Environmental methodology
The overriding environmental criterion to be used by ATC in system planning is that environmental analyses will be conducted at a screening level as opposed to a detailed siting/routing analysis level. The goal of such environmental analyses is to identify potential environmental impacts and avoid such impacts where possible. Where it is not possible to avoid such impacts, ATC will minimize and mitigate such impacts to the extent possible. More detailed analyses will be undertaken to support an application to siting authorities of specific transmission alternatives.