U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2013-0053-EA May 1, 2013 Boulder Solar Power, LLC Project Transmission Line, Access Road, and Waterline PREPARING OFFICE U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Southern Nevada District Office Las Vegas Field Office 4701 N Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nevada 702-515-5000 Office 702-515-5010 Fax Environmental Assessment for the Boulder Solar Power, LLC Project DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2013-0053-EA N-91253 Prepared For: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Southern Nevada District Office Las Vegas Field Office 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, NV Prepared by: 8250 West Charleston Bouldevard, Suite 100 Las Vegas, NV 89117 May 2013 Boulder Solar Power Project Environmental Assessment Contents Contents Contents ......................................................................................................................................................... i Tables ............................................................................................................................................................ ii Figures ......................................................................................................................................................... iii Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... iv 1 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose and Need for the Action ..................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Scope of Analysis and Decisions to be Made .................................................................................. 1 1.4 Relationship to Laws, Regulations, Policies, and Other Plans ........................................................ 4 1.5 Supplemental Authorities ................................................................................................................ 4 1.7 Identifying Information ................................................................................................................... 6 2 Proposed Action and Alternatives .......................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Proposed Action .............................................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Non-federal Connected Action ........................................................................................................ 7 2.3 Overview of Alternatives ................................................................................................................. 7 2.4 Proposed Project Facilities ............................................................................................................ 11 2.5 Project Construction Schedule ....................................................................................................... 16 3 Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences, and Mitigation Measures ............................... 18 3.1 Proposed Project General Setting .................................................................................................. 18 3.2 Air Quality and Climate ................................................................................................................ 19 3.3 Geology, Minerals, and Soils......................................................................................................... 25 3.4 Water Resources ............................................................................................................................ 27 3.5 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................... 30 3.6 Special Status Vegetation .............................................................................................................. 33 3.7 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................... 36 3.8 Special Status Wildlife Species ..................................................................................................... 38 3.9 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................................... 49 3.10 Land Use ...................................................................................................................................... 51 3.11 Visual Resources ......................................................................................................................... 52 3.12 Recreation .................................................................................................................................... 54 3.13 Noise ............................................................................................................................................ 56 3.14 Socioeconomics ........................................................................................................................... 58 i Boulder Solar Power Project Environmental Assessment Contents 3.15 Waste Management and Hazardous Materials............................................................................. 60 4 Cumulative Impacts .............................................................................................................................. 62 4.1 Past and Present Actions ................................................................................................................ 62 4.2 Reasonably Foreseeable Projects ................................................................................................... 62 4.3 Air Quality and Climate ................................................................................................................ 63 4.4 Geology, Minerals, and Soils......................................................................................................... 63 4.5 Water Resources ............................................................................................................................ 63 4.6 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................... 64 4.7 Special Status Plant Species .......................................................................................................... 64 4.8 Invasive Species / Noxious Weeds ................................................................................................ 64 4.9 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................... 64 4.10 Special Status Species ................................................................................................................. 64 4.11 Migratory Birds ........................................................................................................................... 65 4.12 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................................... 65 4.13 Land Use ...................................................................................................................................... 65 4.14 Visual Resources ......................................................................................................................... 66 4.15 Socioeconomics ........................................................................................................................... 66 5 Tribes, Individuals, or Agencies Consulted .......................................................................................... 67 6 List of Prepares ..................................................................................................................................... 68 7 References ............................................................................................................................................ 69 Appendix A: Master Title Plats and Descriptions....................................................................................... A Appendix B: Best Management Practices ................................................................................................... B Appendix C: Append to the Programmatic Biological Opinion ................................................................. C Appendix D: SHPO Concurrance Letter ..................................................................................................... D Tables Table 1.5-1. Supplemental Authorities ......................................................................................................... 5 Table 2.3-1. Comparison of Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 9 Table 2.4-1. Typical Design Characteristics for a 230kV and 500 kV Transmission Line ....................... 11 Table 2.4-2. Typical Design Characteristics of a Gravel or Paved Access Road (north access road) ....... 13 Table 2.5-1. Transmission Line Construction