Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take Permit Copenhagen Wind Farm Lewis and Jefferson Counties, New York April 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New York Field Office 3817 Luker Road Cortland, NY 13045 Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Incidental Take Permit for Indiana and Northern Long-eared Bat Copenhagen Wind Farm TABLE OF CONTENTS PURPOSE AND NEED .......................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1 REGULATORY CONTEXT ...........................................................................................2 National Environmental Policy Act ............................................................................ 2 State Environmental Quality Review Act ................................................................... 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..............................................................................................4 General Description ................................................................................................... 4 Project Components ................................................................................................... 4 Components with No Take Anticipated ...................................................................... 6 Operations – Covered Activity ................................................................................... 7 ACTION AGENCY PURPOSE AND NEED ..................................................................8 Description of the Proposed Action ............................................................................ 8 Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action.................................................................. 8 SCOPE OF THE EA........................................................................................................9 ALTERNATIVES................................................................................................9 SCOPING PROCESS ......................................................................................................9 DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................... 10 ALTERNATIVES RETAINED FOR DETAILED ANALYSES ................................... 11 Alternative 1: No Action (TAL Alternative) ............................................................ 11 2.3.1.1 Operational Minimization Measures ................................................................. 11 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ii Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Incidental Take Permit for Indiana and Northern Long-eared Bat Copenhagen Wind Farm 2.3.1.2 Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 12 2.3.1.3 Monitoring, Reporting, and Adaptive Management........................................... 12 Alternative 2: Applicant’s Proposed Action Alternative ........................................... 12 2.3.2.1 Operational Minimization Measures ................................................................. 13 2.3.2.2 Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2.3 Monitoring, Reporting and Adaptive Management ........................................... 14 Alternative 3: Less Restrictive Operations Alternative ............................................. 15 2.3.3.1 Operational Minimization Measures ................................................................. 15 2.3.3.2 Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 15 2.3.3.3 Monitoring, Reporting, and Adaptive Management........................................... 16 SUMMARY OF THE ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................... 16 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Full Operation Alternative ....................................................................................... 19 Other Curtailment Speeds ........................................................................................ 19 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 20 RESOURCES EVALUATED ....................................................................................... 20 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 21 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................ 21 3.2.1.1 Indiana Bat ....................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.2 Northern Long-eared Bat .................................................................................. 25 3.2.1.3 Upland Sandpiper ............................................................................................. 27 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service iii Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Incidental Take Permit for Indiana and Northern Long-eared Bat Copenhagen Wind Farm 3.2.1.4 Bald Eagle ........................................................................................................ 28 3.2.1.5 Northern Harrier ............................................................................................... 29 Non-listed Bats ........................................................................................................ 29 Non-listed Birds....................................................................................................... 30 SOCIOECONOMICS .................................................................................................... 33 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......................................................... 35 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 40 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................ 40 4.1.1.1 Indiana Bat ....................................................................................................... 40 4.1.1.2 Northern Long-eared Bat .................................................................................. 44 4.1.1.3 Upland Sandpiper ............................................................................................. 48 4.1.1.4 Bald Eagle ........................................................................................................ 49 4.1.1.5 Northern Harrier ............................................................................................... 49 Non-listed Bats ........................................................................................................ 50 Non-listed Birds....................................................................................................... 52 SOCIOECONOMICS .................................................................................................... 53 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ................................................................................ 54 Methods for Cumulative Effects Analysis ...................................................................... 54 Wind Energy Development and Collisions ............................................................... 56 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation ............................................................................... 58 Climate Change ....................................................................................................... 59 Destruction/Disturbance of Hibernacula................................................................... 60 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service iv Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Incidental Take Permit for Indiana and Northern Long-eared Bat Copenhagen Wind Farm White-nose Syndrome .............................................................................................. 60 Indiana Bats ................................................................................................................... 60 Wind Energy Development and Collisions ............................................................... 60 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation ............................................................................... 62 Climate Change ....................................................................................................... 62 Destruction/Disturbance of Hibernacula................................................................... 62 White-nose Syndrome .............................................................................................. 63 Northern Long-eared Bat ............................................................................................... 63 Wind Energy Development and Collisions ............................................................... 63 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation ............................................................................... 64 Climate Change ....................................................................................................... 64 Destruction/Disturbance of Hibernacula................................................................... 65 White-nose Syndrome 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