Blenheim Gilboa Pumped Storage Project
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) required consulting support for the preparation and execution of the FERC relicensing process for its Blenheim Gilboa Pump Storage Project (B-G).
Kleinschmidt is assisting NYPA in all aspects of the relicensing efforts for the B-G Project and is leading a licensing team that includes Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, PC, and TRC Solutions, Inc. An initial task involved developing a strategic assessment of the preferred approach to licensing. The team developed a Project Information Document to facilitate informal consultation with stakeholders, a Pre-Application Document (PAD), and Notice of Intent to Relicense. Early initiation of the PAD process allowed NYPA to identify information gaps and to conduct early field studies to fill these gaps prior to initiating the formal licensing process, which ultimately streamlined the formal study scoping process under the integrated licensing process. Kleinschmidt managed and conducted multiple environmental studies, and supported consultation with a large group of local stakeholders concerned with the operation and economic impact of the project. Final project studies included an historic structures survey, Phase 1A Archaeological survey, fish entrainment assessment, recreation user/user contact study, effect of project operations on downstream flooding, and socioeconomics. The final license application was filed in early 2017, and Kleinschmidt is designing habitat improvement projects and developing management plans for recreation, water, land, and historic properties in support of NYPA’s settlement negotiations with stakeholders.
Kleinschmidt has provided project management expertise in leading a large relicensing team with multiple areas of expertise and talents to keep the project on budget and schedule. In addition, Kleinschmidt has given technical and strategic relicensing advice to NYPA, which in turn has helped NYPA better plan and reduce their risk for issues during the subsequent phases of the relicensing process, including additional study requests. Kleinschmidt’s management plans are designed to reflect agreements between NYPA and stakeholders while providing a clear and predictable implementation schedule and cost.