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Environmental Assessment Environmental Assessment Turning Point Solar Generating Project Noble County, Ohio Turning Point Solar LLC U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Please submit questions or written comments to: Lauren McGee Environmental Scientist USDA/RUS 1400 Independence Ave., SW Mail Stop 1571 Washington, DC 20250-1571 Phone: (202) 720-1482 Fax: (202) 690-0649 Email: [email protected] ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TURNING POINT SOLAR PROJECT Brookfield Township, Noble County, Ohio Prepared for: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service January 2012 Prepared by: URS Corporation Cleveland, Ohio Rural Utilities Service Turning Point Solar Project TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................................................................................................ES-1 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION.............................................1-1 1.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Proposed Action.........................................................................................................1-3 1.3 Applicant’s Purpose and Need ..................................................................................1-5 2.0 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION......................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Project Alternatives That Meet the Purpose and Need...............................................2-1 2.1.1 AEP Ohio Building Solar Generation In-State........................................................2-1 2.1.1.1 Distributed and Building-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels...................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1.2 Ground-mounted Solar Photovoltaics (PV) on Reclaimed Land.....................................................................................................................2-2 2.1.2 Contracting for the Output of an In-State Solar Facility Built by Another Entity…………………………........................................................................................2-3 2.1.3 Purchasing Available (Ohio) s-RECs…………......................................................2-3 2.1.4 Banked Compliance………….................................................................................2-6 2.1.5 Renewable Energy Compliance Payment …………........................................2-6 2.2 Project Alternatives That Do Not Meet the Purpose and Need..................................2-7 2.2.1 Purchase of Out-of-State s-RECs............................................................................2-7 2.2.2 Wind Energy………………....................................................................................2-7 2.2.3 Biomass…………………………………...............................................................2-7 2.2.4 Hydropower …………………………………........................................................2-8 2.3 Project Alternative Analysis Conclusion....................................................................2-8 2.4 Site Selection Study....................................................................................................2-8 2.4.1 Siting Criteria Development……………................................................................2-8 2.4.2 Siting Criteria……………...……………...............................................................2-9 2.4.2.1 Location in Appalachian Ohio/within AEP Ohio Service Area..............2-9 2.4.2.2 Transmission Line Proximity..................................................................2-9 2.4.2.3 Highway Access………..........................................................................2-9 2.4.2.4 Property Available for Sale/Owned by AEP Ohio or Minimal Number of Landowners.....................................................................................2-14 2.4.2.5 Topography/Current Site Use................................................................2-14 2.4.2.6 Adjacent Land Use……........................................................................2-14 2.4.2.7 Impacts on Floodplains..........................................................................2-14 2.4.2.8 Impacts on Waters of the United States …….......................................2-14 2.4.2.9 Impacts on Forested Areas....................................................................2-15 2.4.2.10 Impacts on Prime Farmland ……........................................................2-15 2.4.3 Identification of Candidate Sites………...............................................................2-15 2.4.4 Site Descriptions………………………................................................................2-18 2.4.4.1 Site #1…………………........................................................................2-18 2.4.4.2 Site #2…………………........................................................................2-19 2.4.4.3 Site #3…………………........................................................................2-23 2.4.5 Site Selection Conclusion: Selection of a Preferred Site …………………..........2-25 2.5 Description of Proposed Action...............................................................................2-25 2.5.1 Introduction ……………......................................................................................2-25 i Rural Utilities Service Turning Point Solar Project 2.5.2 Site Description ……………...…………….........................................................2-26 2.5.3 Generating Facility Description ……………...……….........................................2-26 2.5.4 Water Supply and Waste Disposal ……………...………....................................2-34 2.5.5 Construction….………...……………...................................................................2-35 2.5.6 Operations & Maintenance ……………...………................................................2-39 2.5.7 Project Decommissioning ..……………........………...........................................2-39 2.5.8 Transportation ……………...……………………................................................2-40 2.5.9 Employment ……………...……………………...................................................2-40 2.5.10 Project Permits ………………...……….............................................................2-40 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT...........................................................................................3-1 3.1 Land Use.....................................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Geology and Soils ......................................................................................................3-1 3.3 Water Resources ........................................................................................................3-4 3.3.1 Wetlands, Streams and Ponds..................................................................................3-4 3.3.1.1 Jurisdiction............................................................................................................3-6 3.3.1.2 Wetland/Stream Delineation Results………………............................................3-9 3.3.2 Floodplain..............................................................................................................3-14 3.4 Biological Resources................................................................................................3-14 3.4.1 Vegetation and Wildlife........................................................................................3-14 3.4.2 Threatened and Endangered Species.....................................................................3-16 3.5 Air Quality................................................................................................................3-18 3.5.1 Climate and Meteorology ……………….............................................................3-18 3.5.2 Air Quality.............................................................................................................3-21 3.5.3 Existing Emissions Sources...................................................................................3-21 3.5.4 Regulatory Setting….............................................................................................3-21 3.5.4.1 Federal Level - Clean Air Act (CAA)................................................................3-23 3.5.4.2 State and Local level………………...................................................................3-24 3.5.5 Greenhouse Gases …...........................................................................................3-25 3.5.5 Sensitive Receptors …..........................................................................................3-25 3.6 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ............................................................3-26 3.6.1 Population Growth Trends....................................................................................3-26 3.6.2 Racial and Ethnic Characteristics..........................................................................3-26 3.6.3 Economic Indicators .............................................................................................3-29 3.7 Cultural Resources and Historic Properties..............................................................3-30 3.7.1 Archaeological Sites ……………….....................................................................3-31 3.7.2 Previous Cultural Resource Survey Areas …………………................................3-33 3.7.3 Cemeteries ………. ..............................................................................................3-33
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