WECC’s environmental risk classification system assigns a relative risk of encountering environmental sensitivities to land areas using preferred environmental data sets. Stakeholder can use these risks to plan and evaluate potential transmission alternatives. WECC, through the Environmental Data Task Force (EDTF), developed an environmental and cultural resource risk classification system that organized land areas (area types) by their suitability for development based on their environmental and cultural sensitivities and constraints. EDTF then organized area types into the four risk classification categories: Risk Category 1: Least risk of environmental or cultural resource sensitivities and constraints (e.g., designated energy corridors) Risk Category 2: Low to moderate risk of environmental or cultural resource sensitivities and constraints (e.g., other public lands) Risk Category 3: High risk of environmental or cultural resource sensitivities and constraints (e.g., national monuments) Risk Category 4: Areas currently precluded from transmission development by law or regulation (e.g., wilderness areas) WECC uses these risk categories to identify least-environmental risk corridors for transmission development in its Long-Term Planning Tool (LTPT). Other stakeholders use these categories to better understand potential environmental risks and avoid areas with the highest potential environmental risks..
WECC’s environmental risk classification system assigns a relative risk of encountering environmental sensitivities to land areas using preferred environmental data sets. Stakeholder can use these risks to plan and evaluate potential transmission alternatives. WECC, through the Environmental Data Task Force (EDTF), developed an environmental and cultural resource risk classification system that organized land areas (area types) by their suitability for development based on their environmental and cultural sensitivities and constraints. EDTF then organized area types into the four risk classification categories: Risk Category 1: Least risk of environmental or cultural resource sensitivities and constraints (e.g., designated energy corridors) Risk Category 2: Low to moderate risk of environmental or cultural resource sensitivities and constraints (e.g., other public lands) Risk Category 3: High risk of environmental or cultural resource sensitivities and constraints (e.g., national monuments) Risk Category 4: Areas currently precluded from transmission development by law or regulation (e.g., wilderness areas) WECC uses these risk categories to identify least-environmental risk corridors for transmission development in its Long-Term Planning Tool (LTPT). Other stakeholders use these categories to better understand potential environmental risks and avoid areas with the highest potential environmental risks..