BLM U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-CA-D060-2020-0009-EA (Arica Solar) DOI-BLM-CA-D060-2020-0010-EA (Victory Pass Solar) Arica Solar Project and Victory Pass Solar Project August 2021 Preparing Office: Palm Springs–South Coast Field Office 1201 Bird Center Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 Tel. 760-833-7100 ARICA SOLAR PROJECT AND VICTORY PASS SOLAR PROJECT 2021 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................1 1.1 BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 PROJECT LOCATION.................................................................................................... 2 1.3 PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................................... 3 1.4 SCOPING AND ISSUES ................................................................................................... 3 1.4.1 Issues for Detailed Analysis...............................................................................4 1.4.2 Issues Eliminated from Detailed Analysis .........................................................5 1.5 TIERING AND REFERENCE........................................................................................... 6 1.6 CONFORMANCE WITH LAND USE PLANS, LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES ..... 7 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................8 2.1 ALTERNATIVE A (NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE) .......................................................... 8 2.2 ALTERNATIVE B (PROPOSED ACTION) ....................................................................... 8 2.2.1 Solar Facilities ...................................................................................................9 2.2.2 Construction Activities ....................................................................................13 2.2.3 Operation and Maintenance .............................................................................17 2.2.1 Decommissioning and Repower ......................................................................19 2.2.2 Project Design Features ...................................................................................20 2.2.3 Monitoring .......................................................................................................20 2.3 ALTERNATIVE C (GEN-TIE ALIGNMENT 1) .............................................................. 20 2.4 ALTERNATIVE D (GEN-TIE ALIGNMENT 2) .............................................................. 21 2.5 ALTERNATIVE E (ACCESS ROAD OPTION 1) ............................................................ 21 2.6 ALTERNATIVE F (ACCESS ROAD OPTION 2) ............................................................ 21 2.7 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY.............. 22 2.7.1 Private Land Alternative ..................................................................................22 2.7.2 Full Build Alternative ......................................................................................23 2.7.3 Alternative Renewable Energy Technologies ..................................................23 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ......................25 3.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANALYSIS............................................................................ 25 3.2 ISSUE 1: AIR QUALITY/GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ........................................... 30 3.2.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................30 3.2.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................31 3.3 ISSUE 2: AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN.................................... 30 3.3.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................35 3.3.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................36 3.4 ISSUE 3: CULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................. 35 3.4.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................38 3.4.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................46 3.5 ISSUE 4: FUELS AND FIRE .......................................................................................... 38 3.5.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................50 3.5.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................50 PALM SPRINGS–SOUTH COAST FIELD OFFICE PAGE i ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOI-BLM-CA-N050-2020-009-EA ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOI-BLM-CA-N050-2020-010-EA ARICA SOLAR PROJECT AND VICTORY PASS SOLAR PROJECT 2021 3.6 ISSUE 5: LANDS AND REALTY ................................................................................... 50 3.6.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................52 3.6.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................53 3.7 ISSUE 6: PALEONTOLOGY ......................................................................................... 55 3.7.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................55 3.7.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................57 3.8 ISSUE 7: RECREATION ............................................................................................... 55 3.8.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................59 3.8.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................60 3.9 ISSUE 8: SOILS ........................................................................................................... 64 3.9.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................64 3.9.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................65 3.10 ISSUE 9: SOCIOECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE .................................. 64 3.10.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................69 3.10.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................70 3.11 ISSUE 10: VISUAL RESOURCES .................................................................................. 73 3.11.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................73 3.11.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................74 3.12 ISSUE 11: VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES ............................................... 73 3.12.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................78 3.12.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................81 3.13 ISSUE 12: WATER RESOURCES ................................................................................. 78 3.13.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................89 3.13.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................90 3.14 ISSUE 13: WILDERNESS ............................................................................................. 89 3.14.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................93 3.14.2 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................94 4.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ..................................................................93 4.1 PUBLIC ....................................................................................................................... 99 4.2 U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE CONSULTATION/ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT SECTION 7 CONSULTATION............................................................................... 99 4.3 NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT (NHPA) SECTION 106 CONSULTATION ....................................................................................................... 100 4.3.1 Area of Potential Effect and Identification Efforts ........................................101 4.3.2 Consultation and Pre-Application Meeting ...................................................101 4.3.3 Evaluations of Eligibility and Findings of Effect ..........................................101 4.4 TRIBAL CONSULTATION.......................................................................................... 102 5.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ...................................................................................................102 TABLES Table 1-1 Legal Description .................................................................................................... 2 Table 1-2 Resources/Issues Identified for Detailed Analysis ................................................