Stillwater Field Office, Nevada ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ORNI 32, LLC Dixie Meadows Geothermal Utilization Project DOI-BLM-NV-C010-2016-0014-EA US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Carson City District Stillwater Field Office 5665 Morgan Mill Road Carson City, NV 89701 775-885-6000 Cooperating Agencies: Nevada Department of Wildlife US Fish and Wildlife Service US Navy, Naval Air Station Fallon May 2017 It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. DOI-BLM-NV-C010-2016-0014-EA TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1. INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE AND NEED .......................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.3 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................ 1-8 1.4 Land Use Plan Conformance Statement ................................................................................. 1-8 1.5 Relationship to Laws, Regulations, Policies, Plans, and Other Environmental Analyses .......................................................................................................................................... 1-9 1.5.1 Relationship to Other Environmental Analyses ................................................... 1-11 1.5.2 Regulatory Permits and Approvals .......................................................................... 1-12 1.6 Decision to Be Made .................................................................................................................. 1-12 2. PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Proposed Action (Northern Gen-tie Route) ......................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 Schedule of Activities .................................................................................................... 2-4 2.1.2 Exploration Wells .......................................................................................................... 2-5 2.1.3 Power Plants and Ancillary Facilities ......................................................................... 2-7 2.1.4 Production Wells, Pipelines, Access Roads, and Support Facilities ................. 2-11 2.1.5 Gen-Tie .......................................................................................................................... 2-18 2.1.6 Environmental Protection Measures ....................................................................... 2-23 2.2 Alternative 1 (Southern Gen-Tie Route) .............................................................................. 2-34 2.2.1 Route Description ....................................................................................................... 2-34 2.2.2 Components ................................................................................................................. 2-36 2.2.3 ROW Width Requirements ...................................................................................... 2-36 2.2.4 Construction, Operation, and Decommissioning ................................................ 2-36 2.2.5 Restoration and Reclamation .................................................................................... 2-36 2.2.6 Environmental Protection Measures ....................................................................... 2-37 2.3 Alternatives Considered but not Analyzed in Detail ......................................................... 2-37 2.4 No Action Alternative ............................................................................................................... 2-37 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......................... 3-1 3.1 Scoping and Issue Identification ................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1 Supplemental Authorities ............................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Resources Other Than Supplemental Authorities ................................................ 3-3 3.1.3 Resources or Uses Present and Brought Forward for Analysis ......................... 3-5 3.2 Air Quality ...................................................................................................................................... 3-6 3.2.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................... 3-6 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................... 3-6 3.3 Water Resources .......................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-19 3.4 Soil Resources ............................................................................................................................. 3-25 3.4.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-25 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-35 3.5 Migratory Birds ............................................................................................................................ 3-39 3.5.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-39 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-42 May 2017 Dixie Meadows Geothermal Utilization Project Environmental Assessment i Table of Contents 3.6 Vegetation ..................................................................................................................................... 3-46 3.6.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-46 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-48 3.7 Wildlife and Key Habitat ........................................................................................................... 3-50 3.7.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-50 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-53 3.8 BLM Sensitive Species ................................................................................................................ 3-57 3.8.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-58 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-78 3.9 Wetlands and Riparian Areas .................................................................................................. 3-88 3.9.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-88 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-90 3.10 Invasive, Nonnative, and Noxious Weed Species ............................................................... 3-95 3.10.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-95 3.10.2 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................. 3-96 3.11 Visual Resources ......................................................................................................................... 3-96 3.11.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................................. 3-96 3.11.2 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................... 3-101 3.12 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................. 3-103 3.12.1 Affected Environment .............................................................................................. 3-103 3.12.2 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................... 3-105 3.13 Native American Religious Concerns ................................................................................. 3-107 3.13.1 Affected Environment .............................................................................................. 3-107 3.13.2 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................... 3-110 3.14 Travel Management ................................................................................................................. 3-111 3.14.1