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Bobwhite-Manatee Transmission Line Analysis

Amy Kreidell
GIS4043/GIS5050L Final Project
October, 2025

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Project Overview

• FPL evaluated 1,275 alternative routes for the Bobwhite–Manatee transmission line.�• Community feedback (NIMBY) and environmental concerns influenced final route selection.�• GIS tools supported analysis of corridor alternatives, identifying environmental and residential impacts.�• Study focus: Transmission corridor along the Manatee–Sarasota County boundary.

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Study Area & Problem Statement

Study Area: Manatee–Sarasota County boundary — mix of conservation and residential zones.�Flat coastal plain with wetlands and low elevation.��Problem Statement:�Determine how the transmission line impacts environmentally sensitive lands, homes, and schools within 400 ft of the corridor.

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GIS in Infrastructure and Environmental Planning

Why Use GIS?�• Integrates environmental and infrastructure data within a single spatial framework.�• Identifies where transmission corridors intersect conservation lands and wetlands.�• Quantifies environmental impacts using areas and percentages.�• Maps proximity of homes, schools, and other sensitive areas within defined buffers.�• Enhances visual decision-making for route selection and mitigation planning.�• Translates complex geographic data into clear, actionable insights.

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Primary Data Sources�

• Florida Department of Education – School locations

• U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line – Parcels, roads

• FGDL – Conservation lands, wetlands

• National Wetlands Inventory – Wetland classification

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Objective 1 – Environmentally Sensitive Lands

Question:�Which conservation lands are directly impacted by the transmission corridor?

Tools:�• Clip – isolated conservation areas within the study boundary.�• Intersect – identified conservation polygons overlapping the corridor.�• Calculate Geometry – computed total acreage affected.

Process:�Defined study boundary, clipped conservation layer, intersected with corridor, and summarized acreage of impacted lands.

Results:�Conservation lands overlap ≈ appx 10,395 acres within the study area. .035% directly intersect the corridor and buffer area.

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Objective 1 – Environmentally Sensitive Lands

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Objective 2 – Parcels Within Proximity

• Question: How many parcels are within 400 ft of the transmission corridor?�• Tools:� – Buffer – created 400 ft impact zone around corridor.� – Intersect – identified TIGER parcels within or intersecting buffer.� – Count – calculated number of affected parcels.�• Process: Applied 400 ft buffer; selected intersecting parcels; summarized results.�• Results: 12,360 parcels within study area; 255 parcels intersect or border 400 ft transmission line buffer.

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Objective 3 – Schools Within Proximity

Question: How many schools are within 400 ft?�Tools: Buffer, Spatial Join, Field Calc.�Process: Geocoded school layers; selected by 400 ft buffer.�Results: X total schools (X Manatee, X Sarasota).

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Results Summary & Discussion

Overall Findings:�• GIS visualization clarified cumulative impacts.�• Projection and alignment challenges with FGDL/NWI data.�Learning Outcome: Reinforced workflow and consistent projection use.
Deepend experience with Legends, tables, and Cartography

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Works Cited

Florida Power & Light. (2006). Community letter: Bobwhite–Manatee project. Florida Power & Light Company.

Florida Department of Education. (2025). Florida public school locations. https://www.fldoe.org

U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). TIGER/Line shapefiles. https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/tiger-line-file.html

Florida Geographic Data Library (FGDL). (2024). Conservation lands dataset. University of Florida GeoPlan Center. https://www.fgdl.org

National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). (2024). Wetland and upland polygons. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. https://www.fws.gov/wetlands