1. Welcome, Call to Order, Introductions Environmental Data Work Group (EDWG) DRAFT Meeting Minutes January 6, 2017 9:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. MDT Salt Lake City, Utah Fred Huette, Environmental Data Work Group (EDWG) Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. on January 6, 2017. A quorum was not present for the conducting of business. A list of attendees is attached as Exhibit A. 2. Antitrust Policy Jon Jensen read aloud the WECC Antitrust Policy statement. A link to the posted Policy was provided in the meeting agenda. 3. Approve Agenda The EDWG was not able to approve the agenda due to quorum not being met. 4. Review October 7, 2016 Minutes Mr. Huette introduced the minutes from the October 7, 2016 meeting. The EDWG was not able to approve the minutes due to quorum not being met. 5. Review of Previous Action Items a. Jim Gazewood will prepare a follow up webinar about the 368 Corridor. b. Nate Wagoner will coordinate with Jim Gazewood and Daly Edmunds on the Sage Grouse subgroup. c. Nate Wagoner will follow up on potential acquisition of the WAFWA CHAT data for critical habitat and conversion of the CHAT 6 point score to the EDWG 4 category environmental risk score. d. Nate Wagoner will follow up with state agency contacts on sage grouse and State Conservation Plans. e. Daly Edmunds will give an update on the forthcoming take rule for the Golden Eagle Project Act. WESTERN ELECTRICITY COORDINATING COUNCIL 155 North 400 West, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84103 1114
EDWG Meeting Minutes January 6, 2017 2 f. EDWG will pursue an update on the Conservation and Restoration Strategy including the Science Frame work. g. EDWG will pursue an update on the Conservation and Restoration Strategy including the Science Frame work. Outstanding Action Item: Follow up with APLIC. 6. Cultural Data Update Nathan Wagoner (ICF) Mr. Wagoner provided an update regarding the status of the western states Cultural Data. 7. WECC Anchor Data Set/Reliability Assessment Committee Branden Sudduth(WECC) Mr. Sudduth provided an update on the WECC Anchor Data Set and the structure of the proposed Reliability Assessment Committee. Nominations for the RAC subcommittee governing bodies are due by January 12, 2017. Please contact Branden Sudduth with any questions or nominations. 8. WAFWA CHAT Nathan Wagoner (ICF) and Mike Houts (WAFWA) Mr. Wagoner and Mr. Houts provided an update on the WAFWA CHAT crucial habitat data. The EDWG is currently in the process of implementing the WAFWA CHAT data sets for the data viewer. Some of the challenges in implementing this data revolve around what risk categories to be used and how the aquatic layers should be treated. 9. RETI 2.0 Brian Turner (CPUC) Mr. Turner provided an update on RETI 2.0. What it is, what it is not, timeline and process going forward. Also, what are the goals and needs, and draft conclusions of the initiative. 10. Section 368 Corridor Regional Reviews Jim Gazewood (BLM) Mr. Gazewood provided an update on the Section 368 Corridor Regional Review Project. This project encompasses six BLM / USFS regional reviews to be conducted, starting with region 1 in
EDWG Meeting Minutes January 6, 2017 3 the South West. These reviews will identify Sec. 368 transmission and pipeline corridor choke points, conflict areas and potential new corridor additions to support new energy needs. Recommendations for Sec. 368 energy corridor regional additions, modifications or deletions will be developed. 11. EZMT Update Jim Kuiper, Vladimir Koritarov (ANL) Mr. Kuiper and Mr. Koritarov provided a presentation regarding the Energy Zones Mapping Tool (EZMT). This included the capability of the tool, uses, and future implementations. 12. Golden Eagles Daly Edmunds (Audubon Rockies) and Katie Umekubo (Natural Resources Defense Council) Ms. Edmunds and Ms. Umekubo provided an update on Golden Eagles. Changes to federal permit regulations for incidental take of eagles and eagle s nests. 13. State Agency Contacts Sage Grouse Nathan Wagoner (ICF) Mr. Wagoner provided an update on the State Agency Contacts. The EDWG sent out a survey to each state concerning the states conservation plan and how it applies to grouse on state land. This is in effort to assigning risk to transmission development for sage grouse on State and private lands. The EDWG also completed an approach for assigning risk to transmission development for sage grouse on federal lands. 14. EDWG Work Plan 2016/2017 Fred Heutte (EDWG) Mr. Huette provided an overview of the EDWG Work Plan for 2017.
EDWG Meeting Minutes January 6, 2017 4 15. Public Comment 16. Review of New Action Items WAFWA/CHAT Call for details on Crucial Habitat Data o Assigned To: Fred Huette RETI2.0 California Cultural Data o Assigned To: Fred Huette and Tom Gates APLIC Update Eagle Rule o Assigned To: Sherry Liguori and Mike Best 17. Upcoming Meetings April 7, 2017...Salt Lake City July 21, 2017...TBD October 6, 2017...TBD 18. Adjourn Mr. Huette adjourned the meeting at 3:30 p.m. without objection.
EDWG Meeting Minutes January 6, 2017 5 Exhibit A: Attendance List Name... Affiliation Members in Attendance Eusebio Arballo... San Diego Gas & Electric Jim Bartridge... California Energy Commission Daly Edmunds... Audubon Rockies Rod Fisher... PacifiCorp Fred Huette... NW Energy Coalition Jon Jensen... Western Electricity Coordinating Council Branden Sudduth... Western Electricity Coordinating Council Nathon Wagoner... ICF International Others in Attendance Jim Gazewood... U.S. Bureau of Land Management Eli Harland... California Energy Commission Bill Hosie... Power System Innovation Corp Ron Kellermueller... New Mexico Dept. of Game and Fish Vladimir Koritarov... Argonne National Laboratory Dan Martin... BLM WO Morgan McLemore... WA SHPO Misa Milliron... California Energy Commission Melissa Pauley... U.S. Department of Energy Dana Peterson... KDWPT Brian Turner... California Public Utilities Commission Carl Zichella... Natural Resources Defense Council