A. INTRODUCTION
An "executive summary" is a required component of each Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) prepared in accordance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act. The executive summary describes the proposed action, its impacts on the environment, and the measures planned to mitigate adverse impacts. Alternatives to the proposed action are presented along with the rationale for their dismissal. Finally, the approvals and permits required for implementation are summarized.
The content of this DEIS reflects input from the public; state, federal, and local regulators; and a committee of expert Cornell University faculty convened by the Center for the Environment. A public scoping session was held in April 1996 to receive comments on the detailed outline of the DEIS. Comments received during the scoping process have been incorporated into the DEIS document. Specific comments and the location of the responses to these comments in the DEIS document are tabulated in Volume 1.
B. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION
Lake Source Cooling (LSC) is an infrastructure replacement project proposed by Cornell University as a reliable, environmentally sound method to cool buildings and equipment on the university's Ithaca campus. The project is based on the use of a renewable resource (the deep cold water of Cayuga Lake) and a nonpolluting cooling technology (noncontact plate-and-frame heat exchangers). The LSC technology will operate within the constraints imposed by the lake's natural thermal cycle and will not diminish the value of this important natural resource. While the LSC system will be expensive to construct (estimate $55 million-$60 million), the cost savings and environmental benefits realized by decreased reliance on fossil fuels make the project attractive over the university's long-term planning horizon.
Lake Source Cooling will draw water from deep in Cayuga Lake and circulate it through a shoreline heat exchange facility (HEF). Heat exchangers in the facility will remove heat from water in a separate closed-loop pipeline extending from Cornell's central campus cooling system, and will transfer this heat to the circulating lake water. The warmed lake water will be returned to the upper waters of Cayuga Lake. The chilled water in the closed-loop pipeline will be used to provide cooling to the Cornell campus. Water used to cool campus buildings and equipment will not mix with the lake water.
B.1 Reasons for Change
Cornell University has used a central chilled water system to cool and dehumidify buildings and equipment on the Ithaca campus since the early 1960s. Water used to cool campus buildings is currently chilled by a network of electrically driven chillers, a thermal storage tank, and limited use of water from Beebe Lake. Implementation of the LSC system will enable the university to replace the cooling capacity currently supplied by its electrically driven chillers with cooling capacity generated using naturally cold Cayuga Lake water in an energy conserving heat exchange process.
Seven chillers currently in service in Cornell's central cooling system contain chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants. Federal air quality legislation banned the manufacture and importation of these refrigerants by January 1, 1996 because of their adverse impacts on the earth's stratospheric ozone layer. Faced with the need to phase out the CFC-based chillers, a commitment to energy conservation, aging of equipment used for central cooling, and growth in demand for cooled buildings and equipment, Cornell has conducted an extensive review of alternative cooling technologies. Lake Source Cooling is proposed as a reliable, cost-effective, long-term, environmentally friendly, solution that is based on a renewable resource and will be a cornerstone in the university's efforts to phase out its use of CFCs.
By switching to the LSC system, Cornell University will conserve approximately 80 percent of the electrical energy used by the central cooling system each year. This reduction in energy use will be accompanied by a significant reduction in the amount of fossil fuels burned by electricity generating plants and an associated reduction in environmental impact.
B.2 Conceptual Design of the LSC System
The LSC system is designed to draw cold water from Cayuga Lake at a depth of approximately 76 m (250 ft) through a high density polyethylene intake pipeline extending 3.2 km (2 miles) north from the shoreline heat exchange facility (Figure ES-1). Water temperatures at this depth in Cayuga Lake are consistently cold, typically around 5°C (41°F) year-round. The cold lake water will circulate through heat exchangers, where it will absorb heat from water in the closed-loop pipelineextending from Cornell's central cooling system to the HEF. The campus chilled water will circulate back to the university through 3.9 km (2.4 mi) of buried pipelines. The warmed lake water will be returned to Cayuga Lake (Figure ES-1). The system is designed so that Cayuga Lake water will never mix with the closed-loop campus chilled water system, as the two water loops are separated by the stainless steel plates of the heat exchangers. The 152-m (500-ft) outfall pipe will terminate with a 23-m (75-ft) diffuser submerged at a depth of 2.7 m (9 ft). A schematic representation of the LSC system is included as Figure ES-2.
The lake water is projected to warm an average of 6.8°C (12°F) as it passes through the heat exchangers. During the summer, the temperature of the return flow to Cayuga Lake is estimated to be 13°C (56°F), which is cooler than the typical summer water temperature in the shallow southern basin of the lake. During the winter, the water temperature of the return flow is estimated to be 9°C (48°F), which is warmer than the temperature of the surrounding water. Table ES-1 summarizes the increase in temperature projected as the lake water flows through the heat exchangers (delta T), and Figure ES-3 compares the temperature of the LSC outfall to the surrounding lake water temperature in the area of the proposed outfall.
The volume of lake water circulated through the LSC system will be variable, depending on the demand for campus cooling. Monthly permitted flows through the system are estimated to be 2 m3/sec (32,000 gallons per minute, or gpm) for the summer months of June through September. For the winter months, December through March, the permitted monthly flows will be 0.65 m3/sec (10,300 gpm) to meet the winter campus cooling demands. Permitted flow rates for the months of April and November will be 0.76 m3/sec (12,000 gpm), whereas the permitted monthly flow rates for the months of May and October will be 1.06 m3/sec (16,800 gpm). A summary of the monthly projected flows is presented in Table ES-2.
The LSC system will initially be constructed as a 16,000-ton cooling plant. This size will meet the projected demand for cooling Cornell buildings and equipment and the Ithaca High School building in the year 2000, when the plant goes on-line. The ultimate capacity of the LSC system is 25 percent higher (20,000 tons), which would be achieved by installing additional heat exchangers and upgrading of plant pumps. The ultimate capacity is limited by the rate at which chilled water can be circulated within the terrestrial transmission pipelines. To meet future peak cooling demand and provide back-up for the LSC system, one of the existing central campus chillers will remain in service along with the existing thermal storage tank, and one new chiller is being put into service in 1997. The two electrically driven chillers to remain in service will use non-CFC refrigerants.
B.3 The Heat Exchange Facility
A new building to house the lake water pumps and heat exchangers will be constructed at 983 East Shore Drive in the Town of Ithaca. The portion of this property that houses the HEF will be rezoned as a Special Land Use District (SLUD). The HEF has been designed to accommodate the visually sensitive surroundings of Cayuga Lake and to minimize visual impact when viewed from the lake shoreline. An architectural rendering of the HEF is included (Figure ES-4). Stormwater runoff on the site will be directed to a vegetated area (a biofilter) for water quality improvement prior to flowing into Cayuga Lake through Renwick Brook.
B.4 Terrestrial Pipeline Route
The route of the terrestrial chilled water pipelines from the HEF to the Cornell campus covers a total of 2.4 miles (Figure ES-5). The chilled water pipelines will run south from the HEF near the abandoned railroad bed between New York State Route 13 and New York State Route 34 (East Shore Drive). The pipeline route will then cut westward across East Shore Drive just north of Route 13, and will continue via East Shore Drive and Ithaca City School District property west of East Shore Drive. The route will then proceed along Lake Street and University Avenue. The pipelines will cross property owned by the Ithaca School District (at Boynton Middle School and the Ithaca High School). Cornell will provide a connection to the LSC system at Ithaca High School as a community benefit. The chilled water pipelines will cross over Fall Creek at the Lake Street bridge, spanning the creek between the bridge girders.
Although a microtunneling technique is planned to install the lake water pipelines under East Shore Drive and the Conrail railroad tracks in front of the HEF, an open-cut construction technique will be used on the majority of the route. The street openings in the City of Ithaca will provide an opportunity for upgrading and replacing buried utilities along the route. In addition, site improvements will be provided along the route, including new pavement, grading, curbs, sidewalks, and roadways.
B.5 Construction Schedule
Pending a timely and successful permitting process in 1997, construction of the LSC pipelines and HEF is scheduled to occur during the construction seasons (April through November) of 1998 and 1999. It is anticipated that construction of the terrestrial portion of the lake water pipeline, the HEF building excavation, and the chilled water transmission pipelines up to and including the Fall Creek crossing will be completed within the first construction season. The HEF building and its associated indoor mechanical and electrical work will be started during the winter between the 1998 and 1999 construction seasons. During the 1999 construction season, the remainder of the chilled water pipelines and the HEF will be completed.
The aquatic portion of the LSC system also will be constructed during the 1999 season. Installation of the intake and outfall pipelines will require approximately six months, and is scheduled for completion by November 1999. Testing and commissioning of the system is scheduled for completion by summer of the year 2000. This is the anticipated construction schedule; however, this schedule could change due to unforeseen circumstances.
C. SIGNIFICANT BENEFICIAL AND ADVERSE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION
There are significant benefits, both short-term and long-term, associated with the Lake Source Cooling project. Adverse environmental impacts are few, and are largely mitigated.
C.1 Short-Term Beneficial Impacts (Construction Phase)
The LSC project will have positive short-term financial impacts on the regional economy related to construction of the HEF and the aquatic and terrestrial pipelines. Approximately 130 people will be employed for construction of the LSC system, and approximately $18 million will be directed to the community for local construction services. Purchase of supplies to support the construction (primarily concrete and backfill material) is estimated at $3.8 million.
C.2 Long-Term Beneficial Impacts (Operation Phase)
Decreased Reliance on Fossil Fuels. Implementation of LSC will permanently reduce Cornell University's reliance on fossil fuels for central campus cooling. Fossil fuel use is at the core of many significant environmental problems, including urban air pollution, acid rain, ecological impacts of resource extraction and disposal of residuals, and global climate change. By investing in this project, the university is making a local-scale effort to address the global need for decreased reliance on fossil fuels, and for alternative energy technologies that utilize renewable resources.
Operation of the LSC system will reduce the energy required for central campus cooling by as much as 80 percent. This amount of electrical energy could meet the electricity needs of 2,000 homes on an annual basis in the year 2000. In addition to annual electricity consumption, the electrical generating capacity freed up as a result of the LSC project represents the equivalent peak electrical usage of 2,500 to 4,000 homes. This electrical generating capacity would supply the peak demand to approximately 5 percent of the total residential electrical customers serviced by New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) in Tompkins County.
Acceleration of the Phaseout of CFC Refrigerants. Cornell University's decision to propose Lake Source Cooling has been deeply influenced by the need to phase out the use of ozone-depleting chemicals in its central cooling system. There are currently seven chillers with CFC refrigerants in service for Cornell's central campus chilled water system. CFC use in the central chilled water system will be phased out under a multi-year program that includes implementing the LSC system, bringing a new chiller (Chiller 8) on line, and retrofitting one existing chiller (Chiller 7). Chillers 7 and 8 will operate using HFC-134a, a refrigerant with zero potential for ozone depletion. Chillers 1 through 6 will be decommissioned, one at a time, after the LSC plant comes on line.
Replacement of and Upgrades to Infrastructure. The installation of the chilled water transmission pipelines will be carried out in conjunction with numerous improvements to public roadways, utilities, and sidewalks along the route. Many of these will be constructed at Cornell's expense. The benefit of these infrastructure improvements totals more than $1 million for the City and Town of Ithaca. Table ES-3 summarizes the infrastructure benefits to the community as a result of the LSC project. The city will use the opportunity provided by the street opening to upgrade and/or replace aging sanitary sewers, water lines, and storm sewers as required. These upgrades can be accomplished at reduced cost to the city when performed in conjunction with the LSC construction.
Sidewalk replacement and improvements are planned to benefit the City and Town of Ithaca, and the Ithaca City School District. The school district will also benefit from a resurfacing of the K parking lot. Finally, certain road segments and intersections with safety concerns in the Lake Street area will be rebuilt and improved.
Connection to LSC for the Ithaca City School District. The LSC project will provide a connection to the LSC chilled water system at the Ithaca High School in consideration of an easement across school district property for the chilled water transmission lines. The school would be able to meet the majority of its cooling demand using the LSC system for the foreseeable future. Without the connection to the LSC system, the school district would spend approximately $100,000 to acquire a new chiller suitable for non-ozone-depleting chemicals. Cornell will not charge the school district for the amount of cooling equal to the school's current load (100 tons). This benefit will save the school district an estimated additional $20,000 a year in electricity costs and $4,000 in maintenance. The connection will be large enough to allow the school district to connect an additional 300 tons of cooling in the future, and Cornell has agreed to charge 50 percent of the campus billed rate for chilled water used in quantities greater than the current cooling load. Considering avoided capital costs, savings in electricity and maintenance, and avoided interest costs from bonding, this benefit could save the school district (and, thus, taxpayers) more than $750,000 over the lifetime of the LSC system.
C.3 Short-Term Adverse Impacts
Traffic Detours and Delays During Construction. Short-term traffic interruptions along the route of the chilled water pipelines can be expected during construction. The chilled water pipelines will affect several road segments and intersections along East Shore Drive, Lake Street, University Avenue, and on the Cornell campus. The most significantly affected portion of the pipeline route will be Lake Street between the bridge over Fall Creek and University Avenue. Traffic will be detoured around Lake Street to minimize disruption to residents and the community. A traffic plan for use during construction has been prepared in coordination with the Tompkins County Area Transit, City of Ithaca Traffic Engineer, Cornell University Transportation Department (CU Transit), and City of Ithaca Police and Fire Departments.
Disturbance to Lake Sediments. Off-shore segments of the LSC intake and outfall pipelines will be buried within Cayuga Lake's bottom sediments, in order to maintain 9 ft of overlying water for recreational and navigational use. The proposed method of construction involves excavating the sediments and removing them from the lake for upland disposal. Temporary increases in water column turbidity in the immediate area of the excavation may occur. Best management practices will be implemented to mitigate this potential impact. The sediments will be removed from the lake using a state-of-the-art closed-bucket dredge. This is an expensive alternative to conventional dredging, and has been selected to minimize resuspension of the near-shore sediments. Silt curtains will be used to contain any disturbed sediments within the construction area. The impacts will be minor, temporary, and localized. No long-term impact on the aquatic biota or human users of the lake will occur.
Disturbance to Aquatic Habitat. The proposed sediment excavation will disturb the shallow near-shore area of Cayuga Lake. Rooted aquatic plants and algae (macrophytes) and benthic invertebrates will be removed during dredging. These communities should quickly re-establish themselves.
C.4 Long-Term Adverse Impacts
Increased Heat Budget of Cayuga Lake. Heat removed from the water used to cool campus buildings will be added to Cayuga Lake with the return flow from the HEF. This incremental heat will have the effect of raising the lake's annual heat budget by less than one-tenth of one percent. The amount of heat added is small and is equivalent to about four to five hours of sunlight on the lake's surface each year. This heat is within the natural annual variability of thermal inputs, and will be lost to the atmosphere each winter. The addition of heat from implementation of the LSC project will not measurably affect Cayuga Lake's temperature, stratification, or ice cover.
The lake's thermal characteristics in the immediate vicinity of the LSC outfall and intake will be altered slightly. These alterations are projected to be minor and localized and within the natural spatial and temporal variation in water temperature. No ecological impacts are anticipated. The diffuser on the outfall will rapidly mix the return flow from the heat exchangers with ambient lake water.
Increased Total Phosphorus Budget in Southern Cayuga Lake. As the LSC system draws cold water from deep in Cayuga Lake and returns the warmed water to the shallow southern lake basin, it transfers materials within the lake's ecosystem. Phosphorus, the limiting nutrient for algal growth in Cayuga Lake, is typically present in higher concentrations in the lake's lower waters than upper waters when the lake water stratifies into distinct vertical layers based on water temperature (the period of thermal stratification). Consequently, LSC will increase the input of phosphorus to the lake's upper waters from June through November, when thermal stratification prevents natural mixing. The LSC phosphorus load represents a small monthly increase (between 3 and 7 percent) to the existing phosphorus inputs to southern Cayuga Lake. The impact of this additional phosphorus on algal growth is estimated to be low, and no discernable impact on lake clarity is projected. The potential for secondary impacts of the additional phosphorus on dissolved oxygen depletion of the lower waters is calculated to be nondetectable. Overall, no perceptible effect on the lake's visual or ecological character is projected to result from implementation of the LSC system.
Potential Entrainment of Fish and Mysis relicta. Whether organisms will be drawn into the LSC intake (entrained) depends on their presence in the deep water environment and the magnitude of the induced velocity field. During the stratified period, few fish are present at the depth proposed for the LSC intake. However, when the lake is not stratified (December through May) research findings from Lake Ontario and limited winter data collected on Cayuga Lake indicate that a small number of certain fish (notably alewife and rainbow smelt) may be present at 76 m (250 ft).
The LSC system will be drawing less water during the winter period, when the demand for campus cooling is low. Consequently, the induced velocity field at the intake will be limited. This limited induced velocity field, coupled with the small number of fish expected at this depth, has led the LSC investigation team to conclude that entrainment of fish will not be significant. However, the intake has been designed to incorporate high frequency sound as the best technology available to mitigate potential entrainment of the alewife. This type of technology has been demonstrated to effectively reduce entrainment of certain types of fish. Ultrasound will be used to create an exclusion zone for alewives that may be present in the vicinity of the LSC intake when the lake is unstratified.
The freshwater crustacean Mysis relicta (a tiny shrimp) is an important component of the Cayuga Lake food web. Because this animal avoids light, it is restricted to deep water during the day, and migrates through the water column at dawn and dusk. The LSC intake will be located at a depth where Mysis relicta spend a significant proportion of their day. A lighted intake is proposed as a mitigation technique. Field data collected during the two years of LSC field investigations demonstrate that a dimly lighted intake would create an exclusion zone large enough to enable Mysis relicta to avoid the induced velocity field. The intake will be lit with two eight-watt bulbs. Light will not penetrate to the lake surface, nor be visible from shore. This small amount of light may also be sufficient to repel rainbow smelt from the region of the proposed intake. Biomonitoring will be conducted to detect entrainment of Mysis relicta and fish.
D. MITIGATING MEASURES
Three years of intensive investigations have been conducted to examine the potential environmental impacts of the LSC proposal. As part of this process, the LSC team has solicited and received detailed input from state, federal, and local regulators, and a committee of expert faculty convened by Cornell's Center for the Environment. The need for and conceptual design of mitigating measures have been a focus of the investigations and discussions. Extensive mitigating measures, many of them costly, have been incorporated into the LSC proposal in an effort to create an environmentally beneficial project.
The following mitigating measures have been incorporated into the construction phase of the LSC project:
- Lake sediments will be removed using state-of-the-art dredging equipment and disposed of in an upland area. This process adds significant cost to the project, and was selected to protect the lake's food web and human users from potential exposure to heavy metals present in the near-shore sediments as a result of historical industrial activity in the area.
- The route of the chilled water pipelines from the HEF to campus was designed to minimize the impacts on natural terrestrial vegetation and maximize the community benefits from improvements to infrastructure. Approximately one-third of the route is through city streets. Street trees that cannot be avoided will be replaced. The route enables the school district to connect to the LSC system. A detailed erosion and stormwater control strategy has been prepared to minimize adverse impacts of construction on the environment.
- The terrestrial chilled water pipelines will cross over Fall Creek. No in-stream construction is proposed for this state-designated recreational river.
- The HEF building will be located on the east side of East Shore Drive, not directly on the shoreline. This location will minimize visual impact and provide continued access to the lake.
- Additional significant mitigating measures have been incorporated into the long-term operations phase of the LSC project:
- The submerged outfall diffuser is designed to minimize the near-field thermal impacts of the return flow of warmed water. Supersaturated conditions will not persist in the outfall region, thus eliminating the potential to impact the fish community.
- Measures to guard against entrainment of fish and the crustacean Mysis relicta have been incorporated into the design of the LSC intake. High frequency sound will be employed to repel the alewife. Low level light will be employed to repel Mysis relicta; light may also repel rainbow smelt.
- Biomonitoring will be conducted to monitor whether entrainment of fish and/or Mysis relicta occurs despite the mitigating measures.
- The LSC system has been designed to accommodate the presence of zebra and quagga mussels in Cayuga Lake. An extensive research effort was conducted to identify nonchemical measures to control these organisms. The intake pipe was oversized to accommodate some growth of mussels that can be eliminated with an annual mechanical scouring of the pipe (a process called pigging). The HEF piping will be isolated from the lake water and treated with hot water during the yearly shutdown associated with the pigging process. These control measures will have no adverse impacts on the Cayuga Lake ecosystem.
E. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
A number of alternatives to the proposed action have been evaluated in detail as part of this DEIS.
- The no action alternative, continuing to operate the existing chiller equipment using CFC refrigerants, is not viable. Under favorable conditions, Cornell could run its existing chillers for 10 years or more with the refrigerant it has on hand. The phaseout of CFCs on campus is necessary, however, because reclaimed refrigerants will not be available in 5 to 10 years, and it will no longer be economical to run the existing chillers. Future regulatory requirements are likely to impose more stringent controls on CFCs.
- The conventional alternative, replacing the existing chillers with equipment that could utilize non-ozone-depleting refrigerants, has been examined closely. The capital cost of this alternative is less than the LSC proposal. However, the energy costs are high. Over a long-term planning horizon, the conventional alternative eventually becomes more expensive than LSC. This alternative continues the university's reliance on electricity generated by burning fossil fuels for campus cooling; the environmental benefits of the LSC alternative are not realized.
- Alternative cooling technologies have been evaluated. These alternatives include in-building chillers in place of the central system, different types of refrigeration machines (centrifugal and reciprocating), and different chemical refrigerants. None of these alternatives offers the environmental benefits realized by implementation of the LSC system.
- Alternative facility locations and designs have been screened. Criteria included visual impact, effect on recreational access to the lake, costs, efficiency in the engineering design, and energy savings during construction and operation. The proposed alternative (a single facility located on the east side of East Shore Drive) is more expensive. However, it is superior in terms of visual impact and continued access to Cayuga Lake.
- Alternative intake and outfall locations were evaluated in terms of their ability to meet engineering specifications, cost, and relative environmental impact. The proposed intake depth at 76 m (250 ft) provides sufficiently cool water to meet engineering specifications for the heat exchangers. There is no need to draw water from deeper in Cayuga Lake.
Both a surface outfall and a deeper outfall (at 30 m, 100 ft) were evaluated. A surface outfall would alter the lake's thermal characteristics in the near-shore area to a greater extent than the proposed alternative, thus potentially affecting the fish community and recreational users of the lake. A deeper outfall does not offer sufficient environmental benefit to justify the additional cost. The proposed alternative (an outfall submerged at a depth of 2.7 m [9 ft]) will not adversely impact the lake's thermal regime or biotic habitat. - Alternative Intake Design: Provide Screens to Reduce Fish Entrainment. New York State's Environmental Conservation Law requires that the location, design, construction, and capacity of an intake structure reflect "best technology available" to minimize adverse environmental impacts considering that colonization by exotic mussels was likely. The LSC project engineers were challenged to design an intake that could be constructed, operated, and maintained at a water depth of 76 m (250 ft). Chemical control of the exotic mussels was to be avoided.
Intake screening was evaluated and found to be incompatible with the design criteria, particularly in light of the decision to use nonchemical controls of exotic mussels. Based on the sampling and analysis of the deep water fish community, small fish (alewife, rainbow smelt) may be vulnerable to entrainment by the LSC intake during the season when lake water is unstratified. A screen to prevent entrainment would require a small mesh, readily colonized by mussels. Maintaining a screen at this depth by manual cleaning would be prohibitively difficult and expensive. The screening alternative was rejected, and hydroacoustic mitigation and biomonitoring were incorporated into the system design. The proposed alternative reflects best technology available for this specific intake and is protective of the Cayuga Lake ecosystem. - Alternative Pipeline Installation Procedures. Two alternative methods for installing the LSC pipelines (directional boring and microtunneling) were considered. These methods would reduce the short-term impacts of the LSC construction, particularly disruption to traffic and disturbance to vegetation. Increased capital costs are significant, however, and long-term access to the pipelines for maintenance would be nearly impossible. The community benefits in infrastructure improvements offered by the proposed alternative (open cut construction) would not be realized under these alternatives. These alternatives were therefore rejected.
- Alternative Size of the LSC System. The size of the LSC system was selected after an optimization exercise that reflected capital costs, projected campus demand for cooling, and energy cost savings over a long-term planning horizon. The proposed alternative is designed to have the LSC system meet 100 percent of the peak load of the central campus cooling system when it comes on line. The thermal storage tank and two chillers will be used for backup initially, and to meet new peak load growth over the next 20 to 30 years. The peaking chillers will serve to supplement the LSC system during the hottest periods of the summer, when the LSC system will face the greatest demand.
A somewhat larger capacity LSC system is technically feasible, but the higher capital cost would not be justified by the savings in energy and the avoided capital cost of the new chiller. Consequently, a larger LSC system would not be economically viable. A smaller LSC system would also be technically feasible, but any future increase in chilled water demand would require installation of additional conventional chillers and an increase in their operation. A smaller system would be less energy efficient overall, and would not be justified when considering the capital expenditure involved. - Reduce Demand for Chilled Water Cooling on Campus. A final alternative considered was reduction in overall campus cooling demand through increased energy efficiency and design changes to facilitate natural cooling. The New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code guides the design of university buildings. Specific requirements for ventilation, air temperatures, and compliance with fire codes mandate the provision of cooling for facilities with the density of occupancy, electrical load, and air exchange requirements typically constructed on campus.
As a premier education and research institution, Cornell University must maintain facilities that can provide the environment necessary to fulfill the university's mission. Cooling is an integral and necessary component of maintaining ideal temperatures for experiments and sensitive equipment, and providing a comfortable environment for people using the facilities. Cornell is committed to efficient and cost-effective use of its heating and cooling utilities. These efforts will not eliminate the need for central chilled water cooling.
F. APPROVALS REQUIRED
It will be necessary to obtain regulatory permits and approvals for a number of the actions relating to construction and operation of the LSC facilities. These permits and approvals are summarized in Table ES- 4. With the exception of the Town of Ithaca building permit, NYSDOT highway crossing permits, and the Office of General Services land easement, permit review and approvals will be sought concurrently with the SEQR review process.
