Shiloh IV Wind Energy Project Final Environmental Impact Report
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Shiloh IV Wind Energy Project Final Environmental Impact Report Prepared for Solano County Department of Resource Management Prepared by Point Impact Analysis, LLC 2555 Park Boulevard, Suite 10 Palo Alto, CA 94306 Telephone: 650.856.2800 Fax: 650.856.2801 Email: [email protected] November 30, 2011 This page intentionally left blank Shiloh IV Wind Energy Project Final Environmental Impact Report Prepared for Solano County Department of Resource Management Prepared by Point Impact Analysis, LLC 2555 Park Boulevard, Suite 10 Palo Alto, CA 94306 Telephone: 650.856.2800 Fax: 650.856.2801 Email: [email protected] November 30, 2011 This page intentionally left blank TABLE OF CONTENTS This page intentionally left blank Table of Contents SHILOH IV WIND ENERGY PROJECT FINAL EIR TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1 -1 1.1 Changes Since Preparation of the Draft EIR ........................................................................................... 1-2 1.2 Organization of the Final EIR..................................................................................................................... 1-3 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Expansion of Proposed O&M Building Addition and Septic System .................................................. 2-1 2.2 Optional Collection Line to Shiloh III Project Area ............................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Montezuma Zephyr Project ......................................................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 HDD Review and Notification Requirements ......................................................................................... 2-3 2.5 Reported Swainson’s Hawk Fatality ........................................................................................................... 2-4 2.6 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Draft Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines ....................................... 2-4 2.7 Solano County Airport Land Use Commission Resolution ................................................................... 2-4 3 ERRATA AND REVISIONS...................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Chapter 1, Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.2 Chapter 2, Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3 Chapter 3, Project Description ................................................................................................................. 3-10 3.4 Chapter 5, Aesthetic/Visual Resources .................................................................................................. 3-15 3.5 Chapter 6, Agricultural Resources ........................................................................................................... 3-16 3.6 Chapter 7, Air Quality ................................................................................................................................ 3-18 3.7 Chapter 8, Biological Resources ............................................................................................................... 3-19 3.8 Chapter 9, Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................. 3-32 3.9 Chapter 10, Geologic Resources .............................................................................................................. 3-33 3.10 Chapter 11, Greenhouse Gases ................................................................................................................ 3-34 3.11 Chapter 12, Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................. 3-34 3.12 Chapter 13, Hydrology and Water Quality ............................................................................................. 3-35 3.13 Chapter 14, Land Use and Population .................................................................................................... 3-39 3.14 Chapter 16, Public Services and Utilities ................................................................................................ 3-39 3.15 Chapter 19, Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 3-40 3.16 Chapter 20, Alternatives ............................................................................................................................ 3-41 3.17 Chapter 21, Cumulative Impacts .............................................................................................................. 3-41 4 COMMENT LETTERS AND RESPONSES TO COMMENTS ............................................. 4-1 1 Responses to Comments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch (August 31, 2011, and September 13, 2011) ...... 4-10 1.1 Current Effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) .............................................................. 4-10 1.2 Construction in a Riverine Floodplain, Regulated Floodway, or Special Flood Hazard Areas ...................................................................................................................................... 4-10 1.3 Local Floodplain Management Building Requirements .............................................................. 4-11 2A Response to Comments from Roberto Valdez (September 15, 2011) .............................................. 4-13 2A.1 Comments during the Notice of Preparation Public Review Period ........................................ 4-13 November 30, 2011 i Shiloh IV Wind Energy Project Final EIR Table of Contents 2A.2 Impacts to Wildlife ............................................................................................................................ 4-13 2A.3 Supplemental Comments ................................................................................................................. 4-14 2A.4 Coordinate with Friends of Swainson’s Hawk and Napa-Solano Audubon Society .............. 4-14 2B Response to Comments from Roberto Valdez (October 11, 2011) .................................................. 4-16 2B.1 Concurrence with Friends of Swainson’s Hawk Comments ..................................................... 4-16 2B.2 Need for Adequate Scientific Data and Follow-up Monitoring ............................................... 4-16 2B.3 Cumulative Impacts to Bats, Canada Geese, and American Pelicans ...................................... 4-16 2B.4 Solano County Water Agency Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan ................................ 4-17 3 Response to Comments from the City of Rio Vista (September 27, 2011 ....................................... 4-19 3.1 Correction to Description of Rio Vista Municipal Airport ........................................................ 4-19 4 Response to Comments from Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk (October 10, 2011) ..................... 4-30 4.1 Proposed Turbine Model Characteristics ...................................................................................... 4-30 4.2 Impact on Swainson’s Hawk Range ............................................................................................... 4-30 4.3 Cumulative Habitat and Raptor Nesting Impacts ........................................................................ 4-31 4.4 Raptor Mortality Estimates and Loss of State Protected Species .............................................. 4-32 4.5 Turbine Siting and Land Conservation .......................................................................................... 4-32 4.6 Solano County Avian Technical Advisory Committee................................................................ 4-33 4.7 Not All Feasible Mitigation for Avian Mortality and Habitat Loss........................................... 4-33 4.8 Permanent Habitat Loss Mitigation is Undercounted and Inadequate .................................... 4-33 4.9 Timing of Off-Site Mitigation Requirement ................................................................................. 4-34 4.10 Role of the Solano County Avian Technical Advisory Committee .......................................... 4-35 4.11 Swainson’s Hawk and Other Incidental Mortalities .................................................................... 4-36 4.12 Clarifications Regarding Referenced Monitoring Data ............................................................... 4-37 4.13 Swainson’s Hawk Mitigation Plan and Incidental Take Permit ................................................. 4-38 4.14 Increase in Raptor Mortality ............................................................................................................ 4-40 4.15 Mitigation Measures Do Not Reduce Impacts to Bats ............................................................... 4-40 4.16 Three Years Monitoring for All Turbines and Carcass Search Interval ................................... 4-41 4.17 Incidental Take Permits and Incidental Swainson’s Hawk Mortalities ..................................... 4-42 4.18 Personnel