Environmental Assessment Turning Point Solar Generating Project Noble County, Ohio Turning Point Solar LLC U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Please submit questions or written comments to: Lauren McGee Environmental Scientist USDA/RUS 1400 Independence Ave., SW Mail Stop 1571 Washington, DC 20250-1571 Phone: (202) 720-1482 Fax: (202) 690-0649 Email: [email protected] ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TURNING POINT SOLAR PROJECT Brookfield Township, Noble County, Ohio Prepared for: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service January 2012 Prepared by: URS Corporation Cleveland, Ohio Rural Utilities Service Turning Point Solar Project TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................................................................................................ES-1 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION.............................................1-1 1.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Proposed Action.........................................................................................................1-3 1.3 Applicant’s Purpose and Need ..................................................................................1-5 2.0 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION......................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Project Alternatives That Meet the Purpose and Need...............................................2-1 2.1.1 AEP Ohio Building Solar Generation In-State........................................................2-1 2.1.1.1 Distributed and Building-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels...................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1.2 Ground-mounted Solar Photovoltaics (PV) on Reclaimed Land.....................................................................................................................2-2 2.1.2 Contracting for the Output of an In-State Solar Facility Built by Another Entity…………………………........................................................................................2-3 2.1.3 Purchasing Available (Ohio) s-RECs…………......................................................2-3 2.1.4 Banked Compliance………….................................................................................2-6 2.1.5 Renewable Energy Compliance Payment …………........................................2-6 2.2 Project Alternatives That Do Not Meet the Purpose and Need..................................2-7 2.2.1 Purchase of Out-of-State s-RECs............................................................................2-7 2.2.2 Wind Energy………………....................................................................................2-7 2.2.3 Biomass…………………………………...............................................................2-7 2.2.4 Hydropower …………………………………........................................................2-8 2.3 Project Alternative Analysis Conclusion....................................................................2-8 2.4 Site Selection Study....................................................................................................2-8 2.4.1 Siting Criteria Development……………................................................................2-8 2.4.2 Siting Criteria……………...……………...............................................................2-9 2.4.2.1 Location in Appalachian Ohio/within AEP Ohio Service Area..............2-9 2.4.2.2 Transmission Line Proximity..................................................................2-9 2.4.2.3 Highway Access………..........................................................................2-9 2.4.2.4 Property Available for Sale/Owned by AEP Ohio or Minimal Number of Landowners.....................................................................................2-14 2.4.2.5 Topography/Current Site Use................................................................2-14 2.4.2.6 Adjacent Land Use……........................................................................2-14 2.4.2.7 Impacts on Floodplains..........................................................................2-14 2.4.2.8 Impacts on Waters of the United States …….......................................2-14 2.4.2.9 Impacts on Forested Areas....................................................................2-15 2.4.2.10 Impacts on Prime Farmland ……........................................................2-15 2.4.3 Identification of Candidate Sites………...............................................................2-15 2.4.4 Site Descriptions………………………................................................................2-18 2.4.4.1 Site #1…………………........................................................................2-18 2.4.4.2 Site #2…………………........................................................................2-19 2.4.4.3 Site #3…………………........................................................................2-23 2.4.5 Site Selection Conclusion: Selection of a Preferred Site …………………..........2-25 2.5 Description of Proposed Action...............................................................................2-25 2.5.1 Introduction ……………......................................................................................2-25 i Rural Utilities Service Turning Point Solar Project 2.5.2 Site Description ……………...…………….........................................................2-26 2.5.3 Generating Facility Description ……………...……….........................................2-26 2.5.4 Water Supply and Waste Disposal ……………...………....................................2-34 2.5.5 Construction….………...……………...................................................................2-35 2.5.6 Operations & Maintenance ……………...………................................................2-39 2.5.7 Project Decommissioning ..……………........………...........................................2-39 2.5.8 Transportation ……………...……………………................................................2-40 2.5.9 Employment ……………...……………………...................................................2-40 2.5.10 Project Permits ………………...……….............................................................2-40 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT...........................................................................................3-1 3.1 Land Use.....................................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Geology and Soils ......................................................................................................3-1 3.3 Water Resources ........................................................................................................3-4 3.3.1 Wetlands, Streams and Ponds..................................................................................3-4 3.3.1.1 Jurisdiction............................................................................................................3-6 3.3.1.2 Wetland/Stream Delineation Results………………............................................3-9 3.3.2 Floodplain..............................................................................................................3-14 3.4 Biological Resources................................................................................................3-14 3.4.1 Vegetation and Wildlife........................................................................................3-14 3.4.2 Threatened and Endangered Species.....................................................................3-16 3.5 Air Quality................................................................................................................3-18 3.5.1 Climate and Meteorology ……………….............................................................3-18 3.5.2 Air Quality.............................................................................................................3-21 3.5.3 Existing Emissions Sources...................................................................................3-21 3.5.4 Regulatory Setting….............................................................................................3-21 3.5.4.1 Federal Level - Clean Air Act (CAA)................................................................3-23 3.5.4.2 State and Local level………………...................................................................3-24 3.5.5 Greenhouse Gases …...........................................................................................3-25 3.5.5 Sensitive Receptors …..........................................................................................3-25 3.6 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ............................................................3-26 3.6.1 Population Growth Trends....................................................................................3-26 3.6.2 Racial and Ethnic Characteristics..........................................................................3-26 3.6.3 Economic Indicators .............................................................................................3-29 3.7 Cultural Resources and Historic Properties..............................................................3-30 3.7.1 Archaeological Sites ……………….....................................................................3-31 3.7.2 Previous Cultural Resource Survey Areas …………………................................3-33 3.7.3 Cemeteries ………. ..............................................................................................3-33