emission rate of 1.3 Ib/mB which is permissible for old sources
but would not be for new sources. Over on p. IV 56 an inconsistency appears
when the typical S content is said to be 0.32%. This, we presume, is the
same Wyoming coal source. Such casual use of analytical data is unacceptable
for several reasons.
1. Sufficient replicates of coal should be analyzed to provide a variance
and confidence level of analysis.
2. Coal should be sampled in the prescribed manner throughout the seam
and throughout the seam face in order to provide a measure of the variance
of the chemical constituents due to the naturally occurring compositional
differences. Adequate chemical data have been reported on Western coals to
demonstrate large naturally occurring chemical variances within a seam on
both vertical and horizontal axes. In the case of sulfur, this variance can
be threefold. It is therefore possible for George Neal IV to exceed Federal
emission standards for extended periods when higher sulfur areas are encountered.
Unless more definitive evidence is presented to assure compliance, we urge
scrubbers be installed.
The emission of minor constituents released either as a gas or particle
has not been treated adequately. The toxicity of many of these elements
is well known, e.g., the heavy metals Pb, Cd, As, Se, Hg, etc., and the
lighter elements Be and F. The mass balance of these elements through the
plant should be considered in detail. There is a sequestration process
IX-36
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ICEO
8 December 16, 1976
taking place in all coal-fired plants. Some elements are found enriched
in bottom ash while some are enriched in stack gases and fly ash. The
trend for many toxic elements to become enriched in the small participate
size (.1 to 1 micron) of fly ash poses respiratory threats since they
reach the lung alveoli. Even though these particulate releases may meet
emission standards, they add to air shed loads since they are capable of
being transported large distances. These incremental pollutant loads
added to urban air sheds should be discussed in relationship to the findings
of EpA's CHESS report. Such factors also should be considered on a Cost/
Benefit basis.
Of these minor elements, fluorine poses a very great threat to vege-
tation. It is 100 to 1000 times as toxic as sulfur dioxide and the sulfur/
fluorine ratio in Western coal makes fluorine a greater threat to sensitive
native and agricultural plant species than sulfur. The phytotoxic effects
of fluorine were discussed by Gordon et_ £_]_. at the American Chemical Society
Symposium on Fluorine Compounds in the Environment, 8/31/76 at San Francisco,
California. We urge that direct data on fluorine concentrations in the air
and environment of George Neal units 1-3 be determined. The environmental
sampling program reported by Gordon in Montana showed fluorine accumulation
and significant pathology to native vegetation in the vicinity of a 180 MW
power plant burning Rosebud seam coal, a "typical11 Western low sulfur coal.
The impact of 1573 MW of George Neal 1-4, by comparison, approaches an order
of magnitude greater threat.
EIS p. IV-63, Effects on Terrestrial Biota
This section, which deals with potential impacts of very significant
economic importance, is deficient in addressing the known scientific facts
IX-37
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I CEO 9 December 16, 1976
about sulfur dioxide pollution. It also attempts in the opening paragraph
to place this serious plant toxin in a favorable light by suggesting a
minor and debatable benefit. Indeed, the fact that leaf stomata take up
SO,, is the principal explanation for the first step in the toxicity chain
of events.
The conclusion on p. IV 63, "it appears unlikely that the predictable
maximum annual concentrations from George Neal Units 1-4 will injure flora
of the site and surrounding region" is made in the face of scientific evi-
dence to the contrary. Much is made of the data projected from diffusion
modelling which would support the hypothesis that emissions from all four
units will meet ambient and emission regulations. In the first place, we
believe that these projections are inadequate substitution for sufficient
field observations which should have been underway at sites 1-3 and carried
out in a more purposeful scientific design. Even dismissing this criticism,
however, the facts under consideration in the NEPA process are not simply
compliance with regulations, but the estimation of any impact this project
will produce irrespective of regulations. The following observations amplify
the impacts of sulfur dioxide and emphasize the omissions of these important
data in the draft EIS.
1. The sensitivity of economically important crops in this area, corn
and beans, has been demonstrated in controlled experiments at S0_ levels
well below even secondary standards. In 1966-7, the National Air Pollution
Control Administration carried out greenhouse studies in Kansas City on
sensitive plant species including corn and beans. The experimental plots
were grown in an atmosphere whose S0» levels during the growing season were
below Federal ambient standards. Nevertheless, plant growth was suppressed
25-50% compared with controls.
IX-38
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ICEO 10 December 16, 1976
2. Serious fumigation episodes at Mount Storm, West Virginia in 1972
and Kyger Creek, West Virginia in 1973 caused extreme foliar damage. In
July of 1971 and twice during 197*1, the plume of the TVA 1750 MW Shawnee
plant fumigated at acute levels affecting 26,400 acres of soybeans in 1971
and 41,800 of vegetation in 1974. EPA representatives made field obser-
vations during these episodes and a full description including the potential
for similar impacts at the George Nea] site should be presented. In ad-
dition, the comments of Dr. Clarence C. Gordon, Plant Pathologist, Univers-
ity of Montana, Missoula, who investigated and reported on these episodes,
should be sought.
3. The National Environmental Research Laboratory of EPA has been con-
ducting Zonal Air Pollution research with SO. at their Montana study site.
Results of these studies should be obtained and the data, where possible,
used in evaluating vegetative impacts at the George Neal site.
4. The section on acid rain (EIS, p. IV-67) is a vague and incomplete
description of the scientific knowledge and true impacts of acid rain.
Since 1952, European investigators have carried out precipitation chemistry
studies throughout western Europe. These studies, which are reported in
over 100 scientific articles, demonstrate rather vividly that acid rain
primarily caused by atmospheric emissions of the industries of Germany,
France, and England have caused in the past and are currently causing a
serious impact upon the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems of Norway and
Sweden. A condensed version of what is currently knownabout acid precip-
itation and its effect on ecosystems can be found in a 1976 USDA 1,074-page
publication (Technical Report NE-23), "Proceedings of the First Internationa]
Symposium on Acid Precipitation and the Forest Ecosystem." It is imperative
IX-39
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I CEO 11 December 16, 1976
that the EIS writers obtain this publication and attempt to relate the known
data to the potential S0_ and NCL emissions to be released from stacks of
George Neal units ]-k. In amplifying further the specific impacts on
plants of acid rain, we suggest the report of Gordon in "Proceedings of
Fort Union Coal Field Symposiurn V25-26/75" at Eastern Montana College,
Billings, be reviewed. Also important is Gordon's testimony before the
Montana Energy Siting Board in 197^~75- The need for a rainwater monitoring
program to determine the acid rain potential of the currently operating
George Neal Units 1-3 is essential. It should have been initiated at least
by the Spring of 1976 when NEPA procedures began to be applied. The entire
on-site monitoring program for providing needed data on the phytotoxic pol-
lutants is inadequate. We urge that steps be taken to design a program
that will provide sufficient data to establish a benefit/cost analysis on
potential economic impacts to agricultural crops resulting from the George
Neal complex.
The effects of air pollutants on higher animals starting on p. IV 69 of
the draft EIS omits impacts on man. Perhaps the reasoning here is that the
primary ambient air regulations of the Clean Air Act cover adequately such
impacts. In our interpretation of NEPA, such is not the case. CEQ. guide-
lines emphasize the importance of detailed considerations of all impacts.
In the case of the George Neal plume, the annual loads of pollutants released
are huge and may increase. The ultimate fate of these pollutants, SCL, F,
NO particulates with toxic trace elements, have to be evaluated carefully
/\
and their potential effects discussed. These pollutants in part are de-
posited locally, yet the bulk of all are transported considerable distances
off site. They may be ultimately precipitated by wet and dry deposition
IX-40
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ICEO 12 December 16, 1976
processes, arriving at target sites which may be highly sensitive or re-
fractory. At any rate, they contribute to pollutant loads in adjoining
air sheds and such incremental threats to human health, biota, and materials
are not insignificant by any means. These effects should be evaluated.
The atmospheric modelling and Benefit/Cost analysis technique of EPA are
capable of providing such information. Such concepts are already incorpor-
ated into the non point source philosophy. Through these and the previously
cited considerations, the provision of NEPA can receive the substantive
response it demands and the ultimate best alternative rationally adopted.
(/ James j. O'Toole
Act ing Cha i rman
Iowa Confederation of
Environmental Organizations
IX-41
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-------
//
LIST OF INFERENCES
1. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, "Annual U.S.
Energy Use Drops Again," News Release, April 5i 1976, Table 9.
2. Energy Policy Project, A Time to Choose; America's Energy Future,
Ballinger Publishing Co., Cambridge, Mass., 1974, pp 13.
3. Dupree, G,, Jr. and Corsentino, J.S,, U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Mines, United States Energy Through the
Year 2000, (revised), December, 1975, pp 4-5.
4. U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration, A National
Plan for Energy Research, Development and Demonstration: Creating
Energy Choices for the Future, Vol. 1, U.S. Government Printing
Office, 1975, PP S-4 through S-6, figures 4-2 and B-14, Table B-5.
5. federal Energy Administration, "National Energy Outlook,"
February, 1976, pp 2?6.
6, Mooz, W.E., and Mow, C.C., "California's Electricity Quandaryi
Estimating Future Demand," The Rand Corp., (K-1084-NSF/CSRA),
September, 1972.
7. Daly, H.E., "Energy Demand Forecasting," Minnesota Energy Project,
December, 1974.
8. Council of Environmental Duality, "Conditions and Trends," The
Seventh Annual Report of the CEQ, U.S. Government Printing Office,
September, 1976, pp 189.
9. Laitner, S., Motion in the Natter of Iowa Power and Light Company
Application for Revision of Kates, Docket No. U-526, September 17,
1976.
10. Iowa State Commerce Commission, "kWh Growth Rate- Iowa Electric
Utilities for the first eight months of 1976," Press Release,
October 21, 1976.
11. Iowa Energy Poicy Council, Ei'KRGY; 19?6, Second Annual Report,
PP 53.
12. #2-pp 133 and #B-pp 188.
13. Chapman, L.D., Ackland, G.G., and Mount, T.D., "Electricity
Demand: Project Independence and the Clean Air Act," Oak Ridge
National Laboratory-NSF, (EP-89), November, 1975, pp 11-12.
14. Chapman, D., Tyrol1, T., and Mount, T., "Electricity Demand
Growth and the Energy Crisis," Science, Vol. 178, November 17,
1972, pp 704-705.
IX-43
- 27 -
-------
15. WIT Energy Laboratory, Policy Study Group, Project Independence,
Cambridge, Mass., March, 197.4.
16, U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs,
"Summary Report of the Cornell Workshop on Energy and the
Environment," sponsored by NSF, 92nd Congress, May, 1972, pp 137.
17. Regional Economic Analysis l>ivision, Survey of Current Business 54.
19-45, April, 1974.
18. Federal Power Commission, 1970 National Power Survey, "The
Methodology of Load Froecasting-," Part IV.
19. Chateau, Bertrand, "The Methodology of Long Term Forecasting i
Limitations of Traditional Methods and 'Proposals," University of
Grenoble, France, presented to a conference on Energy System
Forecasting at the University of Wisconsin, Sept. -Oct., 1974.
20, Dubin, Fred S,, "Analysis of Energy Use on Long Island."
21. Fisher, F.M., and Kaysen, C.A., A Study in Econometrics i The
Demand for Electricity in the United States. North Holland
Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 1962.
22. Houthakker, H.S. and Taylor, L.D., Consumer Demand in the
United States , 2nd edition, Harvard Press, Cambridge, 1970.
23. Wilson, J.W., "Residential Demand for Electricity,"
Review of Economics and Business, Vol. 11, No. 1, Spring, 1971.
pp 7-22.
24. Anderson, K.P., "Toward Econometric Estimation of Industrial
Energy Demand! An Experimental Application to the Primary Metals
Industry," The Rand Corp., (R-719-NSF), December, 1971.
25. Houthakker, H.S., Verleger, P.K. andSheehan, D.P., "Dynamic
Demand Analysis for Gasoline and Residential Electricity,"
Data Resources, Inc., Lexington, Mass., 1973«
26. Levy, Paul F. , "The Residential Demand for Electricity in New
England," MIT Energy Lab, (PB-227-172) , Cambridge, Mass.,
November, 1973.
27. Venegas, E.G., "Energy Demand Forecasting at the State Level-
The Minnesota Approach," Minnesota Energy Agency, March , 1976.
28. Mooz, W.E., "Projecting California's Electrical Energy Demand,"
The Rand Corp., Santa 1-ionica, California, January, 1973i
IX-44
- 28 -
-------
29. Mooz, W.E., Mow, C.C., and Anderson, K.P., "A Methodology for
Projecting the Electrical Energy Demand of the Residential Sector
in California," The Rand Corp., (R-995-NSF/CSRA), March, 1973.
30. Mow, C.C. and Mooz, W.E., "A Mehtodology for Projecting the
Electrical Energy Demand of the Manufacturing Sector in California,"
The Rand Corp., (R-991-NSF/CSRA), January, 1973.
31. Mow, C.C, and Mooz, W.E., "A Methodology for Projecting the
Electrical Energy Demand of the Commercial Sector in California,"
The Rand Corp., (R-1106-NSF/CSRA), March, 1973.
32. Berlin, E. , Cicchetti, C.J., and Setlen, W.J., "Perspective on
Power « A Study of the Regulation and Pricing of Electrical Power,"
Ballinger Publishing Co., Cambridge, Mass.,
33. Nelson, D.C., "A Study of the Elasticity of Demand for Electricity
by Residential Consumers: Sample Markets in Nebraska,"
Land Economics, February, 1965, PP 92-96.
34. Cargill, T.E. and Meyer, R. A., "Estimating the Demand for Electricity
by Time of Day," Applied Economics. Vol. 3» 1971, PP 233-246.
35. Herman, M.B. and Hammer, M.J., "The Impact of Electricity Price
Increases on Income Groups: A Case Study of Los Angeles," The
Rand Corp., (R-1102-NSF/CRSA) , March, 1973.
36. Barman, M.B. and Tihansky, D.D., "The Impact of Electricity Price
Increases on Income Groups i Western United States and California,"
The Rand Corp., (R-1050-NSF/CRSA) , November, 1972.
37. California Legislature, Assembly Bill No. 1575, Chapter 276,
subchapter 4, Planning and Forecasting, January 7, 1975.
38. Connecticut Legislature, Public Act No. 73-458, Senate Bill
No. 2203, October 1, 1973.
39. Wyoming Power Advisory Council.
40. Minnesota Legislature, Minnesota Power Plant Siting Act,
S.F. No. 2115, section 4, (ll6C,54).
41. New Hampshire Legislature, Chapter 162-F, 1971.
42. Taylor, C.D., "The Demind for Electricity! A Survey,"
The Ball Journal of Economics, Vol. 6, No. 1, Spring, 1975.
- 29 -
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3
Testimony of Robert 0. Marritz
In the Matter of Regulations Proposed
By the Iowa State Commerce Commission
For "Location and Construction of
Electric Power Generating Facilities"
DOCKET NO.
RMU-76-3
My name is Robert 0. Marritz. I reside at 706 Lake Washing-
ton Boulevard South, Seattle, Washington 98144.
For the past ten years I was employed as Executive Director and
Staff Counsel of the Missouri Basin Systems Group (MBSG), with
offices in Lakewood, Colorado. MBSG is a regional electric power
supply planning and pooling group composed of 120 consumer-owned
electric systems and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. MBSG member
systems serve portions of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, The Dakotas,
Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and Iowa.
In my capacity with MBSG I was responsible for supervising
planning studies to determine future power supply requirements of
MBSG members. I have also represented MBSG members in engineering
and economic studies involving other utilities and groups, including
at least one of inter-regional scope.
My most recent activity with MBSG, relating to planning of gen-
erating facilities, involved the Missouri Basin Power Project
(MBFP). The project is comprised of the 1500 megawatt Laramie
ix-47
-------
-2-
River Station and an extensive 230 and 345 kilovolt transmission
system. It is located in southeast Wyoming and will come on line
between 1980 and 1984. Between 1973 and 19-76 I was very actively
• f
involved in project planning as Chairman of the Project Management
Committee, Project Coordinator and as ex officio member of the
Engineering and Operating Committee. I also participated in Siting
Studies and other analyses leading to sizing and location of the
required facilities.
I am a graduate electrical engineer (BSEE, 1961) from the
University of Pennsylvania, and hold a law degree (LL.B., 1965)
from the George Washington University. I am a member of the bars
of the State of Colorado and the District of Columbia.
This testimony is being submitted at the request of the
Iowa Energy Foundation.
IX-48
-------
-3-
Information Required to Plan
Power Supply Facilities
»
In order to determine the specific increments of electric
generating facilities required to meet anticipated requirements,
it is necessary to assemble and analyze various historic and pro-
jected data. In my experience, these data should include, among
others:
(l) system peak demand, by season or month, for approximately
the past ten years;
(2) total system energy consumption, by season or month, for
the past ten years;
(3) forecasted total system peak demand, by season or month,
for the ensuing ten to fifteen years;
(4) forecasted total system energy consumption, by season or
month, for the ensuing ten to fifteen years;
(5) for data in (1) through (4) above, actual and forecasted
requirements data for residential, commercial and industrial
consumers;
(6) for each of the past ten years, naneplate kilowatts and
actual kilowatt hours generated for each generating unit, with
class (baseload, intermediate or peaking) and type of generation
(e.g., coal, nuclear, gas, oil, or hydro) indicated;
(7) for each of the ensuing ten to fifteen years, nameplate
kilowatts and projected kilowatt-hours to be generated for each
existing and planned unit, with class and type of generation
indicated;
ix-49
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-4-
(8) for each of the past ten years, a load-duration curve for
the system's demand;
t
(9) for each of the ensuing ten to fifteen years, a load-
duration curve for the system's projected demand; and
(10) an analysis of hourly, daily, monthly and seasonal system
load trends, including information on the bases and methodology
for projections made in (3), (4), and (5) above.
The above data, particularly that encompassed by (1) through
(4) and (7) would be necessary, in my view, to a utility planning
additional generation. Specifically, projected capacity (kw) and
energy (kwh) data are both required, as well as historical data,
to analyze the type of generation increment which should be con-
sidered by a utility. (Projected capacity and energy data was,
I might add, furnished the Wyoming Public Service Commission by
the applicants in the Missouri Basin Power Project.)
As one example of why both capacity and energy data are re-
quired, a projected deficiency of 500 megawatts does not necessarily
imply a requirement for a 500 megawatt net block of baseload gen-
erating capacity. Depending upon the indicated associated energy
requirement, tne utility's need might be met by 500 mw of peaking
capacity, or some mix of baseload, intermediate and peaking.
ix-50
-------
QUALIFICATION^ OF ROY B. HURLBUT
Roy B. Hurlbut, ^alem, Oregon, is a utility specialist
and energy adviser, with over twenty years of experience, most
of which was in the private utility area. He is co-author with
Battelle Labs of the Oregon Energy Stuqy, a comprehensive study
of the energy demand, energy resources, and the social and envi-
ronmental impact of energy resource utilization; Demandf Supply,
ana Price—a Plan Tor OptimumJSnergy Planning (197^'), and has
testified as an expert witness in numerous rate cases before
regulatory bodies. Mr. Hurlbut received his BSEE degree in 1962
from Heala College, and his MBA in 1968 from the University of
San Francisco. In 1973 he completed the NARUC course on Utility
Economics ana Regulation at Michigan State University. Mr.
Hurlout is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers (IEEE) ana the National Association of Business Econ-
IX-51
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STATEMENT OF ROY B. HURLBUT
My name is Roy B. Hurlbut, my aaaress is 804 Faymar Drive NE,
Salem, Oregon 97303. I have been asked by the Iowa Energy Foundation
to review the proposed Iowa ^tate Commerce Commission's draft rules
(Commerce Commission 250 - Chapter 24) for the purpose of any addi-
tions or cnanges to these rules which will be the basis for utility
filing requirements in the State of Iowa.
A. THE NEED FOR IMPROVED ENERGY PROJECTION
Faulty forecasting and improper utility plant utilization
are causing the energy consumer to pay higher utility bills. Study
the forecasts. First, energy usage has been running below expecta-
tion on a national level. As electricity usage falls, revenues
decline faster than costs, so utilities wind up with less profit,
or, in some cases, a loss. Then, the utility must go before the
state regulatory commission to request rate relief. Second, util-
ities have historically added new plant to meet peak. This results
in much idle capacity and increased expenses, which means higher
rates for consumers, as well as capital funding problems for util-
ities .
The first of these dilemmas, i.e., faulty forecasting, can
be resolved to a great extent cy having utility filing Requirements
which give proper definition to each of these categories.
This information, for the most part, can be found in the
Form 1 and Form 12 utilities submit to the Federal Power Commission.
ix-52
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The alleviation of the plant utilization problem can be
resolvea, to a great extent, with loaa management. Regulatory
agencies, such as the Central Vermont Public Service Corporation
and the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, have both directed
that utilities devise rates for electricity at a rate closely
•
related to the cost of producing and supplying it.
B. DEMAND VS. RATES
One fact that utilities (for the most part) have failed to
aaaress is the elasticity of demand, and as the consumer pays more
and more for his energy, he will, out of economic necessity, con-
sume less. In the meantime, utilities are sticking to their fore-
casts, stating the present dip is only a temporary perturbation.
Large capital budgets, the sine qua non for rate increases, are
being expanded to meet what utilities assume will be a doubling in
demand in the next 10 years. The obvious inequities in pricing
policies by some state regulators, which place industrial rates
below average bus bar cost of production, result in the residential
users subsidizing the industrial customers.
The need to select the best energy alternatives with the
least environmental affects should be pursued.
All of these problems can be lessened to a great extent by
better planning ana more detailed filings.
The basic information to be compiled should be:
1. The nature and extent of the energy supply situation.
2. The projected availability ana cost .:"or different
types of energy.
5- Technical alternatives available now, or predictea at
some future date, and economic ana environmental impacts on the
various alternatives. ix-53
-------
4. The effect of existing ana projected safety ana en-
vironmental standards.
This inquiry should be divided into three phases:
Phase 1 should be 'summary presentation of anticipated
future energy requirements of Iowa electric and gas consumers,
together with utility plans for meeting these requirements, which
should be made by Doth public and private utilities. It is
important to note that the impact of elasticity of demand should
be shown in Phase 1.
Phase 2 should be present and future alternatives, includ-
ing types of present and future energy generation productions
alternatives, and types and cost of fuels available now and in the
future.
Phase g should be comments of other concerned agencies,
individuals, and groups on the information presented in Phase L.
In addition to the need for better long-range planning.
is the need to make industry more .efficient. The large manufac-
turers of electrical machines have not moved fast enough. Energy
conservation must be a way of life, an ever present life style.
Penalties for over-use should be dispensed with the same dispatch
as a traffic policeman handing out a ticket for speeding. Off-
peak consumption of power should be encouraged by establishing
ofr-peak rates. This shift would level the peaks, reducing the
capacity needs of the over-all system.
The Iowa ^tate Commerce Commission can, and should, take
an active part in trie planning of the over-all energy needs of
the state,,
IX-54
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RESPONSES
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
COMMENT li We note from Exhibit 1-A-2 that the project is
approximately one-third complete. As a result, many
decisionmaker options have been foreclosed and the utility of an
environmental statement at this point in project development
greatly reduced. Especially significant is the elimination of
opportunities to implement the alternatives discussed in Chapter
V with the exception of those mentioned in Section D. For
example, further consideration of alternate plant sites and
alternatives to a once-through cooling system are precluded.
RESPONSE: The on-going construction has limited many
alternative options. However, in view of the information
outlined in Chapter I, the necessity for increased generation
capacity requires the plant to be on line by 1979. Therefore, in
order to meet power quotas and schedules, construction of Neal
Unit 4 has continued.
COMMENT 2: The environmental statement should recognize that
the "Browns Lake (Bigelow Park)" briefly described on page
III-105 has received matching assistance from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund for the development of public recreation
facilities. Although it appears that no land will be taken from
this park, the applicant should be aware that this area is
subject (in its entirety) to the provisions of Section 6(f) of
the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, as amended. This
section of the Act requires that changes from the recreational
use of the land be approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
RESPONSE: Chapter III of the Final EIS has been modified to
include this information.
COMMENT 3: We suggest that the noise impact on recreation on
and around Browns Lake during construction be evaluated. In
addition, the statement should include a non-technical discussion
of the noise impact of plant operation on both the Snyder Bend
and Browns Lake recreation areas.
RESPONSE; The evaluation of noise impact at Brown's Lake and
the Snyder-Winnebago Recreation Areas during the construction
period is provided in Section IV-G. The location of the
recreation areas with respect to the plant site and the range of
expected noise has been described.
COMMENT jU^ The discussion on page IV-92 suggests that the
noise level in the Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreation Area will
IX-55
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substantially exceed the maximum noise level found to permit
residential outdoor enjoyment. Therefore, the conclusion on page
IV-93 that plant operation "... should not have a significant
adverse noise impact on the surrounding area" seems unwarranted.
RESPONSE: The comment is valid and the conclusion in Chapter
IV (p. IV-93) has been changed. It was based on conservatively
high noise level estimates resulting from unsilenced induced
draft fans. The applicant has made provisions to install noise
abatement devices for those fans, if, after the plant's operation
has commenced, noise levels are found to be unacceptable. Page
IV-93 has been changed to read "In conclusion, plant operation
and maintenance activities at Neal Unit 4 may have an adverse
noise impact on the surrounding area due to estimated noise
levels of unsilenced induced draft fans."
COMMENT 5: The statement should evaluate impacts on the
vegetation, wildlife, and water quality in nearby recreation
areas resulting from atmospheric emissions. Where scientific
knowledge is inadequate to make accurate predictions, estimates
should be given based on observations of impacts resulting from
emissions from Neal Units 1-3.
RESPONSE: Impact evaluation as a result of atmospheric
emissions in the Neal area has been based on predictive
methodology utilizing a computerized atmospheric diffusion model.
This model employs plant design and operating parameters for Neal
Units 1-4 and a full year of surface and ground level data.
Calculations of plant emissions were made for a number of points
within 10 kilometers of the site which includes Brown's Lake and
Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreation areas. Using these data, the
expected impacts on vegetation and wildlife are discussed in
Section IV-5.
The effects of atmospheric emissions on water quality in the
recreation areas will not be adversely affected. Effects of acid
rain on the pH of the lakes in the vicinity of Neal Unit 4
(Snyder Bend and Brown's Lake) should be minimal due to the
apparent buffering capacity of the lakes, the alkalinity of the
soils, and the fact the Neal boiler stacks are the only
predominant source of SO2 in the vicinity of the site.
COMMENT _6r_ Also, we believe that the final environmental
statement should include a discussion and worst condition
analysis of the cumulative impact of noise, visual intrusion, and
atmospheric emissions of all four Neal Units and the transmission
line on the continued recreational utility of the Browns Lake and
Snyder-Winnebago recreation areas.
RESPONSE: Information with respect to the impact significance
to the Brown's Lake and Snyder-Winnebago Recreation areas of
IX-56
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noise, visual intrusion and atmospheric emissions from Neal Units
1-U is included in Sections IV-F and G.
COMMENT 7; Information presented in the statement contradicts
the conclusion on page V-12 that "the proposed activities would
be compatible with the present land use practice of the area."
EESPONSE: Neal Unit 4 is consistent with zoning and
industrial development in the Port Neal Industrial District,
which is specifically zoned for heavy industrial use.
Information regarding other industrial establishments and usage
in the district is provided in Section III-H-3.
COMMENT 8; Noise, aesthetic, and air quality impacts on nearby
parklands appear to be significant and are in need of a more
complete evaluation.
RESPONSE; Impacts to be incurred in the vicinity surrounding
the site with respect to noise, aesthetics, and air quality are
discussed in Chapter IV, Sections G, A and F, and A and C,
respectively.
COMMENT 9: It is unclear from the discussion on page III-102
whether the cultural resource survey undertaken in May, 1973,
included the proposed George Neal Steam Electric Generating
Station, Unit U, as well as the proposed Snyder-Winnebago Bends
Recreation Area. In the event that the 1973 inventory included
the Unit U project area, the statement should provide detailed
information concerning the inventory and analysis of cultural
resources within the affected area, including a description of
the survey methods utilized and extent of archeological testing.
Complete coverage of the entire project area including access
roads and transmission facilities by a professional archeologist
is necessary.
RESPONSE^: Refer to response to the State Historical
Department of Iowa. Monitoring by a qualified professional for
the occurrence of unknown archeological resources during
construction are being arranged by the applicant.
COMMENT JO: Copies of correspondence with the State Historic
Preservation Officer (Mr. Adrian Anderson, Division of Histroic
Preservation, B-13 MacLean Hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242) and the
State Archeologist (Dr. Duane C. Anderson, 21 MacLean Hall,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242) should be included
within the statement. The statement should further reflect
procedures to be followed should previously unknown archeological
resources be encountered during project development.
RESPONSE: Refer to comment letter and response to comments
submitted by State Historical Department of Iowa.
IX-57
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COMMENT 11: We understand that the best possible methods will
be used so that impingement on aquatic life will be kept at a
minimum. This is commendable but it is quite certain that the
entrainment will be of a greater magnitude than that described in
the draft environmental statement. Species composition of fishes
found at other Missouri River generating stations do not compare
favorably with data gathered for the George Neal Station. A fair
-job has been done in qualifying the fishes that will be lost
during the once-through cooling process; a poor job has been done
in quantifying these losses. Numbers of fishes are of little use
for entrainment studies when these numbers are not correlated
with volumes of water sampled. The draft environmental statement
should identify the problems of entrainment in a more definitive
manner and describe what is to be done to lessen the impacts
resulting from this type of cooling process. Two methods of
mitigating the losses could be considered. One is to limit the
velocities of water withdrawn and a second is to limit the times
that the water is withdrawn both seasonally and diurnally.
Potential mitigating measures of this nature should be discussed
in the final statement.
RESPONSE: The Final EIS discusses a program of study to
further evaluate the loss of larval fish and the subsequent
impact of this loss on the aquatic community of the Missouri
River. If this loss is shown to be significant and detrimental
to the aquatic community, the operational changes outlined in
Section V-D of the Final EIS and other measures to minimize the
impacts will be considered.
It is EPA1s position that the loss of larval fish and other
planktonic organisms via entrainment is primarily related to the
volume of water used for condenser cooling and not by the
velocity of water withdrawn. The alternative of reducing
velocity to minimize entrainment losses is not considered
beneficial and, therefore, is not discussed in the final
statement.
COMMENT J2: We are concerned that seepage from the ash disposal
area and the coal storage area will contaminate the groundwater.
Page V-U4 indicates that linings under the coal storage area and
the solid waste disposal area are not considered necessary.
Likewise the liner for the coal runoff pond will not be installed
at this time but will be considered later, if necessary. Little
information is provided in the draft statement to support these
decisions. More detailed justification for the conclusions
should be given in the final statement.
The proper analysis of the impacts of leachates from the ash
ponds should be provided. The suggested use of data from
existing ash ponds seems appropriate if similar coals have been
used in the existing units; we believe, however, that data to be
IX-58
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used should include information on effects on the ground water
beneath the existing ash ponds in order to provide a firm basis
for anticipating or predicting effects. The ground water impact
analysis should also include consideration of effects from
infiltration of chemicals from the retention ponds A and B
discussed on page 11-35.
Monitoring programs to determine the impacts on ground water in
the ash disposal and coal storage areas should be described in
the final statement with specific indication of the mitigating
measures the applicant is prepared to implement if contamination
of the ground water is significant.
RESPONSE: Possible surface and/or ground water degradation
resulting from the coal and ash handling systems is of concern.
The NPDES permit will be conditioned to assure compliance with
the Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxic Substances Act, EPA Qualify
Criteria for Water, and Iowa State Water Quality Standards.
Surface and ground water monitoring will be implemented by the
applicant and supervised by EPA to develop baseline and
operational data.
COMMENT 13: In the discussions on page V-43, we do not
understand the rationale of storing the ash and sludge on-site
and alternating layers of waste material with layers of soil to
provide a potential for reclamation of this area "at some future
date." The procedures employed for potential reclamation along
with any specific plans for reclaiming the area should be
discussed more fully.
RESPONSE: The applicant has informed us the proposed ash
handling will be similar to a landfill operation. Present
technology permits certain types of reclamation of landfills.
This reclamation is usually in the form of nonresidential and
nonstructural land uses. However, in the event the area will
continue to be zoned for heavy industry, such reclamation is not
likely.
COMMENT 14: Water-quality monitoring of the river below the
proposed plant should be considered. This would permit
assessment of any adverse effects resulting from the combined
waste-water discharges. The discussions on pages 111-24 to 27
appear to indicate that no monitoring stations will be located
below Unit U.
RESPONSE: Thermal plume studies will be conducted in the
Missouri River downstream from Neal Unit U. In addition, the
applicant will be required to conduct analysis for total
suspended solids, oil and grease pH and iron and copper for
various discharges associated with plant operation. No chemical
IX-59
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water quality monitoring programs are planned for water below the
proposed plant. Based on our preliminary review, chemical
impacts incurred to the river are not expected to be significant.
COMMENT J[5: No mention is made of the cumulative impacts of the
various generating stations along the Missouri River although
Section VII-D does mention the cumulative loss of water in the
Missouri River due to this project. There are, for instance,
fifteen generating stations along a 360 mile stretch of river
from Sioux City to Kansas City. Each plant is not an entity
apart from the others when the same air and the same body of
water are shared. As future additions are made to the power
generating facilities in this area, cumulative impacts will
become increasingly important. Recognition of this situation
should appropriately be given in the final statement with some
indication of its current significance.
RESPONSE: We too are concerned about the cumulative impacts
of existing and proposed power plants on the aquatic ecosystem of
the Missouri River. The applicant and other utilities having
plants on the Missouri River have been and will be conducting
additional studies in the future in attempting to assess
recruitment of fish and identify compensitory mechanisms which
may be operating in the Missouri River. These are key factors in
evaluating the cumulative impacts.
Although our present knowledge in this area is limited, the data
base established by existing utilities on the river was used in
the development of the Final EIS. Along with this information,
various other entities involved with the river system have
supplied pertinent data relative to cumulative impacts.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE
COMMENT 1: In the specific area of "Impact on Local Socio-
economics" starting on page IV-1 it is indicated that the Neal
Unit #4 will have a construction schedule of approximately 3-1/2
years with a projected average construction workforce on the site
of 700 to a maximum of 1,200 workers. Further it is estimated
that it will reguire an estimated 100 to 700 workers with an
assumed average family size of 3.1 persons relocating to Sioux
City area during various periods of construction. It is conceded
that not all workers will relocate their families and that the
maximum population increase in Sioux Falls and vacinity is
expected to be 1.8 percent of the total population. Based upon
this, the conclusion is drawn that "construction worker
immigration should have little, if any adverse impact on housing
and social services in the area."
IX-60
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Data which is presented in the document would in part bear out
this conclusion as far as housing is concerned, however, there
does not appear to be any data presented as to the types,
numbers, or case loads of social services or the numbers and
types of community facilities and services, including health,
from which a valid conclusion can be drawn relative to impact on
"social service".
Demographic information is presented in the document to show the
ambient state of the population in the area effected. Such
information and data should also include existing community
facilities and services and other community resources which are
utilized by the existing population with discussion in the Final
EIS on the effect that the proposed project has upon the services
rendered.
RESPONSE: Further study indicates the construction related
impacts incurred by community facilities and social services
would not be significant for the following reasons:
a. If the maximum number of immigrant workers
(approximately 700) were to settle in the Sioux City
S.M.S.A., the population would increase by only 1.8 percent
over the 1974 population. This is not expected to create a
significant increase in demand for services.
b. Historically, immigrant workers do settle in cities
close to the construction site. However, some workers
commute as far as 90 miles every working day. Therefore, the
total increase in population in the Sioux City S.M.S.A. may
be less than 1.8 percent.
c. The increase in population would occur over a two or
three year period, thereby reducing further its effects.
Moreover, during the 1975-1980 period, the Sioux City
S.M.S.A. is expected to have a population growth in excess of
1 percent per year. Since facilities will be expanding to
accommodate this population growth regardless of the
construction worker population, effects of the latter should
not reguire further adjustments to the S.M.S.A.*s modified
services.
d. The construction worker population should settle
throughout the Sioux City area. Therefore, no serious
impacts upon the facilities of any given locality are
expected.
Based on the above findings, a detailed analysis of construction
worker impacts on all social services and community facilities in
the Sioux City S.M.S.A. is not warranted.
IX-61
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COMMENT 2i Further, there should be some discussion to assure
that adequate drainage will be provided to borrow areas and
construction sites to reduce or eliminate ponding of water and
thus the enhancement of vector control in the area.
RESPONSE; There will be no need for borrow pits during the
construction of Neal Unit 4.
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
No response necessary
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
No response necessary
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
No response necessary
FEDERAL AVIATION COMMISSION
No response necessary
FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
No response necessary
STATE OF NEBRASKA, OFFICE OF PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING
No response necessary
STATE OF IOWA, OFFICE FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING
No response necessary
IX-62
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STATE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT OF IOWA
J: Reference to published and unpublished literature
utilized in preparation of the section is not indicated. This
makes it difficult to evaluate the accuracy of the section.
Response; References to published and unpublished literature used
in the preparation of Section III-G have been added to the final
EIS.
Comment 2: Also lacking is any indication that a cultural
resources survey was made of the project site.
Response: Although no cultural resources survey was made for the
site, the EIS presents a summary of information concerning the
known historical and archeological sites in the area. The
following agencies and organizations were contacted by
Envirosphere Company in 197U and 1976:
Division of Historic Preservation, Iowa State
Historical Department, Iowa City, Iowa
Sioux City Public Museum, Sioux City, Iowa
Historic Preservation Office of the Nebraska
State Historic Society, Lincoln, Nebraska
Dakota County Historical Society, Dakota City,
Nebraska
The information presented in pages III-100 to III-102 of the
draft EIS is a complete summary of the known historical and
archeological sites in woodbury and Dakota counties as obtained
from the above organizations at the time the report was prepared.
These organizations have again been contacted in order to
establish whether any additional historic or archeological sites
have been identified. These additional sites identified are
described on page III-102a and III-102b in the final EIS.
Surveys to identify cultural resources were not made during the
site selection phases of Neal Unit 1. However, future
developments in which terrain has not been disturbed will require
complete archeological and historical surveys. Any additional
construction will be monitored and reviewed according to Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1974, as
Amended. The applicant will be expected to coordinate with the
State Historic Preservation Office prior to any new construction.
Comment 3: Apparently there is a misunderstanding of the
applicability of information provided from the Division's
IX-63
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inventory. The Division has not and does not consider the
available inventory data to be sufficiently complete to
adequately represent the potentially significant cultural
resources in this area. Nor has the Division ever advised any
agency that such data obviates the need for thorough, well-
planned and well- ex ecu ted, cultural resources surveys, nor is
this data intended to be a surrogate of such surveys.
Response; No response necessary
Comment 4 ; The information contained in Section III G-2 does,
however, represent that was available, to our knowledge, at the
time. It is, however, inadequate.
Response: See response to Comment 2.
Comment 5: Reference to a "historical, archaeological, and
cultural survey" (III of page 102) does not pertain directly to
the impact of the above project since it concerns the proposed
Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreation Areas.
The historical, archeological and cultural survey of
the Snyder-Winnebago Bends Recreational Areas conducted by
Western Interpretive Services was thought to provide an
indication of the potential for the location of significant
cultural resources since the area is immediately adjacent to the
Neal Unit U site.
Comment 6; The statement, "No historic, archeologic site. ..will
be adversely impacted by the transmission facilities", is made.
This should be modified to read, "No (known) historic sites,
archeologic sites. . .will be adversely impacted by the
transmi ssion facilities . "
B^sponse: The final EIS has been amended to reflect this change.
Comment_7: No surveys known to us have been made of the proposed
or alternate transmission line routes. There are no known sites
which would be impacted along these routes but this does not
obviate the need for surveys and such should be done prior to
approval.
B§sponse_: When transmission line routes are identified, the
applicant will conduct all necessary surveys to satisfy the
provisions of Section 106 (as stated in response 2) . Mitigative
measures, if necessary, will be implemented in the event of
aesthetic, historic, or cultural intrusions by the lines.
Comment 8: Finally, consideration should be given to two
steamboat wrecks recorded to have occurred somewhere within two
miles of the transmission facility. Six additional wrecks are
.reported to have occurred between Sioux City and Winnebago
Agency .
IX-64
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Response: No structures or excavations will interfere with the
presently known steamboat wreck sites.
PFFICE_OF_THE_STATE_ARCHEOLOGIST
Comment_J: Reference is made in the report to the identification
of historic and archeological sites in the vicinity of the
project (Chapter III, Section G, 101-102). However, the sources
for this work are not cited in the bibliography.
Response: Refer to response to Comment 1 of the State Historical
Department of Iowa.
cpnunent_2: Further it appears from the discussion of cultural
resources that only a literature search was done of the project
area and not a cultural resource reconnaissance survey. A
literature search alone is not sufficient for evaluating the
potential impact on cultural resources that may be present in the
project area. Could you please clarify these matters?
Response: Refer to response to Comment 2 of the State Historical
Department of Iowa.
Comment 3: We would also like written assurance that if no
cultural resource field survey has been done, that such a survey
will be conducted with ample lead time prior to the construction
of the generating station.
Response; The applicant will be expected to coordinate with your
office prior to any new construction.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Cgmment_J: I did not see any reference to the coal pile runoff
area being sealed on the bottom. Therefore, any material that
filters through the coal pile will certainly move into the ground
water. The leachate developed as it moves through the coal pile
has a possibility of containing some of the trace elements listed
in the table in the report. Likewise, I did not see any
reference to the dissolved solids composition of the coal pile
runoff. I do not know exactly what this is, but I have read
reports where this concentration can be extremely high.
Response: The NPDES permit will be conditioned to protect the
underlying aquifers. Levels of suspended solids, dissolved
solids, toxic substances and pH will meet the criteria set forth
in the following:
a• EPA* s Quality Criteria for Water
b. Safe Drinking Water Act Standards
IX-65
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c. Toxic Substances Act Standards (to be promulgated at a
later date)
d. Iowa State Water Quality Standards
The permit will also be conditioned to require the applicant,
under the supervision of EPA, to monitor adjacent surface and
ground water.
2i The leaching potential of the ash ponds was discussed
as a possibility and that an analysis would be conducted to
determine this . I did not see any alternatives listed should the
results show that leaching does occur and that the ground water
does become contaminated by the leachate produced from the ash
ponds. It is important that a proper ground water study be
conducted to determine the potential for contamination from these
ponds and also from the coal pile.
Response: EPA, Region VII, is presently studying the
effectiveness of other ash disposal techniques, including, but
not limited to the following:
a. Locating the ash in an area more hydrologically suitable
for disposal operations. Such parameters as soil type
and grain size, level of ground water table, and
proximity to human and aquatic life supporting water
sources are being considered.
b. Lining the solid waste disposal area with synthetic
material, clay, organic peat, or asphalt to prevent or
minimize leaching.
CONFEDERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Comment 1: Pages 1-6 of comment letter.
Response; Since the Federal Power Commission (FPC) is
recognized as the federal agency with the most expertise
concerning power demand forecasting, load balancing, and energy
conservation measures, we asked that they respond to comments
relative to these topics. Attached is a letter from FPC
responding to your comments submitted to EPA. In addition,
please refer to the FPC comment letter of December 21, 1976
regarding this project.
Comment 2; In estimating air emissions, first order
consideration is coal composition. In the EIS, p. II-3, the
presently operating Neal Units 1-3 are described as using Hanna
Wyoming coal with an average sulfur content of 0.6%. This coal
created an emission rate of 1.3 Ib/mB which is permissible for
old sources but would not be for new sources. Over on p. IV 56
an inconsistency appears when the typical S content is said to be
0.32%. This, we presume, is the same Wyoming coal source. Such
IX-66
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FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
REGIONAL OFFICE
31st Floor, Federal Building
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
January 6, 1977
Mr. Jerome H. Svore
Regional Administrator
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
1735 Baltimore
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Dear Mr. Svore:
At your request, we have reviewed the comments of the Iowa Confeder-
ation of Environmental Organizations regarding the need for George Neal
Unit 4 as set out in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The Iowa Confederation's comments focus on two issues, namely, (1)
acceptable load forecasting methodology, and (2) deferral of construction
through conservation measures. It appears to be the Confederation's posi-
tion that an econometric technique is the only satisfactory load fore-
casting technique. While continued progress is being made in terms of
refining forecasting, we believe the 1969 findings of the Technical Advi-
sory Committee on Load Forecasting Methodology for the National Power Sur-
vey are still valid. In the Committee's report to the Federal Power Com-
mission they concluded "... that because of differences in load charac-
teristics no single method or technique is best for all utilities, but
rather each utility must consider its own special conditions and require-
ments in developing or adapting a method for its use." Despite the many
improvements being made in load forecasting data and methods, there is
little that is mechanical in forecasting. Even the more sophisticated
techniques do not eliminate the need for good judgment. Individual tech-
niques may stress demography, economic conditions, or give special atten-
tion to weather influences. If such an isolated factor critically affects
a specific system's load pattern, then such a technique will help in under-
standing the past growth pattern. However, none of these techniques pro-
vides for certainty in forecasting. The accuracy of the forecast is still
dependent on the input the forecaster uses. The isolation of the more
important load variables may help concentrate efforts on those areas of
most importance.
With the above considerations in mind, and without the benifit of
results from an actual econometric analysis of the specific system loads
in question, we cannot conclude that the methodology used by the individual
systems in developing the estimates presented in the MA.RCA data is inferior
to an econometric study.
IX-67
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- 2 -
As noted by the Confederation, conservation in the use of electric
energy has been advocated as one means of reducing demands for electric
power and, thereby, the need for generating facilities. To date, most
conservation measures have been voluntary and have been implemented by
public education methods. The usage of electricity in the U. S. dropped
off markedly after the Middle East oil embargo. Two main factors for the
decrease were the recent economic recession in the U. S. and energy conser-
vation measures. However, the influence of conservation has been very
short-term, and with the effect of the recession removed, the rate of growth
in electricity consumption is rapidly returning to pre-embargo levels.
This would suggest that voluntary conservation in its present form and with
its current effectiveness is unlikely to affect significantly the future
rate of growth in power demands.
Rate revision has been advocated as a possible means of accomplishing
conservation. The extent to which peak load pricing can be economically
justified depends in part on: (1) customers' response to a revised rate
structure, (2) the load characteristics of the system, and (3) the cost
and inconvenience of new metering and billing.
Demand probably is somewhat responsive to price in the long run (i.e.,
several years), but limited in response during shorter periods. Certain
life styles dependent upon electrical usage may take both time and strong
incentives to change. Commercial and industrial customers have a sunk
investment in electric and nonelectric equipment. Operating existing equip-
ment even at higher electric rates may be less expensive than investing in
more efficient equipment even though it may involve lower operating costs.
While improved conservation measures such as redesign of rates should
be pursued vigorously, the uncertainties of the effects of specific rate
redesigns and other conservation measures on the load characteristics of
an electric system, the time lag associated with consumer responses, and
the long lead times required for constructing new capacity, severely reduce
the practical potential of rate revision and conservation as alternatives,
at this time, to the construction of additional generating capacity.
We hope that our discussion will be useful in your consideration of
these questions.
Very truly yours,
Orel E. Haukedahl
Acting Pvegional Engineer
IX-68
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casual use of analytical data is unacceptable for several
reasons.
Response; The Wyoming coal source for Neal Unit 4, as pointed
out on Page 11-10, is not in the same area as the coal supply for
the existing units. Whatever coal source is used for Neal Unit
4, it must meet new source standards, including those for sulfur.
Comment 3: Sufficient replicates of coal should be analyzed to
provide a variance and confidence level of analysis.
The applicant will be required to submit coal
sample analyses when a coal source is agreed upon. Thereafter,
EPA will determine if the sampling techniques are adequate and
the coal meets new source standards, as well as other criteria.
4: Variance for sulfur content in Western coals can be
threefold within a seam, on both vertical and horizontal axes.
It is possible for Neal 4 to exceed Federal emission standards
for extended periods when high sulfur areas are encountered.
Unless more definitive evidence is presented to assure
compliance, we urge scrubbers be installed.
Response: EPA does not have the authority to require any
specific pollution abatement device be installed in Neal Unit 4.
However, the plant must meet all air quality criteria established
for new sources. A wet scrubber could serve to reduce S02 and
particulate emissions from the stack. Neal Unit 4 has been
designed to accommodate a wet scrubber in the event that one is
required to meet new source standards.
Comment 5: The emission of minor constituents released either
as a gas or particle has not been treated adequately. The
toxicity of many of these elements is well known, e.g., the heavy
metals Pb, Cd, As, Se, Hg, etc., and the lighter elements Be and
F. The mass balance of these elements through the plant should
be considered in detail. Even though these particulate releases
may meet emission standards, they add to air shed loads since
they are capable of being transported large distances. These
incremental pollutant loads added to urban air sheds should be
discussed in relationship to the findings of EPA's CHESS report.
Such factors also should be considered on a Cost/Benefit basis.
Coal analyses have not presently been made
available to EPA due to the applicant's inability to obtain a
contract for a coal supply. EPA, Region VII is presently
studying the feasibility and desirability of performing a mass
balance analysis for various trace metals for coal samples upon
their receipt. If the studies are determined to be worthwhile,
the analyses would be performed by EPA before operation of Neal
Unit 4 has commenced. In addition, the applicant will perform
stack tests under EPA supervision after plant operation is under
way.
IX-69
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Qomment j>! "°f these minor elements, fluorine poses a very
great threat to vegetation. It is 100 to 1000 times as toxic as
sulfur dioxide and the sulfur/fluorine ratio in Western coal
makes fluorine a greater threat to sensitive native and
agricultural plant species than sulfur. The phytotoxic effects
of fluorine were discussed by Gordon et al. at the American
Chemical Society Symposium on Fluorine Compounds in the
Environment, 8/31/76 at San Francisco, California. (We urge that
direct data on fluorine concentrations in the air and environment
of George Neal units 1-3 be determined.) The environmental
sampling program reported by Gordon in Montana showed fluorine
accumulation and significant pathology to native vegetation in
the vicinity of a 180 MW power plant burning Rosebud seam coal, a
"typical" Western low sulfur coal. The impact of 1573 MW of
George Neal 1-4, by comparison, approaches an order of magnitude
greater threat."
Response: Based on whole coal analyses for the North Knobs,
Wyoming coal source which will be burned on an interim basis, the
fluorine constituency is 80 ppm. According to the Coal Fired
Power Plant Trace Element Study by EPA, Region VIII (September
1976), approximately 7.6 percent of the fluorine will be emitted
in the flue gas. At a feed rate of about 780,000 lbs./hr.,
fluorine will be emitted at approximately 4.13 lbs./hr. The coal
to be burned in Neal Unit 4 is expected to have a heating value
of 9507 Btu/lb., which means there will be approximately .0006
Ibs. of fluorine/mB. The new source performance standard for
sulfur is 1.2 Ibs./mB, therefore, this could indicate even at a
1000 times the toxicity of sulfur, the fluorine emissions would
be less than the comparative levels for sulfur.
Comment 7j It (the draft EIS) also attempts in the opening
paragraph to place this serious plant toxin (sulfur dioxide) in a
favorable light by suggesting a minor and debatable benefit.
Response: The purpose of the first paragraph of p. IV-63 is
not to place sulfur dioxide (SO2) in a favorable light, but
rather to define the status of sulfur in terrestrial system. The
fact that sulfur is an essential macronutrient (as opposed to
micronutrient) , is an important consideration in an evaluation of
potential effects resulting from changes in the fluxes of this
element through biological communities.
Comment 8: The conclusion on p. IV 63, "it appears unlikely
that the predictable maximum annual concentrations from George
Neal Units 1-4 will injure flora of the site and surrounding
region" is made in the face of scientific evidence to the
contrary.
Respgnsej The statement referred to is derived from the
existing data on long-term effects of SO2, on vegetation. An
annual average of 13 ug SO2/m3 was noted in the literature
(during preparation of the EIS), to be the lowest level, which
may possibly be harmful to certain species of lichens. The
IX-70
-------
maximum annual average SO2 concentration expected to result from
operation of George Neal Units 1-4 is 8 ug/m3. This
concentration is not expected to have a significant effect on
either corn or bean production in the surrounding area.
Comment 9: The sensitivity of economically important crops in
this area, corn and beans, has been demonstrated in controlled
experiments at SO2 levels well below even secondary standards.
In 1966-67, the National Air Pollution Control Administration
carried out greenhouse studies in Kansas City on sensitive plant
species including corn and beans. The experimental plots were
grown in an atmosphere whose SO2 levels during the growing season
were below Federal ambient standards. Nevertheless, plant growth
was suppressed 25- SOX compared with controls.
The draft EIS states (p. IV- 63) that exposure to
the maximum 3 hour SO2 concentrations predicted for operation of
Units 1-4, could, in combination with environmental factors which
promote plant sensitivity, result in visible foliar injury to
sensitive vegetation. This conclusion derives from a detailed
comparison of predicted maximum 3 hour and 1 hour SO2
concentrations, with SO2 dosage which are considered injury
thresholds for sensitive plant species. The threshold levels
utilized in this comparison are presented in Table 1. Table 2
presents comparable SO2 injury thresholds for plants of
intermediate sensitivity.
These threshold levels are estimates proposed by various
researchers as approximate lowest short-term SO2 dosages capable
of causing visible foliar injury. The values determined by the
National Environmental Research Center (US EPA) , and derived from
Table V-8 of the Revised Chapter 5 of the Air Quality Criteria
for Sulfur Oxides (EPA, 1973) , are based on the literature, while
those ascribed to Linzon and Jones et al are based on field
observations in Sudbury, Ontario, (1973) and the southeastern
United States, respectively. The thresholds for visible injury
to sensitive plants exposed for 1 hour to SO2, range from 1300
ug/m3 to approximately 7860 ug/m3 . One-hour thresholds proposed
for plants of intermediate sensitivity range from 2600 to 26,200
ugSO2/m3. It is important to note that these thresholds refer to
occurrence of visible injury and not necessarily to reductions in
crop yields.
The threshold SO2 concentrations presented in Tables 1 and 2 may
not apply to ambient atmospheres which contain more than one air
pollutant, or to field situations where conditions do not promote
plant sensitivity. Susceptability to S02 injury may be increased
or decreased when plants are simultaneously exposed to S02 and
Nitrogen Dioxide, or S02 and Ozone (O3) . However, plant
responses to mixtures of SO2 and Nitrogen Dioxide, or S02 and 03,
vary widely with species, environmental conditions, plant age,
and dosage. The concensus among leading investigators in the
field is that more research is required to identify the effects
of mixtures of ambient air pollutants on threhold dosages of SO2
IX-71
-------
(EPA, 1973; Jones et al, 1974; Linzon 1973; Severson, 1975;
Tinqey et al., 1973; Heagle et al., 1974). Heggestad et al
(1974) concluded that, "the current Federal Standards (1300
ug/m3/3-hourr 365 ug/m3/24-hours, and 80 ug/m3/yr for S02, and
157 ug/m3/1-hour for O3) should protect most plants from
synerqistic effects from these two pollutants (SO2 and O3) in the
field. Much more data on actual economic damage should be
obtained from ambient level field exposures to verify this
statement. "
Environmental factors, including high light intensity, high
humidity, adequate plant moisture, and moderate temperature, tend
to promote stomatal opening and plant growth. Consequently, gas
uptake through leaf stomata and plant susceptability to SO2
damage are increased (Thomas, 1961.) The number of occurrences
of predicted SO2 1-hour concentrations greater than 1300 ug/m3;
are noted in Table 3. The 1300 ug SO2/m3 level utilized in
constructing Table 3, was selected because it represents the
lowest 1-hour threshold dosage noted in Table 1. Because of the
considerations outlined above, this level can be compared with
SO2 emissions predicted from George Neal Units 1-4, only as a
means to gain perspective on the likelihood of occurrence of
veqetation injury.
While Jones et al. tentatively concluded in 1974 that for SO2
dosaqes, 1 hour, 2 hour and 4 hour limits of 2620, 1572, and 1048
uq/m3 would likely prevent "siqnificant damage to vegetation,"
the relationship between visible foliar injury and crop yield is
still not well defined. Bennet and Hill (1973) concluded from
their laboratory investigation of alfalfa and barley responses to
SO2, that siqnificant qrowth reductions (due to repression of
photosynthesis) would not likely result without detectable tissue
necrosis. In some instances, yields of crops such as alfalfa are
not siqnificantly affected unless a minimal amount of foliar
injury is exceeded (Barret and Benedict, 1970). For example,
sulfur dioxide injury manifested or tissue necrosis on less than
5 percent of the leaf area of soybean plants, growing near the
Shawnee electric qeneratinq facility (Kentucky), did not affect
soybean yields (Jones et al., 1973). In other studies, however,
radish plants exposed in the laboratory to mixtures of SO2 and
O3, exhibited decreased growth rates with little or no foliar
damage (Tinqey et al., 1971).
IX-72
-------
TABLE 1
ESTIMATED THRESHOLD SO2 CONCENTRATIONS
FOR VISIBLE INJURY TO SENSITIVE PLANT SPECIES
Exposure
Interval
(hr)
1
2
3
4
8
National Environmental
Research Center (1973) 2
uq/m3
1310-7860
655-5240
400- 37501
262-2620
131-1310
Linzon 19732 Jones et al (1974)
uq/m3 uq/m3
1834 1300-2620
1048
7851 786-1572
681
472
* Interpolated
2 Refers to situations especially conducive to plant injury.
IX-73
-------
TABLE 2
ESTIMATED THRESHOLD SO2 CONCENTRATIONS FOR VISIBLE
INJURY TO PLANT SPECIES OF INTERMEDIATE SENSITIVITY
Exposure
Interval
(hr)
1
2
3
4
8
National Environmental
Research Center (1973) 2 Jones et al (1974)
uq/m3 uq/m3
6550-26,200 2620-5240
3930-19,650
2250-15,5001 1572-2096
1310-13,100
524-6,550
Interpolated
IX-74
-------
TABLE 3
MONTHLY FREQUENCY OF PREDICTED 1-HOUR AVERAGE
SO2 CONCENTRATIONS GREATER THAN 1300 uq/m3
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Auqust
September
October
November
December
Number of
Occurrences*
2
0
0
4
1
4
10
5
8
1
2
3
Air Quality Study Grid
Points2 at which Predicted
1 hr SO2 Concentrations
Exceed 1300 uq/m3
157
157, 159
74
1, 2, 74
68, 74, 153, 155, 157
159, 160
157, 159, 160
74, 155, 157, 159, 160
157
157
74, 157
1 See EIS Section IV-C-1 for description of predictive
methodoloqy.
2 See EIS Exhibit IV-C-1; Locations of Grid Points for Air
Quality Study.
IX-75
-------
Comment _10: Serious fumigation episodes at Mount Storm, West
Virginia in 1972 and Kyger Creek, West Virginia in 1973 caused
extreme foliar damage. In July of 1971 and twice during 1974,
the plume of the TVA 1970 MW Shawnee plant fumigated at acute
levels affecting 26,400 acres of soybeans in 1971 and 41,800 of
vegetation in 1974. EPA representatives made field observations
during these episodes and a full description including the
potential for similar impacts at the George Neal site should be
presented. In addition, the comments of Dr. Clarence C. Gordon,
Plant Pathologist, University of Montana, Missoula, who
investigates and reported on these episodes, should be sought.
Response: Care must be exercised in extrapolating field
observation recorded under one set of conditions to other field
situations where different environmental factors may be
prevalent. Symptoms typical of SO2 injury were observed on
conifers exposed to emissions from the Mount Storm Power Plant,
in Maryland, West Virginia. These conifers may also have been
subjected to relatively high (compared to average nonurban
levels) particulate deposition and above standard O3 levels (US
EPA, 1971). In addition to symptoms typical of SO2 injury
(perhaps in conjunction with O3), the conifers exhibited growth
aberrations (such as long-short needle syndrome and adventitious
budding) for which no casual agent (or agents) could be
identified. Gordon (1972) and Hindawi and Ratsch (1974)
postulated that particulate deposition may have caused some of
the observed growth aberrations. Gordon simulated, under
laboratory conditions, some of the observed symptons by repeated
application of fly-ash slurry to conifer needles. The
applicability of these laboratory studies to field conditions,
however, has not been adeguately demonstrated. Investigations
conducted by FA Wood (1976) suggest that a "biological entity"
may have been responsible for the long-short needle syndrome
observed on Scotch pine. The 1971 fumigation episode occurring
in the vicinity of the Shawnee Steam Plant, Kentucky (Jones et
al., 1973) was referred to in response to the previous
interrogatory. The EPA investigation of the episode concluded
that "foliar SO2 - injury had no detectable effect on soybean
production." However, a 1975 SO2 episode at this station did
result in a "significant economic loss" to persons raising
tobacco, soybeans, red clover, and home gardens (EPA, 1976) .
This damage was associated with maximum 3 hour SO2 concentrations
of 1716-2197 ug/m3. The maximum 3 hour concentration predicted
for George Neal Units 1-4 is 1153 ug/m3.
Comment 11: The section on acid rain (EIS, p. IV-67) is a vague
and incomplete description of the scientific knowledge and true
impacts of acid rain. Since 1952, European investigators have
carried out precipitation chemistry studies throughout western
Europe. These studies, which are reported in over 100 scientific
articles, demonstrate rather vividly that acid rain primarily
caused by atmospheric emissions of the industries of Germany,
France, and England have caused in the past and are currently
causing a serious impact upon the aquatic and terrestrial
IX-76
-------
ecosystems of Norway and Sweden. A condensed version of what is
currently known about acid precipitation and its effect on
ecosystems can be found in a 1976 USDA 1,074-page publication
(Technical Report NE-23) , "Proceedings of the First International
Symposium on Acid Precipitation and the Forest Ecosystem." It is
imperative that the EIS writers obtain this publication and
attempt to relate the known data to the potential S02 and NO2
emission to be released from stacks of George Neal Units 1-4.
Response; The publication referred to was not available at
the time of preparation of the draft EIS. Preliminary review of
this publication does not indicate a need to alter the concluding
paragraph of the section entitled "Effects of Acid Rain and
Sulfate Deposition on Vegetation."
.12: The National Environmental Research Laboratory of
EPA has been conducting Zonal Air Pollution research with SO2 at
their Montana study site. Results of these studies should be
obtained and the data, where possible, used in evaluating
vegetative impacts at the George Neal site.
Response; The data currently available from the National
Environmental Research Laboratory's investigation conducted at
Colstrip, Montana (Lewis et al. , 1976), are generally of a base
line nature, and not presently suitable for predictive purposes.
IX-77
-------
-------
LITERATURE CITED
US Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental
Research Center, 1973. Effects of sulfur oxide in the atmosphere
on vegetation; revised Chapter 5 for Air Quality Criteria for
Sulfur Oxide NIIS PB 226 314, 43 p.
Linzon, NS, 1973. Sulfur Dioxide Air Quality Standards for
Vegetation. Paper No. 73-107 presented at the 66th Annual
Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association, Chicago, June
24-28, 1973. Air Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh),
19p.
Jones, HC, Weber, D., and D Balsillie, 1974. Acceptable limits
for air pollution dosage and vegetation effects: Sulfur Dioxide
Paper No. 74-225 presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of, the Air
Pollution Control Association, Denver June 9-13, 1974. Air
Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh), 31 p.
Thomas, MD. 1961. Effects of air pollution on plants, in
pollution. World Health Monograph Series No. 46, pg 233-278.
axr
Severson, J. G., Jr., 1975. Sulfur and Higher Plants, Sulfur in
the Environment, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis pp. 92-111.
Tingey, D.T., R. A. Reinert, J. A. Dunning, and W. W. Heck 1973.
Foliar Injury Responses of Eleven Plant Species to Ozone/Sulfur
Dioxide Mixtures. Atmospheric Environment 7:201-208.
Heagle, A. S., Body, D. E. and G. E. Neely 1974. Injury and
yield responses of soybean to chronic doses of ozone and sulfur
dioxide in the field. Phytopathology 64:132-136.
Heggested, H. E., Anderson, C. E., and W. A. Feder 1974.
Determining acceptable limits for air pollution dosages and
vegetation effects: Ozone. Paper No. 74-224 presented at the
17th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association
(Pittsburgh) , 37 p.
Bennet, H. H., and A. C. Hill 1973. Inhibition of Apparent
Photosynthesis by Air Pollutants. Journal of Environmental
Quality 2 (4): 526-530.
Barret, T. W., and H. M. Benedict. 1970. Sulfur Dioxide, in J.
Jacobson and A. Hill (Edit.), Recognition of Air Pollution Injury
to Vegetation. Air Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh), p
C1-C17.
Jones, H. C., Cunningham, J. R., McLaughlin, S. B., Lee, N. T.,
and S. S. Ray. 1973. Investigation of Alleged Air Pollution
Effects on Yield of Soybeans in the Vicinity of the Shawnee Steam
Plant. Tennessee Valley Authority, Division of Environmental
Planning, Chattanooga, Term.
IX-79
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LITEEATURE CITED (Cont'd)
Tingey, D. T., Heck, W. W. , and R. A. Reinert., 1971. Effect of
Low Concentration Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide on Foliage, Growth and
Yield Radish. Journal of the American Society of Horticultural
Science 96(3): 369-371.
US Environmental Protection Agency, 1971. In Mount Storm, West
Virginia-Gorman, Maryland, and Luke, Maryland-Keyser, West,
Virginia, Air Pollution Abatement Activity. NTIS pB 199181, p.
Gordon, C. C., 1972. Mount Storm Study. Unpublished Manuscript
Submitted to US Environmental Protection Agency, November 17,
1972. EPA Contract No. 68-02, 0229, 31 pp.
Hindawi, A. J., and H. C. Ratsch, 1974. Growth abnormalities of
Pollution 74-252 presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Air
Pollution Control Association, Denver, Colorado, June 9-13, 1974.
Air Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh) , 21 p.
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, Air Surveillance
Branch, 1976. Investigation of Reported SO2 Fumigation in the
Vicinity of the Tennessee Valley Authority Shawnee Steam Plant.
Lewis, R. A., Glass, N. R. and A. S. Lefohn (edts.), 1976. The
Bioenvironmental Impact of a Coal-Fired Power Plant. National
Ecoological Research Laboratory, Corwallis, Oregon. NTIS PB
252177, 313 p.
IX-80
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of zooplankton by gizzard shad. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.
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III-C-44 Bonneau, DL, JW McGuire, OW Tiemeier, and CW Deyoe
1972. Food habits and growth of channel catfish fry,
Ictalurus punctatus. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 101 (ft).;
613-618.
III-C-45 Buchholz, M 1957. Age and growth of river carpsucker
in the Des Moines River, Iowa. Proc. Iowa. Acad. Sci.
£4: 589-600.
III-C-46 Calhoun, Alex, ed. 1966. Inland Fisheries Management.
Cal. Dept. Fish and Game. 546 p.
III-C-47 Carlander, KD 1969. Handbook of Freshwater Fishery
Biology, Vol. 1. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames, Iowa.
751 p.
III-C-48 Carlson, CA 1968. Summer bottom fauna of the
Mississippi River, above Dam 19, Keokuk, Iowa.
Ecology 4£ (1); 162-169.
III-C-49 Jester, DB 1972. Life history, ecology, and
management of the river carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio
(Rafinesque) . With reference to Elephant Butte Lake.
New Mexico State Univ., Ag. Exp. St., Res. Rept. 243.
III-C-50 Jude, David J 1973. Food and feeding habits of
gizzard shad in Pool 19, Mississippi River. Trans.
Amer. Fish. Soc. 102 (2); 378-383.
III-C-51 Lagler, KF 1956. Freshwater Fishery Biology. Wm C
Brown Co., Dubuque, Iowa 421 p.
III-C-52 McComish, TS 1967. Food habits of bigmouth and
smallmouth buffalo in Lewis and Clark Lake and the
Missouri River. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 96 (1) ; 70-74.
III-C-53 Minckley, WL, JE Johnson, JN Rinne, and SE Willoughby.
1970. Food of Buffalofish, genus Ictiobus, in central
Arizona reservoirs. Trans. Am. Fish Soc. 9JJ (2); 333-
342.
III-C-54 Nelson, WR 1968. Reproduction and early life histoi-y
of sauger, Stizostedion canadense, in Lewis and Clark
Lake. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 97 (2); 159-166.
R-6
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III-C-55 Pennak, RW 1953. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the
United States. The Ronald Press Co., NY. 769 p.
III-C-56 Platt, WJ 1973. Comparison of vertebrate communities
of Coralville Reservoir and Cone Marsh, Iowa. Proc.
Iowa Acad. Sci. 80 (3): 117-128.
III-C-57 Swedberg DV 1968. Food and growth of the freshwater
drum in Lewis and Clark Lake, South Dakota. Trans.
Am. Fish. Soc. 97 (4): 442-447.
Ill - D - METEOROLOGY
III-D-1 US Weather Bureau 1963. Maximum Recorded United
States Point Rainfall.
III-D-2 US Department of Commerce 1967. Climates of the
States, "The Climate of Iowa".
III-D-3 US Army Quartermaster Research and Engineering Center
1959. Glaze-Its Meteorology and Climatology,
Geographic Distribution and Economic Effects,
Technical Report EP-105.
III-D-4 Thorn. 1963. Tornado Probabilities, Monthly Weather
Review, October - December.
III-D-5 Pasquill, F 1961. "The Estimation of the Dispersion
of Windborne Material," Meteorological Magazine, Vol.
9>0.
III-D-6 Turner, DB 1961. Relationships Between 24-hour Mean
Air Quality Measurements and Meteorological Factors in
Nashville, Tennessee. Appendix: A Stability
Classification Using Hourly Airport Observations.
Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association,
2(10).
III-D-7 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1958.
Recommended Guide for the Prediction of the Dispersion
of Airborne Effluents.
III-D-8 American Meteorological Society 1968. Glossary of
Terms Frequently Used in Air Pollution.
III-D-9 Holzworth, GC 1970. Meteorological Potential for
Urban Air Pollution in the Contiguous United States.
Second International Clean Air Congress.
III-D-10 Holzworth, GC 1964. Estimates of Mean Maximum Mixing
Depth in the Contiguous United States. Monthly
Weather Review, 92 (5) .
R-7
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III-D-11 Hosier, CD 1961. Low Level Inversion Frequency in the
Contiguous United States. Monthly weather Review.
III-D-12 Thorn, HCS 1968. New Distribution of Extreme Winds in
the US. Journal of the Structural Division,
Proceedings of the American Soci ety of Civil
Engineering, July.
Ill - F - TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY
III-F-1 Kuchler, AW 1964. Potential Natural Vegetation of the
Coterminous United States. American Geographical
Society, Special Publication No. 36.
III-F-2 Weaver, JE 1960. Floodplain vegetation of the central
Missouri valley and contacts of woodland with prairie.
Ecological Monographs 30: 37-64.
III-F-3
III-F-4
III-F-5
III-F-6
III-F-7
III-F-8
1965. Native Vegetation
University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.
Walter, H 1973. Vegetation of the Earth
Wieser) . Springer-Verlag, NY.
Iowa Forest Industries Committee 1968.
Facts. Dubugue, Iowa.
Iowa Public Service 1971. George Neal 3
Report.
Baldwin, K 1974. Briar Cliff College,
Iowa. Personal communication.
Office of Endangered Species and
of Nebraska.
(Transl. by J
Iowa Forest
Environmental
Sioux City,
International
Activities, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife,
United States Department of the Interior 1973.
Threatened Wildlife of the United States.
III-F-9 Kakae, KR 1974. Superintendent, Conservation Officer
Section, Iowa Conservation Commission. Personal
communication.
III-F-10 United States Army Engineer District, Omaha, Nebraska
1973. Missouri River Recreation Lakes, Snyder-
Winnebago Complex. Final Environmental Statement.
III-F-11 National Audubon Society 1974. The Blue List for
1975. American Birds 28 ^6_: 971-974.
III-F-12 Heiser, N 1974 and 1976. woodbury District Wildlife
Biologist. Personal communication.
R-8
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III-F-13
III- F- 14
III- P- 15
III-F-16
III- F- 17
III- F- 18
III-F-19
III-F-20
III-F-21
Martin. AC. HS Zim, and AI Nelson 1951. American
Wildlife and Plants, A Guide to Wildlife Food Habit.
Carpenter, JR 1940. The Grassland Biome. Ecological
Monographs 10 (4) ; 617-684.
Conant, R. 1958. A Field Guide to Reptiles and
Amphibians. Houghton~Mif flin Company, Boston.
Burt, WH and RP Grossenheider. 1964. A Field Guide to
the Mammals. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
Brown, WH. 1971. An annotated list of the birds of
Iowa. Iowa State Journal of Science 45(3): 387-469.
Fernald, ML. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany. D Van
Nostrand Company, NY.
Both, J. 1976. Iowa State Conservation Officer.
Personal communication .
Harrell, B. 1976. University of South Dakota,
Vermillion, south Dakota. Personal communication.
Robbins, CS, Brunn, B, and HS Zim. 1966. Birds of
North America . Golden Press, NY 340 pp.
Ill - G - HISTORIC, SCENIC, AND RECREATIONAL SITES
III-G-1 U.S. Army Corps of Fjigineers 1973. Final
Envi ronmen ta1 Statement, Snyder-Winnebego Bends
Recreational Areas. Omaha, Nebraska.
III-G-2 Bowers, M. 1976. Divisipn of Historic Preservation,
Iowa State Historical Department, Iowa City, Iowa.
Personal Communication.
III-G-3 Taxer, S. 1976. Sioux City Public Museum. Sioux
City, Iowa. Personal Conimunication.
III-G-4 National Park Service. National Register of Historic
Places (Including National Historic Landmarks).
Federal Register. National Archives and Records
Service. Washington, E.G.
III-G-5 Munn, B. 1976. Historic Preservation Office, Nebraska
State Historic Society. Lincoln, Nebraska. Personal
Communication.
III-G-6 Culbertson, P. 1976. Dakota County Historical
Society. Dakota City, Nebraska. Personal
Communication.
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IV - A - CONSTRUCTION
IV-A-1 US Bureau of the Census, 1970 Census of Population,
General Social and Economic Characteristics for Iowa
and Nebraska, Table 123.
IV-A-2 Seaton, C. 1976. Iowa Employment Security Commission.
Personal communication.
IV-A-3 US Bureau of the Census, 1970 Census of Population,
General Population Characteristics, Iowa, Table 16.
(Average household size for Sioux City SMSA)
IV-A-4 Davis, DE and FB Golley. 1965. Principals in
Mammalogy. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York.
335 p.
IV-A-5 Hot, JM. 1976. Iowa State Conservation Officer.
Personal communication.
IV-A-6 Yoakum, J and WP Dasmann. 1969. Habitat manipulation
practices. In: Wildlife Management Techniques. RH
Giles, ed. The Wildlife Society, Washington, D.C. pp
173-231.
IV-A-7 US Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. Effects of
Noise on Wildlife and Other Animals. Memphis State
University, Document NTID 300.5. 74pp.
IV-A-8 US Environmental Protection Agency. 1973. Effects of
Noise on Wildlife and Other Animals. Public Health and
Welfare Criteria for Noise, July 27, 1973.
IV-A-9 Haindfeld, M 1976. Snyder Bend County Park Officer.
Personal communication.
IV-A-10 McKee, JE and HW Wolf. 1973. Water Quality Criteria,
2nd ed. The Resources Agency of California, State
Water Quality Control Board.
IV - B - CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM
IV-B-1 Morgan, RP and RG Stross. 1969. Destruction of
Phytoplankton in the Cooling Water Supply of a Steam
Electric Station. Ches. Sci. 1.0 j[3-4]_: 165-171.
IV-B-2 Fox, JL and MS Moyer. 1973. Some Effects of a Power
Plant on Marine Microbiota. Ches. Sci. 1M1) • 1-10.
IV-B-3 Warinner, JE and ML Brehmer. 1966. The Effects of
Thermal Effluents on Marine Organisms. Air and Wat.
Pollut. Inter Jour. 10: 277-289.
R-10
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IV-B-4 Bush, RM 1974. Supplementary materials. Thermal
Requirements of Freshwater Fish. Envir. Sci. Tech.
8(6) 561-568.
IV-B-5 Fogg, GE. 1966. Algae Cultures and Phytoplankton
Ecology. U. of Wise. Press, Madison, Wise. 126 pp.
IV-B-6 Hutchinson, GE 1967. A Treatise on Limnology Vol _II
Introduction to Lake Biology and the Limnoplankton.
John Wiley and Sons, NY.
IV-B-7 Altman, PL and DS Dittmer. 1966. Environmental
Biology. Fed. Amer. Soc. Exp Biol. Bethesda, Md.
IV-B-8 Bott, TC, R Patrick, and RL VanNote. 1973. The
Effects of Natural Temperature Variations on Riverine
Communities. In: USEPA. 1973. Effects and Methods of
Control of Thermal Discharges. Rept. to the Congress.
Part 3, Nov. 1973. pp. 1181-1270.
IV-B-9 Confer, JL and P Blades. 1975. Reaction Distance to
Foodplankton By Lepomis gibbosus. Vech int ver limnol
.19: 2493-2497.
IV-B-10 Brooks, JL. Eutrophication and Changes in the
Composition of the Zooplankton. Eutrophication:
Causes, Conseguences, Correctives. NAS, Wash. D.C.
IV-B-11 Swedberg, DV 1968. Food and Growth of the Freshwater
Drum in Lewis and Clark Lake, South Dakota. Trans. Am
Fish. Soc. 12 (4) ; 442-447.
IV-B-12 Minckley, WL, JE Johnson, JN Rinne, and SE Willoughby.
1970. Food of Buffalofishes, Genus Ictiobus, in
Central Arizona Reservoirs. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 99
(2) : 333-342
IV-B-13 Bonneau, DC, JW McGuire, OW Tiemeier, and CW Deyoe.
1972. Food Habits and Growth of Channel Catfish Fry,
Ictalurus Punctatus. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 101(4):
613-618.
IV-B-14 Cramer, JD and GR Marzolf, 1970. Selective Predation
of Zooplankton by Gizzard Shad. Trans Am. Fish. Soc.
12 (2) : 320-322.
IV-B-15 Hynes, HBN. 1972. The Ecology of Running Waters. Univ
of Toronto Press, Can. 555p.
R-ll
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IV-B-16 Hall, DJr WE Cooper, and EE Werner. 1970. An
experimental approach to the production dynamics and
structure of freshwater animal communities. Limnol.
Qceanoqr. 15 (6) 839-928.
IV-B-17 Chutter, FM 1975. Variation in the Day-Time Drift in
a Natal River. Verh. Int. Ver. Limnol 19: 1728-1735.
Iv-B-18 Waters, TF. 1972. The Drift of Stream Insects. Ann.
Rev. En torn. _17: 253-272.
IV-B-19 Nebeker, AV and AE Lempke. 1968. Preliminary Studies
on the Tolerance of Aquatic Insects to Heated Waters.
J._ Kans. Ent. Soc. jn: 413-118.
IV-B-20 Coutant, CC and Goodyear, CP 1972. Thermal Effects.
J Water. Poll. Cont. Fed. 4^: 1250.
IV-B-21 Wurtz, C, and C Renn. 1965. Water Temperature and
Aquatic Life. Cooling Water Studies for Edison
Electric Institute.
IV-B-22 Mihursky, JA and VS Kennedy. 1967. Water Temperature
Criteria to Protect Aquatic Life. Amer. Fish. Soc.,
Spec. Pub. No. JJ.
IV-B-23 Sedell, JR, FU Triska, and NS Triska. 1975. The
Processing of Conifer and Hardwood Leaves in Two
Coniferous Forest Streams: I. Weight, Loss, and
Associated Invertebrates. Verh. Int. Ver. Limnol 19:
1617-1627.
IV-B-24 Cummins, KW, RC Peterson, FO Howard, JC Wuycheck and
VI Holt. 1973. The Utilization of Leaf Litter by
Stream Detritivores. Ecology 5J4 (2) : 336-345.
IV-B-25 Peterson, RC and KW Cummins. 1974. Leaf Processing in
a woodland Stream. Freshw. Biol. j»: 343-368.
IV-B-26 Marcy, BC Jr. 1974. Vulnerability and survival of
entrained organisms at water intakes, with emphasis on
young fishes. ASCE, Power Div. Spec, conf., Boulder,
Col. Unpublished mimeo. August 13, 1974.
IV-B-27 Marcy, BC Jr. 1971. Survival of Young Fish in the
Discharge Canal of a Nuclear Power Plant. J. Fish.
Res. Bd. Can. 28: 1057-1060.
IV-B-28 Schubel, JR. 1974. Effects of Exposure to Time-Excess
Temperature Histories Typically Experienced at Power
Plants on the Hatching Success of Fish Eggs. Ches.
Bay. Inst., Spec. Rept. 32. Johns Hopkins Univ.
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IV-B-29 Coutant, CC. 1973. Time-Temperature Relationships and
Lethal Temperatures for Resistance of Aquatic
Organisms (Principally fish) to Extreme Temperatures.
In: Technical Manual of Selected Techniques for Case-
by-Case Evaluation of Thermal Discharges. US Env.
Prot. Agy. Office of Enforcement and General Council,
Wash., D.C. Appendix. 2.
IV-B-30 Davies, RM and LD Jensen. 1974. Effects of
Entrainment of Zooplankton at Three mid-Atlantic Power
Plant. Electric Power Res. Inst. Cooling water
Discharge Res. Proj. (RR-49) , Pub. No. 74-049-00-1,
Rept. 16, The John Hopkins Univ.
IV-B-31 Hey, J and K Baldwin. 1974b. Missouri River Aquatic
Ecology Study Report, June, July, August 1974. unpub.
mimeo.
IV-B-32 US Environmental Protection Agency, Effluent
Guidelines Div. 1973. Development Document for
Proposed Best Technology Available for Minimizing
Advance Environmental Impact of Cooling Water Intake
Structures. USEPA. Dec. 1973, 775 p.
IV-B-33 Brown, BE, I Inman, and A Jerald, Jr. 1970. Schooling
and Shelter Seeking Tendencies in Fingerling Channel
Catfish. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 99(3): 540-545.
IV-B-34 Matthiessen, GC. 1972. Marine Research, Inc. Wareham,
Mass. Personal Communication.
IV-B-35 Hocutt, CH 1973. Swimming Performance of Three
Warmwater Fishes Exposed to a Rapid Temperature
Change. Ches. Sci. 14 (i) : 11-16.
IV-B-36 King, LR. 1969. Swimming Speed of the Channel
Catfish, White Crappie, and Other Warmwater Fishes
from Conowingo Reservoir, Susquehanna River Pa.
Ich thvo 1 ogic a 1 Assoc. Bull. No. 4..
IV-B-37 Siegel, S. 1956. Nonparametric Statistics. McGraw-
Hill Book Co., Inc. N.Y.
IV-B-38 Hey, J. and K. Baldwin. 1976. Impingement studies,
Neal III. Also relative abundance estimates - Neal
II. Preliminary Recommendations for Design and
Operation of Intake and Screens.
IV-B-39 George Neal Station, Units 1-3, Effect of Cooling
Water Discharge on the Temperature Distribution of the
Missouri River. Ebasco Services Incorporated, New
York, NY, February 1971.
IV-B-40 Environmental Impact Analysis - George Neal Unit No. 3_
for Iowa Public Service Company. Ebasco Services
Incorporated, New York, NY, January 1973.
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IV-B-41 Prych, EA, 1972. A Warm Water Effluent Analyzed as a
Buoyant, Surface Jet. Swedish Meteorological and
Hydrological Institute, Series HYDRQLOG I. , No. 21.
IV-B-42 Morton, BR, Taylor, G and Turner, JS. Turbulent
Gravitational Convection from Maintained and
Instantaneous Sources. Proceedings of the Royal
Society. London. Vol. 234, 1956.
IV-B-43 shirazi, MA and Davis, Workbook of Thermal Plume
Prediction - Volume .2 - Surface Discharge. EPA-R2-72-
0056, May 1974.
IV-B-44 us Army Corps of Engineers. 1971. Missouri River
Hydrographic Survey - Omaha District Ponca to Rulo.
IV-B-45 US Environmental Protection Agency, 1973b. Proposed
Criteria For Water Quality, Vol. 1. October, 1973.
IV-B-46 Christiansen, AG, and BA Tichenor. 1968. Industrial
Waste Guide on Thermal Pollution. FWPCA Rept.,
Cornwalls. Ore. 112p.
IV-B-47 Jones, JR Ericksen. 1964. Fish and River Pollution.
Buttenworth, Canton.
IV-B-48 Langford, TE. 1972. A Comparative Assessment of
Thermal Effects in Some British and North American
Rivers. In: Oglesby, RTCA Carlson, and JA McCann,
eds. River Ecology and Man. Acad. Press, New York.
IV-B-49 Parker, FL and PA Krenkel. 1969. Thermal Pollution;
Status of the Art. Vanderbilt Univ., Dept. Of Env. and
Water Res. Eng., Rept. No. 3.
IV-B-50 Bush, RM, EB Welch, and BW Mar. 1974. Potential
Effects of Thermal Discharges on Aquatic Systems.
Env. Sci. Tech. 8 (6): 561-568.
IV-B-51 us Environmental Protection Agency, 1973c. Effects
and Methods of Control of Thermal Discharges. Rept.
to the Congress by the Env. Prot. Agency in Accordance
with Sect. 104(t) of the Fed. Wat. Poll. Cont. Act.
Amend, of 1972. Serv. No. 93-14. Part 3, Nov., 1973.
IV-B-52 Hey, J and K Baldwin. 1974a. Missouri River Aquatic
Ecology Study Report, March - May, 1974. Proj. Rept.
to Iowa Public Service Co. 76p.
IV-B-53 Hey, J and K Baldwin. 1975. Aquatic Ecology Study
(Pre-operational survey, Unit IJCI1. of the Missouri
River near the George Neal Station, Sioux City, Iowa,
June 1974 - December 1975. Prepared for Iowa Public
Service Co. 55p.
R-14
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IV-B-54 Andrews, JW and RR Stickeny. 1972. Interactions of
Feeding Rates and Environmental Temperature on Growth,
Food Conversion, and Body Composition of Channel
Catfish. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 101 (1); 94-99.
IV-B-55 Hey, J and K Baldwin. 1974. Aquatic Ecology Study
(Pre-operational Survey, Neal III) of the Missouri
River near the George Neal Station, Sioux City, Iowa,
May 1973 - May 1974. Prepared for Iowa Public Service
Co. 40p.
IV-B-56 Gammon, JR. 1973. The Effect of Thermal Inputs on the
Populations of Fish and Macroinvertebrates in the
Wabash River. Purdue Univ. Water Res. Ctr., W.
Lafayette, Ind. Tech. Rept. No. 32.
IV-B-57 Gammon, JR. 1971. The Response of Fish Populations in
the wabash River to Heated Effluents. Radioecology
1971: 513-523.
IV-B-58 Carlander, K D. 1969. Handbook of Freshwater Fishery
Biology. Vol. 1. Iowa State Univ Press, Ames, Icwa.
751 p.
IV-B-59 Breder, C M Jr, and D E Posen. 1966.
Modes of Reproduction in Fishes.
T F H Pub., Jersey City, N?~J. 941 p.
IV-B-60 Lopinot- A. 1970.
What Fish Is This?
111. Div. of Fish., Fish. Bull. No. 2.
IV-B-61 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). 1974.
Guide for demonstrations under Section 316 of the
F W P C A Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-500) .
Unpublished mimeo, July 18, 1974.
IV-B-62 Jester, D B 1972. Life History, Ecology, and
Management of the Fiver Carpsucker, C^r^iodes
carpio (Rafinesque), with Reference to Elephant
Butte Lake. New Mexico State Univ., Ag. Exp. Sta.,
Res. Rept. 243.
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IV - C - ATMOSPHERIC DISCHARGES
IV-C-1 Ebasco Services, Inc., 1974: Ambient Air Quality
Studyq Neal Station Units 1~1» prepared for Iowa
Public Service Company, 20pp.
IV-C-2 American Conference of Industrial Hygienists,
Industrial Ventilation, 1970. p. 13-19.
IV-C-3 Stern, AC. 1968. Air Pollution. Vol. 3, p. 673.
IV-C-4 Taylor, OC 1969. Injury Symptoms Produced by Oxidant
Air Pollutants, Handbook of Effects Assessment -
Vegetation Damage, edited by NL Lacasse and WJ Moroz,
Center for Air Environment Studies, Pennsylvania State
University, University Park.
IV-C-5 Severson, JG, Jr. 1975. Sulfur and Higher Plants,
Sulfur in the Environment, Missouri Botanical Garden,
St. Louis, pp. 92-111.
IV-C-6 Buckman, YO, and NC Brady, 1969. The Nature and
Properties of Soils. 7th edition, MacMillan Corp., New
York. 653 pp. 57. Trace Elements, Soil, the US
Department of Agriculture.
IV-C-7 Taylor, LD. 1973. Acute responses of plants to aerial
pollutants. Chapter 2 in Air Pollution Damage to
Vegetation. edit. by JA Naegele. Advances in
Chemistry Series 122, American Chemical Society
(Washington D.C. 137p.)
IV-C-8 Thomas, MD. 1961. Effects of Air Pollution on Plants.
Air Pollution, World Health Organization Monograph
Series No. 46, pp. 233-278.
IV-C-9 Linzon, SN. 1969. Symptomatology of Sulfur Dioxide
Injury on Vegetation, Handbook of Effects Assessment -
Vegetation Damaget ed. by NL Lacasse and WJ Moroz,
Center for Air Environment Studies, Pennsylvania State
University, University Park.
IV-C-10 Katz, M. and AW McCallum. 1952. The Effect of Sulfur
Dioxide on Conifers. Air Pollution, edited by JC
McCabe, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
IV-C-11 US Environmental Protection Agency. 1973. Effects of
Sulfur Oxides in the Atmosphere on Vegetation.
National Environmental Research Center Report No. EPA-
R3-030.
IV-C-12 Bennett, JH and AC Hill, 1973. Inhibition of Apparent
Photosynthesis by Air Pollutants. J. Environmenta1
Quality 2 (4): pp. 526.530.
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IV-C-13 Jones, EC, Cunningham, JR, McLaughlin, SB, Lee, NT and
SS Ray. 1973. Investigation of alleged Air Pollution
Effects on Yield of Soybeans in the Vicinity of the
Shawnee Steam Plant. Tennessee Valley Authority,
Division of Environmental Planning. E-EB-73-3.
IV-C-14 Tingey, DT, Reinert, RA, Wickliff, C, and WW Heck.
1973. Chronic ozone or sulfur dioxide exposures, or
both, affect the early vegetative growth of soybeans.
Canadian Journal of Plant Science 53; 875-879
IV-C-15 Tingey, DT, Heck, WW, and RA Reinert. 1971. Effect of
low concentrations of ozone and sulfur dioxide on
foilage, growth and yield of radish. Journal of the
American Society of Horticultural Science 96(3); 369-
371.
IV-C-16 Jones, HC, Weber, D and D Balsillie. 1974. Acceptable
limits for air pollution damages and vegetation
effects: sulfur dioxide. Paper No. 74-225, presented
at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution
Control Association, Denver, Colorado, June 9-13,
1974, Air Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh)
31p.
IV-C-17 Linzon, SN 1973. Sulfur dioxide air quality standards
for vegetation. Paper No. 73-107 presented at the
66th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control
Association, Chicago, Illinois. June 24-28, 1973, Air
Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh), 19p.
IV-C-18 Andrews, NJ. 1975. Lichens: Natural Indicators of Air
Quality. Sulfur in the Environment, Missouri
Botanical Garden, St. Louis, pp. 79-91.
IV-C-19 White, KL, Hill AC, and JH Bennett. 1974. Synergistic
inhibition of apparent photosynthesis rate of alfalfa
by combinations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide. Environmental Science and Technology 6! (b) ;
574576.
IV-C-20 Tingey, DT, Reinert, RA, Dunning, JA, and WW Heck.
1971. Vegetation injury from the interaction of
nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Phytopathology
J51: 1506-1511.
IV-C-21 Tingey, DT, RA Reinert, JA Dunning, and WW Heck. 1973.
Foliar Injury Responses of Eleven Plant Species to
Ozone/Sulfur Dioxide Mixtures. Atmospheric
Environment 7: 201-208.
IV-C-22 Heagle, AS, Body, DE, and GE Neely. 1974. Injury and
yield responses of soybean to chronic doses of ozone
and sulfur dioxide in the field. Phytopathology 64;
132-136.
R-17
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IV-C-23 Heggested, HE, Anderson, CE, and WA Feder. 1974.
Determining acceptable limits for air pollution
dosages and vegetation effects: ozone. Paper No. 74-
224 presented at the 17th Annual Meeting of the Air
Pollution Control Association (Pittsburgh), 37 p.
IV-C-24 Benedict, HM, JC Miller, and RE Olson. 1971. Economic
impact of air pollutants on plants in the United
States. Stamford Research Institute.
IV-C-25 United States Forest Service. 1972. Our Air. US
Department of Agriculture, NE-INF-14-72REV.
IV-C-26 Likens, GE and FH Bormann. 1974. Acid Rain: A Serious
Regional Environmental Problem. Science 184; 1176-
1179.
IV-C-27 Frohliger, JC and R Kane. 1975. Precipitation: its
acidic nature. Science 89: 455-457.
IV-C-28 Richards, LA, ed, 1954. Diagnosis and Improvement of
Saline and Alkali Soils. Agricultural Handbook No.
60, US Dept of Agriculture. 160 pp.
IV-C-29 Reuss, JO, 1975. Sulfur in the soil system. Chapter
4 - Sulfur in the Environment, Missouri Botanical
Garden (St. Louis), 187 p.
IV-C-30 Wood, T and FH Bormann. 1974. The Effects of an
Artificial Acid Mist Upon the Growth of Betula
alleghniensis Britr. Environmental Pollution 7 (4); pp.
259-268.
IV-C-31 Hindawi, AJ, and HC Ratsch. 1974. Growth
abnormalities of Pollution. Paper No. 74-252
presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Air
Pollution Control Association, Denver, Colorado, June
9-13, 1974. Air Pollution Control Association
(Pittsburgh), 21p.
IV-C-32 Gordon, CC. 1972. Mount Storm Study. Unpublished
Manuscript Submitted to US Environmental Protection
Agency, November 17, 1972. EPA Contract No. 68-
02,0229. 31 pp.
IV-C-33 Overrein, LN 1972. Sulfur Pollution Patterns
Observed; Leaching of Calcium in Forest soil
Determined. Ambio 1 (4); 145-147.
IV-C-34 Ti, P, and HE Lindsberg. 1975. Rainwater pH dose to a
major power plant. Atmospheric Environment 9, 81-88.
IV-C-35 US Environmental Protection Agency, Air Pollution
Control Office. 1971. Air Quality Criteria for
Nitrogen Oxides. Publication No. AP-84.
R-18
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IV-C-36 Thompson, CR, Tingey, DT, and RA Reinert. 1974.
Acceptable limits for air pollution dosages and
vegetation effects: nitrogen dioxide. Paper No.
74-227 presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Air
Pollution Control Association, Denver, Colorado, June
9-13. 1974. Air Pollution Control Association
(Pittsburgh), 22 p.
IV-C-37 Hill, AC, and JH Bennett. 1970. Inhibition of
Apparent Photosynthesis by Nitrogen Oxides.
Atmospheric Environment £: pp 341-348.
IV-C-38 Ricks, GR, and RJH Williams. 1971. Effects of
Atmospheric Pollution on Deciduous Woodland Part 2:
Effects of Particulate Matter Upon Stomatal Diffusion
Resistance in Leaves of Quercus petraea (Mattuschka)
Leibl. Environmental Pollution 6_: 111-129.
IV-C-39 US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare,
Public Health Service National Air Pollution Control
Administration. 1969. Air Quality Criteria for
Particulate Matter. Pub. No. ap-49.
IV-C-40 Eller, BM. 1974. Street duct heat up plants.
(strauss entauk heiet pf lanzen auf). Text in German.
Umschau Wiss. Tech., 74 (9) ; 283-284. Air Pollution
Technical Information Center (US. EPA) Literature
Search Abstract No. 61311.
IV-C-41 US. Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. In Mount
Storm, West Virginia - Gorman, Maryland, and Luke,
Maryland - Keyser, West Virginia, Air Pollution
Abatement Activity. NIIS ph 199181. 159 p.
IV-C-42 Wood, FA. 1975. Development of the long and short
needle disease of pines. Abstract of paper presented
at the First International Symposium on Acid
Precipitation and the First Ecosystem, Columbus, Ohio,
May 12-15, 1975.
IV-C-43 Talisayon, SD. 1972. Low-level air pollution effects
on experimental animals: a review. Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York, National Sciences
Foundation, Paper No. 72. pp. 11-15.
IV-C-44 Air Quality Criteria for Sulfur Oxides. National Air
Pollution Control Administration Publications No. AP-
50. US. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare,
Washington DC, January 1969.
IV-C-45 Lillie, RD. 1972. Air Pollutants Affecting the
Performance of Domestic Animals. Agriculture Handbook
No. 380, rev. ed. US. Dept. of Agriculture,
Washington, DC. 109 pp.
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IV-C-46 Amdur, MO, and D Underbill. 1968. The effects of
various aerosols on the response of guinea pigs to
sulfur dioxide. Arch. Env. Health 16: 460-468.
IV-C-47 Hillman, RC. 1972. Biological effects of air
pollution on insects, emphasizing the reactions of the
honey bee (Apis mellifera L) to sulfur dioxide. PhD
thesis. Department of Entomology, Graduate School of
Pennsylvania State University, p. 160.
IV-C-48 Air Quality fpr Nitrogen Oxides. Air Pollution
Control Office Publication O. AP-84. US.
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC,
January 1971.
IV-C-49 Treon, JF, FR. Dutra, J Cappel, H Signmon, and others.
1950. Toxicity of sulfuric acid mist. Arch Indus.
Hyg. Occup. Med. 2: 716-734.
IV-C-50 Amdur, MO, RZ Schulz, and P Drinker. 1952. Toxicity
of sulfuric acid mist to guinea pigs. Arch. Industr.
Hyg. £>: 318-329.
IV-C-51 Amdur, MO, 1958. The respiratory response of guinea
pigs to sulfuric acid mist. Arch. Indus. Health. 18;
407-414.
IV-C-52 Thomas, MD, RH Hendricks, FD Gunn, and J Critchlow.
1958. Prolonged exposure of guinea pigs to sulfuric
acid aerosol. Arch. Indus. Health. 17; 70-80.
IV-C-53 Cooper, WC, and IF Tabershaw. 1966. Biological
Effects of nitrogen dioxide in relation to air quality
standards. Arch. Environ. Health. 12; 522-530
IV-C-54 Crocker, TT. 1973. Nitrogen oxides - animal effects.
Preprint, National Academy of Sciences, Washington,
DC. 17 pp.
IV-C-55 US Dept. of Health, Education, Welafare. 1969. Air
Quality Criteri a for Particulate Matter. Public
Health Service, National Air Polution Control Admin,
Durham, NC. Pub. No. AP-49
IV-C-56 Jackson, WB, EJ Ryback, and SH Vessey. 1974 Vertical
barriers to bird migration. Conference on the
Biological Aspects of the Bird/Aircraft Collision
Problem. Clemson University, South Carolina, P. 279-
287.
IV-C-57 Zimmerman, DA. 1975. The changing seasons. American
Birds 19: 23-28.
IV-C-58 Rybak, EJ, WB Jackson, and SH Vessey. 1973. Impact of
Cooling Towers on bird migration. Proceedings Sixth
Bird Control Seminar, Bowling Green State University,
30-31 October-November, 1973, pp. 187-194.
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IV-C-59 Mudge, JE and RW Firth, Jr. 1975. Evaluation of
cooling tower ecological effects - an approach and
case history. Presented before the 21st Annual
Meeting American Nuclear Society, June 12, 1975, New
Orleans, LA. 8 pp.
IV-C-60 Overing, R. 1936. The 1935 fall migration at the
Washington Monument. Wilson Bull. 48: 222-224.
IV-C-61 Brewer, R and JA Ellis. 1958. An analysis of
migrating birds killed at a television tower in east-
central Illinois, September 1955-May 1957. Auk 75:
400-414.
IV-C-62 Bellrose, FC. 1968. Waterfowl migration corridors
east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States.
111. Nat. His. Sur. Biol. Notes 61. 24 pp.
IV-C-63 Bellrose, FC. 1971. The distribution of nocturnal
migrants in the air space. Auk 88: 397-424.
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V-C - PLANT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
V-o-1 Roffman, A. 1973. The State of the Art of Saltwater
Cooling Towers for Steam Electric Generating Plants.
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
V-C-2 United States Salinity Laboratory. 1954. Diagnosis
and Improvement of Saline and Alkali Soils.
Agricultural Handbook No. 60.
V-C-3 Stout, PR and CM Johnson. 1957. Trace elements, in:
Soil. The Yearbook of Agriculture, 1957. USDA.
v-c-4 Jordan, HU and HM Reisenauer. 1957. Sulfur and soil
fertility. In: Soil, the Yearbook of Agriculture,
1957. USDA.
V-c-5 Fried, M and H Broeshart. 1967. The Soil Plant
Systems. (Adademic Press, NY.).
V-C-6 Martin, WE. 1959. The vegetation of Island Beach
State Park, NJ. Ecological Monographs 29 (1}; 1-46.
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GLOSSARY
BOD5 - five day biochemical oxygen demand. A test of pollutional
potential.
B.T.U. (British Thermal Unit) - the quantity of heat required to
raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree
Celsius.
Bottom Ash - incombustible particles that settle out in the
furnace after coal is consumed.
c.f.s. - measure of flow in cubic feet per second.
Cationic and Anionic Exchanger Trains - a method of producing
demineralized water by exchanging dissolved ions (calcium,
sodium, chloride, etc) for hydrogen and hydroxide ions.
Circulating water system - system of pumps, pipes and structures
that provides a continuous supply of cooling water to the plant.
Condenser - heat exchanger wherein the waste heat from the steam
cycle is transferred to the cooling water flow.
Cyclone boiler - a type of boiler that employs a cyclone furnace
which is a water-cooled horizontal cylinder wherein fuel is
fired, heat is released at extremely high rates and combustion is
completed.
Electrofishinq - a method of capturing fish in which an electric
field is created in the water between two submerged electrodes or
between one electrode and a "ground".
Electrostatic precipitator - equipment which removes particles
from the stack flue gas by imparting an electrical charge on the
suspended particles and collecting them on electrodes.
a. cold side - refers to the location of the electrostatic
precipitator in the flue gas stream at the air heater
outlet.
b. hot side - refers to the location of the electrostatic
precipitator in the flue gas stream at the air heater
inlet.
Entrainment - the process by which organisms are passed through
the plant's circulating water system.
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Entrapment - the prevention of the escape of organisms due to the
cooling water currents and forces involved.
f .p. s. - measure of velocity in feet per second.
Filter backwash - that portion of wastewater resulting from wash
of the filter bed.
Fly ash - incombustible fine particles that are suspended in the
flue gas.
Gill Net - a single wall of fabric, hung from a float line. Fish
are captured by swimming into and partly through the mesh where
they cannot disengage themselves.
Impingement - sharp collision of organisms with a physical member
of the intake structure (usually in reference to traveling
screens in the intake forebay).
Inclined trash rack - system of bars located on the face of the
intake structure to protect the screens and pumps from damage due
to large debris and ice.
Intake structure - water screening and pump chamber for the
circulating water system.
Particulates - finely divided solid or liquid airborne material,
with dimensions ranging between 0.0002 microns and 2.0 microns
diameter.
Plume - effluent from a stack retaining its bulk physical
properties until dispersed by atmospheric turbulence.
SO2 - sulfur dioxide
Sand weir guides - vertical slots that hold the sand deflecting
plates in place at the base of the intake structure.
Seal well - part of the discharge system that maintains and
regulates the siphon action at the condenser.
Seining - in this report, the process whereby a rectangular
net, fitted with poles on each end, is pulled through shallow
water for the purpose of catching fish.
Sluice - transportation of material using water as a conveyance.
Stop log guides - vertical slots that hold the stop logs in place
during intake structure dewatering operations.
Trammel net - three separate pieces of net suspended from a
float line extending to a lead line. The two outer nets are made
of coarse twine and large mesh. The inner one is made of fine
twine and small mesh. fish are captured by swimming into the net
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^OST*r*f
r,
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
I73.r; BALTIMORE
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 6410meatal.JQ!ipj^t
Statement (EIS) for the George Neal S^am El_e_ctric,generating Station,,
Ujvit 4. This document is submitted for your review and comment pur-
suant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (Public Law 91-190).
The principal owner of the power plant, Iowa Public Service Company,
has applied for Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers permits, and two cooperatives, Cornbelt Power and
Northeast Iowa Cooperatives, have applied for Rural Electrification
Administration loan guarantees. This document serves as the EIS for
these three agencies and will be used to evaluate the environmental
impacts of their actions.
The applicant (Iowa Public Service Company) has expressed the
necessity to complete construction of the plant's intake facility
prior to the opening of the Missouri River for navigation. Therefore,
a request has been submitted to the Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) to reduce the "no action" period to 15 calendar days for the
issuance of the Corps of Engineers' Section 10 and 404 permits.
Comments or objections pertaining to the issuance of the Section 10
and 404 permits for construction of the intake structure should be
submitted to this office within 15 days of receipt of this letter.
Comments or objections to the other actions described in the final
EIS should be submitted within the normal 30-day period. Following
the no action period, the above Federal agencies may issue their
permits and loan guarantees.
The Final EIS is available for public review at the Environmental
Protection Agency, Region VII library and the Sioux City Public
Library, Sioux City, Iowa.
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Please refer this notice to all persons who may be interested in
the project. We appreciate the time and effort you will spend
reviewing this document.
Sincerely yours,
.
Charles V. Wright .)
Acting Regional Administrator
Enclosure
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STATEMENT OF FINDINGS
GEORGE NEAL STEAM ELECTRIC
GENERATING STATION, UNIT 4
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
JANUARY 1977
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STATEMENT OF FINDINGS
The interpretation and evaluation of information collected during
the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has
resulted in the following determinations:
1. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' issuance of a Section 10, 1899
River and Harbors Act permit and Section 404, Federal Water Pollution
Control Act Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-500) permit is not expected
to create significant environmental impacts. This is demonstrated
by the lack of evidence for environmental degradation and the
absence of controversy or public concern with these issuances.
2. The Rural Electrification Administration's issuance of loan
guarantees to Corn Belt Power Cooperative and Northwest Iowa Power
Cooperative to finance 25 MW and 100 MW, respectively, should not
have a significant impact on the'environment.
3. The evaluation of information relevant to the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit required under Section 402, P.L.
92-500, has demonstrated the potential for environmental degradation
resulting from ash disposal and coal storage operations for Neal
Unit 4. In order to mitigate these impacts, the applicant and EPA,
Region VII, have agreed to the attached stipulation. In addition,
the NPDES permit may be conditioned to assure compliance with the
Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-523), EPA's Quality Criteria
for Water, Iowa State Water Quality Standards, and all guidelines to
be promulgated pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
(P.L. 94-469), for leakage and runoff from those operations.
""V
_ V. Wright ^
Date Acting Regional Administrator
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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
1735 BALTIMORE
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64108
IN THE MATTER OF
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE STIPULATION FOR THE
ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMIT APPROVAL OF THE
APPLICATION NO. IA 0061859 REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR
IOWA PUBLIC SERVICE CO.
GEORGE NEAL STATION UNIT NO. 4
Applicant
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
The Iowa Public Service Company, hereinafter "the Applicant," has
applied for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
pennit to discharge pollutants from Georae Neal Station Unit No. 4. The
application has been identified as NPDES No. IA 0061859. Site preparation
began in March 1975, and the construction schedule calls for the facility
to begin trial operation in September 1978. On February 11, 1976, the
Regional Administrator made the determination that this facility is a new
source as defined in Section 306 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act. The Environmental Protection Agency then assumed the responsibility
of lead agency for the preparation of an environmental impact statement.
Potentially unacceptable environmental impacts in the form of ground
water degradation have been identified with the proposed ash disposal and
coal handling systems. The stipulations set forth below were developed
pursuant.to EPA's authority and responsibility under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The parties enter into this stipulation
for the purposes of assuring both that environmentally acceptable
alternatives will be selected for the ash disposal and coal handling
systems and that the administrative processing of the permit will proceed
in an expeditious manner.
STIPULATION
The Applicant and the Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region VII, stipulate and agree as follows:
1. Within nine (9) months from the date this Stipulation is signed
by the Regional Administrator, the Applicant shall submit to the Regional
Administrator for review and approval, the location, design and method
of operation of proposed alternative ash disposal sites and/or methods
of disposal. The alternative sites shall satisfy the following criteria,
adapted from Iowa Department of Environmental Ouality Rules and Regulations
Relating to Solid Waste Disposal, Chapters 25 et seq.:
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a. So situated as to obviate any significant, predictable
leakage of leachates from the landfill to shallow unconsolidated aquifers
that are in actual use or are deemed to be of potential use as a water
resource.
b. So situated that the base of the proposed landfill is at
least five feet above the high water table unless a lesser separation is
unlikely to have a significant effect on ground and surface waters.
c. Not in significant hydroloaic subsurface or surface connection
with standing or flowing surface water.
d. Not situated in an unconsolidated sequence that will permit
more than 0.004 cubic foot of.liquid per day per souare foot of area
downward leakage into a bedrock or alluvial aquifer if such an aquifer
is present beneath or adjacent to the proposed site. The potential
downward leakage will be evaluated by means of the generalized Darcy's
Law Q = PIA where:
Q = feet of liquid, day, foot area of the interface,
P = coefficient of permeability of the unconsolidated confining unit,
I = the hydrologic gradient derived by the function:
Piezometric head in the unconsol idated sediments minus the piezometric
head in the bedrock aquifer divided by the thickness of the confining
unit of lowest permeability nominated to retard downward migration of
liquids or derived by other acceptable engineering practices, and
A = one square foot of area at the base of the landfill.
e. Outside a flood plain or shoreland, unless proper engineering
and sealing of the site will render it acceptable and prior approval of
the Iowa Natural Resources Council and where necessary the U.S. Corps of
Engineers is obtained.
2. Satisfaction of the site selection criteria in 1, above, does
not preclude the Regional Administrator from disapproving a proposed
ash disposal system on the basis of an unreasonable environmental impact
as compared to alternative systems.
3. The coal pile should be confined to an area as small as
practical with boundaries fixed with a dike system to prevent uncontrolled
runoff. Surface preparation of the area prior to actual storage of coal
should ensure that the infiltration rate is less than 0.004 cubic feet
per day per square foot. All surface runoff except that resulting from
a precipitation event which exceeds a 10-year 24-hour storm (4.3 inches)
shall be controlled and treated to a maximum of 50 mq/1 total suspended
solids and a pH within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 The treatment system
shall be designed and operated so as to discharge the supernatant from
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sedimentation structures into the Missouri River as soon as practical
after the precipitation event ends so as to minimize the potential for
leaching of soluble pollutants into the ground water. Settled materials
shall be removed and disposed of with ash or burned in the facility
boilers.
4. Within 180 days of the date this Stipulation is signed by the
Regional Administrator, the Applicant shall submit to the Regional
Administrator for review and approval the design of a monitoring
program to assess the impact of the ash disposal system and coal pile
leachates on the ground water.
5. The Applicant waives its right to request an adjudicatory
hearing on any item agreed to herein.
6. Nothing in this Stipulation shall be deemed to relieve the
Applicant from liability for non-compliance with other provisions of
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, or any other
federal laws, including any requirements of the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act of 1976, which might be made applicable to this
facility.
7. The terms contained herein shall not bind any person not
a party to the Stipulation and shall not bind the Applicant or the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency until signed by the Applicant
and the Regional Administrator, Region VII.
Date
.
Date't£-\ Director, Enforcement Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
Date -^>'Regional Administrator A,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region VII
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carrying the loose fine mesh through the adjacent coarse mesh,
becoming trapped.
Traveling screen - rotating fine screen that removes debris in
the intake structure.
G-3
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