Reauthorization of Permits, Maintenance, and Vegetation Management on Western Area Power Administration Transmission Lines on Forest Service Lands, Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah DOE/EIS-0442 Final Environmental Impact Statement July 2020 REAUTHORIZATION OF PERMITS, MAINTENANCE, AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ON WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION TRANSMISSION LINES ON FOREST SERVICE LANDS, COLORADO, NEBRASKA, AND UTAH DOE/EIS-0442 Final Environmental Impact Statement Responsible Agencies • U.S. Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) • USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) For information contact: Matthew Blevins Matt Custer Western Area Power Administration U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region P.O. Box 281213 1617 Cole Boulevard, Building 17 Lakewood, CO 80228 Golden, CO 80401 720-962-7261 303-275-5376 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Abstract Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) owns, operates, and maintains approximately 273 miles of electrical transmission lines on National Forest System (NFS) lands in Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah under the terms of existing agreements with the Forest Service. The proposed project involves changing the vegetation management and maintenance practices in some of these right-of-way (ROW) areas using an integrated vegetation management (IVM) approach based on the American National Standard Institute Tree, Shrub and Other Woody Plant Maintenance-Standard Practices (Integrated Vegetation Management, A. Utility Rights-of-Way (ANSI A300 (Part 7)-2018 IVM). The purpose of this project is to ensure the reliability and safety of the transmission lines, ensure compliance with mandatory transmission line reliability standards, ensure adequate access for maintenance, protect the public and ensure worker safety, and manage risk from fire, all while ensuring the protection of environmental resources. This page intentionally left blank. Final Environmental Impact Statement Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. ES-1 CHAPTER 1 – PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ...............................................................................1-1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1.1 Legal Mandates ........................................................................................................ 1-2 1.1.2 Agency Guidance and Industry Standards ............................................................... 1-4 1.1.3 National Environmental Policy Act........................................................................... 1-4 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action ................................................................................................. 1-5 1.3 Proposed Action ..................................................................................................................... 1-7 1.4 Decision Framework ............................................................................................................... 1-7 1.5 Public Involvement ................................................................................................................. 1-8 1.5.1 Scoping ..................................................................................................................... 1-8 1.5.2 Public Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement ................................. 1-8 1.5.3 Changes to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement ......................................... 1-9 1.6 Cooperating Agencies and Project Partners ......................................................................... 1-11 1.7 Native American Consultation ............................................................................................. 1-12 1.8 Issues Identified for Detailed Analysis.................................................................................. 1-12 1.9 Relationship to Policies, Plans, and Programs ...................................................................... 1-14 1.9.1 Compliance with Land and Resource Management Plans ..................................... 1-16 1.9.2 Permits and Required Compliance ......................................................................... 1-16 1.10 Document Structure ............................................................................................................. 1-17 CHAPTER 2 – ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Alternatives Considered in Detail ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 No Action Alternative (Continue Past Practices) ..................................................... 2-2 2.2.1.1 Maintenance Activities ............................................................................. 2-3 2.2.1.2 Vegetation Management ......................................................................... 2-3 2.2.1.3 Access Route Maintenance ...................................................................... 2-5 2.2.1.4 Transmission Line Maintenance............................................................... 2-6 2.2.1.5 Emergency Actions ................................................................................... 2-7 2.2.1.6 Summary of Activities Included in Maintenance ..................................... 2-7 2.2.2 Proposed Action ....................................................................................................... 2-9 2.2.2.1 Location of the Proposed Action .............................................................. 2-9 2.2.2.2 Transmission Line Rights-of-Way ............................................................. 2-9 2.2.2.3 Access ..................................................................................................... 2-12 2.2.2.4 Vegetation Management Proposed Practices ....................................... 2-13 2.2.2.5 Categories of Right-of-Way Conditions and Vegetation Treatment Methods ................................................................................................. 2-14 2.2.2.6 Proposed Action by Forest ..................................................................... 2-31 2.2.2.7 Design Features ...................................................................................... 2-60 2.3 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................................................. 2-71 2.3.1 Standard Maintenance Procedures Common to All Alternatives .......................... 2-79 2.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study ............................................. 2-82 Western Area Power Administration Reauthorization Project i Table of Contents Final Environmental Impact Statement CHAPTER 3 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .............................3-1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 3-5 3.1.2 Regulatory and Policy Framework ........................................................................... 3-5 3.1.3 Indicators ................................................................................................................. 3-6 3.1.4 Methods and Assumptions for Analysis ................................................................... 3-7 3.1.5 Monitoring of Air Quality, Visibility, and Deposition in the Region ......................... 3-8 3.1.6 Affected Environment ............................................................................................ 3-10 3.1.6.1 Air Quality .............................................................................................. 3-10 3.1.6.2 Trends ..................................................................................................... 3-12 3.1.7 Climate ................................................................................................................... 3-20 3.1.8 Climate Change ...................................................................................................... 3-22 3.1.8.1 Indicators................................................................................................ 3-23 3.1.8.2 Current Conditions ................................................................................. 3-23 3.1.8.3 Trends ..................................................................................................... 3-23 3.1.9 Environmental Consequences ................................................................................ 3-23 3.1.9.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................................. 3-30 3.1.9.2 Proposed Action ..................................................................................... 3-31 3.1.9.3 Cumulative Effects ................................................................................. 3-31 3.2 Surface