- •VOLUME 1 CONTENTS
- •NOTATION
- •ENGLISH/METRIC AND METRIC/ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS
- •EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- •ES.1 Background
- •ES.2 BLM Proposed Action
- •ES.2.1 BLM Purpose and Need
- •ES.2.2 BLM Scope of Analysis
- •ES.2.3 Applications for Solar Energy Development on BLM Lands
- •ES.2.4 BLM Alternatives
- •ES.2.4.1 Program Elements Common to Both BLM Action Alternatives
- •ES.2.4.3 Solar Energy Zone Program Alternative
- •ES.2.4.4 No Action Alternative
- •ES.2.4.5 Reasonably Foreseeable Solar Energy Development
- •ES.2.4.6 Summary of Impacts of BLM’s Alternatives
- •ES.2.4.7 BLM’s Preferred Alternative
- •ES.3 DOE Proposed Action
- •ES.3.1 DOE Purpose and Need
- •ES.3.2 DOE Scope of Analysis
- •ES.3.3 DOE Alternatives
- •ES.3.3.2 No Action Alternative
- •ES.3.4 Summary of Impacts of DOE’s Alternatives
- •ES.4 Public Involvement, Consultation, and Coordination
- •ES.5 References
- •1 INTRODUCTION
- •1.1 Applicable Federal Orders and Mandates
- •1.1.1 Executive Order 13212
- •1.1.2 Energy Policy Act of 2005
- •1.1.3 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
- •1.1.4 DOI Secretarial Order 3285A1
- •1.1.5 Executive Order 13514
- •1.1.6 DOI Secretarial Order 3297
- •1.3 BLM Requirements and Objectives for the PEIS
- •1.3.1 BLM’s Purpose and Need
- •1.3.2 BLM Decisions To Be Made
- •1.3.3 Authorization Process for Solar Energy Development on BLM Lands
- •1.3.3.1 New Applications
- •1.3.3.2 Pending Applications
- •1.3.3.3 Approved Applications
- •1.3.4 BLM Land Use Planning Process
- •1.3.5 BLM Scope of the Analysis
- •1.3.5.1 Program Analysis Versus SEZ-Specific Analysis
- •1.3.6 BLM Planning Criteria
- •1.4 DOE Requirements and Objectives for the PEIS
- •1.4.1 DOE’s Purpose and Need
- •1.4.2 DOE Decisions To Be Made
- •1.4.3 DOE Scope of the Analysis
- •1.5 Cooperating Agencies
- •1.6.1 Renewable Portfolio Standards and Other Regional and State Initiatives
- •1.6.2 Related Initiatives
- •1.6.2.1 Energy Corridor Designation
- •1.6.2.3 California Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
- •1.6.2.4 Arizona Restoration Design Energy Project
- •1.6.2.5 Wind Energy Development PEIS
- •1.6.2.6 Geothermal PEIS
- •1.8 References
- •2.1 Introduction
- •2.2 BLM Alternatives
- •2.2.1 Program Elements Common to Both BLM Action Alternatives
- •2.2.1.1 Right-of-Way Authorization Policies
- •2.2.1.2 Monitoring, Adaptive Management, and Mitigation
- •2.2.1.3 Design Features
- •2.2.1.4 Segregation of Lands with Potential for Solar Development
- •2.2.2.1 Proposed Right-of-Way Exclusion Areas
- •2.2.2.2 Proposed Solar Energy Zones
- •2.2.2.3 Proposed Variance Areas for Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development
- •2.2.2.4 Land Use Plans To Be Amended
- •2.2.3 SEZ Program Alternative
- •2.2.3.1 Proposed Right-of-Way Exclusion Areas
- •2.2.3.2 Proposed Solar Energy Zones
- •2.2.3.3 Solar Energy Zone Policies
- •2.2.3.4 Land Use Plans To Be Amended
- •2.3 DOE Alternatives
- •2.3.1 No Action Alternative
- •2.3.2 Action Alternative—DOE’s Proposed Programmatic Environmental Guidance
- •2.3.2.1 General Mitigation Measures
- •2.3.2.2 Institutional and Public Outreach
- •2.3.2.3 Land Use
- •2.3.2.4 Water Resources and Erosion Control
- •2.3.2.5 Biological Resources
- •2.3.2.6 Air Quality
- •2.3.2.7 Cultural Resources and Native American Interactions
- •2.3.2.8 Visual Resources and Aesthetics
- •2.3.2.9 Socioeconomics
- •2.3.2.10 Environmental Justice
- •2.3.2.11 Safety and Health
- •2.4 Description of Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario
- •2.4.1 Comparison of RFDS with Lands Available under the Action Alternatives
- •2.5 Other Alternatives and Issues Considered
- •2.5.1 Distributed Generation
- •2.5.2 Conservation and Demand-Side Management
- •2.5.3 Analysis of Life-Cycle Impacts of Solar Energy Development
- •2.5.4 Analysis of Development on Other Federal, State, or Private Lands
- •2.5.5 Restricting Development to Previously Disturbed Lands
- •2.5.6 Restricting Development to Populated Areas
- •2.5.7 Restricting Development to the Fast-Track Project Applications
- •2.5.8 Analysis of Development on the Maximum Amount of Public Lands Allowable
- •2.5.9 Changes to BLM’s Proposed Solar Energy Zones
- •2.5.10 Other Suggested Alternatives
- •2.5.11 DOE Environmental Requirements
- •2.6 References
- •3.1 Technologies
- •3.2 Development Process Overview for All Technologies
- •3.2.1 Site Characterization
- •3.2.2 Site Preparation and Construction
- •3.2.3 Operations
- •3.2.4 Decommissioning and Reclamation
- •3.2.5 Transmission Facilities
- •3.4 Transportation Considerations
- •3.6 Health and Safety Aspects of Solar Energy Projects
- •3.7 Existing Agency Processes and Guidance
- •3.8 References
- •4 UPDATE TO AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
- •4.1 Introduction
- •4.2 Lands and Realty
- •4.4 Rangeland Resources
- •4.4.1 Livestock Grazing
- •4.4.2 Wild Horses and Burros
- •4.4.3 Wildland Fire
- •4.5 Recreation
- •4.6 Military and Civilian Aviation
- •4.7 Geologic Setting and Soil Resources
- •4.7.1 Geologic Setting
- •4.7.2 Geologic Hazards
- •4.7.3 Soil Resources
- •4.8 Minerals
- •4.9 Water Resources
- •4.9.1 Surface Water Resources
- •4.9.2 Groundwater Resources
- •4.9.3 Water Rights, Supply, and Use
- •4.10 Ecological Resources
- •4.10.1 Vegetation
- •4.10.2 Wildlife
- •4.10.3 Aquatic Biota
- •4.10.3.1 Pacific Northwest Hydrologic Region
- •4.10.3.2 Lower Colorado, Rio Grande, and Great Basin Hydrologic Regions
- •4.10.3.3 California Hydrologic Region
- •4.10.3.4 Upper Colorado River Hydrologic Region
- •4.10.3.5 Missouri River Basin Hydrologic Region
- •4.10.4 Special Status Species
- •4.11 Air Quality and Climate
- •4.11.3 Update to Section 4.11.2.4 of the Draft Solar PEIS: Visibility Protection
- •4.11.4 Update to Section 4.11.2.5 of the Draft Solar PEIS: General Conformity
- •4.11.5 Addition of New Section 4.11.4: Toxic Dust and Snowmelt
- •4.12 Visual Resources
- •4.13 Acoustic Environment
- •4.14 Paleontological Resources
- •4.15 Cultural Resources
- •4.16 Native American Concerns
- •4.17 Socioeconomics
- •4.18 Environmental Justice
- •4.19 References
- •4.20 Errata to Chapter 4 of the Draft Solar PEIS
- •5.1 Introduction
- •5.2 Lands and Realty
- •5.4 Rangeland Resources
- •5.4.1 Livestock Grazing
- •5.4.2 Wild Horses and Burros
- •5.4.3 Wildland Fire
- •5.5 Recreation
- •5.6 Military and Civilian Aviation
- •5.7 Geologic Setting and Soil Resources
- •5.8 Minerals
- •5.9 Water Resources
- •5.10 Ecological Resources
- •5.10.1 Vegetation
- •5.10.2 Wildlife
- •5.10.3 Aquatic Biota and Habitats
- •5.10.3.1 Common Impacts
- •5.10.3.2 Technology-Specific Impacts
- •5.10.4 Special Status Species
- •5.11 Air Quality and Climate
- •5.11.1 Common Impacts
- •5.11.1.1 Construction: Update to Section 5.11.1.2 of the Draft Solar PEIS
- •5.11.1.2 Operations: Update to Section 5.11.1.3 of the Draft Solar PEIS
- •5.12 Visual Resources
- •5.13 Acoustic Environment
- •5.13.1 Common Impacts
- •5.13.1.1 Construction: Update to Section 5.13.1.2 of the Draft Solar PEIS
- •5.13.1.2 Operations: Update to Section 5.13.1.3 of the Draft Solar PEIS
- •5.14 Paleontological Resources
- •5.15 Cultural Resources
- •5.15.1 Common Impacts
- •5.16 Native American Concerns
- •5.17 Socioeconomics
- •5.18 Environmental Justice
- •5.19 Transportation
- •5.20 Hazardous Materials and Waste
- •5.21 Health and Safety
- •5.22 References
- •5.23 Errata to Chapter 5 of the Draft Solar PEIS
- •6 ANALYSIS OF BLM’S SOLAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES
- •6.1.2 Minimize Environmental Impacts
- •6.1.3 Minimize Social and Economic Impacts
- •6.1.4 Provide Flexibility to Solar Industry
- •6.1.5 Optimize Existing Transmission Infrastructure and Corridors
- •6.1.6 Standardize and Streamline the Authorization Process
- •6.1.7 Meet Projected Demand for Solar Energy Development
- •6.2 Impacts of the SEZ Program Alternative
- •6.2.2 Minimize Environmental Impacts
- •6.2.3 Minimize Social and Economic Impacts
- •6.2.4 Provide Flexibility to Solar Industry
- •6.2.5 Optimize Existing Transmission Infrastructure and Corridors
- •6.2.6 Standardize and Streamline the Authorization Process
- •6.2.7 Meet Projected Demand for Solar Energy Development
- •6.3 Impacts of the No Action Alternative
- •6.3.2 Minimize Environmental Impacts
- •6.3.3 Minimize Social and Economic Impacts
- •6.3.4 Provide Flexibility to Solar Industry
- •6.3.5 Optimize Existing Transmission Infrastructure and Corridors
- •6.3.6 Standardize and Streamline the Authorization Process
- •6.3.7 Meet Projected Demand for Solar Energy Development
- •6.5 Cumulative Impacts
- •6.5.1 Overview of Activities in the Six-State Study Area
- •6.5.1.1 Energy Production and Distribution
- •6.5.1.2 Other Activities and Trends
- •6.5.2 Cumulative Impact Assessment for Solar Energy Development
- •6.5.2.1 Lands and Realty
- •6.5.2.2 Specially Designated Areas and Lands with Wilderness Characteristics
- •6.5.2.3 Rangeland Resources
- •6.5.2.4 Recreation
- •6.5.2.5 Military and Civilian Aviation
- •6.5.2.6 Geologic Setting and Soil Resources
- •6.5.2.7 Mineral Resources
- •6.5.2.8 Water Resources
- •6.5.2.9 Ecological Resources
- •6.5.2.10 Air Quality and Climate
- •6.5.2.11 Visual Resources
- •6.5.2.12 Acoustic Environment
- •6.5.2.13 Paleontological Resources
- •6.5.2.14 Cultural Resources
- •6.5.2.15 Native American Concerns
- •6.5.2.16 Socioeconomics
- •6.5.2.17 Environmental Justice
- •6.5.2.18 Transportation
- •6.6 Other NEPA Considerations
- •6.6.1 Unavoidable Adverse Impacts
- •6.6.2 Short-Term Use of the Environment and Long-Term Productivity
- •6.6.3 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
- •6.6.4 Mitigation of Adverse Effects
- •6.7 References
- •7 ANALYSIS OF DOE’S ALTERNATIVES
- •7.1 Impacts of DOE’s Proposed Action
- •7.2 Impacts of the No Action Alternative
- •7.3 Cumulative Impacts
- •7.4 Other NEPA Considerations
- •7.4.1 Unavoidable Adverse Impacts
- •7.4.2 Short-Term Use of the Environment and Long-Term Productivity
- •7.4.3 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
- •7.4.4 Mitigation of Adverse Effects
- •14.1 Public Scoping and Public Outreach
- •14.2 Government-to-Government Consultation
- •14.3 Coordination of BLM State and Field Offices
- •14.4 Agency Cooperation, Consultation, and Coordination
- •14.5 References
- •15 LIST OF PREPARERS
- •16 GLOSSARY
- •FIGURE ES.2-1 Areas Proposed for Exclusion Since Publication of the Supplement to the Draft Solar PEIS Based on Continued Consultation with Cooperating Agencies and Tribes
- •FIGURE ES.2-4 BLM-Administered Lands in Colorado Available for Application for Solar Energy ROW Authorizations under the BLM Alternatives Considered in This PEIS
- •FIGURE 1.2-2 Solar Direct Normal Insolation Levels in the Southwestern United States
- •FIGURE 2.2-3 BLM-Administered Lands in Colorado Available for Application for Solar Energy ROW Authorizations under the BLM Alternatives Considered in This PEIS
- •FIGURE 2.2-7 Areas Proposed for Exclusion Since Publication of the Supplement to the Draft Solar PEIS Based on Continued Consultation with Cooperating Agencies and Tribes
- •TABLE ES.2-3 Proposed SEZs and Approximate Acreage by State
- •TABLE ES.2-5 Summary-Level Assessment of Potential Environmental Impacts of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development by Alternative
- •TABLE ES.2-6 Comparison of BLM’s Alternatives with Respect to Objectives for the Agency’s Action
- •TABLE 2.2-3 Proposed SEZs and Approximate Acreage by State
- •TABLE 4.15-3 ACECs Designated for Protection of Cultural Resource Values That Are near BLM-Administered Lands Available for Application through the Variance Process
- •TABLE 6.1-2 Summary-Level Assessment of Potential Environmental Impacts of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development by Alternative
- •TABLE 6.4-1 Comparison of BLM’s Alternatives with Respect to Objectives for the Agencies’ Action
- •TABLE 6.5-10 Recreational Visits for the BLM and NPS in FY 2000 and FY 2010 and for USFS in FY 2000 and FY 2010
1 2.6 REFERENCES
2
3Note to Reader: This list of references identifies Web pages and associated URLs where
4 reference data were obtained for the analyses presented in this Final Solar PEIS. It is likely that 5 at the time of publication of this Final Solar PEIS, some of these Web pages may no longer be 6 available or their URL addresses may have changed. The original information has been retained 7 and is available through the Public Information Docket for this Final Solar PEIS.
8
9 BLM (Bureau of Land Management), 1994, BLM Manual 3060, Mineral Reports—Preparation
10 and Review, Rel. 3-284, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., April 7. 11
12BLM, 1999, The California Desert Conservation Area Plan 1980, as Amended, California Desert
13District Office, Riverside, Calif., Aug. 17.
14
15BLM, 2005, Land Use Planning Handbook, H-1601-1, U.S. Department of the Interior,
16Washington, D.C., March.
17
18BLM, 2008, BLM National Environmental Policy Act Handbook, H-1790-1, National
19Environmental Policy Act Program, Office of the Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and
20Planning (WO-200), Washington, D.C., Jan. Available at http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/
21medialib/blm/wo/Information_Resources_Management/policy/blm_handbook.Par.24487.File.
22dat/h1790-1-2008-1.pdf.
23
24BLM, 2009a, Instruction Memorandum 2009-153, Financial Guarantees for Notices and Plans
25of Operations, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington D.C., June 19.
26
27 BLM, 2009b, Manual of Surveying, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 28
29BLM, 2010, Instruction Memorandum 2010-141, Solar Energy Interim Rental Policy,
30U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., June 10.
31
32BLM, 2011a, Instruction Memorandum 2011-122, Plan to Ensure Adequate Cadastral Survey
33Review of Boundary Evidence Prior to the Approval of Significant Land and Resource
34Transactions and Commercial Projects, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.,
35May 24.
36
37BLM, 2011b, Instruction Memorandum 2012-032, Native American Consultation and
38Section 106 Compliance for the Solar Energy Program Described in Solar Programmatic
39Impact Statement, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., Dec. 1.
40
41BLM, 2011c, Instruction Memorandum 2012-043, Greater Sage-Grouse Interim Management
42Policies and Procedures, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., Dec. 22.
43
44BLM and DOE (BLM and U.S. Department of Energy), 2010, Draft Programmatic
45Environmental Impact Statement for Solar Energy Development in Six Southwestern States,
46DES 10-59, DOE/EIS-0403, Dec.
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1 BLM and DOE, 2011, Supplement to the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 2 for Solar Energy Development in Six Southwestern States, DES 11-49, DOE/EIS-0403D-S, Oct. 3
4Department of the Treasury, 2011, Companies Holding Certificates of Authority as
5 Acceptable Sureties on Federal Bonds and as Acceptable Reinsuring Companies, 4810-35, 6 Dept. Circular 570, 2011 Revision, July 1.
7
8DOE and BLM (U.S. Department of Energy and BLM), 2008, Summary of Public Scoping
9Comments Received during the Scoping Period for the Solar Energy Development Programmatic
10Environmental Impact Statement, prepared by Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Ill., for
11DOE and BLM, Washington, D.C., Oct.
12
13NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), 2010, Solar Power and the Electric Grid,
14Energy Analysis (Fact Sheet), Golden, Colo., March. Available at http://www.nrel.gov/
15docs/fy10osti/45653.pdf.
16
17Secretary of the Interior, 2010, “Renewable Energy Development by the Department of the
18Interior,” Amendment No. 1 to Secretarial Order 3285, Feb. 22. Available at http://elips.doi.gov/
19app_so/act_getfiles.cfm?order_number=3285A1.
20
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13 UPDATE TO OVERVIEW OF SOLAR ENERGY POWER PRODUCTION
2 TECHNOLOGIES, DEVELOPMENT, AND REGULATION
3
4
5Chapter 3 of the Draft Solar PEIS (BLM and DOE 2010) provided general information
6about the types of solar facilities likely to be developed in the United States over the next
7 20 years, along with their sizes and resource needs (Section 3.1); a general description of the 8 phases of solar facility development (from site characterization through decommissioning) and 9 of associated transmission line development (Section 3.2); a brief discussion of regulatory
10requirements pertaining to solar facilities (Section 3.3); and solar facility considerations with
11respect to transportation, hazardous materials and waste, and health and safety (Sections 3.4
12through 3.6). A description of BLM and DOE processes that are in place and are relevant for
13solar energy development was given in Section 3.7.
14
15The information presented in this update to Chapter 3 for the Final Solar PEIS
16summarizes and supplements, but does not replace, the information provided in the
17corresponding Chapter 3 in the Draft Solar PEIS. Information on the topics listed above that has
18become available subsequent to publication of the Draft Solar PEIS is presented in this section.
21 3.1 TECHNOLOGIES
22
23The solar technologies considered in the Draft and Final Solar PEIS are those deemed
24most likely to be deployed at utility scale over the next 20 years. The technologies evaluated fall
25into two general categories—CSP and PV. CSP technologies are those that concentrate the sun’s
26energy to produce heat; the heat then drives either a steam turbine or an external heat engine to
27produce electricity. Parabolic trough, power tower, and dish engine technologies fall into the
28CSP category. In PV technologies, the photons in sunlight are converted directly to electricity.
29The information on these technologies presented in Section 3.1 of the Draft Solar PEIS remains
30generally valid, although some changes in technology designs may have occurred. Of key
31relevance for the impact assessments in the Solar PEIS are the assumed resource requirements
32(e.g., land area and water requirements) that were presented in Section 3.1 of the Draft Solar
33PEIS. These are again presented in Table 3.1-1. The resource requirement assumptions were a
34basis for the programmatic assessment of impacts from solar energy development presented in
35Chapter 5 of the Draft and Final Solar PEIS, and for the assessment of impacts for the SEZs. An
36expanded discussion of potential water sources (e.g., use of degraded water) has been included in
37Section 5.9 of this Final Solar PEIS. The resource requirement values in Table 3.1-1 are subject
38to change as technologies evolve and may also vary with specific plant operating conditions. If
39applicable, significant differences from the assumed resource requirements would be evaluated
40for individual projects.
41
42
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