United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs December 2004 Wanapa Energy Center Final Environmental Impact Statement Cooperating Agencies: DOE/EIS-0342 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................ES-1 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS..........................................................................................AA-1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Project Background...........................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need..............................................................................................................1-3 1.2.1 Underlying Need for Action.................................................................................1-3 1.3 Federal Agency Approval Process and Authorizing Actions..........................................1-8 1.3.1 Bureau of Indian Affairs.......................................................................................1-8 1.3.1.1 Trust Responsibilities............................................................................1-8 1.3.2 Bonneville Power Administration........................................................................1-9 1.3.3 Bureau of Reclamation.........................................................................................1-9 1.4 Non-Federal Agency Approval Process and Authorizing Actions................................1-10 1.5 Permits, Approvals, and Reviews ...................................................................................1-10 1.6 Project Land Surface Occupancy Agreements...............................................................1-10 1.7 Public Participation and EIS Issues................................................................................1-14 2.0 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES.................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Agency-preferred Alternative...........................................................................................2-1 2.2 No Action..........................................................................................................................2-1 2.3 Proposed Action................................................................................................................2-1 2.3.1 Electric Power Generation Plant ..........................................................................2-3 2.3.1.1 Location and Facilities..........................................................................2-3 2.3.1.2 Construction ..........................................................................................2-8 2.3.1.3 Operation...............................................................................................2-8 i 2.3.2 Natural Gas Fuel Supply ....................................................................................2-13 2.3.2.1 Location and Facilities........................................................................2-13 2.3.2.2 Construction ........................................................................................2-13 2.3.2.3 Operation.............................................................................................2-18 2.3.3 Water Supply and Treatment .............................................................................2-18 2.3.3.1 Location and Facilities........................................................................2-18 2.3.3.2 Construction ........................................................................................2-20 2.3.3.3 Operation.............................................................................................2-20 2.3.4 Process Cooling System and Wastewater Generation.......................................2-21 2.3.4.1 Location and Facilities........................................................................2-21 2.3.4.2 Construction ........................................................................................2-21 2.3.4.3 Operation.............................................................................................2-22 2.3.5 Electric Power Transmission..............................................................................2-22 2.3.5.1 Location and Facilities........................................................................2-22 2.3.5.2 Construction ........................................................................................2-30 2.3.5.3 Operation.............................................................................................2-35 2.3.6 Project Construction and Operation Work Force, Schedule .............................2-35 2.3.7 Emergency Operations .......................................................................................2-36 2.3.8 Project Abandonment .........................................................................................2-37 2.4 Other Alternatives Carried Forward in the Analysis .....................................................2-37 2.4.1 Gas Supply/Plant Discharge Water Pipelines Route Alternatives....................2-37 2.4.2 Transmission Line Route Alternatives...............................................................2-45 2.4.3 2.4.3 Water Supply Alternatives ........................................................................2-50 2.4.4 Process Water Disposal Alternatives .................................................................2-50 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated.........................................................................2-55 2.5.1 Alternative Electrical Power Generation Systems.............................................2-55 2.5.1.1 Wind Power Generation Systems.......................................................2-55 2.5.1.2 Alternative Fuel Power Generation Systems .....................................2-55 2.5.1.3 Alternative Cooling Systems..............................................................2-55 2.5.2 Alternative Power Plant Sites.............................................................................2-56 2.5.3 Alternative Natural Gas Supply/Wastewater Discharge Pipeline Routes ........2-56 2.5.4 Water Supply Sources ........................................................................................2-57 2.5.5 Plant Discharge Water Disposal Alternatives ...................................................2-57 ii 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES........3.1-1 3.1 No Action Alternative.....................................................................................................3.1-1 3.2 Land Resources ..............................................................................................................3.2-1 3.2.1 Affected Environment .......................................................................................3.2-1 3.2.1.1 Geology and Geologic Hazards.........................................................3.2-1 3.2.1.2 Soils ....................................................................................................3.2-1 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences and Mitigation..................................................3.2-7 3.2.2.1 Geology and Geologic Hazards.........................................................3.2-7 3.2.2.2 Soil......................................................................................................3.2-8 3.2.3 Proposed Action Impact Summary ................................................................ 3.2-12 3.2.4 Component Alternatives Impact Summaries.................................................. 3.2-12 3.3 Water Resources (Surface Water and Groundwater Quantity and Quality) ................3.3-1 3.3.1 Affected Environment .......................................................................................3.3-1 3.3.1.1 Surface Water.....................................................................................3.3-1 3.3.1.2 Groundwater.......................................................................................3.3-4 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences and Mitigation............................................... 3.3-10 3.3.2.1 Surface Water.................................................................................. 3.3-10 3.3.2.2 Groundwater.................................................................................... 3.3-20 3.3.3 Proposed Action Impact Summary ................................................................ 3.3-20 3.3.4 Component Alternatives Impact Summary ................................................... 3.3-21 3.4 Biological Resources .....................................................................................................3.4-1 3.4.1 Existing Environment........................................................................................3.4-1 3.4.1.1 Vegetation/Land Cover......................................................................3.4-1 3.4.1.2 Aquatic Species..................................................................................3.4-6 3.4.1.3 Wildlife...............................................................................................3.4-9 3.4.1.4 Special Status Species..................................................................... 3.4-13 3.4.1.5 Sensitive State Species.................................................................... 3.4-15 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences