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Biological Assessment for the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Ivanpah SEGS) Project

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Biological Assessment for the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Ivanpah SEGS) Project Biological Assessment for the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Ivanpah SEGS) Project Prepared for Bureau of Land Management Prepared on behalf of Solar Partners I, LLC; Solar Partners II, LLC; Solar Partners IV, LLC; and Solar Partners VIII, LLC Prepared by 2485 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 600 Sacramento, CA 95833 December 2009 1 Contents Section ..................................................................................................................................... Page Contents ........................................................................................................................................ iii Figures ................................................................................................................. iv Attachments ........................................................................................................ v Background ............................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1-1 Description of Proposed Action ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Project Features ....................................................................................................... 2-7 2.2.1 Solar Fields .............................................................................................. 2-7 2.2.2 Power Block ............................................................................................. 2-9 2.2.3 Stormwater Management .................................................................... 2-12 2.2.4 Power Lines and Substation ................................................................ 2-13 2.2.5 Telecommunications ............................................................................ 2-14 2.2.6 Gas Line ................................................................................................. 2-14 2.2.7 Water Line ............................................................................................. 2-15 2.3 Construction .......................................................................................................... 2-15 2.3.1 Colosseum Road and Rerouted Trails ............................................... 2-18 2.3.2 Security and Desert Tortoise Fencing ................................................ 2-18 2.3.3 Vegetation Clearing and Cutting ....................................................... 2-19 2.3.4 Gas Pipeline ........................................................................................... 2-19 2.3.5 Water Line ............................................................................................. 2-20 2.3.6 Gen-tie Lines and Substation .............................................................. 2-20 2.3.7 Telecommunications Line ................................................................... 2-21 2.4 Operation ............................................................................................................... 2-23 2.4.1 Solar Fields ............................................................................................ 2-23 2.4.2 Water System ........................................................................................ 2-23 2.4.3 Concrete Holding Basins ..................................................................... 2-24 2.4.4 Waste Management .............................................................................. 2-24 2.5 Project Maintenance Activities ........................................................................... 2-24 2.5.1 Class I ..................................................................................................... 2-25 2.5.2 Class II .................................................................................................... 2-25 2.5.3 Class III .................................................................................................. 2-26 2.5.4 Class IV .................................................................................................. 2-26 2.5.5 Class V .................................................................................................... 2-26 2.6 Site Rehabilitation Plan ........................................................................................ 2-26 2.7 Facility Closure ..................................................................................................... 2-28 2.7.1 Temporary Closure .............................................................................. 2-28 2.7.2 Permanent Closure ............................................................................... 2-29 2.8 Minimization Measures ....................................................................................... 2-29 III CONTENTS 2.8.1 Construction Minimization Measures ............................................... 2-30 2.8.2 Operation Minimization Measures .................................................... 2-36 2.9 Progress and Compliance Report ....................................................................... 2-39 Environmental Baseline .......................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Biological Setting ..................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Regional Overview ................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Habitat and Vegetation .......................................................................... 3-1 3.1.3 Threatened and Endangered Plant Species ......................................... 3-3 3.1.4 Noxious Weeds ....................................................................................... 3-4 3.1.5 Wildlife Species ....................................................................................... 3-6 3.2 Environmental Baseline ......................................................................................... 3-7 3.2.1 Projects That Are Reasonably Foreseeable .......................................... 3-7 3.2.2 Projects That Are Not Reasonably Foreseeable ................................ 3-10 Status of Species and Habitat ................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) ......................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Status ......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Natural History, Distribution, Abundance, and Habitat .................. 4-1 4.1.3 Survey Methodology .............................................................................. 4-4 4.1.4 Survey Results ......................................................................................... 4-4 Effects of Proposed Action ..................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Direct Effects ............................................................................................................ 5-1 5.3 Indirect Effects ......................................................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................. 5-3 References.................................................................................................................................. 6-5 Figures 1-1 Vicinity Map 2-1 Site Plan and Linear Facilities 2-2 Construction Logistics Area 2-3 Fiber Optic Route 2-4 Trails 2-5 Appearance of Site After Construction 2-6 Proposed Gas Line Route 2-7 Eldorado Ivanpah Transmission Project Access Roads 3-1 Project Area 3-2 Vegetation Map and Sensitive Geomorphic Features 4-1 2007 Desert Tortoise Survey Area 4-2 Desert Tortoise Survey Results 4-3 Translocation areas IV CONTENTS Attachments A Draft Closure, Revegetation and Rehabilitation Plan B Tortoise Fencing and Tortoise Guard Specifications C No attachment D Desert Tortoise Translocation/Relocation Plan E Raven Management Plan F No attachment G Survey of translocation sites 2009 H 2008 Desert Tortoise Survey Report for Additional Ivanpah SEGS Action Area I List of Observed Desert Tortoise Sign at Ivanpah SEGS in 2007 V Background 1.1 Introduction Solar Partners I, LLC; Solar Partners II, LLC; Solar Partners VIII, LLC, the owners of the three separate solar plant sites, and Solar Partners IV, LLC, the owner of shared facilities required by the three solar plant sites, propose to develop a solar facility (together referred to as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, or Ivanpah SEGS) in the Ivanpah Valley about 4.5 miles southwest of Primm, Nevada. This Biological Assessment has been prepared in accordance with legal requirements set forth under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act [ESA] (16 U.S.C. 1536(c)). The Mojave population of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is a federally threatened species under the ESA. Solar Partners I, LLC; Solar Partners II, LLC; Solar Partners VIII, LLC, the owners of the three
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