Protecting Wetlands
The Alabama Power Company (APC) planned a second substation to provide an alternative power source to Providence Hospital in Mobile, Alabama. However, wetlands adjacent to the project site impacted the plans as construction of an access road to install the substation and power line raised environmental concerns with officials and citizens. The US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) also sought to minimize wetland disturbance and had strict requirements for limiting impervious area.
Pervious Road Solution
The head of APC’s storm water environmental compliance, Pamela McDaniel, developed a plan that addressed concerns and complied with regulatory limitations. Because the wetlands could not be impacted without building a storm water retention area along the right-of-way to retain the runoff, McDaniel instead suggested the Presto GEOWEB® roadway system to stabilize aggregate for a “permeable” access road in the upland portion of the project. Unlike hard surface pavements that are impervious, the GEOWEB system infiltrates water at a high rate, allowing stormwater to drain naturally into the soil. The city of Mobile accepted this solution, waiving its requirement for a retention pond at this site.
Low-Impact Installation
The routing of the power line from the substation to the hospital stretched electric cable through a forested wetland on the south side of Providence Hospital. McDaniel noted that to ensure the wetland was not disrupted by large machinery, workers cut out the foliage in the area by hand as well as hauled debris away via helicopter.
