NEAL HOT SPRINGS GEOTHERMAL WELL CONSTRUCTION RIGHT of WAY, PHASE 2 Serial Number OR-66537
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NEAL HOT SPRINGS GEOTHERMAL WELL CONSTRUCTION RIGHT OF WAY, PHASE 2 Serial Number OR-66537 Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-OR-V040-2011-008 Prepared by: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Malheur Resource Area 100 Oregon Street Vale, Oregon 97918 March, 2011 As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interest of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. BLM/OR/WA/AE-09/053+1792 NEAL HOT SPRINGS RIGHT OF WAY DOI-BLM-OR-V040-2011-008 Serial Number OR-65701 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED ..................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 DECISION TO BE MADE ................................................................................................................. 2 1.4 SCOPING AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .......................................................................................... 3 1.5 RELATIONSHIP TO LAWS, REGULATIONS, POLICIES, AND PLANS................................................. 3 1.6 ISSUES ........................................................................................................................................... 4 2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ........................................ 6 2.1 PROPOSED ACTION ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 ADOPTED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MEASURES................................................................. 9 2.3 ALTERNATIVE 1 – THE NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ...................................................................... 9 2.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................................................... 9 2.4.1 Directional Drilling ................................................................................................................ 10 2.4.2 Alternate Drill Locations and Additional Access Roads ....................................................... 10 2.5 PLAN CONFORMANCE ................................................................................................................. 10 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................ 11 3.1 VEGETATION ............................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 NOXIOUS WEEDS ........................................................................................................................ 12 3.3 SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS ........................................................................................................... 12 3.4 MIGRATORY BIRDS ..................................................................................................................... 12 3.5 WILDLIFE AND FISH .................................................................................................................... 13 3.6 LIVESTOCK GRAZING .................................................................................................................. 13 3.7 RECREATION AND VISUAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................... 13 3.8 WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS ....................................................................................................... 14 3.9 CULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................. 14 3.10 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 14 3.11 AIR AND ATMOSPHERIC QUALITY .............................................................................................. 15 3.12 GEOLOGY .................................................................................................................................... 17 3.13 SOILS ........................................................................................................................................... 18 3.14 HYDROLOGY AND AQUATIC RESOURCES ................................................................................... 18 3.15 COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC VALUES ...................................................................................... 18 3.16 LANDS AND REALTY ................................................................................................................... 19 3.17 CRITICAL ELEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL AUTHORITIES ......................................................... 19 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ................................................................................. 21 4.1 PROPOSED ACTION ..................................................................................................................... 21 4.1.1 Vegetation .............................................................................................................................. 21 4.1.2 Noxious Weeds ...................................................................................................................... 22 4.1.3 Special Status Plants .............................................................................................................. 22 4.1.4 Migratory Birds ..................................................................................................................... 22 4.1.5 Wildlife and Fish ................................................................................................................... 23 i 4.1.6 Livestock Grazing .................................................................................................................. 23 4.1.7 Cultural and Paleontological Resources ................................................................................ 23 4.1.8 Air and Atmospheric Quality ................................................................................................. 23 4.1.9 Soils ....................................................................................................................................... 24 4.1.10 Hydrology and Aquatic Resources ........................................................................................ 25 4.2 THE NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE .................................................................................................. 25 4.2.1 Special Status Plants .............................................................................................................. 26 4.2.2 Rangeland Vegetation ............................................................................................................ 26 4.2.3 Migratory Birds ..................................................................................................................... 26 4.2.4 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................. 26 5 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 26 5.1 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ANALYSIS AREA.................................................................................... 27 5.2 PAST AND PRESENT ACTIONS ..................................................................................................... 29 5.3 REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE ACTIONS......................................................................... 29 5.4 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ......................................................................................................... 30 5.5 IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES ......................................... 30 6 MITIGATION ............................................................................................................................ 30 7 MONITORING .......................................................................................................................... 32 8 COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION ............................................................................ 33 8.1 LIST OF PREPARERS .................................................................................................................... 33 8.2 LIST OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PERSONS NOTIFIED ................................................. 33 9 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 34 LIST OF TABLES PAGE Table 1 Critical Elements of the Human Environment ............................................................................... 20 Table 2 Resource Values ...........................................................................................................................