Abstract
Conservation and Renewable Energy Systems (CARES) proposes to construct and operate the 25-megawatt (MW) Columbia Wind Farm No. 1 (proposed Project) in the Columbia Hills area, southeast of Goldendale, in Klickitat County, Washington. The Project would be constructed on private lands leased from the property owner, Columbia Aluminum, Inc.
The proposed Project would require a Conditional Use Permit from Klickitat County, Washington, and a Power Purchase Agreement between the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and CARES. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Project is required under both National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) guidelines.
In March, 1995, a joint NEPA/SEPA Draft EIS for the proposed Project was issued by Klickitat County and BPA, which are the lead agencies under SEPA and NEPA, respectively, for the EIS. The close of comment deadline for the Draft EIS was May 1, 1995.
This document and the Draft Joint NEPAISEPA Environmental lmpact Statement, Columbia Wind Farm #1 together constitute the Final Joint NEPA/SEPA EIS for the Columbia Wind Farm #1. The Final EIS is issued under Section 102 (2XC) of NEPA at U.S.C. 4321 et seq and under SEPA as provided by RCW 43.21 C.030 (2X c).
In addition to the Fact Sheet, this document includes the following major discussions:
- Revised Summary. The Revised Summary replaces the Summary in the Draft EIS and incorporates changes to the Proposed Action, the addition of the Preferred Alternative, and other changes made in response to comments on the Draft EIS.
- Preferred Alternative. The Draft EIS evaluated the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative but did not identify a Preferred Alternative. Based on the analysis in the Draft EIS and on comments received regarding impacts and mitigation measures, Klickitat County and BPA have identified a Preferred Alternative in the Final EIS. The Preferred Alternative includes the Proposed Action along with incorporation of certain mitigation measures identified in the Draft EIS and from a review of comments on the Draft EIS.
- Collections and Modifications to the Draft EIS. These corrections and modifications are based on input received through comments on the Draft EIS.
- Comments and Responses to Comments. This section includes written comments on the Draft EIS, a transcript of the Public Hearing on the Draft EIS, and minutes of a field trip to the Project site conducted with representatives of the Yakama Indian Nation. Responses to comments are also included.
Key environmental issues identified in this EIS include: erosion and sedimentation during Project construction; disturbance of certain high-quality native plant communities and priority habitats; impacts to western gray squirrels and potential disturbance during nesting; incidental collision of birds, including special-status bird species, with Project facilities; disturbance of archaeological sites potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historical Places; impacts to the eligible traditional cultural property of Juniper Point; aesthetic impacts; potential exceedances of nighttime noise standards at some residential locations; potential schedule conflicts with repairs planned for Hoctor Road; and the potential for obstruction of certain line-of-sight microwave transmission signals across certain turbine strings. The EIS concludes that these impacts can largely be avoided, minimized, and/or otherwise mitigated. However, some impacts to high-quality Douglas' Buckwheat/Sandberg's bluegrass plant communities, some incidental avian mortality, changes to aesthetics, and impacts to the traditional cultural property of Juniper Point would be unavoidable.
Beneficial impacts from the Proposed Action would include the demonstration of a utility-scale wind energy facility in the Pacific Northwest region, and potential off-setting fossil-fuel power generation with a renewable generation resource that does not emit greenhouse gases or other air pollutants during operation. In addition, the Proposed Action would provide construction and operations jobs in the, local community.
The Final EIS will be used prior to the decision making process to determine if the Proposed Action should be given the permits and approvals required for 90nstruction and operation of the proposed Project.