Pit 7 Reclamation Plan Environmental Assessment
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Pit 7 Reclamation Plan TransAlta Centralia Mining LLC Lewis and Thurston Counties, Washington Prepared by TransAlta Centralia Mining LLC 913 Big Hanaford Road Centralia, Washington 98531 Prepared for The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Western Region Denver, Colorado May 2020 Estimated Total Costs Associated with Developing and Producing the EA: $32,481 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE A. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION ........................................................................... 7 A.1. Background ......................................................................................................... 7 A.1.1. Applicant History ............................................................................................ 7 A.1.2. The Centralia Plant .......................................................................................... 8 A.1.3. The Centralia Mine and its Reclamation ......................................................... 8 A.1.4. Regulatory Process History ............................................................................. 9 A.2. The Applicant’s Proposed Revisions – The Pit 7 Reclamation Plan ................ 10 A.2.1. Lake Design and Function ............................................................................. 10 A.2.2. Habitat Design ............................................................................................... 12 A.2.3. Implementation Considerations ..................................................................... 14 B. PURPOSE AND NEED ...................................................................................................... 15 C. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED ....................................................................................... 16 C.1. Alternative 1: Proposed Action ......................................................................... 16 C.2. Alternative 2: No Action ................................................................................... 16 C.3. Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ..................... 18 C.4. Alternatives Summary ....................................................................................... 19 D. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................. 20 D.1. General Setting and Baseline Condition ........................................................... 20 D.2. Resources and Determination of Need for Further Analysis ............................ 21 D.3. Affected Resources ........................................................................................... 21 D.3.1. Topography, Geology, and Soils ................................................................... 21 D.3.2. Hydrology ...................................................................................................... 23 D.3.3. Land Use ........................................................................................................ 25 D.3.4. Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 26 D.3.5. Fish and Wildlife ........................................................................................... 26 D.3.6. Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change ........................................................ 28 D.3.7. Recreation ...................................................................................................... 29 D.3.8. Noise .............................................................................................................. 29 D.3.9. Public Health and Safety ............................................................................... 30 D.3.10. Air Quality ..................................................................................................... 30 D.3.11. Transportation and Traffic ............................................................................. 30 D.3.12. Public Services .............................................................................................. 30 E. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ... 31 E.1. Topography, Geology, and Soils ....................................................................... 31 2 E.1.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 31 E.1.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 32 E.2. Hydrology .......................................................................................................... 32 E.2.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 32 E.2.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 40 E.3. Land Use ........................................................................................................... 41 E.3.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 41 E.3.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 42 E.4. Vegetation ......................................................................................................... 42 E.4.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 42 E.4.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 43 E.5. Fish and Wildlife ............................................................................................... 43 E.5.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 43 E.5.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 45 E.6. Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change ............................................................ 45 E.6.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 45 E.6.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 46 E.7. Recreation .......................................................................................................... 47 E.7.1 Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 47 E.7.1. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 47 E.8. Noise .................................................................................................................. 48 E.8.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 48 E.8.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 49 E.9. Public Health and Safety ................................................................................... 49 E.9.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 49 E.9.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 50 E.10. Air Quality ......................................................................................................... 51 E.10.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 51 E.10.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 51 E.11. Transportation and Traffic................................................................................. 51 E.11.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 51 E.11.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 51 E.12. Public Services .................................................................................................. 52 E.12.1. Impacts of the Proposed Action .................................................................... 52 3 E.12.2. Impacts of No Action .................................................................................... 52 F. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS .............................................................................. 53 G. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ................................................................................................... 54 G.1. Ongoing Activities ............................................................................................ 54 G.1.1. 1,300-MW Coal-Fired Power Plant ............................................................... 54 G.1.2. 400-MW Gas Plant ........................................................................................ 55 G.1.3. Mine Reclamation ......................................................................................... 55 G.1.4. Rail Line ........................................................................................................ 55 G.2. New Activities ................................................................................................... 56 G.2.1. Business Park................................................................................................. 56 G.2.2. Fine Coal Particle Recovery System ............................................................. 56 G.2.3. Future Reclamation Plans (Revisions) .........................................................