-Lrot •#^373/ S'S"? OU? DRAFT Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) and \A Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement SCH No. 2011071092 BLM/CA/PL-2014/025+1793 FWS-R8-ES-2014-N165 Prepared by: California Energy Commission California Department of Fish and Wildlife U.S. Bureau of Land Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service SEPTEMBER 2014 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS - ALL VOLUMES 0. Section Page No. VOLUME BACKGROUND AND PLANNING PROCESS I: I1.0N.TRODUCTION 1.0 1.0-1 1.0. 1 Document Organization 0-1 1. 1. 2 Requirement for Further Analysis 1.0-7 3 Project Background and Overview. 1.0-7 0.3.1 Plan Area 1.0-15 1. 1.1 OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE AND NEED 1.1-1 1.1.1 Interagency Objectives/Purpose and Need 1.1-1 1.1.2 Bureau of Land Management Purpose and Need 1.1-1 1.2.1 Bureau of Land Management Roles and Responsibilities 1.1-3 1. 1.1.2.2 Bureau of Land Management Decisions to Be Made 1.1-5 1.1.3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Purpose and Need 1.1-6 1.1.3.1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Roles and Responsibilities 1.1-7 1.1.3.2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Decisions to Be Made 1.1-8 1.1.4 State Objectives 1.1-9 1.1.4.1 California Energy Commission 1.1-10 1.4.2 California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1.1-11 1. 1.1.4.3 California State Lands Commission 1.1-13 1.2 LEGAL FRAMEWORK 1.2-1 1.2.1 Bureau of Land Management 1.2-1 1.2.1.1 Federal Land Policy and Management Act 1.2-1 1.2.1.2 National Environmental Policy Act 1.2-5 1.2.1.3 Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 1.2-5 1.2.1.4 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 1.2-7 1.2.1.5 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 1.2-8 1.2.1.6 Other Relevant Federal Authorities 1.2-8 1.2.1.7 Renewable Energy Laws and Other Relevant Policies 1.2-15 1.2.2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1.2-20 1.2.2.1 Federal Endangered Species Act 1.2-20 1.2.2.2 National Environmental Policy Act 1.2-23 1.2.2.3 Migratory Bird Treaty Act 1.2-24 1.2.2.4 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940, as Amended 1.2-24 1.2.2.5 National Historic Preservation Act 1.2-26 1.2.3 California Energy Commission 1.2-26 Table of Contents TOC-1 August 2014 Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 1.2.3.1 California Environmental Quality Act 1.2-26 1.2.3.2 Warren-Alquist Act 1.2-27 1.2.4 California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1.2-28 1.2.4.1 California Endangered Species Act 1.2-28 2.4.2 Natural Community Conservation Planning Act 1.2-29 1. 2.4.3 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement 1.2-32 1. 1.2.4.4 Other Wildlife Protection Regulations and Statutes 1.2-32 1.3 1.2.5 California State Lands Commission 1.2-34 1.2.5.1 School Land Bank Act of 1984 1.2-34 1.2.5.2 Sovereign Land jurisdiction 1.2-34 1.2.5.3 State Mineral Resources 1.2-35 1.2.5.4 Geothermal Resource Jurisdiction 1.2-35 PLANNING PROCESS 1.3-1 1.3.1 Bureau of Land Management Land Use Planning Process 1.3-1 1.3.1.1 Planning Criteria 1.3-1 1.3.1.2 Types of Land Use Plan Decisions 1.3-3 1.3.1.3 Site-Specific Implementation Decisions and Requirements for Further Environmental Analysis 1.3-4 1.3.1.4 Integration with the Conservation Planning Process 1.3-4 1.3.2 Natural Community Conservation Plan Planning Process 1.3-5 1.3.2.1 Approach to the NCCP Conceptual Plan-Wide Reserve Design 1.3-5 1.3.2.2 Approach to the DRECP NCCP Reserve Design 1.3-9 1.3.3 General Conservation Plan Planning Process 1.3-9 1.3.4 DRECP Biological Conservation Planning Process 1.3-10 1.3.4.1 Establish the Biological Conservation Focus 1.3-11 1.3.4.2 Gather Baseline Biological Information 1.3-17 3.4.3 Identify Biological Goals and Objectives 1.3-18 1. 3.4.4 Develop Reserve Design 1.3-21 1. 1.3.4.5 Develop Conservation and Management Actions 1.3-29 1.3.4.6 Develop Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program .1.3-30 1.3.5 Renewable Energy Goals and Planning Process 1.3-30 1.3.5.1 Federal/BLM Renewable Energy Goals 1.3-30 1.3.5.2 California’s Renewable Energy Requirements and Energy Goals 1.3-33 Table of Contents TOC-2 August 2014 2 Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 1.3.5.3 Overview ofthe Renewable Energy Planning Process and Development Focus Area Design Process 1.3-36 1.3.5.4 Estimating the Quantity of Renewable Energy Generation Within the Plan Area 1.3-43 1.3.5.5 Renewable Energy Resource Distribution and Development Potential 1.3-53 1.3.5.6 Identification of Development Focus Areas 1.3-55 1.3.5.7 Transmission Planning Goals and Assumptions 1.3-58 1.3.6 Plan Integration 1.3-61 1.3.6.1 BLM Land Use Planning Designations 1.3-61 1.3.6.2 Biological Conservation Planning.. 1.3-62 1.3.6.3 Renewable Energy Planning Areas 1.3-62 1.3.7 Duration ofthe DRECP 1.3-64 1.3.7.1 Bureau of Land Management Land Use Plan Amendment..I.3-64 1.3.7.2 Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit Duration.1.3-64 1.3.7.3 Natural Community Conservation Plan Duration 1.3-64 4 LITERATURE CITED - VOLUME 1.4-1 I. 1 Chapter 1.0 Introduction 1.4-1 Chapter 1.1 Objectives/Purpose and Need 1.4-1 Chapter 1.2 Legal Framework 1.4-3 Chapter 1.3 Planning Process 1.4-7 VOLUME DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES II: II.l APPROACH TO DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVES II.l-l 11.1.1 Alternatives Carried Forward for Detailed Analysis II.l-l 11.1.2 Alternatives Not Carried Forward for Detailed Analysis II.1-5 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE II. II.2-1 11.2.1 Plan-Wide Description ofthe No Action Alternative II.2-1 11.2.1.1 Overview ofthe No Action Alternative II.2-1 11.2.1.2 Conservation Under the No Action Alternative II.2-4 11.2.1.3 Renewable Energy and Transmission Development Under the No Action Alternative 2-9 II. 11.2.2 Existing BLM Land Use Plan Elements ofthe No Action Alternative .11.2-25 11.2.2.1 BLM Renewable Energy Policies II.2-25 11.2.2.2 BLM Conservation Areas II.2-31 Table ofContents TOC-3 August 2014 Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. II.2.2.3 BLM-Specific Management II.2-41 11.2.3 Natural Community Conservation Plan Elements ofthe No Action Alternative 2-106 II. 11.2.4 General Conservation Plan Elements ofthe No Action Alternative. II.2-106 11.3 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE II.3-1 11.3.1 Plan-Wide Description ofthe Preferred Alternative II.3-1 11.3.1.1 Overview ofthe Preferred Alternative II.3-1 11.3.1.2 Conservation Strategy II.3-10 11.3.1.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program II.3-89 11.3.1.4 Overview Description of Covered Activities II.3-161 11.3.1.5 Plan Implementation II.3-205 11.3.1.6 Obtaining Federal ESA and NCCPA Take Authorizations for Covered Activities II.3-247 11.3.1.7 Regulatory Assurances Under the NCCP and the GCP II.3-264 11.3.1.8 Cost and Funding II.3-280 11.3.2 BLM LUPA Elements ofthe Preferred Alternative II.3-298 11.3.2.1 BLM Renewable Energy Policies II.3-303 11.3.2.2 BLM Conservation Areas II.3-313 11.3.2.3 BLM-Specific Conservation and Management Actions.... II.3-367 11.3.2.4 CDCA Plan Amendments II.3-424 11.3.3 NCCP Elements ofthe Preferred Alternative II.3-437 11.3.4 GCP Elements ofthe Preferred Alternative II.3-444 11.3.4.1 Overview ofthe Non-Federal GCP Lands ofthe Preferred Alternative 3-444 II. 11.3.4.2 Overview ofthe GCP Permitting Process II.3-445 11.4 ALTERNATIVE 1 II.4-1 11.4.1 Plan-Wide Description ofAlternative 1 II.4-1 11.4.1.1 Overview ofAlternative 1 II.4-1 11.4.1.2 Conservation Strategy II.4-3 11.4.1.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program II.4-14 11.4.1.4 Overview Description of Covered Activities II.4-14 11.4.1.5 Plan Implementation II.4-29 11.4.2 BLM LUPA Elements ofAlternative 1 II.4-29 11.4.2.1 BLM Renewable Energy Policies II.4-33 11.4.2.2 BLM Conservation Areas II.4-33 11.4.2.3 BLM-Specific CMAs II.4-52 Table ofContents TOC-4 August 2014 Draft DRECP and E1R/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. II.4.2.4 California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendments...II.4-54 11.4.3 NCCP Elements ofAlternative 1 11.4-54 11.4.4 GCP Elements ofAlternative 1 II.4-55 11.4.4.1 Overview ofthe Nonfederal GCP Lands ofAlternative 1... II.4-56 11.4.4.2 Overview ofthe GCP Permitting Process II.4-56 11.5 ALTERNATIVE 2 II.5-1 11.5.1 Plan-Wide Description ofAlternative 2 II.5-1 11.5.1.1 Overview ofAlternative 2 II.5-1 11.5.1.2 Conservation Strategy II.5-3 11.5.1.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program II.5-18 11.5.1.4 Overview Description of Covered Activities II.5-18 11.5.1.5 Plan Implementation II.5-34 11.5.2 BLM LUPA Elements ofAlternative 2 II.5-34 11.5.2.1 BLM Renewable Energy Policies II.5-36 11.5.2.2 BLM Conservation Areas II.5-36 11.5.2.3 BLM-Specific CMAs II.5-58 11.5.2.4 CDCA Plan Amendments II.5-62 11.5.3 NCCP Elements ofAlternative 2 II.5-62 11.5.4 GCP Elements ofAlternative 2 II.5-63 11.5.4.1 Overview ofthe Nonfederal GCP Lands ofAlternative 2...II.5-63 11.5.4.2 Overview ofthe GCP Permitting Process II.5-64 11.6 ALTERNATIVE 3 II.6-1 11.6.1 Plan-Wide Description ofAlternative 3 II.6-1 11.6.1.1 Overview ofAlternative 3 II.6-1 11.6.1.2 Conservation Strategy II.6-4 11.6.1.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program II.6-14 11.6.1.4 Overview Description of Covered Activities II.6-14 11.6.1.5 Plan Implementation II.6-29 11.6.2 BLM LUPA Elements ofAlternative 3 II.6-29 11.6.2.1 BLM Renewable Energy Policies II.6-33 11.6.2.2 BLM Conservation Areas II.6-33 11.6.2.3 BLM-Specific CMAs II.6-49 11.6.2.4 CDCA Plan Amendments II.6-53 11.6.3 NCCP Elements ofAlternative 3 II.6-53 11.6.4 GCP Elements ofAlternative 3 II.6-59 Table of Contents TOC-5 August 2014 Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 11.6.4.1 Overview ofthe Nonfederal GCP Lands ofAlternative 3 II.6-59 11.6.4.2 Overview ofthe GCP Permitting Process II.6-60 11.7 ALTERNATIVE 4 II.7-1 11.7.1 Interagency Description ofAlternative 4 II.7-1 11.7.1.1 Overview ofAlternative 4 II.7-1 11.7.1.2 Conservation Strategy II.7-4 11.7.1.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program II.7-14 11.7.1.4 Overview Description of Covered Activities II.7-14 11.7.1.5 Plan Implementation II.7-29 11.7.2 BLM LUPA Elements ofAlternative 4 II.7-29 11.7.2.1 BLM Renewable Energy Policies II.7-33 11.7.2.2 BLM Conservation Areas II.7-33 11.7.2.3 BLM-Specific CMAs II.7-50 11.7.2.4 CDCA Plan Amendments II.7-52 11.7.3 NCCP Elements ofAlternative 4 II.7-52 11.7.4 GCP Elements ofAlternative 4 II.7-55 11.7.4.1 Overview ofthe Nonfederal GCP Lands ofAlternative 4...II.7-56 11.7.4.2 Overview ofthe GCP Permitting Process II.7-56 11.8 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT CARRIED FORWARD II.8-1 11.8.1 Context for Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward for Detailed Analysis 8-4 II. 11.8.1.1 NEPA Requirements for Alternatives. II.8-5 11.8.1.2 CEQA Requirements for Alternatives II.8-5 11.8.2 Description and Rationale for Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward for Detailed Analysis II.8-6 11.8.2.1 Distributed Generation Alternative II.8-6 11.8.2.2 CEERT and LSA Proposed Solar Areas Alternative II.8-10 11.8.2.3 CalWEA Proposed Wind Areas Alternative II.8-14 11.8.2.4 BLM-Only Lands Alternative II.8-17 11.8.2.5 Private and Previously Disturbed Lands Alternative II.8-20 11.8.2.6 Dispersed Development Alternative II.8-22 11.8.2.7 Southeast Emphasis Alternative II.8-24 11.8.2.8 Avian Avoidance Alternative II.8-30 Table of Contents TOC-6 August 2014 Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. II.9 LITERATURE CITED - VOLUME II 11,9-1 Chapter II.1 Approach to Developing Alternatives II.9-1 Chapter II.2 No Action Alternative II.9-1 Chapter II.3 Preferred Alternative II.9-3 Chapter II.4 Alternative 1 II.9-12 Chapter II.5 Alternative 2 II.9-13 Chapter II.6 Alternative 3 II.9-13 Chapter II.7 Alternative 4 II.9-13 Chapter 11.8 Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward II.9-14 VOLUME ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING/AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT III: III.l ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING/AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT III.l-l 111.1.1 Overview ofthe Plan Area III.1-1 111.1.2 Ecoregion Subareas Within the Plan Area III.1-5 111.1.3 Definition of Environmental Baseline III.1-5 111.1.3.1 CEQA Environmental Setting III.1-5 111.1.3.2 NEPA Affected Environment III.1-6 111.1.3.3 Environmental Baseline Used in This Document III.1-6 111.1.4 Baseline Outside the Plan Area III.1-13 111.1.5 Organization ofthe Environmental Baseline Chapters III.1-13 III.2 AIR QUALITY III.2-1 111.2.1 Regulatory Setting III.2-1 111.2.1.1 Federal III.2-1 111.2.1.2 State III.2-13 111.2.1.3 Toxic Air Contaminants III.2-13 111.2.1.4 State Implementation Plan III.2-16 111.2.1.5 California Environmental Quality Act III.2-19 111.2.1.6 Local III.2-19 111.2.2 Geographic Setting III.2-23 111.2.3 Air Quality Baseline Analysis for the Plan Area III.2-23 111.2.3.1 Ozone III.2-23 PM10 2-24 111.2.3.2 III. 111.2.3.3 PM2.5 III.2-24 111.2.3.4 Nitrogen Dioxide III.2-24 111.2.3.5 Sulfur Dioxide III.2-25 August 2014 Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 111.2.3.6 Carbon Monoxide III.2-25 111.2.3.7 Lead III.2-25 111.2.4 Air Quality within the Plan Area III.2-25 111.2.4.1 Air Quality - Federal Standards III.2-25 111.2.4.2 Air Quality - State Standards III.2-38 111.2.5 Air Quality within the DRECP Ecoregion Subareas III.2-46 111.2.5.1 Cadiz Valley and Chocolate Mountains Ecoregion Subarea 2-46 III. 111.2.5.2 Imperial Borrego Valley Ecoregion Subarea III.2-55 111.2.5.3 Kingston and Funeral Mountains Ecoregion Subarea 2-55 III. 111.2.5.4 Mojave and Silurian Valley Ecoregion Subarea III.2-56 111.2.5.5 Owens River Valley Ecoregion Subarea III.2-56 111.2.5.6 Panamint Death Valley Ecoregion Subarea III.2-57 111.2.5.7 Pinto Lucerne Valley and Eastern Slopes Ecoregion Subarea 2-57 III. 111.2.5.8 Piute Valley and Sacramento Mountains Ecoregion Subarea 2-58 III. 111.2.5.9 Providence and Bullion Mountains Ecoregion Subarea 2-59 III. 111.2.5.10 West Mojave and Eastern Slopes Ecoregion Subarea 2-59 III. 111.2.6 Affected Environment for the Natural Community Conservation Plan 2-60 III. 111.2.7 Affected Environment for the General Conservation Plan. III.2-60 111.2.8 Baseline Emissions for the Plan Area III.2-60 111.2.9 Air Quality Outside of Plan Area III.2-60 111.2.9.1 Transmission III.2-60 111.2.9.2 Bureau of Land Management Land Use Plan Amendment Decisions 2-62 III. III.3 METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE III.3-1 111.3.1 Regulatory Setting III.3-4 111.3.1.1 Federal III.3-4 111.3.1.2 State III.3-5 111.3.2 Climate Change Trends for the State and Plan Area III.3-6 III.3.2.1 Understanding Climate Change III.3-6 Table ofContents TOC-8 August 2014