20130829-3022 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 08/29/2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION Union Electric Company (dba Ameren Missouri) Project No. 2277-023 NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (August 29, 2013) In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) regulations, 18 CFR Part 380 (Order No. 486, 52 Fed. Reg. 47897), the Office of Energy Projects has reviewed the application for a new license for the Taum Sauk Pumped Storage Project (FERC Project No. 2277), located on the East Fork of the Black River in Reynolds County, Missouri, and prepared a final environmental assessment (EA). In the final EA, Commission staff analyzes the potential environmental effects of licensing the project, and concludes that issuing a new license for the project, with appropriate environmental measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. A copy of the final EA is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission’s web site at www.ferc.gov using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits, in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, 202-502-8659. You may also register online at www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. For further information, please contact Janet Hutzel by telephone at (202) 502- 8675, or by email at [email protected]. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. 20130829-3022 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 08/29/2013 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR HYDROPOWER LICENSE Taum Sauk Pumped Storage Project Project No. 2277-023 Missouri Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of Energy Projects Division of Hydropower Licensing 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 August 2013 20130829-3022 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 08/29/2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................. iv ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................ v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...............................................................................................vii 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 1 1.1 APPLICATION............................................................................................. 1 1.2 PURPOSE OF ACTION AND NEED FOR POWER.................................. 1 1.2.1 Purpose of Action ............................................................................ 1 1.2.2 Need for Power................................................................................ 3 1.3 STATUTORY AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ......................... 4 1.3.1 Federal Power Act ........................................................................... 5 1.3.2 Clean Water Act .............................................................................. 6 1.3.3 Endangered Species Act.................................................................. 6 1.3.4 Coastal Zone Management Act ....................................................... 7 1.3.5 National Historic Preservation Act.................................................. 7 1.4 PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT ......................................................... 8 1.4.1 Scoping ............................................................................................ 8 1.4.2 Interventions .................................................................................... 9 1.4.3 Comments on the License Application ........................................... 9 1.4.4 Comments on the Draft EA ........................................................... 10 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES................................................... 11 2.1 NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE.................................................................. 11 2.1.1 Existing Project Facilities.............................................................. 11 2.1.2 Project Safety................................................................................. 12 2.1.3 Existing Project Operation ............................................................ 14 2.2 APPLICANT’S PROPOSAL...................................................................... 14 2.2.1 Proposed Project Facilities and Operations................................... 14 2.2.2 Proposed Environmental Enhancement Measures ........................ 16 2.2.3 Modifications to Applicant’s Proposal – Mandatory Condition ... 18 2.3 STAFF ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................ 18 2.4 STAFF ALTERNATIVE WITH MANDATORY CONDITIONS ............ 20 2.5 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED ANALYSIS ............................................................................ 20 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS......................................................................... 23 3.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE EAST FORK BLACK RIVER BASIN ......................................................................................................... 23 i 20130829-3022 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 08/29/2013 3.2 SCOPE OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ANALYSIS ................................ 24 3.3 PROPOSED ACTION AND ACTION ALTERNATIVES ....................... 25 3.3.1 Geology and Soils Resources ........................................................ 25 3.3.2 Aquatic Resources ......................................................................... 33 3.3.3 Terrestrial Resources ..................................................................... 70 3.3.4 Threatened and Endangered Species............................................. 81 3.3.5 Recreation and Land Use............................................................... 85 3.3.6 Cultural Resources....................................................................... 100 3.3.7 Aesthetic Resources..................................................................... 103 3.4 NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE................................................................ 111 4.0 DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS ...................................................................... 113 4.1 POWER AND DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT... 113 4.2 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES.................................................... 114 4.3 COST OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES......................................... 117 5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................... 129 5.1 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES.................................................... 129 5.2 COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT AND RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE ....................................................................................... 129 5.3 UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE EFFECTS................................................. 148 5.4 FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCY RECOMMENDATIONS ................. 149 5.5 CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS............................ 150 6.0 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ...................................................... 151 7.0 LITERATURE CITED......................................................................................... 153 8.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ........................................................................................ 157 APPENDIX A COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................A-1 APPENDIX B WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION ............................................. B-1 ii 20130829-3022 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 08/29/2013 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. General location and site plan of Taum Sauk Project ...................................2 Figure 2. Ameren Missouri site plan .........................................................................13 Figure 3. Proposed project boundary for Taum Sauk Project ....................................15 Figure 4. USGS data for water temperature at USGS gage nos. 07061270 (upstream of the project) and 07061290 (downstream of the project), East Fork Black River .................................................................................39 Figure 5. USGS data for DO at USGS gage nos. 07061270 (upstream of the project) and 07061290 (downstream of the project), East Fork Black River ............................................................................................................40 Figure 6. USGS data for turbidity at USGS gage nos. 07061270 (upstream of the project) and 07061290 (downstream of the project), East Fork Black River..................................................................................................41 Figure 7. April 2011 water management graph inflow versus outflow......................49 Figure 8. August 2011 water management graph inflow vs. outflow ........................50 Figure 9. Graph of inflow, outflow, and storage volume for March 2013. ................52 Figure 10. Regional recreational opportunities ............................................................86 Figure 11. Project recreational opportunities................................................................88