Wray Wind Energy Project Environmental Assessment For Pre-Approval Review DOE/EA - 1884 Yuma County, Colorado U. S. Department of Energy Western Area Power Administration February 2012 Wray Wind Energy Project Environmental Assessment For Pre-Approval Review DOE/EA - 1884 Yuma County, Colorado U. S. Department of Energy Western Area Power Administration February 2012 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 1.1-1 1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED ........................................................................................................................ 1.2-1 1.2.1 Invenergy’s Purpose and Need .............................................................................................. 1.2-1 1.2.2 Western’s Purpose and Need ................................................................................................. 1.2-1 1.3 FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS AND DECISIONS TO BE MADE ............................................... 1.3-2 1.4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ................................................................................................................... 1.4-2 1.5 OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS ................................................................................................................ 1.5-3 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT AND ALTERNATIVES .......................... 2-1 2.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ....................................................................................... 2.1-1 2.1.1 Western’s Proposed Action .................................................................................................... 2.1-1 2.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ........................................................................................... 2.2-1 2.2.1 Construction ........................................................................................................................... 2.2-5 2.2.2 Public Access and Safety ........................................................................................................ 2.2-8 2.2.3 Operations and Maintenance ................................................................................................. 2.2-9 2.2.4 Work Force ............................................................................................................................ 2.2-9 2.2.5 Traffic ..................................................................................................................................... 2.2-9 2.2.6 Water Use ............................................................................................................................. 2.2-10 2.2.7 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................ 2.2-10 2.2.8 Reclamation and Abandonment ........................................................................................... 2.2-10 2.2.9 Western and Invenergy’s Standard Construction, Operation and Maintenance Practices .. 2.2-11 2.3 ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT .................................................................................. 2.3-17 2.3.1 Alternative Turbine and Facility Locations ......................................................................... 2.3-17 2.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY ..................................... 2.4-17 2.4.1 Alternative Project Generation Capacity ............................................................................. 2.4-17 2.4.2 Alternative Electrical System Interconnections Facilities .................................................... 2.4-17 2.4.3 Alternative Project Locations............................................................................................... 2.4-17 2.5 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................................................ 2.5-18 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......... 3-1 3.1 OVERVIEW OF ANALYSIS APPROACH .............................................................................................. 3.1-1 3.2 CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................ 3.2-2 3.2.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ............................. 3.2-2 3.2.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ................................................................. 3.2-3 3.3 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 3.3-3 3.3.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ............................. 3.3-3 3.3.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ................................................................. 3.3-5 3.4 WATER RESOURCES AND FLOODPLAINS .......................................................................................... 3.4-6 3.4.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ............................. 3.4-6 3.4.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ................................................................. 3.4-8 3.5 WETLANDS .................................................................................................................................... 3.5-10 3.5.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ........................... 3.5-10 3.5.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 3.5-12 3.6 VEGETATION ................................................................................................................................. 3.6-12 3.6.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ........................... 3.6-12 3.6.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 3.6-14 Wray Wind Energy Project EA for Pre-Approval Review Table of Contents i Table of Contents 3.7 SOILS ............................................................................................................................................. 3.7-18 3.7.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ........................... 3.7-18 3.7.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 3.7-18 3.8 WILDLIFE ...................................................................................................................................... 3.8-20 3.8.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ........................... 3.8-21 3.8.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 3.8-33 3.9 SPECIAL STATUS AND SENSITIVE SPECIES ..................................................................................... 3.9-37 3.9.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ........................... 3.9-38 3.9.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 3.9-41 3.10 CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................... 3.10-43 3.10.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ......................... 3.10-44 3.10.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................. 3.10-44 3.11 LAND USE .................................................................................................................................... 3.11-45 3.11.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ......................... 3.11-45 3.11.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................. 3.11-47 3.12 NOISE .......................................................................................................................................... 3.12-51 3.12.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ......................... 3.12-51 3.12.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................. 3.12-52 3.13 VISUAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................................... 3.13-53 3.13.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ......................... 3.13-53 3.13.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................. 3.13-55 3.14 SOCIOECONOMICS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES (INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE) ........ 3.14-65 3.14.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting for the Proposed Project ......................... 3.14-65 3.14.2 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................. 3.14-68 3.15 TRANSPORTATION ....................................................................................................................... 3.15-71 3.15.1 Affected Environment – Environmental Setting