UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2016-0002-EA (Utah 2016 Geothermal Lease Sale) September 2016 GEOTHERMAL LEASING FOR EIGHT PARCELS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Utah State Office 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 (801) 539-4026 Geothermal Leasing for Eight Parcels - Environmental Assessment CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. Purpose and Need .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Background .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Purpose of and Need for the Action ............................................................................................... 4 1.4. Decision to be Made ....................................................................................................................... 4 1.5. Conformance with Land Use Plans ................................................................................................ 5 1.5.1. CBGA Land Use Plan ............................................................................................................ 5 1.5.2. Warm Springs and House Range Land Use Plans ................................................................. 5 1.5.3. Forest Plan .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.6. Relationships to Statutes, Regulations, and Other Plans ................................................................ 6 1.7. Identification of Issues ................................................................................................................... 8 1.7.1. Scoping Process ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.7.2. Issues ...................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2. Description of Alternatives ......................................................................................... 10 2.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 10 2.2. Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................... 10 2.2.1. Geothermal Lease Parcel Details ......................................................................................... 10 2.2.2. Lease Stipulations and Best Management Practices ............................................................ 11 2.2.3. Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario .................................................................. 11 2.2.4. Typical Phases of Geothermal Development ....................................................................... 12 2.2.5. Surface Disturbance Summary ............................................................................................. 13 2.3. No Action Alternative .................................................................................................................. 13 2.4. Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis .................................................. 14 CHAPTER 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ...................................... 15 3.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 15 3.2. General Setting ............................................................................................................................. 19 3.3. Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 20 3.3.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 25 3.4. Wildlife ........................................................................................................................................ 29 3.4.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 29 3.4.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 32 3.5. Recreation .................................................................................................................................... 35 3.5.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 35 3.5.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 36 3.6. Soils .............................................................................................................................................. 38 3.6.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 39 3.6.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 40 3.7. Special Status Animal Species ..................................................................................................... 42 3.7.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 42 3.7.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 46 i Geothermal Leasing for Eight Parcels - Environmental Assessment 3.8. Migratory Birds ............................................................................................................................ 48 3.8.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 48 3.8.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 49 3.9. Water Resources ........................................................................................................................... 50 3.9.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 51 3.9.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 54 3.10. Wetlands, Riparian Zones, and Floodplains ................................................................................. 57 3.10.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 57 3.10.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 58 3.11. Inventoried Roadless Areas .......................................................................................................... 63 3.11.1. Affected Environment .......................................................................................................... 63 3.11.2. Environmental Consequences .............................................................................................. 67 CHAPTER 4. Cumulative Impacts Analysis ..................................................................................... 69 4.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 69 4.2. Analysis Areas ............................................................................................................................. 69 4.3. Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ......................................................... 70 4.3.1. Past and Present Actions Summary ...................................................................................... 70 4.4. Cumulative Effects by Resource .................................................................................................. 70 4.4.1. Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................... 72 4.4.2. Wildlife, Special Status Animal Species, and Migratory Birds ........................................... 72 4.4.3. Recreation ............................................................................................................................ 72 4.4.4. Soils ...................................................................................................................................... 73 4.4.5. Water Resources and Associated Features such as Wetlands, Riparian Zones, and Floodplains ........................................................................................................................... 73 4.4.6. Inventoried Roadless Areas .................................................................................................. 74 CHAPTER 5. Consultation