BLM LIBRARY 88063931 Draft Toquop Land Disposal Amendment to the Caliente Management Framework Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Toquop Energy Project * ^ ' «^. ->i 1 .^ <-' ^ ^. a-?^x^^ ^^: :\x \ f'^. United States Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management DES 01-17 Nevada State Office, Nevada May 2002 BVi« BLM Mission Statement The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the stewardship of our pubHc lands. It is committed to manage, protect, and improve these lands in a manner to serve the needs of the American people for all times. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield of our nation's resources within a framework ofenvironmental responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife, wilderness, air and scenic, scientific and cultural values. BLM/EL/PL-02/0 0+ 793 1 1 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OFLAND MANAGEMENT NevadaStateOffice P.O. Box 12000(1340Financial Blvd.) Reno, Nevada 89520-0006 http://www.nv.blm.gov nA) 2 2002 InRepIyReferlo: 2800/2200 (NV-040) N-74943/N-74105 DearReader: Enclosed for yourreview and comment is the Draft Toquop Land Disposal Amendment to theCaliente Management Framework Plan (MFP) and DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS) fortheToquopEnergy Project. This documentevaluates theenvironmental effects that would result ft-om constructing an 1,100- megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired water-cooled electric power generatingplantand associated featureson public lands in Lincoln County and ClarkCounty, southern Nevada, thatare presently managed by the Ely and Las Vegas Field Offices ofthe U.S. Bureau ofLand Management (BLM). The powerplant site would be nearthe Toquop Wash, approximately 50miles south-southeastofCaliente, Nevada, and 12 miles northwestof Mesquite, oralternatively, approximately 12 miles north-northwestofthe Toquop Wash site in theTule Desert. This document also evaluates the effectsofamending the Caliente MFP, which would identify specific sections ofland as available fordisposal. This action would be needed to exchange approximately 640 acres ofprivate land (the Pah Rah parcel) in Washoe County, northwestern Nevada, for a similarly valued parcel ofpublic land atoneofthe powerplant sites. The Pah Rah parcel would come underBLM administration ifthePah Rah/Toquop land exchange is approved. Publiccomments concerning the adequacy and accuracy oftheDraft MFP Amendment/EIS will beaccepted until August 29, 2002, and must be submitted in writing to: Bureau ofLand Management Ely Field Office Gene A. Kolkman, Field Manager HC 33, Box 33500 Ely, Nevada 89301-9408 Public meetings to accept verbal and writtencomments havealso been scheduled for the followingdates, times, and locations: Date Time Location July 8, 2002 7:00to9:00p.m. CalienteCity Hall 100 Depot Avenue Caliente, Nevada July9, 2002 7:00to9:00 p.m. Las VegasBLM Field Office 4701 Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nevada July 10, 2002 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. MesquiteCityHall TrainingRooms A and B 10East Mesquite Boulevard Mesquite, Nevada July 11, 2002 7:00 to 9:00p.m. AirportPlaza Hotel 1981 Terminal Way Reno, Nevada A J*., OEHVEii. Both written and oral comments received during the public comment period will be fully considered and evaluated for preparationofthe Final MFP Amendment/EIS. Ifyou would like any additional information, pleasecontactDan Netcher, TeamLead at (775) 289-1872. Sincerely, tL^v /I Robert V. Abbey State Director, Nevada Enclosure Draft Toquop Land Disposal Amendment to the Caliente Management Framework Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Toquop Energy Project (X) Draft Final ( ) Lead Agency: United States Departmentofthe Interior BureauofLand Management Counties Directly Affected: Lincoln, Clark, and Washoe Counties, Nevada Environmental Impact Statement Contact: Correspondence on this DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement (DraftEIS) should be directed to: Dan Netcher Gene A. Kolkman, Field Manager Team Lead BureauofLand ManagementEly District ElyField Office HC 33 Box 33500 Ely, Nevada 89301-9408 Date DraftEIS filed with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: May 31, 2002 Date by which commentson this draft plan amendment and DraftEIS must be received to be considered in the Final EIS: August 29, 2002 Abstract This DraftToquop Land Disposal Amendmentto theCalienteManagementFrameworkPlan (MFP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) fortheToquopEnergyProjectevaluates theenvironmental effects that would result fromconstructingtheproposed Toquop Energyelectric power generatingplant. This 1,100- megawatt(MW) natural gas-fired and water-cooled electric power plant and associated features would be located onpublic lands inLincolnCounty andClarkCounty, southern Nevada, thatare presently managed by theEly and Las Vegas Field Officesofthe U.S. Bureau ofLand Management (BLM). Thepowerplantsite for theProposed Action is approximately 50 miles south-southeastofCaliente, Nevada, and 12 miles northwestof Mesquite, Nevada. An alternative powerplantsite is located in the Tule Desertapproximately 12 miles north- northwestofthe Toquop Wash plantsite. Thisdocumentalso evaluates theeffectsofamendingtheCaliente MFP, which would identify specific sections ofland as available fordisposal. This action would be needed toexchange approximately 640acres ofprivate land (thePah Rah parcel) for a similarly valued parcel ofpublic land atoneofthepowerplant sites. ThePah Rah parcel is located in thePah Rah Range in WashoeCounty in northwestern Nevada, and would come under BLM administration ifthePah Rah/Toquop land exchange is approved. Federal actions addressed in theaccompanyingdocument arethe BLM's issuanceofrights-of-way needed to construct and operate theToquopEnergyProject, amendmentofthe Caliente MFP to identify specific public lands as available fordisposal, and facilitationofa land exchange as itrelatesto theproposed project. This DraftEIS satisfies the National Environmental Policy Act, which mandates that federal agenciesanalyze the environmental consequencesofmajor undertakings. Official responsible for the/^lan amendmentand theenvironmental impactstatement: .L^^^A^^^ ^^'^ 2 2002 Date State Director, Nevada BOI020630002.CXX:/JI HI May20,2002 Th y btoi Id; -J • I Draft Toquop Land Disposal Amendment to the Caliente Management Framework Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Toquop Energy Project United States Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management DES 01-17 "'^CH 3,^* Nevada State Office, Nevada May 2002 Contents Chapter Page Letter to Reader Abstract ES.O Executive Summary ES-1 ES.l Introduction ES-1 ES.1.1 General Overview ES-1 ES.1.2 Purpose and Need ES-1 ES.2 Description ofProposed Action and Alternatives ES-2 ES.2.1 Proposed Action and Action Alternatives ::tt}. ES-2 ES.2.2 No Action Alternative ES-2 ...T. ES.2.3 Alternatives Considered During Scoping but Eliminated from Further Consideration '.'. ES-7 ES.2.4 Preferred Alternative ES-7 ES.3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ES-7 ES.3.1 Proposed Action and Action Alternatives ES-7 ES.3.2 No Action Alternative ES-8 ES.4 Consultation and Coordination ES-8 Chapter 1.0 Introduction 1-1 1.1 General Overview 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need 1-1 1.3 Project Location 1-2 1.4 Background 1-2 1.5 Policies, Plans, and Programs 1-2 1.5.1 Plan Conformance 1-2 BLM 1.5.2 Relationships to Policies, Plans, and Programs 1-7 1.5.3 Relationships to Non-BLM Policies, Plans, and Programs 1-7 1.6 Management Framework Plan Amendment Process Overview 1-7 1.6.1 Identification ofIssues 1-8 1.6.2 Development of Planning Criteria 1-8 1.6.3 Inventory and Data Evaluation 1-8 1.6.4 Analysis of the Existing Condition 1-8 1.6.5 Formulation of Alternatives 1-9 1.6.6 Estimation ofthe Effects of Alternatives 1-9 1.6.7 Selection of the Preferred Alternative 1-10 1.6.8 Selection of the Proposed Plan Amendment 1-10 1.6.9 Monitoring and Evaluation 1-10 1.7 Applicable Laws and Regulations and Authorizing Actions and Permits ... 1-10 1.7.1 Applicable Laws and Regulations 1-10 1.7.2 Permits and Approvals 1-10 1.8 Interrelated Projects 1-13 111 1 CONTEhfTS,CONTINUED Chapter Page Chapter 2.0 Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives 2-1 2.1 Introduction 2-1 2.2 Proposed Action 2-9 BLM 2.2.1 Description of Actions 2-9 2.2.2 Description of Project Area, Land Exchange, and Power Plant Site 2-9 2.2.3 Description of Project Features and Operation 2-1 2.2.4 Construction Activities 2-24 2.2.5 Best Management Practices and Standard Operating Procedures 2-27 2.2.6 Decommissioning 2-28 2.3 Alternative 1 2-28 BLM 2.3.1 Description of Actions 2-28 2.3.2 Description ofProject Area, Land Exchange, and Power Plant Site 2-29 2.3.3 Description ofProject Features and Operation 2-29 2.3.4 Construction Activities 2-30 2.3.5 Best Management Practices and Standard Operating Procedures 2-30 2.3.6 Decommissioning 2-30 2.4 Alternative 2 2-30 BLM 2.4.1 Description of Actions 2-30 2.4.2 Description ofProject Area, Land Exchange, and Power Plant Site 2-31 2.4.3 Description ofProject Features and Operation 2-31 2.4.4 Construction Activities 2-32 2.4.5 Best Management Practices and Standard Operating Procedures 2-35 2.4.6 Decommissioning 2-35 2.5 No Action Alternative 2-35 2.6 Alternatives Considered During Scoping but Eliminated from Further Consideration 2-35 2.6.1 Alternative Fuels 2-35 2.6.2 Alternative Locations 2-36 2.6.3 Alternative Access Road 2-36 2.6.4 Alternative Cooling Systems 2-37 2.7 Preferred Alternative 2-42 Chapter 3.0 Affected Environment 3-1 3.1 Introduction 3-1 3.2 Soils and Geology 3-1 3.2.1 Soils 3-1 3.2.2 Geology 3-3 3.3 Surface Water Hydrology 3-11 3.3.1 Toquop Area 3-11 3.3.2 Pah Rah Parcel 3-20 IV