Final environmental impact statement for the Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project (NVN-084359)

2010·113.4 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Southern Nevada District Office

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FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
C.\
FOR THE
AMARGOSA FARM ROAD
SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT
(NVN-084359)
Prepared for and under the Direction of:
Bureau of Land Management
Pahrump Field Office
Prepared by:
EPG. Inc.
On Behalf of:
Solar Millennium, LLC
October, 2010
BLM/NV/PA/ES-10/16+1793
BLM Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and
productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
BLM/NV/PA/ES-10/16+1793
DOI No. FES 10-53
United States Department of the Interior
TAKE PRIDE*
in/^M ERICA
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Southern Nevada District
Pahrump Field Office
4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89130
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo. 1 .html
In Reply Refer To:
N-084359 2800 (NVS3100)
October 2010
Dear Reader:
Enclosed for your review is the Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pahrump Field
Office has prepared this Final EIS in response to a right-of-way application submitted by Solar
Millennium, LLC to construct and operate two concentrated solar thermal parabolic trough
power plant facilities on public lands in Amargosa Valley, approximately 80 miles northwest of
Las Vegas, in Nye County, Nevada. Cooperating agencies for this Final EIS include the
Department of Defense, Department of Energy, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and Nye County. The purpose of this Final EIS is to
assist BLM in its decision-making process with respect to the requested right-of-way.
This Final EIS considers the expected environmental effects associated with granting the right-
of-way on public land and subsequent construction and operation of the Amargosa Farm Road
Solar Energy Project. There was a 45 day comment period following the publication of the Draft
EIS, during which comments were received via email, fax, and postal mail. There were also 4
public meetings held for comments to be received and entered into the public record. Overall 37
comment documents were received, and all of the comments have been addressed and can be
found in Appendix G.
The Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project Final EIS will be available for 30 days. A
description of new or missed information within the Final EIS may be submitted within thirty
days to:
BLM. Pahrump Field Office
Attn: Greg Helseth
Renewable Energy Project Manager
4701 N. Torrey Pines Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89130
Fax: [phone]
Email: solar [email protected]
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Environmental Impact Statement
for the Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project
( ) Draft (X) Final
Lead Agency: United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Cooperating Agencies: Department of Defense
Department of Energy
National Park Service
United States Army Corps of Engineers
Nevada Department of Wildlife
Nye County
Counties Directly Affected: Nye County, Nevada
Environmental Impact Statement Contact:
Greg Uelseth
Renewable Energy Project Manager
4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive
Las Vegas. NV 89130
Date Final EIS filed with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: October 8, 2010
Abstract
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pahrump Field Office has prepared this Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in response to a right-of-way application submitted by
Solar Millennium, LLC to construct and operate the Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project
(Project). The proposed Project would be located on BLM- administered lands, approximately 80
miles northwest of Las Vegas, in the Amargosa Valley in Nye County. Nevada, Some portions of
the proposed Project would be located on private lands, including a 40-acre parcel at the south
end of the Project area and possibly the water pipelined) that would supply water to the Project
site.
The Project area is located approximately five miles south of U.S. Highway 95 and five miles
west of NV 373. The majority of the proposed Project area would be located north of Amargosa
Farm Road and east of Valley View Boulevard. Solar Millennium's original right-of-way request
of 7,670 acres was refined to include only 6.320 acres based on biological and cultural resources
surveys conducted during the spring 2009. Because the results were consistent throughout the
proposed Project right-of-way, the acreage was reduced to the preliminary design configuration.
Project facilities would be located on approximately 4,350 acres and would include the solar
fields, power blocks (one power block located in the center of each solar field), an office and
maintenance building, parking area, lay-down area, stormwater detention basin, and switchyard.
This Final EIS considers the expected environmental effects associated with granting a right-of
way on public land and subsequent construction and operation of the proposed Project. The BLM
will use the EIS when rendering a decision about the requested right-of-way. The BLM’s
decision will be to grant, grant with modifications, or deny the request for a right-of-way on
public lands administered by the BLM. This Final EIS satisfies the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act, which mandates that federal agencies analyze the environmental
consequences of major federal actions.
Official responsible for the EIS:
Gayle Marrs-Smith Date
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary.............ES-1
ES-1.1 Project Overview.......ES-1
ES-1.2 Purpose and Need for Action........ES-3
ES-1.2.1 Bureau of Land Management Purpose and Need. ES-3
ES-1.2.2 Proponent’s Proposal.ES-3
ES-1.3 Public Participation and Agency Consultation... ES-6
ES-1.3.1 Public Participation.ES-6
ES-1.3.2 Agency and Tribal Consultation. ES-7
ES-1.4 Proposed Action and Alternatives ...... ES-8
ES-1.4.1 Proposed Action - Dry-Cooled Alternative. ES-8
ES-1.4.2 Wet-Cooled Alternative. ES-10
ES-1.4.3 No Action Alternative.ES-11
ES-1.4.4 Other Alternatives Considered But Not Evaluated in Detail.ES-11
ES-1.4.5 Agency-Preferred Alternative.ES-15
Chapter 1 - Introduction, Purpose and Need.... 1-1
1.1 Introduction.......... 1-1
1.2 Project Overview. 1-2
1.3 Project Location........ 1-3
1.4 Purpose and Need for Action............ 1-6
1.4.1 Bureau of Land Management Purpose and Need. 1-6
1.4.2 Proponent’s Proposal. 1-6
1.5 Scope of Analysis.............. 1-7
1.5.1 The Environmental Impact Statement Decision Framework.1-7
1.5.2 Decisions to be Made After this Environmental Impact Statement.1-8
1.6 Relationship to BLM and non-BLM Policies, Plans, and Programs ..1-8
1.7 Agency Coordination.......... 1-14
1.7.1 Cooperating Agencies. 1-14
1.7.2 Native American Consultation.1-14
1.7.3 Section 7 Consultation.1-15
Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project
Final E1S i October 2010
Table of Contents
1.8 Public Involvement..........1-15
1.9 Changes Between the Draft and Final EIS....1-15
1.10 Organization of the Final EIS...........1-17
Chapter 2 - Proposed Action and Alternatives...2-1
2.1 Introduction. 2-1
2.1.1 Regulatory Framework for Alternatives.2-1
2.2 Alternatives Description...........2-1
2.2.1 Alternatives Eliminated from Further Analysis.2-2
2.3 Proposed Action Alternative - Dry-Cooled Alternative...2-6
2.3.1 General Process Description.2-12
2.3.2 Solar Fields.2-13
2.3.3 Power Blocks.2-15
2.3.4 Fuel Supply and Use.2-21
2.3.5 Water Supply and Use.2-21
2.3.6 Waste Generation and Management.2-27
2.3.7 Bioremediation Unit.2-29
2.3.8 Fire Protection.2-30
2.3.9 Telecommunications and Telemetry.2-31
2.3.10 Lighting System.2-32
2.3.11 Roads, Fencing, and Security.2-32
2.3.12 Temporary Construction Workspace, Yards, Staging Areas.2-33
2.3.13 Site Drainage and Earthwork.2-34
2.3.14 Construction Schedule, Manpower, and Sequencing.2-36
2.3.15 Operations and Maintenance.2-38
2.3.16 Decommissioning.2-38
2.4 Wet-Cooled Alternative. 2-39
2.4.1 Water Source.2-39
2.4.2 Water Use and Treatment.2-39
2.4.3 Wastewater.2-41
2.5 No Action Alternative. 2-41
2.6 Agency-Preferred Alternative. 2-41
Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project
Final EIS ii October 2010
Table of Contents
Chapter 3 - Affected Environment....... .......3-1
3.1 Air Quality and Climate .. 3-1
3.1.1 Regulatory Framework.3-2
3.1.2 General Conformity Rules. 3-3
3.1.3 Climate and Meteorology. 3-6
3.1.4 Climate Change. 3-9
3.1.5 Existing Ambient Air Quality.3-10
3.1.6 Existing Emission Sources. 3-12
3.2 Geological Hazards and Mineral Resources.......3-14
3.2.1 Regulatory Framework. 3-14
3.2.2 Data Collection Methods.3-15
3.2.3 Regional Geological Setting.3-15
3.2.4 Geological Units in the Project Area. 3-16
3.2.5 Unique Geological Resources.3-18
3.2.6 Geological Hazards..3-18
3.2.7 Mineral Resources.3-19
3.3 Soils...................3-21
3.3.1 Data Collection Methods. 3-21
3.3.2 Soils in the Project Area.3-21
3.3.3 Erosion Potential. 3-25
3.3.4 Prime and Unique Farmland. 3-26
3.4 Water Resources..................3-26
3.4.1 Regulatory Framework .. 3-27
3.4.2 Data Collection Methods.3-29
3.4.3 Surface Water Resources. 3-30
3.4.4 Groundwater Resources. 3-33
3.5 Noise............ 3-45
3.5.1 Regulatory Framework. 3-45
3.5.2 Data Collection Methods. 3-47
3.5.3 Existing Conditions.3-48
3.6 Biological Resources...........3-51
3.6.1 Regulatory Framework...3-51
Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project
Final EIS iii October 2010
Table of Contents
3.6.2 Environmental Setting.3-52
3.6.3 Data Collection Methods.3-53
3.6.4 Vegetation. 3-53
3.6.5 Wildlife Resources.3-78
3.7 Historic and Cultural Resources.......3-98
3.7.1 Regulatory Framework. 3-98
3.7.2 Affected Environment.3-98
3.8 Paleontological Resources.......3-99
3.8.1 Regulatory Framework.3-99
3.8.2 Data Collection Methods.3-101
3.9 Socioeconomics...........3-104
3.9.1 Data Collection Methods.3-104
3.9.2 Social Characteristics.3-104
3.9.3 Economic Characteristics.3-113
3.9.4 Public Services and Utilities.3-118
3.9.5 Fiscal Resources.3-120
3.10 Environmental Justice.............3-122
3.11 Land Use, Recreation, Transportation and Access...3-125
3.11.1 Regulatory Framework.3-125
3.11.2 Data Collection and Methods.3-126
3.11.3 Existing Land Use.3-127
3.11.4 Planned Land Use.3-133
3.11.5 Recreation.3-135
3.11.6 Transportation and Access.3-138
3.12 Visual Resources.....3-140
3.12.1 Regional Setting.3-140
3.12.2 Regulatory Framework - VRM System.3-141
3.12.3 Data Collection Methods.3-143
3.12.4 Visibility Analysis. 3-148
3.32.5 Inventory Results.3-154
3.13 Human Health and Safety/Hazardous Materials.......3-159
3.13.1 Affected Environment.3-160
3.13.2 Potential Hazardous Wastes, Contaminated Soils/Groundwater.3-160
Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project
Final EIS IV Oclober 2010