Final Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Land-Use Plan

Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences CHAPTER 3 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 3.1 Introduction This chapter describes (1) the existing condition of the environment that could be affected by implementing the Proposed Action and (2) the known and predicted effects on the existing environment that could result from the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed 500kV transmission line and associated facilities. 3.1.1 Summary of Changes from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 was updated to include additional environmental baseline information suggested or provided in substantive agency and public comments received on the Draft EIS and additional data collected to address alternative route adjustments made since the publication of the Draft EIS (refer to Section 2.7.2). The analysis of environmental effects was updated to reflect the additional data. In response to comments on the Draft EIS, particularly comments relating to effective demonstration by BLM, USFS, and the FWS of compliance during the NEPA process with the requirements under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703-712) and the various Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) established in response to Executive Order 13186, Responsibilities of Federal Agencies to Protect Migratory Birds, and additional agency coordination among the BLM, USFS, and FWS, migratory birds are discussed in a separate section, Section 3.2.9, in the Final EIS. Relevant information available in Sections 3.2.5, 3.2.7, and 3.2.9 is referenced as appropriate. To provide distinction between the policy issues and the management emphasis relevant to designated areas established by an act of Congress and other special designations, Congressional Designations are discussed in a separate section, Section 3.2.14, in the Final EIS. To provide distinction between the specific resources issues and policy and management requirements relevant to national historic and scenic trails and recreational trails, national historic and scenic trails are discussed in a separate section, Section 3.2.19, in the Final EIS. Several of the alternative routes contain a series of route variations to compare local routing options. In the Draft EIS, the route variations were included in Chapters 3 and 4 with analysis of the alternative routes. Based on comments received on the Draft EIS, including requests for analysis of additional local route variations, the complexity of these routes necessitated a different presentation in the Final EIS. Thus, in the Final EIS, Chapters 3 and 4 describe the affected environment and environmental consequences associated with complete alternative routes, including the Agency Preferred Alternative route, while the local route options are analyzed and compared in Appendix F. The methodology for comparing and analyzing the local route variations is the same as described in Chapters 3 and 4. In the Draft EIS and Final EIS, the resource data and results of the impact assessment and mitigation planning process are addressed and disclosed by resource; that is, without specific attention to the various jurisdictions crossed along the routes. In response to a request by NPS, the results specific to the route variations across and in the vicinity of the NPS-administered lands at Deerlodge Road, which is managed as part of the Dinosaur National Monument, are documented in Appendix G of the Final EIS to supplement the Final EIS with additional required information that could be used by the agency to support the Applicant’s application for right-of-way across Deerlodge Road, if needed. Final EIS and Proposed LUPAs for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project Page 3-1 Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Substantive changes made between the Draft EIS and the Final EIS are demarcated in the left margin of this chapter by a vertical black line. 3.1.2 Affected Environment In accordance with NEPA regulations codified at 40 CFR 1502.15, this section presents a summary of the existing condition of the human and natural environment in the areas that could be affected by the Proposed Action. This information serves as a baseline from which the impacts anticipated to result from implementing the proposed Project were assessed. The affected environment is characterized for the following resources, land uses, social and economic conditions, and public health and safety. Climate and Air Quality Earth Resources Geologic Hazards Soil Resources Mineral Resources Paleontological Resources Water Resources Biological Resources Vegetation Special Status Plants Wildlife Special Status Wildlife Migratory Birds Fish and Aquatic Resources Land Use Parks, Preservation, and Recreation Transportation and Access Congressional Designations Special Designations and Other Management Areas Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Inventoried Roadless Areas and Unroaded/Undeveloped Areas Visual Resources National Trails System Cultural Resources Fire Ecology and Management Social and Economic Conditions Environmental Justice Public Health and Safety Noise Electric and Magnetic Fields These topics were selected based on federal regulatory requirements and policies, concerns of the lead and cooperating agencies, and/or issues derived from comments expressed by agencies and the public during scoping. Issues raised by the public and agencies during scoping are presented in Table 1-1. Key issue areas (i.e., areas where issues raised during scoping were identified on the ground) were identified based on the resource inventory data and though collaboration with the Agency Interdisciplinary Team during preparation of the EIS and are presented on Maps 3-1a and 3-1b. Final EIS and Proposed LUPAs for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project Page 3-2 Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Final EIS and Proposed LUPAs for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project Page 3-3 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Final EIS and Proposed LUPAs for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project Page 3-5 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences 3.1.3 Environmental Consequences 3.1.3 Environmental Consequences The analysis of potential environmental effects predicts how a resource would be affected and the degree of change (impact) that could result from implementation of an action. Potential environmental effects on each resource were determined through a systematic analysis that included assessing the impacts of each alternative route on the environment and how the impacts could be mitigated most effectively. An overview of the methodology for this analysis is presented in Section 2.7.1 and described for each resource in Section 3.2. 3.2 Resources Analyzed This section describes the affected environment and known and predicted effects of implementing the Project on resources relevant to the issues and concerns identified during agency and public scoping. The affected environment and effects analysis area were assessed for each alternative route. Generally, each resource discussion is organized as follows: Introduction and Regulatory Framework. A description of the resource and the laws, regulations, and policies related or relevant to management or analysis of the resource Issues Identified for Analysis. A description of the issues identified for each resource that were analyzed for the Project Regional Setting. A brief description of the region likely to be affected by implementation of the Project Study Methodology. Resource-specific methods used to assess the affected environment and initial and residual impacts for each alternative route Results by Alternative Route Affected Environment Environmental Consequences A summary of baseline resource inventory and results of the effects analysis is presented in each resource section. Tables S-4a to S-4e present a comparison of results of the effects analysis for the alternative routes, Table S-5 presents a summary of the 500kV transmission line parallel conditions and jurisdiction by alternative route, and Table S-6 presents a summary of the estimated ground disturbance, vegetation clearing, and miles of access roads. Local routing options contained in several of the alternative routes are analyzed and compared in Appendix F. 3.2.1 Climate and Air Quality 3.2.1.1 Introduction and Regulatory Framework 3.2.1.1.1 Introduction Air quality is a concern in much of the Rocky Mountain West and this section describes the air quality conditions existing in the portions of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah that may be traversed by the proposed Project, including the types of pollutants emitted and regulations that would apply to construction and operation of the proposed transmission line and series compensation stations. In Section 3.2.1.5, the expected air-pollutant emissions from transmission line and series compensation station construction, and from certain sources during series compensation station operation, are quantified to the extent possible. Potential impacts (ground-level pollutant concentrations) are discussed and quantified for the most substantial emission sources and activities and are compared with state and federal ambient concentration standards. Final EIS and Proposed LUPAs for the Energy Gateway South Transmission Project Page

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