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Bureau of Indian Affairs' Solar Farm Environmental Assessment

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Bureau of Indian Affairs' Solar Farm Environmental Assessment SOLAR FARM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Great Plains Regional Office Aberdeen, South Dakota Prepared for: Bureau of Indian Affairs Aberdeen, South Dakota Prepared by: Trihydro Corporation Laramie, Wyoming on behalf of Hidden Water, Inc. Wichita, Kansas June 2016 For information contact: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Plains Regional Office 115 Fourth Avenue S.E. Suite 400 Aberdeen, South Dakota 57401 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ............................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Purpose and Need for Action .................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.2 Need .............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1.3 NEPA and Project Review ............................................................................ 1-1 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED ............................................ 2-1 2.1 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................ 2-1 2.1.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Proposed Action............................................................................................ 2-1 2.1.3 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Study ........................ 2-1 2.2 Details of the Proposed Action .................................................................................. 2-1 2.2.1 Construction .................................................................................................. 2-5 2.2.2 Operation ...................................................................................................... 2-6 2.2.3 Decommissioning and Reclamation ............................................................. 2-7 2.3 Measures to Avoid or Reduce Potential Impacts ...................................................... 2-7 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ...................... 3-1 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.2 Geology ..................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.2 Impacts.......................................................................................................... 3-2 3.2.2.1 No Action Alternative ..................................................................... 3-2 3.2.2.2 Proposed Action ............................................................................ 3-2 3.3 Paleontology .............................................................................................................. 3-3 3.3.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................... 3-3 3.3.2 Impacts.......................................................................................................... 3-3 3.3.2.1 No Action Alternative ..................................................................... 3-3 3.3.2.2 Proposed Action ............................................................................ 3-3 3.4 Air Quality .................................................................................................................. 3-4 3.4.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................... 3-4 3.4.1.1 Regional Air Quality ....................................................................... 3-4 3.4.1.2 Regional Climate ........................................................................... 3-4 Table of Contents (cont.) 3.4.2 Impacts.......................................................................................................... 3-5 3.4.2.1 No Action Alternative ..................................................................... 3-5 3.4.2.2 Proposed Action ............................................................................ 3-5 3.5 Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases ................................................................. 3-6 3.5.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................... 3-7 3.5.2 Impacts.......................................................................................................... 3-7 3.5.2.1 No Action Alternative ..................................................................... 3-7 3.5.2.2 Proposed Action ............................................................................ 3-7 3.6 Soils ........................................................................................................................... 3-9 3.6.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................... 3-9 3.6.1.1 Soil Resources .............................................................................. 3-9 3.6.1.2 Soil Taxonomy............................................................................... 3-9 3.6.2 Impacts........................................................................................................ 3-13 3.6.2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................... 3-13 3.6.2.2 Proposed Action .......................................................................... 3-13 3.7 Vegetation ............................................................................................................... 3-15 3.7.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................. 3-15 3.7.1 Impacts........................................................................................................ 3-16 3.7.1.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................... 3-16 3.7.1.2 Proposed Action .......................................................................... 3-16 3.8 Wetlands .................................................................................................................. 3-19 3.8.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................. 3-19 3.8.1 Impacts........................................................................................................ 3-19 3.8.1.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................... 3-19 3.8.1.1 Proposed Action .......................................................................... 3-19 3.9 Water Resources ..................................................................................................... 3-23 3.9.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................. 3-23 3.9.2 Impacts........................................................................................................ 3-23 3.9.2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................... 3-24 3.9.2.2 Proposed Action .......................................................................... 3-24 3.10 Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Species ................................................ 3-24 3.10.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................. 3-25 3.10.1.1 Whooping Crane ......................................................................... 3-25 3.10.1.2 Northern Long-eared Bat ............................................................ 3-26 3.10.1.3 Rufa Red Knot ............................................................................. 3-26 Table of Contents (cont.) 3.10.1.4 Western Prairie Fringed Orchid .................................................. 3-27 3.10.1.5 Black-footed Ferret ...................................................................... 3-27 3.10.1.6 Sprague’s Pipit ............................................................................ 3-28 3.10.2 Impacts........................................................................................................ 3-28 3.10.2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................... 3-28 3.10.2.2 Proposed Action .......................................................................... 3-28 3.10.2.2.1 Whooping Crane....................................................... 3-28 3.10.2.2.2 Northern Long-eared Bat .......................................... 3-29 3.10.2.2.3 Rufa Red Knot .......................................................... 3-29 3.10.2.2.4 Western Prairie Fringed Orchid ................................ 3-29 3.10.2.2.5 Black-footed Ferret ................................................... 3-29 3.10.2.2.6 Sprague’s Pipit ......................................................... 3-29 3.11 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................... 3-29 3.11.1 Existing Environment .................................................................................. 3-30 3.11.2 Impacts.......................................................................................................
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