Draft Environmental Assessment for the Shiloh IV Wind Project Habitat Conservation Plan
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE SHILOH IV WIND PROJECT HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN P REPARED BY: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2800 Cottage Way, W-2650 Sacramento, CA 95825 Contact: Mike Thomas, Chief Habitat Conservation Planning Branch W ITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM: ICF International 630 K Street, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95814 Contact: Brad Schafer 916.737.3000 December 2011 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2011. Draft Environmental Assessment for the Shiloh IV Wind Project Habitat Conservation Plan. December. (ICF 00810.10.). Sacramento, CA. With technical assistance from ICF International, Sacramento, CA. Contents Chapter 1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.2 Species Covered by the HCP ...................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Proposed Action Addressed in this EA ....................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action .......................................................................... 1-3 Chapter 2 Proposed Action and Alternatives .................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Alternative 1: Proposed Action.................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Alternative 2: No Action .......................................................................................................... 2-13 2.3 Alternatives Eliminated from Further Consideration .............................................................. 2-13 Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ................................................. 3-1 3.1 Aesthetics ............................................................................................................................... 3.1-1 3.2 Agricultural Resources ............................................................................................................ 3.2-1 3.3 Air Quality and Climate Change .............................................................................................. 3.3-1 3.4 Biological Resources ............................................................................................................... 3.4-1 3.5 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................. 3.5-1 3.6 Geology, Seismicity, Soils, Mineral Resources, and Paleontological Resources..................... 3.6-1 3.7 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................... 3.7-1 3.8 Hydrology and Water Quality ................................................................................................. 3.8-1 3.9 Land Use and Planning............................................................................................................ 3.9-1 3.10 Noise ..................................................................................................................................... 3.10-1 3.11 Public Health Hazards ........................................................................................................... 3.11-1 3.12 Recreation ............................................................................................................................. 3.12-1 3.13 Traffic and Transportation .................................................................................................... 3.13-1 3.14 Utilities and Public Service Systems ..................................................................................... 3.14-1 Chapter 4 Other Required Analysis .................................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Unavoidable Adverse Effects ..................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ....................................................... 4-1 4.3 Short-Term Uses versus Long-Term Productivity ...................................................................... 4-1 4.4 Cumulative Effects ..................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.5 Environmentally Preferable Alternative .................................................................................... 4-7 4.6 References ................................................................................................................................. 4-8 Chapter 5 List of Preparers .............................................................................................................. 5-1 Draft Environmental Assessment i December 2011 ICF 00810.10 Tables 3.2-1 Impacts on Agriculture ........................................................................................................ 3.2-4 3.2-2 Williamson Act Parcels in the Shiloh IV Plan Area ............................................................... 3.2-5 3.3-1 Applicable Federal and State Ambient Air Quality Standards ............................................. 3.3-1 3.3-2 Federal de Minimis Threshold Levels for Criteria Pollutants in Nonattainment Areas .................................................................................................................................... 3.3-3 3.3-3 Federal de Minimis Threshold Levels for Criteria Pollutants in Maintenance Areas .................................................................................................................................... 3.3-4 3.3-4 Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Data Measured at the Fairfield-Chadbourne Monitoring Station .............................................................................................................. 3.3-7 3.3-5 Federal and State Attainment Status of Solano County ...................................................... 3.3-8 3.3-6 Summary of Construction Equipment ................................................................................. 3.3-9 3.3-7 Summary of Annual Emissions for Nonattainment and Maintenance Pollutants (tons per year) ................................................................................................................... 3.3-11 3.3-8 Summary of GHG Emissions from Construction Activities (metric tons) .......................... 3.3-13 3.3-9 Assumptions for Annual Project-Related Emissions of HFCs from Refrigeration and Air Conditioning .......................................................................................................... 3.3-13 3.3-10 Summary of Operational-Related GHG Emissions (metric tons ........................................ 3.3-14 3.3-11 Summary of Lifetime GHG Emissions and Reductions (metric tons ................................. 3.3-15 3.3-12 HRA Screening Analysis Results ......................................................................................... 3.3-16 3.4-1 Special-Status Plants Potentially Occurring in the Montezuma Hills Region, Solano County ................................................................................... follows page 3.4-6 3.4-2 Special-Status Wildlife Species Potentially Occurring in the Montezuma Hills Region, Solano County ............................................................................ follows page 3.4-6 3.5-1 Cultural Resources in the Shiloh IV Plan Area ..................................................................... 3.5-8 3.6-1 Fossil Locality Search Results .............................................................................................. 3.6-4 3.10-1 Definition of Acoustical Terms .......................................................................................... 3.10-1 3.10-2 Typical Noise Levels ........................................................................................................... 3.10-2 3.10 3 Existing Noise Levels in the Project AreaPlan Area (dBA .................................................. 3.10-4 Draft Environmental Assessment ii December 2011 ICF 00810.10 3.10-4 Estimated Construction Noise Levels by Phase and Distance ........................................... 3.10-5 3.10-5 Noise Reduction Required to Achieve 50 dBa CNEL Limit at Each Residence Predicted to Exceed the Limit ........................................................................................... 3.10-6 3.11-1 Worst-Case and Expected Shadow Flicker Impacts .......................................................... 3.11-9 3.13-1 Existing Traffic Volumes on Regional Access Routes......................................................... 3.13-4 3.13-2 Existing Traffic Volumes on Local Access Routes .............................................................. 3.13-5 Draft Environmental Assessment iii December 2011 ICF 00810.10 Figures Follows Page 1-1 Shiloh IV Project Region ......................................................................................................... 1-2 1-2 Montezuma Hills Wind Resource Area ................................................................................... 1-2 2-1 Turbine Options ...................................................................................................................... 2-2 2-2 Impact