Draft environmental impact statement and draft plan amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan for the proposed Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Project

2012·283.8 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Palm Springs Field Office

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UnitedStatesDepartmentoftheInterior
BureauofLandManagement
Draft Environmental Impact Statementand
Draft Plan Amendmenttothe California Desert
Conservation Area Plan
forthe
Proposed Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Project
O
Forthe
PalmSprings-SouthCoastFieldOffice
PalmSprings,California
August2010
9/1qjteio
JoryyR.Kalish Date '
FieldManager
DOIControl#:FES10-39
9
PublicationIndex#:BLM/CA/ES-2010-014+1793
NEPATracking#:DOI-BLM-CA-060-0009-0033-EIS
United StatesDepartmentoftheInterior
BUREAUOFLANDMANAGEMENT
PalmSpringsSouthCoastFieldOffice T'aNk^eMpErRiIdCeA-
201BirdCenterDrive
PalmSprings,CA92262
http://www.blm.gov/ca/DalmsDrings/
Inreplyreferto:
CACA048649
August27,2010
DearReader:
IampleasedtoannouncetheavailabilityoftheDraftEnvironmentalImpactStatement(DEIS)
andDraftPlanAmendmenttotheCaliforniaDesertConservationArea(CDCA)Plan,1980,as
Amended,fortheDesertSunlightSolarFarm(DSSF)Project. DesertSunlightHoldings,LLC,
theApplicant,isproposingtodevelopa550-megawattphotovoltaicSolarFarminRiverside
County. TheApplicantalsoproposestofacilitatetheconstructionandoperationoftheRed
BluffSubstationincooperationwithSouthernCaliforniaEdison(SCE)inordertoprovide
renewableelectricpowertoCalifornia’sexistingtransmissiongrid.
TheenclosedDEISanalyzessixalternatives:(1)NoAction,inwhichtheApplicant’sapplication
awpopullidcabtieodnewnoiuedldanbdecduernrieendtamnadnathgeemCeDnCtAofPtlhaenswitoeuwlodubledabmeemnadiendtationedde;cl(a2r)etthheeAspipteliscuainttab’lse
forsolardevelopment;(3)theApplicant’sapplicationwouldbedeniedandtheCDCAPlan
wouldbeamendedtodeclarethesiteunsuitableforsolardevelopment;(4)BLMwouldgrantthe
AApppplliiccaannttaarRiOghWt-offor-waaymo(dRifOiWe)dpfrorojtehcetirdepsriogjne;ctaansdp(r6o)pBosLedM;w(5o)ulBdLgMrawntoutlhedAgprpalnitctahnetaROW
forasmallerproject.Alternatives4,5,and6includeanamendmenttotheCDCAPlanaspartof
theProposedActionandthatamendmentwouldfindtheprojectareaassuitableforsolar
development.
TheDEIShasbeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA)
andtheFederalLandPolicyandManagementAct(FLPMA),whichestablishestheland
managementauthorityoftheBureauofLandManagement(BLM)andprovidesguidancefor
howpubliclandsaretobemanaged.Inaddition,becausetheCaliforniaPublicUtilities
Commission(CPUC)hasdiscretionaryauthoritytoissuethePermittoConstruct(PTC)forthe
proposedSCEsubstationatRedBluff,andCPUCisacooperatingagencywithBLMinthe
preparationoftheDEIS,thisdocumenthasbeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeCalifornia
EnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA).CPUCintendstousethisDEIStoprovideenvironmental
reviewrequiredforitsconsiderationofSCE’sPTCapplicationunderCEQA. Thedocumenthas
beensenttomembersofthepublicwhorequestedacopyandtopertinentlocal,state,tribal,and
federalgovernmententities.
TheDEISwillbecirculatedfor90-daypubliccommentperiod.Allcommentsmustbe
postmarkednolaterthan90daysfromthedatetheNoticeofAvailabilityfortheDEISis
publishedintheFederalRegisterbytheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency. Commentsmaybe
senttoAllisonShaffer,ProjectManager,bymail:1201BirdCenterDrive,PalmSprings,CA,
92264;phone:[phone];[email protected].
ApublicmeetingwillbeheldinPalmSprings,California,toalloworalorwrittencommentsto
bepresentedtotheBLM.PleaseseeBLM’sWebpageat
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.htmlforinformationaboutthelocation,date,andtimeof
thismeeting.Allsubstantiveissuesraisedduringthecommentperiodwillbeconsidered,and
modificationsbasedonthesecommentsmaybemadetodeveloptheFinalEIS.
AdditionalhardcopiesorCD-ROMversionsoftheDEISmaybeobtainedbycontactingthe
PalmSpringsSouthCoastFieldOfficeasnotedinthepreviousparagraph.Thedocumentwill
alsobeavailableontheInternetatwww.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.html.
WearepleasedtoprovidethiscopyoftheDSSFProjectDEISforyourreviewandextendour
appreciationforyourcooperationandassistanceduringthisprocess.Welookforwardtoyour
continuedparticipation.
Sincerely,
JohnR.Kalish
FieldManager
DRAFTENVIRONMENTALIMPACTSTATEMENT
LeadAgency: USBureauofLandManagement
CooperatingAgencies: USDepartmentofEnergy,CaliforniaPublicUtilitiesCommission
Title: FirstSolarDesertSunlightSolarFarmProject,RiversideCounty,California
Contact: Ms.AllisonShaffer,BLM,PalmSpringsSouthCoastFieldOffice,1201Bird
CenterDrive,PalmSprings,CA92264,[phone]
WebSite: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.html
CommentDueDate: November25,2010
Abstract: This Environmental Impact Statement addresses the US Bureau of Land
Management’sproposaltoissuearight-of-waygranttoDesertSunlightHoldings,LLC,for
the construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of a utility-scale 550-
megawattphotovoltaicsolarenergyfacility,transmissionline,andsubstationonpubliclands
inRiversideCounty,California.SouthernCaliforniaEdisonwouldconstructandoperatethe
substation.
TheEnvironmentalImpactStatementanalyzessixalternatives:(1)NoAction,inwhichthe
Applicant’s application would be denied and current management ofthe site would be
maintained;(2)theApplicant’sapplicationwouldbedeniedandtheCDCAPlanwouldbe
amendedtodeclarethesitesuitableforsolardevelopment; (3)theApplicant’sapplication
wouldbedeniedandtheCDCAPlanwouldbeamendedtodeclarethesiteunsuitablefor
sai(6son)lcpalBrruodLdpeeMovsaeewnldoo;upaml(m5ed)enntBg;drLam(nMe4t)nwtBtohLeutMloAdpwptgohlrueialcnadtCnDttghrCeaanAAtRptOpPhlelWiacAnapfnpotalrsiaacpaRsanmrtOtalaWloerfrifgotphrrhtoe-ajoemfPco-trwd.oaipyfAoil(steeeRdrdOnpWarAto)cijvetfeciostornd4te,hsaei5n,gpdnra;onjtadehncadt6t
amendmentwouldfindtheprojectareaassuitableforsolardevelopment.

EXECUTIVESUMMARY
ES.1 Introduction
DesertSunlightHoldings,LLC(Sunlight)proposestoconstructandoperatea550-megawatt
(MW)solarphotovoltaic(PV)energy-generatingprojectknownastheDesertSunlightSolar
Farm(DSSF).ThePVgeneratingfacility(SolarFarm),mostofthecorridorfortheProject’s
220-kilovolt(kV) generationinterconnectiontransmissionline (Gen-TieLine), andoneof
two potential sites being considered for a new substation would be located on lands
administeredbytheUSDepartmentofInterior(DOI),BureauofLandManagement(BLM),
PalmSprings-SouthCoastFieldOffice.TheProjectincludesdevelopmentofanew500-to
220-(500/220-)kVsubstation(referredtohereinastheRedBluffSubstation),wherethePV
generatingfacilitywouldinterconnectwiththeSouthernCaliforniaEdison(SCE)regional
transmissionsystem.WhiletheRedBluffSubstationisincludedaspartoftheProjectfor
planningandenvironmentalconsiderations,itwouldbeconstructed,owned,andoperatedby
SCE,nottheApplicant.
Because the Projectwould be locatedprimarily on lands administered by the BLM, the
Applicant filed a right-of-way (ROW) grant application with the BLM for a permit to
constructandoperatetheProject(CaseFileNumberCACA#48649).Thedecisionregarding
the issuance ofthe ROW grant will be based in part on an evaluation ofthe Project’s
potentialenvironmentaleffectsthroughtheenvironmentalreviewprocessundertheNational
EnvironmentalPolicyActof1969(NEPA)andtherequirementsoftheFederalLandPolicy
andManagementActof1976(FLPMA).
IncompliancewithNEPA,theBLMpreparedthisDraftEnvironmentalImpactStatement
a(EnIdS)lotcoalinpferomrimtttihengpuabgleincciaesboiuntctohnesipdreorpionsgetdhePrPorjoejcetcta.nBdLtoMmaeuetthotrhiezanteieodnsooffafeRdeOraWl,gstraatnet,
fortheProjectwouldrequirearesourcemanagementlanduseplanamendment(PA)tothe
CaliforniaDesertConservationArea(CDCA)Plan(BLM1980),asamended.
TheCaliforniaPublicUtilitiesCommission(CPUC)hasdiscretionaryauthoritytoissuea
PermittoConstruct(PTC)forSCE’sproposedRedBluffSubstation,evaluatedhereinasa
portionoftheProject.AsallowedbytheCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)
GuidelinesSection15221,theCaliforniaPublicUtilitiesCommissionintendstousethisEIS
toprovidetheenvironmental reviewrequiredforits approval ofSCE’sPTC application
underCEQAoncethatapplicationisfiled.
ES.2 PurposeandNeed
SunlightappliedtotheBLMforaROWgrantonfederalpubliclandtodeveloptheSolar
Farm,theGen-TieLineroute,andtheRedBluffSubstation.Sunlightalsoappliedtothe
DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)foraloanguaranteeunderTitleXVIIoftheEnergyPolicy
Act of 2005 (EPAct 05), as amended by Section 406 of the American Recovery and
ReinvestmentActof2009,PL111-5(theRecoveryAct).ThissectiondiscussestheBLM’sand
DOE’s purpose and need for the Proposed Action, as required by NEPA, Sunlight’s
August2010 DesertSunlightSolarFarmProjectDraftEISandCDCAPlanAmendment ES-1
ExecutiveSummary
objectivesinproposingtheProposedAction,andCEQAprojectobjectivesfortheRedBluff
Substation.
BLMPurposeandNeed
uTnhdeerBLTMi’tlsepuVrpoofsethaendFnLePedMfAor(t4h3ePUrSoCpos1e7d61A)ctfioornaisRtoOrWespgornadnttotoSuncloingshttr’uscta,pploipceartaiteo,n
maintain, anddecommissionautility-scale 550-MWPVsolarenergyfacility (SolarFarm),
Gen-TieLine,anda500/220-kVsubstationonpubliclands,incompliancewithFFPMA,
BLMROWregulations,andotherapplicablefederallaws.TheBLMwilldecidewhetherto
approve,approvewithmodifications,ordenyissuanceofaROWgranttoSunlightforthe
proposedDSSFProjectandtherelatedassignmentofanyROWgrantforthesubstationto
SCE. Concurrently, the BLM’s alsowill consideramendingthe CDCAPlan of 1980, as
amended. The CDCA, while recognizing the potential compatibility ofsolar generation
facilities on public lands, requires that all sites associated with power generation or
transmissionnotidentifiedinthatplanbeconsideredthroughthelanduseplanamendment
process.IfitdecidestoapprovetheissuanceofaROWgrant,theBLMalsowillamendthe
CDCAasrequired.
InconjunctionwithFLPMA,theBLM’sapplicableauthoritiesincludethefollowing:
• Executive Order 13212, dated May 18, 2001, which mandates that agencies act
expediently and in a manner consistent with applicable laws to increase the
productionandtransmissionofenergyinasafeandenvironmentallysoundmanner.
• TheEnergyPolicyActof2005(EPAct05orEPAct),whichrequirestheDOI(BLM’s
parentagency)toapproveatleast 10,000megawattsofnon-hydropowerrenewable
energypoweronpubliclandsby2015.
• Secretarial Order 3285A1, Renewable Energy Development by the DOI, dated
February22,2010.ThisSecretarialOrderestablishesthedevelopmentofrenewable
energyasapriorityfortheDOIandcreatesaDepartmentalTaskForceonEnergy
andClimateChange.Italsoannouncedapolicygoalofidentifyingandprioritizing
specificlocations(studyareas)bestsuitedforlarge-scaleproductionofsolarenergy.
DOEPurposeandNeed
DOE is a cooperating agency on this EIS, in accordance with a memorandum of
understandingbetweentheDOEandBLM,signedinJanuary2010.DOE’spurposeandneed
foragency action istocomplywith its mandateunderEPAct 2005 byselectingeligible
projectsthatmeetthegoalsoftheact.DOE’sproposedactionistoissuealoanguaranteefor
thisprojectunderTitleXVIIoftheEPAct2005,asamendedbytheRecoveryAct,which
requiresthatconstructionfortheProjectcommencebySeptember30,2011.
DOE’s purpose and need for the agency action is based on federal laws addressing the
financingandpromotion ofrenewableenergyprojectsandneedforimmediateeconomic
stimulus. TheEPAct2005established afederal loan guaranteeprogramwithinDOEfor
eligibleenergyprojects.TitleXVIIofEPAct2005authorizestheSecretaryofEnergytomake
loanguaranteesforavarietyoftypesofprojects, includingthosethat“avoid, reduce, or
sequesterairpollutantsoranthropogenic[human-caused]emissionsofgreenhousegases;and
August2010 DesertSunlightSolarFarmProjectDraftEISandCDCAPlanAmendment ES-2
ExecutiveSummary
employneworsignificantlyimprovedtechnologiesascomparedtocommercialtechnologies
inserviceintheUSatthetimetheguaranteeisissued.”Thetwoprincipalgoalsoftheloan
guarantee program are to encourage commercial use in the US of new or significantly
improved energy-related technologies and to achieve substantial environmental benefits.
EPAct2005wasamendedbytheRecoveryActtocreateSection 1705,authorizinganew
program for rapid deployment of renewable energy projects and related manufacturing
facilities,electricpowertransmissionprojects,andleadingedgebiofuelsprojectsthatbegin
constructionbeforeSeptember30,2011.TheprimarypurposesoftheRecoveryActarejob
preservationandcreation,infrastructureinvestment,energyefficiencyandscience,assistance
to the unemployed, andstate and local fiscal stabilization. The Section 1705 Program is
designedtoaddressthecurrenteconomicconditionsofthenation,inpart,throughrenewable
energy,transmissionandleadingedgebiofuelsprojects.
Applicant’sObjectivesfortheProposedAction
Sunlight’sfundamentalobjectivesfortheDSSFprojectareasfollows:
• Construct,operate,andeventuallydecommissiona550-MWPVenergyfacilityand
associatedinterconnectiontransmissioninfrastructure;and
• Facilitate SCE’s construction and operation of a substation in order to provide
renewableelectricpowertoCalifornia’stransmissiongrid.Thisistohelpmeetfederal
andstaterenewableenergysupplyandgreenhousegas (GHG) emissions reduction
requirements.
Sunlight is committed to constructing and operating the Project in an environmentally
responsiblemannerandtoprovidingasustainablesourceofrenewableenergytothestate’s
investor-ownedutilitiesandthepublic.
CEQAProjectObjectives
SCEproposestoconstructtheRedBluffSubstationinresponsetointerconnectionrequests
fromDesertSunlightHoldingsLLCaspartoftheLargeGeneratorInterconnectionProcess
(LGIP) process. CEQA Guidelines, Section 15124(b), requires a statement of project
objectives,whichareasfollowsfortheRedBluffSubstation:
• Respond to interconnection requests as part ofthe LGIP from generators in the
DesertCenterareabyconstructingasubstationtointerconnectwiththeDPV500-kV
transmissionline;
• ProvidesafeandreliableelectricalserviceconsistentwiththeNorthAmericanElectric
Reliability Corporation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, California
IndependentSystemOperator,andSCE’splanningdesignguidelinesandcriteria;
• Meetprojectneed,whileminimizingenvironmentalimpacts;and
• Meet project need in accordance with the Large Generation Interconnection
Agreement.
August2010 DesertSunlightSolarFarmProjectDraftEISandCDCAPlanAmendment ES-3
ExecutiveSummary
ES.3 ProposedActionandAlternatives
TheProjectareaisalargelyvacant,undeveloped,andrelativelyflatandisintheChuckwalla
ValleyoftheSonoraDesertineasternRiversideCounty.TheareaproposedfortheDSSFis
approximatelysix miles north ofInterstate 10 (1-10) and the rural community ofDesert
CenterandfourmilesnorthofLakeTamarisk,betweenthecitiesofCoachellatothewest
andBlythetotheeast.TheProjectareacontainstransmissionlines,telephonelines,pipelines,
anddirtroads.JoshuaTreeNationalParkisnorth,east,andwestofthearea;atitsclosest
point,theDSSFsiteisapproximately1.4milessouthwestofthenationalparkboundary.The
inactiveEagleMountainMineisapproximatelyonemilewestoftheProjectStudyArea.The
areasbeingconsideredfortheRedBluffSubstation areseventoeightmilessoutheast or
southwest(dependingonthesite)oftheDSSFsite,justsouthof1-10.
AlternativesconsideredintheEISwereevaluatedasaresultoftheApplicantworkingwith
theBLMonevaluatingandselectingProjectlocations, issuesidentifiedbytheBLM, and
commentsreceivedduringthepublicscopingprocess.TheBLMisrequiredtoconsiderin
detailarangeofalternativesthatareconsidered“reasonable,”usuallydefinedasalternatives
thatarerealistic(notspeculative),thataretechnologicallyandeconomicallyfeasible,andthat
respondtothepurposeofandneedfortheProposedAction.Similarly,CEQArequiresa
“reasonable range” of alternatives that are feasible and that satisfy most of the project
sponsor’sobjectives.ForthisEIS,thealternativesprovidedsatisfyrequirementsunderboth
NEPAandCEQA.
Threefullaction alternatives (Alternatives 1, 2, and3) andthreeNoAction/NoProject
aalltteerrnnaattiivveessw(oAultledrnraetqiuvierse4a,n5a,maennddm6e)ntaretoftuhlelyCaDnaClAyzePdlani,natshewoEuIlSd.tEwaochofotfhethtehreaectNioon
Action/NoProjectAlternatives.
Each action alternativeconsistsofthree maincomponentsassociatedwithgeneratingand
deliveringelectricity:
• DSSFSite(themainPVgeneratingfacility);
• 220-kVGen-Tie(transmission)Line;and
• 500/220-kVSubstation (RedBluffSubstation) andsupportingfacilities, includinga
separate telecommunications site (the Desert Center Telecommunications Site), an
electricdistributionlinetothesubstation,drainagefacilities,andanaccessroad.
In addition, the determination ofthe suitability ofthe Project application areaforsolar
developmentwouldbemadeaspartoftheplanamendmentprocess.
Multiplealternativeswereconsideredforeachcomponent.FortheDSSF,twoalternative
layoutswereanalyzed:SolarFarmLayoutBandSolarFarmLayoutC.FortheGen-TieLine,
three alternative routes were analyzed: two that exit the DSSF and go to Substation A
(identifiedasGT-A-1 andGT-A-2) andonethatexitstheDSSFandgoestoSubstationB
(identifiedasGT-B-2).FortheRedBluffSubstation,twoalternativelocationswereanalyzed:
SubstationA(totheeast)andSubstationB(tothewest).Inaddition,therearetwoaccess
roadalternativesconsideredforSubstationAonly.
August2010 DesertSunlightSolarFarmProjectDraftEISandCDCAPlanAmendment ES-4