Land Use and Corridor Report Gemini Solar Project N-84631
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Bureau of Land Management Land Use and Corridor Report Gemini Solar Project N-84631 March 2019 717 Market Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, CA 94103 650-373-1200 www.panoramaenv.com BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Gemini Solar Project Land Use and Corridor Report March 2019 Prepared by: Panorama Environmental, Inc. 717 Market Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, CA 94103 650-373-1200 [email protected] 717 Market Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, CA 94103 650-373-1200 www.panoramaenv.com TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................ iii Introduction............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Project Location ................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.3 Applicant Proposed Action ............................................................................................. 1-1 Land and Realty ...................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Regulatory Background ................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Data Sources and Methodology .................................................................................... 2-4 2.3 Analysis Area ...................................................................................................................... 2-4 2.4 Baseline Description .......................................................................................................... 2-4 2.5 Potential Effects and Recommendations .................................................................... 2-10 Specially Designated Areas .................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Regulatory Background ................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Data Sources and Methodology .................................................................................... 3-4 3.3 Analysis Area ...................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.4 Baseline Description .......................................................................................................... 3-5 3.5 Potential Effects and Recommendations .................................................................... 3-12 Rangeland Resources ............................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Regulatory Background ................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Data Sources and Methodology .................................................................................... 4-1 4.3 Analysis Area ...................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.4 Baseline Description .......................................................................................................... 4-2 4.5 Potential Effects and Recommendations ...................................................................... 4-2 Military and Civilian Aviation ................................................................................................. 5-1 5.1 Regulatory Background ................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Data Sources and Methodology .................................................................................... 5-2 5.3 Analysis Area ...................................................................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Baseline Description .......................................................................................................... 5-2 5.5 Potential Effects and Recommendations ...................................................................... 5-5 Recreation............................................................................................................................... 6-1 Land Use and Corridor Report ● March 2019 i TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.1 Regulatory Background ................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Data Sources and Methodology .................................................................................... 6-2 6.3 Analysis Area ...................................................................................................................... 6-2 6.4 Baseline Description .......................................................................................................... 6-2 6.5 Potential Effects and Recommendations ...................................................................... 6-6 References .............................................................................................................................. 7-1 List of Tables Table 1 Land Use Authorizations in the Project Area .......................................................... 2-5 Table 2 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern within 25 Miles of the Project Area .. 3-7 Table 3 Registered Airports within 50 miles of the Project Area......................................... 5-4 List of Figures Figure 1 Project Location Map ................................................................................................ 1-3 Figure 2 Applicant Proposed Action and Additional Surveyed Development Areas .................................................................................. 1-4 Figure 3 Land Use Authorizations in the Project Area .......................................................... 2-7 Figure 4 Corridors in the Project Area..................................................................................... 2-8 Figure 5 Specially Designated Areas within 25 miles of the Project Area......................... 3-6 Figure 6 Registered Airports and Airspace Restrictions within 50 miles of the Project Area ........................................................................... 5-3 Figure 7 Recreation Management Areas within 25 miles of the Project Area................. 6-3 Figure 8 Recreation Features and Access in the Project Area........................................... 6-5 Land Use and Corridor Report ● March 2019 ii ACRONYMS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ACEC Area of Critical Environmental Concern AFB Air Force Base AGL above ground level AIS Aeronautical Information Services BLM Bureau of Land Management BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs BSBCB Bitter Springs Back Country Byway CAD computer‐aided design CFR Code of Federal Regulations COC Corridor of Concern DoD United States Department of Defense DEM digital elevation model DOE Department of Energy EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA Environmental Protection Agency EPD Environmental Planning Development ERMA extensive recreation management area ESA Environmental Site Assessment Esri Environmental Systems Research Institute FAA Federal Aviation Administration FHWA Federal Highway Administration FLPMA Federal Land Policy and Management Act Land Use and Corridor Report ● March 2019 iii ACRONYMS gen‐tie Generation tie lines GDB geodatabase GIS Geographic Information Systems I‐15 Interstate 15 IOPs Interagency Operating Procedures kV kilovolt LADWP Los Angeles Department of Water and Power MOU Memorandum of Understanding MS Manual Transmittal Sheet MTR Military Training Routes MW Megawatt MWac Megawatt alternating current NAIP National Agriculture Imagery Program NDOT Nevada Department of Transportation NDOW Nevada Department of Wildlife NED National Elevation Dataset NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NGTOC National Geospatial Technical Operations Center NPS National Parks Service NTD National Transportation Dataset O&M Operations and maintenance OHV off‐highway vehicle OSNHT Old Spanish National Historic Trail PEIS Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement POD Plan of Development Project Gemini Solar Project Land Use and Corridor Report ● March 2019 iv ACRONYMS PV Photovoltaic RMP Resource Management Plan ROD Record of Decision ROW right‐of‐way SEZ Solar Energy Zone SR State Route SRMA special recreation management area SRP special recreation permit SRTM Shuttle Radar Topography Mission SUAs Special Use Airspaces USC United States Code USDA United States Department of Agriculture USDOI United States Department of Interior USDOT United States Department of Transportation USFS United States Forest Service USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service USGS United States Geological Survey WEC West‐wide Energy Corridor WMA Wildlife Management Area Land Use and Corridor Report ● March 2019 v 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE This Land Use and Corridor Report has been prepared for the proposed Gemini Solar Project (Project). The purpose of this report is to identify land uses in the Project area that could be adversely affected by the Project and to provide recommendations to minimize effects. This report supports and augments the information provided in the Land Use and Recreation sections of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).