Environmental Assessment for Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take Permit Wildcat Wind Farm Tipton and Madison Counties, Indiana August 2016 USFWS Bloomington Ecological Services Field Office 620 South Walker Street Bloomington, IN 47403-2121 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WILDCAT WIND FARM HCP TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1. Project Overview and Background ....................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 The Wildcat Wind Farm ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1.1 Turbines ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.1.1.2 Access Roads and Turbine Pads ....................................................................................... 3 1.1.1.3 Collection System and Substation ..................................................................................... 3 1.1.1.4 Transmission Line and Switching Station......................................................................... 3 1.1.1.5 Meteorological Towers ..................................................................................................... 4 1.1.1.6 Operations and Maintenance Building .............................................................................. 4 1.1.2 Plan Area ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Regulatory and Policy Background .............................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 National Environmental Policy Act ...................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Endangered Species Act ........................................................................................................ 5 1.2.2.1 Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) ................................................................... 5 1.2.2.2 Endangered Species Act Section 7 .................................................................................... 7 1.2.3 Migratory Bird Treaty Act .................................................................................................... 7 1.2.4 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act ................................................................................. 7 1.2.5 Indiana Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act ............................................. 8 Chapter 2. Purpose and Need.................................................................................................................. 9 2.1 Purpose of the Environmental Assessment ................................................................................... 9 2.2 Proposed Action – Issuance of the Permit .................................................................................... 9 2.3 Need for Proposed Action ............................................................................................................. 9 2.4 Decision to be Made ................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 3. Alternatives ......................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Development of Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Alternatives Retained for Detailed Analysis ............................................................................... 12 3.2.1 Alternative 1: No-Action Alternative.................................................................................. 12 3.2.1.1 Turbine Operational Protocol .......................................................................................... 12 3.2.1.2 No-Action Alternative Summary .................................................................................... 12 3.2.2 Alternative 2: 5.0 m/s Cut-in Speed (Applicant’s Proposed Action, ITP Issuance, HCP with Minimization and Mitigation Measures)..................................................................................... 13 August 2016 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service i FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WILDCAT WIND FARM HCP 3.2.2.1 Operational Minimization Measures ............................................................................... 13 3.2.2.2 Mitigation ........................................................................................................................ 13 3.2.2.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management .......................................................................... 14 3.2.2.4 Alternative 2 Summary ................................................................................................... 14 3.2.3 Alternative 3: 6.5 m/s Cut-in Speed (More Restrictive Operations, ITP Issuance, HCP with Minimization and Mitigation Measures) ............................................................................................. 14 3.2.3.1 Operational Minimization Measures ............................................................................... 14 3.2.3.2 Mitigation ........................................................................................................................ 15 3.2.3.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management .......................................................................... 15 3.2.3.4 Alternative 3 Summary ................................................................................................... 15 3.2.4 Alternative 4: 4.0 m/s (Less Restrictive Operations, ITP Issuance, HCP with Minimization and Mitigation Measures) ................................................................................................................... 15 3.2.4.1 Operational Minimization Measures ............................................................................... 15 3.2.4.2 Mitigation ........................................................................................................................ 16 3.2.4.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management .......................................................................... 16 3.2.4.4 Alternative 4 Summary ................................................................................................... 16 3.3 Summary of the Alternatives Analysis ....................................................................................... 16 3.4 Alternatives Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ........................................................................ 18 3.4.1 ITP with Full Implementation of HCP and Reduced Permit Term (5 years) ...................... 18 3.4.2 3.5 m/s Cut-in Speed (Unrestricted Operations, No ITP, No HCP) .................................... 19 3.4.3 6.9 m/s Cut-in Speed for Entire Bat-Active Season (No HCP, No ITP) ............................. 19 Chapter 4. Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 20 4.1 Overview of the Plan Area .......................................................................................................... 20 4.2 Biological Environment .............................................................................................................. 23 4.2.1 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 23 4.2.2 Wildlife Resources .............................................................................................................. 24 4.2.2.1 Habitat Conditions for General Wildlife ......................................................................... 24 4.2.2.2 Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Wildlife ................................................................... 24 4.2.3 Avian Resources ................................................................................................................. 24 4.2.3.1 Scope of Analysis............................................................................................................ 24 4.2.3.2 Project Area .................................................................................................................... 25 4.2.4 Bat Resources ...................................................................................................................... 27 4.2.4.1 Scope of Analysis............................................................................................................ 27 4.2.4.2 Distribution, Habitat Use, and Status .............................................................................. 27 4.2.4.3 Roosting and Foraging .................................................................................................... 28 August 2016 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ii FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WILDCAT WIND FARM HCP 4.2.4.4 Hibernation and Seasonal Migration ............................................................................... 29 4.2.4.5 Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Bats ......................................................................... 29 4.2.4.6 Existing Condition in the Project Area ........................................................................... 33 4.3 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................