United States Department of the Interior BLM Bureau of Land Management Socorro Field Office 901 S. Highway 85 Socorro, NM 87801 Environmental Assessment for Arizona Interconnection Project Access Roads Permitting In portions of Catron, Socorro, Sierra, and Luna counties NEPA Number DOI-BLM-NM-A020-2014-0021-EA _________________________________________________________ Signature and Title of Project Lead Date ________________________________________________________________ Signature and Title Lead of Reviewer Date This page intentionally left blank. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1. Background ........................................................................................................ 1-1 1.2. Purpose and Need ............................................................................................... 1-4 1.3. Applicant’s Objective ......................................................................................... 1-4 1.4. Decisions to Be Made ......................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.1. Bureau of Land Management .............................................................. 1-5 1.4.2. United States Forest Service ................................................................ 1-5 1.5. Plan Conformance .............................................................................................. 1-5 1.5.1. Applicable Laws and Executive Orders .............................................. 1-6 1.6. Scoping and Issues ............................................................................................. 1-6 1.6.1. Internal Scoping .................................................................................. 1-6 1.6.2. External Scoping ................................................................................. 1-6 1.6.3. Resource Issues Identified ................................................................... 1-7 1.7. Tribal Consultation ............................................................................................. 1-7 Chapter 2. Proposed Action and Alternatives ......................................................................... 2-1 2.1. Description of Proposed Action ......................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1. Access to Project Facilities .................................................................. 2-1 2.1.2. Work Areas at Transmission Structures .............................................. 2-1 2.2. No Action Alternative ........................................................................................ 2-5 2.3. Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Avoidance Alternatives ................... 2-5 2.3.1. Alternative 1 – Approximately 1.6-mile BLM .................................... 2-5 2.3.2. Alternative 2 – Approximately 2.8-mile BLM and State Land ........... 2-5 2.4. Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ...................... 2-5 2.5. Proposed Action Improvements and Activities .................................................. 2-8 2.5.1. Expected Operations and Maintenance Activities ............................... 2-8 2.5.2. Access Roads ....................................................................................... 2-8 2.5.3. Structure Work Areas ........................................................................ 2-11 2.5.4. Staffing and Safety ............................................................................ 2-12 2.5.5. Right-of-Way Considerations ............................................................ 2-13 2.5.6. Termination and Restoration ............................................................. 2-13 2.5.7. Design Features ................................................................................. 2-14 2.6. Summary of Proposed Action .......................................................................... 2-18 Chapter 3. Affected Environment ............................................................................................ 3-1 3.1. Project Resource Review .................................................................................... 3-1 3.2. Earth Resources .................................................................................................. 3-3 3.2.1. Introduction ......................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.2. Affected Environment ......................................................................... 3-3 3.3. Paleontological Resources ................................................................................ 3-11 3.3.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-11 3.3.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-12 3.4. Water Resources ............................................................................................... 3-15 3.4.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-15 3.4.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-15 AIP Access Roads Permitting Project Final EA i 10/12/2016 3.5. Biological Resources ........................................................................................ 3-19 3.5.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-19 3.5.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-19 3.6. Wildland Fire .................................................................................................... 3-39 3.6.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-39 3.6.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-40 3.7. Land Uses ......................................................................................................... 3-40 3.7.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-40 3.7.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-41 3.8. Special Designation Areas ................................................................................ 3-46 3.8.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-46 3.8.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-46 3.9. Recreation ......................................................................................................... 3-49 3.9.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-49 3.9.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-49 3.10. Visual Resources .............................................................................................. 3-50 3.10.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-50 3.10.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-64 3.10.3. BLM VRI Classifications .................................................................. 3-65 3.10.4. Agency Management Objectives ....................................................... 3-66 3.11. Cultural Resources and Tribal Concerns .......................................................... 3-66 3.11.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-66 3.11.2. Culture History .................................................................................. 3-67 3.11.3. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-82 3.11.4. Inventoried Cultural Resource Sites .................................................. 3-83 3.11.5. Cultural Resource Sites on BLM Land ............................................. 3-83 3.11.6. Cultural Resource Sites on Forest Service Land ............................... 3-84 3.11.7. Cultural Resource Sites on NMSLO and Private Land ..................... 3-85 3.11.8. Definition of the Area of Potential Effects ........................................ 3-86 3.12. Air Quality and Climate ................................................................................... 3-87 3.12.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-87 3.12.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-87 3.13. Livestock Grazing ............................................................................................ 3-90 3.13.1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3-90 3.13.2. Affected Environment ....................................................................... 3-90 Chapter 4. Environmental Effects ............................................................................................ 4-1 4.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1.1. Impact Assessment Methodology ....................................................... 4-1 4.1.2. Cumulative Impacts