UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT BAKERSFIELD FIELD OFFICE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT December 2020, Oil and Gas Lease Sale Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-CA-C060-2020-0120 Table of Contents ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................... V CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Need ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Conformance with BLM Land Use Plans ................................................................................................. 2 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations and Other Plans ............................................................................. 5 National Environmental Policy Act ...................................................................................................... 5 Oil and Gas Laws and Regulations ....................................................................................................... 5 Federal Land Policy and Management Act ........................................................................................... 6 Clean Air Act ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Endangered Species Act ....................................................................................................................... 6 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended ..................................................................... 7 Scoping and Issues .................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2. PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ................................................................ 10 Alternative 1: Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 10 Design Features ................................................................................................................................... 10 Alternative 2: No Action ......................................................................................................................... 10 Alternatives Considered And Eliminated From Detailed Analysis ........................................................ 10 Offering All Leases Subject to Standard Lease Terms and Conditions .............................................. 10 Offering All Leases Subject to NSO - General Stipulation ................................................................ 10 Leasing of Eighth EOI Parcel ............................................................................................................. 10 Removal of Buena Vista Unit due to Biological Resource Concerns ................................................. 11 CHAPTER 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................... 12 Social and Economic Considerations ...................................................................................................... 12 Social and Economic Conditions ........................................................................................................ 12 Environmental Justice ......................................................................................................................... 12 Visual Resource Management ................................................................................................................ 13 Recreation ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Air and Atmospheric Values ................................................................................................................... 13 Air Quality .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Climate and Meteorology ................................................................................................................... 16 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................... 17 Soil Resources ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Water Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Biological Resources .............................................................................................................................. 22 Cienega Unit (Parcel 1-4) ................................................................................................................... 22 DOI-BLM-CA-C060-2020-0120-EA December 2020 Oil & Gas Lease Sale Page 2 Poso Unit (Parcel 5) ............................................................................................................................ 22 Crocker Flat Unit (Parcel 6) ................................................................................................................ 23 Buena Vista Unit (Parcel 7) ................................................................................................................ 23 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................................. 24 Paleontological Resources ...................................................................................................................... 25 Livestock Grazing ................................................................................................................................... 27 Lands ....................................................................................................................................................... 27 Oil and Gas Resources ............................................................................................................................ 28 Exploration and Drilling ..................................................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 4. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ......................................................................................... 30 Analysis Assumptions ............................................................................................................................. 30 Number of New Wells (Exploratory or Development) Assumption .................................................. 30 Associated Surface Disturbance Estimate Assumption ...................................................................... 30 Proposed Action Alternative – Impacts .................................................................................................. 31 Social and Economic Considerations .................................................................................................. 31 Visual Resources ................................................................................................................................. 32 Recreation ........................................................................................................................................... 32 Air and Atmospheric Values ............................................................................................................... 33 Soil Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Water Resources ................................................................................................................................. 42 Biological Resources .......................................................................................................................... 46 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................................. 54 Paleontological Resources .................................................................................................................. 55 Livestock Grazing ............................................................................................................................... 55 Lands ................................................................................................................................................... 56 Oil and Gas Resources ........................................................................................................................ 56 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS .................................................................................................................... 57 Methods of Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 57 Proposed Action Alternative – Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................... 58 No Action Alternative – Direct, Indirect