EA Heart of Texas Wind
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Final Environmental Assessment for the Heart of Texas Wind Project Habitat Conservation Plan SWCA Project Number 34502 June 2017 SUBMITTED TO: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200 Austin, Texas 78757 SUBMITTED BY: SWCA Environmental Consultants 6200 UTSA Blvd. Suite 102 San Antonio, Texas 78249 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS WIND PROJECT HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN Prepared for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200 Austin, Texas 78757 Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants 6200 UTSA Blvd. Suite 102 San Antonio, Texas 78249 www.swca.com SWCA Project No. 34502 June 2017 This page intentionally left blank. CONTENTS 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................1 2. Project Background ...........................................................................................................3 2.1. Project Description ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.2. Covered Activities and Permit Term ............................................................................................ 6 3. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Federal Action ....................................................... 6 4. Alternatives Considered ....................................................................................................7 4.1. Alternative A (Preferred Alternative) ........................................................................................... 7 4.1.1. Avoidance and Minimization Measures................................................................................ 7 4.1.2. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................. 9 4.1.2.1. Mitigation Ratios and Amount of Mitigation .................................................................... 9 4.1.2.2. Permanent Conservation ................................................................................................... 9 4.1.3. Monitoring and Adaptive Management .............................................................................. 10 4.1.4. Reporting ............................................................................................................................. 10 4.1.5. Funding ............................................................................................................................... 10 4.1.6. Changed Circumstances ...................................................................................................... 11 4.2. Alternative B (No Action)........................................................................................................... 11 4.3. Alternatives Eliminated from Further Analysis .......................................................................... 11 4.3.1. USFWS Considered Alternatives ........................................................................................ 11 4.3.1.1. Reduced Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 11 4.3.1.2. Additional Mitigation ...................................................................................................... 12 4.3.2. Applicant Considered Alternatives ..................................................................................... 12 5. Affected Environment ...................................................................................................... 12 5.1. Project Area ................................................................................................................................ 12 5.2. Regional Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 13 5.3. Resources Considered for Detailed Analysis .............................................................................. 13 5.3.1. Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 14 5.3.2. General Wildlife .................................................................................................................. 16 5.3.3. Black-capped Vireo (BCVI) ............................................................................................... 16 5.3.3.1. Life History ..................................................................................................................... 17 5.3.3.2. Habitat ............................................................................................................................. 17 5.3.3.3. Abundance and Distribution ........................................................................................... 18 5.3.4. State-Protected Species ....................................................................................................... 20 5.4. Resources Not Considered for Detailed Analysis ....................................................................... 20 5.4.1. Air Quality .......................................................................................................................... 20 5.4.2. Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................. 20 5.4.3. Energy and Depletable Resource Requirements and Conservation Potential ..................... 21 5.4.4. Environmental Justice ......................................................................................................... 21 5.4.5. Farmland and Soils.............................................................................................................. 21 5.4.6. Geology ............................................................................................................................... 22 5.4.7. Land Use ............................................................................................................................. 22 5.4.8. Military Activity ................................................................................................................. 22 5.4.9. Noise ................................................................................................................................... 22 Final version: June 2017 i 5.4.10. Other Threatened, Endangered, or Candidate Species ........................................................ 23 5.4.11. Other State-Protected Species ............................................................................................. 25 5.4.12. Public Health and Safety ..................................................................................................... 26 5.4.1. Socioeconomics .................................................................................................................. 26 5.4.2. Visual and Aesthetic Resources ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 5.4.3. Water Resources ................................................................................................................. 26 6. Environmental Consequences ........................................................................................ 26 6.1. Analysis Framework ................................................................................................................... 26 6.2. Reasonably Foreseeable Projects ................................................................................................ 27 6.3. Summary of Potential Impacts .................................................................................................... 28 6.4. Effects Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 30 6.4.1. Vegetation Communities ..................................................................................................... 30 6.4.1.1. Alternative A (Preferred Alternative) ............................................................................. 30 6.4.1.2. Alternative B (No Action) ............................................................................................... 31 6.4.1.3. Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................... 31 6.4.2. General Wildlife .................................................................................................................. 32 6.4.2.1. Alternative A (Preferred Alternative) ............................................................................. 34 6.4.2.2. Alternative B (No Action) ............................................................................................... 36 6.4.2.3. Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................... 36 6.4.3. Black-capped Vireo............................................................................................................. 37 6.4.3.1. Alternative A (Preferred Alternative) ............................................................................. 37 6.4.3.2. Alternative B (No Action) ............................................................................................... 40 6.4.3.3. Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................... 40 6.4.4. State-Protected Species ......................................................................................................