TETRA TECH, INC. 180 Howard Street, Suite 250 San Francisco, CA 94105-1617 Telephone (415) 974-1221 (510) 286-0152 FAX (415) 974-5914 August 19, 2005 Subject: Draft Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact for the Shallow Water Habitat Pilot Project Dear Reviewer: The Bureau of Reclamation is the Lead Agency for the adoption of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Finding of No Significant Impact for this project and is requesting comments. Please find enclosed one bound copy of the Draft Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact. The review period is from August 22, 2005 to September 20, 2005. Please submit your written comments to: Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Regional Office P.O. Box 61470 Boulder City, NV 89006-1470 Attn: Cheryl Rodriguez (LC-1340) Tel. 702.293.8167 Fax. 702.293-8023 Or if by e-mail to: [email protected] If you have any questions, please contact me at (415) 974-1221. Respectfully, Andrew Gentile Project Manager Enclosure e-mail: [email protected] world wide web: http://www.ttsfo.com This page intentionally left blank. Salton Sea Shallow Water Habitat Pilot Project Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation August 2005 This page intentionally left blank. Salton Sea Shallow Water Habitat Pilot Project Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact 04PE303285 by Tetra Tech, Inc. 180 Howard Street, Suite 250 San Francisco, California 94105-1617 Prepared for: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Regional Office Regional Initiatives and Project Development Salton Sea Restoration Project Boulder City, Nevada August 2005 LC-05-033-EA FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Salton Sea Shallow Water Habitat Project US Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Regional Office In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and based on the following, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has determined that implementing the Salton Sea Shallow Water Habitat Project (Project) would not result in a significant impact on the quality of the human environment or the natural or cultural resources of the area. A copy of the final environmental assessment (EA) is attached to this finding of no significant impact. The intent of the Project is twofold. First is to evaluate site preparation methods, costs, and durability of maintaining shallow saline water impoundments using Salton Sea sediments. Second is to analyze bird and aquatic invertebrate species, water and sediment chemistries, and the various interactions among these factors for shallow impoundments fed with saline water similar to that from a desalination plant discharge stream. This effort would provide Reclamation and other planners with critical information on how these biological and chemical factors could be used in a restoration plan to maximize uses and minimize risks to wildlife in shallow saline habitats. The Project is sited on Imperial Irrigation District, State of California, and Cal Energy Corporation land, and within an Imperial County right of way. Construction would begin on these lands only after Reclamation has received authorization from the respective land owners. The preparers of the EA specifically evaluated the impacts of implementing the Project on land use/ownership, geology and soils, water resources, biological resources, cultural resources, Indian Trust Assets, hazards and toxic materials and waste, visual resources, air quality, noise, socioeconomics and environmental justice, and traffic. Construction activities are anticipated to be completed within 60 to 90 days and would have only potentially minor and, in some cases, temporary impacts on air quality, noise, and water quality. There would be no impacts on land use/ownership, geology and soils, biological resources, cultural resources, Indian Trust Assets, visual resources, and socioeconomics and environmental justice. In the final EA are listed Imperial County Air Pollution Control District best management practices that should be incorporated in construction plans to reduce or eliminate impacts or potential impacts on air quality. The project has also been redesigned since initial inception to avoid impacts to pupfish, based on concerns expressed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the Imperial Irrigation District. _____________________________________ ___________________________ John Johnson, Manager Date Regional Initiatives and Project Development Lower Colorado Regional Office - 1 - This page intentionally left blank. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page 1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action ...............................................................1-1 1.3 Purpose and Need for an Environmental Assessment ...............................................1-3 1.4 Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives................................................1-3 1.4.1 Location.......................................................................................................1-3 1.4.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated........................................................1-3 1.4.3 Alternatives Considered in Detail.................................................................1-3 1.5 Other Agency Approvals ........................................................................................1-11 1.6 Cumulative Projects ...............................................................................................1-12 1.7 Scope of the Document..........................................................................................1-13 1.8 Plans, Policies, and Findings ..................................................................................1-14 2. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Land Use..................................................................................................................2-1 2.2.1 Utilities and Infrastructure............................................................................2-1 2.2.2 Airport Involvement.....................................................................................2-1 2.2.3 Pedestrian and Bicyclist Facilities.................................................................2-2 2.2.4 Public Lands ................................................................................................2-2 2.2.5 Parklands .....................................................................................................2-2 2.3 Geology and Soils ....................................................................................................2-2 2.4 Water Resources ......................................................................................................2-2 2.5 Biological Setting .....................................................................................................2-3 2.6 Vegetation Communities and Habitats......................................................................2-3 2.7 Wildlife Resources ...................................................................................................2-5 2.8 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................2-12 2.8.1 Prehistory of the Colorado Desert ..............................................................2-15 2.8.2 Historic Period...........................................................................................2-16 2.8.3 Archaeological Inventories.........................................................................2-18 2.9 Hazardous and Toxic Materials and Waste.............................................................2-20 2.10 Visual Resources ....................................................................................................2-20 2.11 Air Quality .............................................................................................................2-20 2.12 Noise .....................................................................................................................2-20 2.13 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice............................................................2-20 2.14 Traffic.....................................................................................................................2-21 3. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES............................................................................................3-1 3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Cumulative Effects Analysis ......................................................................................3-1 3.3 Terminology.............................................................................................................3-2 3.4 Thresholds of Significance........................................................................................3-2 3.5 Land Use..................................................................................................................3-5