Fountain Wind Project, Final Environmental Impact Report (April 2021)
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Shasta County Department of Resource Management Planning Division FOUNTAIN WIND PROJECT FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT – VOLUME 1 April 2021 Use Permit No. UP 16-007 State Clearinghouse No. 2019012029 Prepared for: Department of Resource Management Planning Division Prepared by: Environmental Science Associates Shasta County Department of Resource Management Planning Division FOUNTAIN WIND PROJECT FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT – VOLUME 1 April 2021 Use Permit No. UP 16-007 State Clearinghouse No. 2019012029 Prepared for: Shasta County Department of Resource Management, Planning Division Prepared by: Environmental Science Associates TABLE OF CONTENTS Fountain Wind Project Final Environmental Impact Report Page Volume 1 Chapter 1, Introduction ........................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Purpose ................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Project Overview ..................................................................................................1-2 1.2.1 Project Site ................................................................................................1-2 1.2.2 Project Summary .......................................................................................1-3 1.2.3 Changes to the Project Since Issuance of the Draft EIR ..........................1-3 1.3 Agency and Public Involvement ........................................................................ 1-23 1.3.1 Agency and Public Review of the Draft EIR .......................................... 1-23 1.3.2 Availability of the Final EIR .................................................................... 1-23 Chapter 2, Responses to Comments ..................................................................................2-1 2.1 Approach to Comment Responses ......................................................................2-1 2.1.1 Input Received ..........................................................................................2-1 2.1.2 Comment Coding ................................................................................... 2-13 2.2 Individual Responses ........................................................................................ 2-13 2.2.1 Responses to Comments from Agencies .............................................. 2-13 2.2.2 Responses to Comments from Tribal Entities and Members .............. 2-118 2.2.3 Responses to Comments from Organizations and Individuals ........... 2-193 Letters P1-P26 ..................................................................................... 2-194 Volume 2 Letters P27-P45 ................................................................................... 2-507 Chapter 3, Revisions to the Draft EIR .................................................................................3-1 3.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Text Changes to the Draft EIR .............................................................................3-1 3.2.1 Executive Summary ..................................................................................3-1 3.2.2 Chapter 1, Introduction .............................................................................3-2 3.2.3 Chapter 2, Description of Project and Alternatives ...................................3-2 3.2.4 Chapter 3, Environmental Analysis ...........................................................3-3 3.2.5 Chapter 5, Report Preparation ............................................................... 3-26 Fountain Wind Project i ESA / 170788.00 Final Environmental Impact Report April 2021 Table of Contents Page Appendices (provided on included USB device) A. Supplemental Information and Technical Studies ..........................................................A-1 A1. Stantec: Project Description Refinements .............................................................A1-1 A2. Stantec: Biological Resources - Extended Survey Areas ......................................A2-1 A3. Environmental Design & Research: Shadow Flicker Analysis ...............................A3-1 A4. Stantec: Visual Resources Technical Report .........................................................A4-1 A5. West: eDNA Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Report ...................................................A5-1 A6. Capitol Airspace Group: The Moose Camp Helipad ..............................................A6-1 B. Public Notices ................................................................................................................B-1 C. Letters Received Outside the Scope of CEQA.............................................................. C-1 D. Letter Exhibits ............................................................................................................... D-1 D1. Exhibit to Letter T2, Tony Yiamkis ........................................................................ D1-1 D2. Exhibits to Letter P20, Steven L. Johnson ............................................................ D2-1 D3. Exhibits to Letter P21, Beth Messick .................................................................... D3-1 D4. Exhibits to Letter P27, Margaret Osa ................................................................... D4-1 D5. Exhibits to Letter P45, Kelly Tanner ..................................................................... D5-1 E. Responses to Confidential Letter ..................................................................................E-1 F. Recipients of the Final EIR ............................................................................................ F-1 G. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program ............................................................... G-1 H. Figures .......................................................................................................................... H-1 Tables Table 1-1 Comparison of Turbine Options ....................................................................... 1-7 Table 2 1 Commenting Parties ......................................................................................... 2-4 The Draft EIR for the Project is provided on the USB device enclosed with printed versions of this Final EIR. It also is available on the County’s website: https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/index/drm/planning/eir/fountain-wind-project. Fountain Wind Project ii ESA / 170788.00 Final Environmental Impact Report April 2021 CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose This Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is an informational document that discloses the potential environmental impacts of the Fountain Wind Project (Project). The Shasta County (County) Department of Resource Management, Planning Division, as the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),1 has prepared this EIR to document its analysis of the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of the Project. The County will use this EIR, in conjunction with other information developed in the County’s formal record, when considering whether to certify the EIR and whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove Use Permit (UP 16-007), which has been requested to authorize the construction, operation and maintenance, and ultimately the decommissioning of the Project. This Final EIR consists of the Draft EIR published August 3, 2020, together with the analysis of Applicant-proposed changes to the Project (which changes are analyzed in this Chapter 1), responses to comments provided in Chapter 2, revisions to the Draft EIR identified in Chapter 3, and additional or updated technical information that has become available since circulation of the Draft EIR. This Final EIR includes seven appendices: Appendix A contains supplemental information and technical studies, including Applicant-proposed refinements to the Project Description that have been submitted since the Draft EIR was issued (Appendix A1), a biological resources survey report for extended survey areas extended (Appendix A2), an updated shadow flicker analysis that considers the proposed design refinements (Appendix A3), an updated visual resources technical report that removes the word “draft” and includes larger-format simulations as compared to the version that was included as an appendix to the Draft EIR (Appendix A4), the eDNA Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Report that inadvertently was omitted from appendices to the Draft EIR (Appendix A5), and technical input provided regarding the Moose Camp Helipad (Appendix A6). Appendix B contains copies of public notices issued in connection with the Draft EIR. 1 This analysis is being prepared CEQA (Pub. Res. Code §21000 et seq.) and its implementing regulations, the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §15000 et seq.). Fountain Wind Project 1-1 ESA / 170788.00 Final Environmental Impact Report April 2021 1. Introduction Appendix C contains copies of letters received that were not included in Chapter 2, Responses to Comments, because the contents do not require a response for the reasons described in Section 2.1.1 of this Final EIR. Appendix D contains exhibits provided with comment letters that, due to their volume, are being provided separately. Appendix E contains a confidential appendix that will be available to decision-makers but otherwise is being protected from public disclosure at the request of the Pit River Tribe. Appendix F contains a list of the recipients