Document Type: EA-Administrative Record Index Field: Environmental Assessment Project Name: Muscle Shoals Solar Project Project Number: 2019-7 MUSCLE SHOALS SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Colbert County, Alabama Prepared for: Tennessee Valley Authority Knoxville, Tennessee Submitted By: Muscle Shoals Solar, LLC. Prepared By: AECOM July 2019 For Information, contact: Elizabeth Smith NEPA Programs Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 Phone: 865-632-3053 Email: [email protected] Muscle Shoals Solar Project Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ............................................................. 1-3 1.2 SCOPE OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ..................................... 1-3 1.3 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ................................................................................. 1-5 1.4 REQUIRED PERMITS AND LICENSES .......................................................... 1-5 1.4.1 Solar Facility ......................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.2 Transmission Interconnection ............................................................... 1-6 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED SOLAR PROJECT AND ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................ 2-1 2.2 PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Project Description ............................................................................... 2-2 2.2.2 Construction ......................................................................................... 2-8 2.2.3 Electrical Interconnection ................................................................... 2-12 2.2.3.1 Right-of-Way Clearing .......................................................... 2-13 2.2.3.2 Transmission Line Construction ............................................ 2-13 2.2.3.3 Substation Construction ........................................................ 2-15 2.2.3.4 Transmission Line Operation and Maintenance .................... 2-15 2.2.4 Operations .......................................................................................... 2-16 2.2.5 Decommissioning and Reclamation .................................................... 2-17 2.3 ALTERNATIVES ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION .......... 2-18 2.4 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES ............................................................. 2-21 2.5 THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE................................................................ 2-27 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .. 3-28 3.1 LAND USE ..................................................................................................... 3-28 3.1.1 Affected Environment – Land Use ...................................................... 3-28 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences – Land Use ......................................... 3-30 3.1.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................ 3-30 3.1.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................... 3-30 3.2 GEOLOGY, SOILS AND PRIME FARMLAND ............................................... 3-31 3.2.1 Affected Environment – Geology, Soils and Prime Farmlands ............ 3-31 3.2.1.1 Geology ................................................................................ 3-31 3.2.1.2 Paleontology ......................................................................... 3-33 3.2.1.3 Geological Hazards .............................................................. 3-33 3.2.1.4 Soils ..................................................................................... 3-35 3.2.1.5 Prime Farmland .................................................................... 3-40 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences – Geology, Soils and Prime Farmlands .......................................................................................... 3-40 3.2.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................ 3-41 3.2.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................... 3-41 3.3 WATER RESOURCES .................................................................................. 3-45 3.3.1 Affected Environment – Water Resources .......................................... 3-45 3.3.1.1 Groundwater ......................................................................... 3-45 3.3.1.2 Surface Water ...................................................................... 3-46 3.3.1.3 Floodplains ........................................................................... 3-50 3.3.1.4 Wetlands .............................................................................. 3-51 July 2019 i Tennessee Valley Authority Muscle Shoals Solar Project Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences – Water Resources ............................. 3-53 3.3.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................ 3-53 3.3.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................... 3-53 3.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES .......................................................................... 3-59 3.4.1 Affected Environment – Biological Resources .................................... 3-60 3.4.1.1 Vegetation ............................................................................ 3-60 3.4.1.2 Wildlife .................................................................................. 3-62 3.4.1.3 Threatened and Endangered (T&E) and Other Rare Species ................................................................................ 3-64 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences – Biological Resources ....................... 3-73 3.4.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................ 3-73 3.4.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................... 3-74 3.5 VISUAL RESOURCES................................................................................... 3-78 3.5.1 Affected Environment – Visual Resources .......................................... 3-78 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences – Visual Resources ............................ 3-84 3.5.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................ 3-84 3.5.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................... 3-85 3.6 NOISE ........................................................................................................... 3-96 3.6.1 Affected Environment – Noise ............................................................ 3-96 3.6.1.1 Noise Regulations ................................................................ 3-97 3.6.1.2 Background Noise Levels ..................................................... 3-97 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences – Noise ............................................... 3-99 3.6.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................ 3-99 3.6.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................... 3-99 3.7 AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ...................................................... 3-103 3.7.1 Affected Environment – Air Quality and Climate Change .................. 3-103 3.7.1.1 Regional Air Quality ............................................................ 3-104 3.7.1.2 Regional Climate ................................................................ 3-106 3.7.1.3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ............................................... 3-106 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences – Air Quality and Climate Change..... 3-106 3.7.2.1 No Action Alternative .......................................................... 3-106 3.7.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................. 3-107 3.8 CULTURAL RESOURCES .......................................................................... 3-108 3.8.1 Affected Environment – Cultural Resources ..................................... 3-108 3.8.1.1 Previous Surveys ................................................................ 3-109 3.8.1.2 Survey Results ................................................................... 3-110 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences – Cultural Resources ........................ 3-113 3.8.2.1 No Action Alternative .......................................................... 3-113 3.8.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................. 3-114 3.9 NATURAL AREAS AND RECREATION ...................................................... 3-114 3.9.1 Affected Environment – Natural Areas and Recreation ..................... 3-114 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences – Natural Areas and Recreation ....... 3-116 3.9.2.1 No Action Alternative .......................................................... 3-116 3.9.2.2 Proposed Action ................................................................. 3-116 3.10 UTILITIES .................................................................................................... 3-116 3.10.1 Affected Environment – Utilities ........................................................ 3-117 3.10.1.1 Electrical Service ...............................................................