Biological Assessment of the El Paso Electric Montana Power Station Project in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas Prepared for El Paso Electric Company Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants May 2012 Revised September 2013 BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EL PASO ELECTRIC MONTANA POWER STATION PROJECT IN EL PASO, EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS Prepared for El Paso Electric Company 100 North Stanton Street El Paso, Texas 79901 Attn: Roger Chacon (915) 543-4065 Prepared by Eleanor R. Gladding Olivia Münzer Katie Snipes Project Manager Ken Houser SWCA Environmental Consultants Tucson Office 343 West Franklin Street Tucson, Arizona 85701 (520) 325-9194 www.swca.com SWCA Project No. 23132 May 2012 Revised September 2013 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 AGENCY REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................. 1 2.1 Regulations and Standards .................................................................................................................. 1 2.2 Endangered Species Act ...................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Migratory Bird Treaty Act .................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 State of Texas Endangered Species Regulations ................................................................................. 4 3.0 METHODS ........................................................................................................................................ 5 4.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 8 4.1 Project Purpose and Location .............................................................................................................. 8 4.2 Construction Information .................................................................................................................. 10 4.2.1 Construction Activities and Schedule .................................................................................. 10 4.2.2 Construction Equipment Required ....................................................................................... 10 4.2.3 Emissions Controls .............................................................................................................. 11 4.3 Operation and Maintenance Information .......................................................................................... 11 4.3.1 Operation .............................................................................................................................. 11 4.3.2 Water Use ............................................................................................................................. 12 4.3.3 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ............................................................... 12 4.3.4 Noise Levels ......................................................................................................................... 12 5.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 16 5.1 General Environmental Information ................................................................................................. 16 5.1.1 General Region Information ................................................................................................ 16 5.1.2 Land Use .............................................................................................................................. 16 5.1.3 Climate ................................................................................................................................. 17 5.1.4 Topography .......................................................................................................................... 18 5.1.5 Geology ................................................................................................................................ 18 5.1.6 Soils ...................................................................................................................................... 18 5.1.7 Existing Water Resources .................................................................................................... 20 5.1.8 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 21 5.2 Protected Species .............................................................................................................................. 21 5.2.1 Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species List ......................................................... 21 5.2.2 Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species Descriptions ........................................... 23 5.2.3 Texas Natural Diversity Database Results ........................................................................... 25 6.0 PROTECTED SPECIES HABITAT EVALUATION ................................................................. 26 6.1 Plant Communities Observed ............................................................................................................ 26 6.2 Protected Species Habitat Analysis ................................................................................................... 27 6.2.1 Interior Least Tern ............................................................................................................... 27 6.2.2 Mexican Spotted Owl ........................................................................................................... 27 6.2.3 Northern Aplomado Falcon .................................................................................................. 27 i 6.2.4 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher ......................................................................................... 28 6.2.5 Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo ............................................................................................ 28 6.2.6 Sneed’s Pincushion Cactus .................................................................................................. 28 6.2.7 Migratory Birds .................................................................................................................... 28 7.0 AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS RESULTS ....................................................................................... 28 7.1 Estimated Total Annual Emission Rate Overview ............................................................................ 28 7.2 Area of Impact Dispersion Modeling Results ................................................................................... 30 7.2.1 Dispersion Modeling Methods ............................................................................................. 30 7.2.2 Dispersion Modeling Results ............................................................................................... 31 8.0 EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................................. 32 8.1 Air Pollution Effects Background Research ..................................................................................... 32 8.2 Air Quality Effects ............................................................................................................................ 33 8.2.1 Emissions ............................................................................................................................. 33 8.2.2 Fugitive Dust ........................................................................................................................ 34 8.2.3 Impacts of Air Pollution Sources on Flora and Fauna ......................................................... 34 8.3 Water Quality Effects ........................................................................................................................ 35 8.3.1 Wastewater ........................................................................................................................... 35 8.3.2 Surface Water ....................................................................................................................... 35 8.4 Noise .............................................................................................................................................. 35 8.4.1 Noise Effects Background Research .................................................................................... 35 8.4.2 Noise-Related Effects........................................................................................................... 37 8.5 Infrastructure-Related Effects ........................................................................................................... 37 8.6 Human Activity Effects ..................................................................................................................... 38 8.7 Federally Protected Species Effects .................................................................................................. 38 8.7.1 Federally Listed Species ...................................................................................................... 38 8.7.2 Migratory Birds .................................................................................................................... 38 9.0 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................