Environmental Assessment (EA) in Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Other Relevant Federal and State Laws and Regulations
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United States Environmental Department of Agriculture Assessment Forest Service Floyd Hill Distribution Line Tie-in Project July 2013 Clear Creek Ranger District Arapaho National Forest, Clear Creek County, Colorado Responsible Official: Glenn P. Casamassa Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland 2150 Centre Ave, Building E Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119 For further information contact: Patti Turecek, Project Lead Clear Creek Ranger District 101 HWY 103 P.O. BOX 3307 Idaho Springs, CO 80452 303.567.3011 Environmental Analysis Background The Louis Berger Group in consultation with the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) has prepared this environmental assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations. This EA discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and alternatives. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 serve as an executive summary. Chapter 1 includes information on the history of the proposed project, the purpose of and need for the project, and Intermountain Rural Electric Association’s (IREA) proposal for achieving that purpose and need. This chapter also details how the public was informed of and responded to the proposal. Chapter 2 provides a more detailed description of IREA’s proposed action as well as alternative methods for achieving the stated purpose. The alternatives were developed based on issues raised by the public and other agencies. This discussion also includes possible mitigation measures. Finally, this chapter provides a summary table of the environmental consequences associated with each alternative. Chapter 3 contains detailed information of the affected environment and environmental consequences of implementing the proposed action or the alternatives. The appendices provide a list of agencies and persons consulted and contacted, a glossary for technical terms and a list of acronyms. Note: Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, would be considered part of the public record on this proposed action and would be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously would be accepted and considered; however, those who only submit anonymous comments would not have standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 215. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service would inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied; the agency would return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within 15 days. Table of Contents Environmental Analysis Background .......................................................................................... i Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... i List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1: Purpose and Need for Action ..................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Location .....................................................................................................................1 1.1.2 Project Background ....................................................................................................1 1.2 Proposed Action ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Purpose and Need for Action .................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Existing Direction ...................................................................................................................... 3 1.4.1 Forest Plan .................................................................................................................3 1.4.2 Laws ...........................................................................................................................4 1.5 Decisions to be Made ................................................................................................................. 4 1.6 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................... 4 1.7 Issues ............................................................................................................................................ 5 1.7.1 Key Issues ..................................................................................................................6 1.7.2 Other Issues ................................................................................................................6 1.7.3 Issues Dismissed from Further Analysis....................................................................6 1.8 Other Permits, Comments, or Consultation Needed for this Analysis ................................ 8 Chapter 2: Alternatives Including the Proposed Action..........................................................9 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................9 2.2.2 Proposed Action with Modification (Distribution Line Development) .....................9 2.3 Design Criteria for the Proposed Action ............................................................................... 10 2.3.1 Wildlife Design Criteria ...........................................................................................11 2.3.2 Forest Vegetation and Watershed Health Design Criteria .......................................11 2.3.3 Wetland and Riparian Area Design Criteria ............................................................12 2.3.4 Soils Design Criteria ................................................................................................13 2.3.5 Water Quality Design Criteria .................................................................................14 2.3.6 Cultural Resources Design Criteria .........................................................................14 2.3.7 Public Safety Design Criteria...................................................................................14 2.3.8 Visual Resources Design Criteria ............................................................................15 2.4 Monitoring for the Proposed Action ...................................................................................... 16 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis ........................................ 17 i 2.5.1 Issue SUP and Allow for Construction of Floyd Hill Distribution Line – Alternative Alignment .............................................................................................17 2.5.2 Issue SUP and Allow for Construction of Floyd Hill Distribution Line – Buried Line ..............................................................................................................18 2.6 Actions that Might Lead to Cumulative Impacts on the Project Area .............................. 20 2.6.1 Past Actions .............................................................................................................20 2.6.2 Present Actions ........................................................................................................20 2.6.3 Reasonably Foreseeable Actions .............................................................................21 2.7 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 3: Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ................................24 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 24 3.2 Visual Resources ...................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.1 Affected Environment ..............................................................................................25 3.2.2 Effects of the No Action Alternative .......................................................................27 3.2.3 Effects of the Proposed Action ................................................................................27