U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2015-0042-EA March 2015 Dry Lake Solar Energy Center at Harry Allen Project ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT File Number: N-93586 APPLICANT Nevada Power Company d/b/a NV Energy GENERAL LOCATION Near Apex, Nevada North of U.S. Route 93 U.S. Bureau of Land Management Southern Nevada District Office Las Vegas Field Office 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nevada 89130 Phone: (702) 515-5000 Fax: (702) 515-5023 BLM Mission Statement 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. Dry Lake Solar Energy Center at Harry Allen DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2015-0042-EA CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... iii 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Purpose and Need for Action and Decision to be Made ............................................................. 3 1.4 Resource Management Plan Conformance ................................................................................. 4 1.5 Relationship to Other Plans and Analyses .................................................................................. 4 1.6 Public Involvement and Identification of Issues ......................................................................... 5 1.7 Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 6 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................ 7 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Proposed Action .......................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Project Location and Existing Land Use ........................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Dry Lake Solar Energy Center at Harry Allen Facilities .................................................. 8 2.2.4 Preconstruction and Construction Activities ................................................................... 13 2.2.5 Operations and Maintenance ........................................................................................... 17 2.2.6 Decommissioning and Site Reclamation ......................................................................... 18 2.2.7 Permits and Approvals .................................................................................................... 19 2.2.8 Protective Measures ........................................................................................................ 20 2.3 No Action Alternative ............................................................................................................... 21 2.4 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ............................................ 22 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................... 23 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 23 3.2 Cumulative Scenario ................................................................................................................. 26 3.3 Air Resources ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.3.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 30 3.3.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 30 3.3.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 30 3.4 Wildlife Excluding Federally Listed Species ............................................................................ 32 3.4.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 32 3.4.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 32 3.4.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 32 3.5 Migratory Birds ......................................................................................................................... 34 3.5.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 34 3.5.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 34 3.5.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 35 3.6 Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Animal Species......................................................... 36 3.6.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 36 3.6.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 37 3.6.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 37 3.7 Vegetation Excluding Federally Listed Species ....................................................................... 39 3.7.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 39 i Dry Lake Solar Energy Center at Harry Allen DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2015-0042-EA 3.7.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 39 3.7.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 39 3.8 Invasive Species and Noxious Weeds ....................................................................................... 41 3.8.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 41 3.8.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 42 3.8.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 42 3.9 Soils .......................................................................................................................................... 43 3.9.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 43 3.9.2 Proposed Design Features ............................................................................................... 43 3.9.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 43 4.0 COORDINATION .......................................................................................................................... 45 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 45 4.2 Persons, Groups, and Agencies Consulted ................................................................................ 45 4.3 List of Preparers/Reviewers ...................................................................................................... 45 5.0 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................... 47 Appendix A. Applicant-Proposed Conservation Measures Figures Figure 1. Project location map. .................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Project location. ............................................................................................................................ 9 Figure 3. Typical fixed-tilt bracket configuration. ..................................................................................... 10 Figure 4. Example of 10 solar arrays adjacent to conventional natural gas generation plant. .................. 11 Tables Table 1. Summary of Permanent and Temporary Disturbance for the Project ............................................ 8 Table 2. Construction Equipment Anticipated to be Used on the Project .................................................. 16 Table 3. Permits, Certifications, and Authorizations ................................................................................. 19 Table 4. Supplemental Authorities