Threatened and Endangered Species
By co-locating the project within a railroad right-of-way, much of the sensitive habitats typically used by threatened and endangered species will be avoided by the project corridor. For sensitive habitats that cannot be avoided, the use of alternate underground construction techniques (either Jack & Bore or Horizontal Directional Drilling) will result in minimal surface disturbance and help ensure the ecological integrity of these habitats.
Remnant Prairie Avoidance
By confining the project corridor to previously disturbed areas, we will avoid much of the intact remnant prairie areas in the region. For remnant prairie that cannot be avoided, the use of alternate underground construction techniques will avoid potential surface disturbance that could result from open trenching. These preventive measures will help preserve the current biotic integrity in the immediate vicinity of the project corridor.
Wetlands and Waterways
The SOO Green HVDC Link project will bore under wetlands and other sensitive environments, including the Mississippi River crossing from Iowa to Illinois. Using these underground construction techniques limits SOO Green HVDC Link’s impact to the environment during construction. Locating the transmission line underground limits environmental impacts during the ongoing operation of the line.
