Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. Rockerville Electric Transmission Line Project Predecisional Environmental Assessment USDA Forest Service Black Hills National Forest Custer, South Dakota Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations ARC At-Risk-Community MIS Management Indicator Species ATV All-Terrain Vehicle MVUM Motorized Vehicle Use Map BHNF Black Hills National Forest NEPA National Environmental BHEC Black Hills Electric Coop Policy Act BMP Best Management Practices NFMA National Forest Management Act CEQ Council on Environmental Quality NFS National Forest System CFR Code of Federal Regulations NFSR National Forest System Road CWD Coarse Woody Debris OHV Off Highway Vehicle DN Decision Notice DN Decision Notice EA Environmental Assessment S&G Standard(s) and Guideline(s) EIS Environmental Impact Statement SDGF&P South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks EPA Environmental Protection SHPO State Historic Preservation Office Agency SOLC Species of Local Concern FSR Forest System Road SS Structural Stage FEA Final Environmental T&E Threatened and Endangered Assessment TMP Travel Management Plan FONSI Finding of No Significant USDA United States Department of Impact Agriculture FS Forest Service USFWS United States Fish and FSH Forest Service Handbook Wildlife Service FSM Forest Service Manual WUI Wildland-Urban Interface GIS Geographic Information System MA Management Area The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer . Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. Rockerville Electric Transmission Line Project Predecisional Environmental Assessment Pennington County, South Dakota Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Cooperating Agencies: None Responsible Official: Craig Bobzien, Forest Supervisor 1019 N. 5 th Street Custer, South Dakota 57730 For Information Contact: Dave Slepnikoff, Team Leader 8221 South Highway 16 Rapid City, South Dakota 57702 (605) 343-1567 Abstract : The Black Hills National Forest has prepared a Predecisional Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. The Black Hills National Forest is responding to a proposal by the project proponent, Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BHEC), to construct a new 69kV electrical transmission line on National Forest System lands south and east of Rockerville, South Dakota. This proposal is guided by the Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and evaluated in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other agency direction. The focus of the proposal is to construct a transmission line that begins at Rockerville substation located along US Hwy 16 just east of Rockerville, South Dakota, then south and east for approximately 5.8 miles to a point where it exits National Forest (just south of Jackson Springs). The transmission line is needed to provide a loop in the electrical transmission system in the area to ensure reliable electrical service for its cooperative members now and into the future. Five alternatives are considered in detail. Alternative 1 is the proposed action. Alternative 2 is a transmission line route (approximately 6.1 miles long) developed in response to public comments expressing concern for the prominent visibility of the proposal (Alternative 1). Alternative 3 is a route (approximately 4.6 miles long) developed in response to the Forest Service desire to consider a route that is shorter in length on NFS lands. Alternative 4 is a route that focuses upon staying on private land, as much as possible (4.8 miles long). Alternative 5 is the No Action Alternative. This EA discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts resulting from the proposed action and alternatives. Reviewers should provide the Forest Service with their comments during the review period of the predecisional environmental assessment. This will enable the Forest Service to analyze and respond to the comments at one time and to use information acquired in the preparation of the final BHEC Electric Transmission Line Project EA, Page 3 environmental assessment, thus avoiding undue delay in the decision making process. Reviewers have an obligation to structure their participation in the National Environmental Policy Act process so that it is meaningful and alerts the agency to the reviewers’ position and contentions. Comments on the predecisional environmental assessment should be specific and should address the adequacy of the statement and the merits of the alternatives discussed (40 CFR 1503.3). Send Comments To: c/o John Stansfield, Acting District Ranger BHEC Rockerville Transmission Line Project 8221 South Highway 16 Rapid City, South Dakota 57702 email: [email protected] BHEC Electric Transmission Line Project EA, Page 4 SUMMARY The Black Hills National Forest is responding to a proposal by the project proponent, Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BHEC), to construct a new 69kV electrical transmission line on National Forest System lands south and east of Rockerville, South Dakota. This proposal is guided by the Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and evaluated in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other agency direction. The transmission line route proposed by BHEC begins at Rockerville substation located along US Hwy 16 just east of Rockerville. From there the route generally follows the section line southward from the substation for four miles, then southeastward two miles to a point where it exits National Forest (just south of Jackson Springs). BHEC has determined a need for a loop in the electrical transmission system in the area to ensure reliable electrical service for its cooperative members now and into the future. The need for this project has been established and approved through the appropriate planning and oversight criteria--described in Chapter 1 of this document. Public involvement regarding this proposal included receiving public comments concerning the proposal to help determine the breadth of issues and concerns to be addressed in the Environmental Assessment. This effort included publishing a legal notice in the Rapid City Journal on January 20, 2010, inviting comment; holding a public meeting on February 4, 2010; and mailing a scoping letter to 220 interested parties. Comments on the proposed action were solicited from members of the public, American Indian Tribes, other public agencies, adjacent property owners, organizations, and Forest Service specialists. The Forest Service received public response that expressed support and opposition to the proposal, as well as suggestions for alternative routes and mitigation. A total of 60 responses were received via letters, faxes, public meeting transcripts, personal-delivery, or email during the formal scoping process. Comments received during public scoping were used to help in defining issues, develop alternatives, and analyze effects. Through review and analysis of the comments and proposal specifics, the Project Analysis Team identified three prevailing or key issues related to BHEC's proposal. These include: scenery or visual impact issue; socio-economic issue; and access and travel management issue. These issues are described in detail in Chapter 1 of this document. These issues led the Project Analysis Team to develop alternatives to BHEC's proposed action. The alternatives are described in detail in Chapter 2 of this document. Briefly, the alternatives analyzed in this Environmental Assessment include: Alternative 1 (Proposed Action). Alternative 1 is the transmission line route proposed by the project proponent, Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BHEC). The Cooperative proposes to construct approximately a 5.8 mile segment of new 69kV transmission line across National Forest System (NFS) lands as part of a loop system that would extend from the Rockerville substation to Hermosa. This route runs from the Rockerville substation to a location where it exits the National Forest boundary just south of Jackson Springs (see Project Area map in Chapter 1). BHEC Electric Transmission Line Project EA, Page 5 Alternative 2. This alternative is the transmission line route developed in response to public comments made during public scoping concerning the prominent visibility of the proposal (Alternative 1) on ridgetops for much of its projected route. The Alternative 2 route roughly parallels Alternative 1, but deviates away from prominent ridgetops along some segments allowing it to run below ridges and in draws to make it less visible on the landscape. It covers