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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.08 Impact Analysis5 Impact Analysis (Refel'ence ULUR Article IV, § 4-502 E) ) Operations at the proposed Industrial Use Laydown Yard are expected to continue at this location up to the time that the SKR-698-10-BV well pad is scheduled for drilling. This is estimated to be within the next three to four years. The existing 10BV well pad occupies 3.8 acres and no additional construction, road improvements, or other offsite disturbance would be required to convert this well pad to a Laydown Yard. ) 5.1 Adjacent Property, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 1. The appropriate Garfield County Assessor maps and listing of property and severed and mineral rights owners within 200 feet of the subject parcel, including mailing addresses, are provided as an attachment to this application (See Assessor Map/Adjacent Land Owner section). The property immediately adjacent and to the east of the proposed Laydown Yard site is owned by Shell Frontier Oil and Gas and is also zoned Resource Lands. Shell Frontier Oil & Gas c/o Shell Oil Company PO Box 4854 Houston, TX 77010 Other property and severed mineral owners within 200 feet of the subject parcel include the following (see Adjacent Property and Severed Mineral Owner List included in the Assessor Map/Adjacent Owner section of this application for more detail): Bureau of Land Management (Five isolated tracts in T5S, R98W and T6S, R98W) 50629 Highway 6 & 24 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Lucas L. Renninger 269 Main Street Meeker, CO 81641 5.2 Adjacent Land Use, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 2. The Clear Creek drainage is zoned Resource Lands and has historically been used for cattle grazing, mining and natural gas extraction as it is today. The proposed Laydown Yard would be situated on the existing SKR-698-10-BV well pad located in Tract 72 of a 4311.69 acre parcel (No. 2137-321-00-008). This parcel is one of 30 contiguous parcels that represent a total area of approximately 56,000 acres owned and operated by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. The Shell property adjacent to the proposed Laydown Yard site is vacant and is not currently in use. There are no adjacent residences, facilities or operations that would affect, or be affected by, the operation of the proposed Laydown Yard. Future use of the adjacent land would likely be open range grazing and/or natural gas production. The proposed Laydown Yard is not expected to affect the future use of this land. The nearest residence is one owned and leased by Chevron that is approximately 14 miles north of the subject property. The operation of the proposed Laydown Yard would have no impact on the livelihood of the current occupant; a local grazing lessee that maintains the irrigated fields and grazes cattle in the area. A small ridge lies between the proposed location and this residence thereby screening the site from the occupant's view. The nearest public facility (Cowboy Chapel) and ranching community is in the Roan Creek Valley about four miles southsouthwest of the proposed site. Distance and steep mountain terrain screens the subject site from public view and minimizes the potential for visual or other impacts to those locations. The operation of the proposed Laydown Yard is not expected to adversely affect adjacent landowners, nearby communities, or otherwise constitute a nuisance or hazard to the public. 5.3 Site Features, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 3. Significant natural features of the proposed site are described in the Land Suitability Analysis. As discussed in that analysis, the existing SKR-698-10-BV well pad proposed in this application for conversion to a Laydown Yard has been designed to minimize any potential impact to Deer Park Gulch or Clear Creek. Man-made features in the vicinity include an abandoned farm house on the Shell property just east of the proposed site. The structure is likely an old homestead and is not suitable for occupancy. A small two-track road extends from the existing 10BV well pad access and continues into the adjacent Shell property. An existing overhead power line lies about 250 feet to the south of the proposed site. County Road 211 lies to the west and immediately adjacent to the subject location, and the Deer Park Gulch road is about 300 feet south of the existing pad site. A locked gate secures the Deer Park Gulch area from public access. Chevron currently has four operating natural gas wells in Deer Park Gulch and traffic on this road is currently limited to Chevron employees and contractors. The proposed Laydown Yard is not expected to impact, or be impacted by the natural or manmade features in the vicinity. 5.4 Soil Characteristics, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 4. The soil characteristics at the proposed location, as described in the Land Suitability Analysis, contribute to adequate drainage, but this soil type can be susceptible to erosion if not properly mitigated as it is generally porous. The soils in the area can be comprised of 35-80 percent rock fragments and up to 10 percent flags and stones. The existing SKR-698-10BV well pad has been compacted to 95 percent and surfaced with gravel to ensure long-term site stability. The use of erosion control measures and vegetative stabilization on cut and fill slopes, armored drains, diversions, and other available energy dissipating Stormwater BMPs have been employed on and around the site to protect those areas most susceptible to erosion. As indicated in the Land Suitability Analysis and the proposed reclamation plan below, the topsoil removed from the site during construction has been segregated, stabilized and will be utilized for interim reclamation to ensure the continued viability of the topsoil during the life of the proposed facility. No hazardous waste, chemicals, or other liquid or gas product is proposed for storage at this location, therefore no potential impact to soils from contamination is expected. 5.5 Geology and Hazard, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 5. No major geologic hazard potential was identified for the proposed site (See the attached Geotechnical Investigation Well Pad DPG-1c provided in the Soils/GeoTechlDust Section of this application for more detail). Although the existing 10BV well pad is located on an alluvial fan deposit, landslide movements in the vicinity have reached an acceptable factor or safety against future movement. The existing well pad location is situated at the mouth of Deer Park Gulch where it broadens to gently-sloping bottomlands. Additionally, the small ridge north of the existing well pad has only minor Stormwater surface area, so the site is relatively stable with respect to land mass movement potential. Given that the proposed location is about 1,000 feet or more from the surrounding steep slopes and the source of a potential rock-fall; it is not likely that the site would be impacted by rock-fall entering the site. No earthmoving activities are required for this proposal and therefore no activities at this site would be expected to increase the potential to activate large scale landslide or any other geologic event. 5.6 Effect on Existing Water Supply and Adequacy of Supply, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 6. No temporary or permanent water supply currently exists at the subject site. There are no provisions for temporary or permanent occupied structures proposed for this location, therefore no temporary or permanent source water supply is required or proposed at the site. 5.7 Effect on Groundwater and Aquifer Recharge Areas, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 7. The existing 1 OBV well pad is elevated about 20 feet above the Deer Park Gulch stream channel and is located outside of the floodplain boundary, thus there is little potential for materials stored on the pad surface to be carried offsite by flood waters. No impact to the existing pad, downstream properties, or other surface water is expected in the event of a flood. No temporary or permanent occupancy is proposed for this location and therefore no waste water disposal system is required. As discussed in the attached Geotechnical Investigation Well Pad DPG-1c, exploratory test borings performed during the geotechnical investigations for the existing 10BV well pad encountered groundwater at a depth of 31 to 37 feet and since no excavation, except that necessary for power pole installation, is proposed for this location, no impact to groundwater is anticipated. (Note: the proposed power pole would be set on the existing well pad disturbance by Grand Valley Power using a truck-mounted auger and is not expected to encounter groundwatel') No industrial or hazardous wastes, chemicals, or other harmful liquid products are proposed for storage at this location, therefore there is little potential for contaminates to infiltrate soils or to be carried offsite by stormwater or other natural forces. The existing pad has been compacted to 95 percent and is surfaced with approximately six-inches of compacted gravel further limiting the potential for contaminants to infiltrate soils and subsoils. The Laydown Yard as proposed is not expected to impact groundwater or aquifer recharge areas. 5.8 Environmental Effects, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 8. a-e. The existing environmental conditions are described in the Land Suitability Analysis and the various reports attached to this application. Each of the factors that are required to be considered in this Impact Analysis is discussed below. a. Determination of the long term and short term effect on flora and fauna: The vegetation community at the proposed Laydown Yard site is predominantly sagebrush transitioning to non-irrigated pasture land to the east, and to irrigated pasture lands and the Clear Creek valley bottom to the west. There are no riparian vegetation communities located on the subject site. The riparian areas in the general vicinity can be found to the south in the Deer Park Gulch drainage and to the west along the Clear Creek corridor. No vegetation removal is required for this proposal. The existing disturbance is monitored and treated for noxious weeds and the soil piles and cut and fill slopes have been seeded to establish desirable native vegetation and to provide slope stabilization. The application of herbicides and native seed mixes, namely fast-growing grasses, are currently being used at the subject site to control noxious weeds while allowing for the establishment of native vegetation. Effective stormwater management controls are in place and the pad surface, driveway, and adjacent roads are watered to control fugitive dust so as to limit the spread of undesirable vegetation via water and wind. Chevron continues to survey the Clear Creek drainage to locate and monitor wildlife and bird species known to inhabit the Clear Creek valley and its tributary drainages. These surveys are concentrated on known and potential drilling and/or construction sites and around operating facilities. Great care is taken to locate, monitor, and to protect raptor nest sites by postponing construction and/or closely monitoring nest sites during activities in the vicinity of those sites. Activities associated with Chevron's natural gas development in Clear Creek have the potential to impact raptor and other Birds of Conservation Concern (BOCC) populations. In order to reduce the potential for impacts, construction and drilling are scheduled so that they do not interfere with breeding, nesting, and brood-rearing activities. Encroachment buffer zones are observed, and every effort is made to maintain the integrity of forested areas with an emphasis on protecting those areas where nesting is known to occur. Removal of trees is discouraged and removal of trees containing raptor nests is prohibited. If work is planned during the nesting season, areas of known and potential nest sites are inventoried by qualified biologists and timing limitation restrictions are considered and applied to all active and potential alternate nest sites. The impacts to flora and fauna and recommendations for mitigating those impacts are described in detail in the Clear Creek 2008 Biological SUlVey and the Chevron -Buck, Doe, Deer Park, and Scott Gulches Integrated Vegetation and Noxious Weed Management Plan, Garfield County, Colorado provided in this application. As discussed in the Land Suitability Analysis, Chevron takes care to protect and maintain the biological diversity and health of Clear Creek and its tributaries by implementing mitigation measures prescribed by experts and by closely monitoring the environmental conditions throughout the Clear Creek valley. b. Determination of the effect on significant archaeological. cultural. paleontological. historic resources: As indicated in the attached Class 11/Cultural Resource Inventol'j Report for the Chevron Site Development Project in Garfield County, Colorado, for Chevron North America Exploration and Production, one Historic Clear Creek Road (5GF4224.1) and one isolated find (5GF4223) have been identified adjacent to the project site. Both of these sites have been evaluated as officially not eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Since these sites have been previously recorded and officially evaluated as lacking integrity and not of National Register quality, a determination of "no effect" has been deemed appropriate for the proposed Laydown Yard site. The nearby historic ranch complex (5GF4208) will be preserved for future evaluation as recommended. c. Determination of the effect on deSignated environmental resources. including critical wildlife habitat: As discussed in the Land Suitability Analysis, the proposed project site is approximately 147 feet from potential riparian areas along Deer Park Gulch and about 1,500 feet from the riparian corridor of Clear Creek. No wetlands or critical environmental resources are located on or immediately adjacent to the proposed site. For more information see the attached Clear Creek 2008 Biological Study. The US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) is frequently consulted to identify drainages, wetlands, springs, seeps, and riparian habitat that may fall under their jurisdiction so as to protect the integrity of the Clear Creek drainage and its associated riparian ecosystems. Chevron practices avoidance as the primary mitigation for the protection of critical environmental resources. Where activities near these areas cannot be avoided, Best Management Practices (BMPs), including adequate barriers and filtration methods, are used to prevent soil erosion and sedimentation of streams and riparian areas. Precautions are taken when crossing or intersecting waterways, and pipeline crossings are frequently bored rather than plowed through. Due to the sensitive nature of wetlands, springs, and seeps, and their importance to wildlife and water quality, care is taken to avoid disturbance in these areas. Site surveys are conducted to locate and identify any areas of concern during the land selection process for a potential facility or drilling location and prior to commencing construction. No disturbance to nearby jurisdictional waters is proposed in this application and no impact to surface water or riparian habitat is expected to occur as a result of the operation of the proposed Laydown Yard. The area including the proposed site provides grazing and potential habitat to a variety of wildlife species, particularly mule deer and American elk in the winter months. The proposed site and the adjacent properties are within elk and mule deer overall and winter range and just outside the severe winter range for both (Elk severe winter range is just north and mule deer severe winter range is south of the project location). The subject site is not within any identified wildlife migration corridors. Fragmentation of wildlife habitat is a concern as vegetative communities that support wildlife are removed to accommodate development. Chevron seeks to limit disturbance by leaving adequate green space intact, increasing the number of wells per pad, reducing drill pad size, consolidating facilities, and constructing new infrastructure along existing roads and pipeline corridors to reduce the potential for habitat fragmentation. In the case of this proposal, Chevron is seeking to utilize an existing disturbance to conduct material and equipment storage and staging activities rather than create new disturbance for this purpose. In doing so, no additional loss of wildlife habitat would be realized from the operation of the proposed facility, and future reclamation of the site would improve the area's wildlife grazing potential by introducing native shrub or agricultural grassland vegetation and eliminating the existing noxious weeds. There is sufficient space surrounding the proposed site to provide unrestricted wildlife and livestock passage through the area. Chevron policy prohibits feeding of wild animals and keeping food items in the back of pickup trucks, other open vehicles, or outside facilities. All food items attributable to workers are eliminated from access by wildlife to prevent conflict or incident. No animals or pets would be housed at this facility. No temporary, permanent or occupied structures are proposed for the subject site and the need to have workers onsite would be sporadic and only as required to manage occasional distribution of materials and equipment. Therefore the potential for the introduction of hazardous attractions for wildlife and domestic animals such as food items, water, heat, etc. would be minimal. Any trash at the proposed site would likely be from the packing and unpacking of construction materials (i.e. wooden pallets, banding, cardboard, etc.) and little, if any, food items are expected. However, if there were potential for trash containing food items that might attract animals, especially bears, these would be disposed of in bear-proof trash containers. Chevron employees and contractors are instructed to avoid contact with wild and domestic animals and have been trained to respond appropriately to any unintentional animal interactions. Chevron also employs an on site land manager who monitors the ranching operations to ensure that adequate pasture land is maintained throughout the valley for grazing. Chevron strictly enforces the posted speed limits on County Roads 204 and 211 and private access roads to minimize the potential for accident and wildlife/vehicle collisions. The potential impacts to wildlife from this facility and the measures that can be taken to mitigate those impacts are described in detail in the attached Chevron Clear Creek 2008 Biological Survey. The mitigation measures prescribed by this plan are implemented throughout the Chevron development. d. Evaluation of any potential radiation hazard that may have been identified by the State or County Health Departments: There are no potential radiation hazards associated with this facility. e. Spill Prevention Control and Counter Measures plan, if applicable: No hazardous wastes, chemical, or other harmful solids, liquids or gases requiring secondary containment or other spill prevention measures would be stored onsite. 5.9 Traffic, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 9. Traffic on County Road 211 consists of primarily Chevron employees and contractors, and there is very little public travel on this road. Chevron maintains the private portion of the Clear Creek Road, and in cooperation with the Garfield County Road and Bridge Department, assists with the maintenance of the County portion of this road as well. Frequent watering and the application of Magnesium Chloride on both the public and private portions of the road keeps fugitive dust at a minimum. The Chevron natural gas development has resulted in an overall increase in traffic along County Roads 204 and 211 from previous levels, however, the operation of the proposed Laydown Yard is not expected to add to traffic counts in the area as most equipment and workers are already onsite. The proposed Laydown Yard is expected to decrease the number and frequency of delivery trucks traveling to and from the field. The existing roadway on County Road 211 can accommodate traffic volumes generated by the Chevron natural gas development with little or no impact to the existing level of service. Discussions with the Garfield County Road & Bridge Department confirmed that Chevron's current maintenance operations were adequate for the proposed road usage on County Road 211. The proposed Laydown Yard would have little overall traffic impacts beyond the initial movement of material and equipment to the site from other locations. Four to five heavy haul trucks would likely be used to transport materials and equipment to the site from other locations (i.e. warehouse, rental yard, other construction sites). Much of the traffic increase would occur on the private portion of the road as materials and equipment within the Chevron field are moved from other onsite locations. The increased truck traffic would be expected to take place in the first week of facility operation, after which a general decrease in traffic is expected as the need to truck materials would be limited to occasional deliveries of additional materials and supplies. A Basic Traffic Analysis is provided in the Traffic Analysis Section of this application. 5.10 Nuisance, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 10. Distance and area topography would isolate the proposed Laydown Yard from the nearest residence and all other landowners located in the neighboring Roan Creek drainage. The remote location and mountainous terrain visually separates the proposed site from residences in the vicinity of Roan and Clear Creeks. No permanent structures are proposed for the subject site and the existing pad is elevated above the existing County Road 211 making the surface less visible so as to be unobtrusive. Noise: Noise sources at the proposed Laydown Yard would include general truck traffic and material handling. Material handling and truck traffic may generate short-term loud noises, but these would be well within the allowable limits specified by statute [up to 10db(A) above the allowable light industrial limits for up to 15 minutes of anyone hour period]. The proposed Laydown Yard area is remote with no significant receptors in the vicinity of the location. The adjacent property is vacant and/or owned and operated by Chevron and typically only Chevron employees and contractors working within the proximity of the site would be exposed to any noise. The nearest resident is a Chevron lessee occupying the ranch house adjacent to Hiner Gate. The subject site is separated from this residence by a small ridge that would buffer and screen the noise coming from the proposed Laydown Yard. The steep terrain and distance would buffer and screen noise from other public receptors, therefore no public nuisance or hazard would be created by the operation of the proposed Laydown Yard. No noise study has been conducted for this proposal due to the distance to public receptors and the limited impact anticipated. Vibration: The only potential source of vibration at the site would be truck traffic. Truck traffic vibration is transient in nature and would not be transmitted beyond the facility boundary. Vibration associated operation of the proposed Laydown Yard is not expected to represent a nuisance to adjacent property owners or the general public. Smoke and Particulate Matter: No operating equipment with potential to emit smoke or particulate matter would be located on the proposed Laydown Yard. Occasional vehicle exhaust emissions are anticipated, but these emissions would be intermittent and transient and are not expected to create a nuisance or hazard to the general public or workers onsite. The area would be sprayed with water as necessary to control fugitive dust. Heat. Glare. Radiation and Fumes: None of the operations or materials and equipment stored at the proposed Laydown Yard would be expected to generate the emission of heat, glare, radiation, fumes, or odor. 5.11 Reclamation Plan, ULUR Article IV, §4-502 E. 11. No offsite surface disturbing activities are proposed in this application. The proposed Laydown Yard would utilize the existing footprint of the SKR-698-10-BV ("10BV") well pad, which is already constructed but has not been drilled. Chevron's drilling program is expected to resume in the next two years and it is likely that this well pad will be drilled within three to four years. Interim reclamation of the existing 1 OBV well pad would occur after future drilling and installation of the operations equipment necessary to produce the wells. Interim reclamation of this site might include re-contouring to reduce the pad footprint to only that necessary to operate the wells; the replacement of topsoil in those areas not needed for operations; and the stabilization and seeding of cut and fill slopes and other reclaimed areas. Final reclamation of this site would occur at the end of the productive life of the producing wells. If for some reason this well pad is not drilled within the next three to four years, Chevron would continue to operate the facility as a Laydown Yard until it was no longer needed for that purpose. When this location is no longer required to support Chevron's natural gas operations, the pad would undergo final reclamation within 6 months of the decommissioning. The final reclamation process would include the removal of all equipment, gravel and other surfacing materials, and piping as the case may be. The area would then be ripped to de-compact the soil and graded as near as possible to original contours or to contours favorable to the desired future land use (i.e. agricultural) as determined by Chevron's ranch manager. The preserved topsoil would then be replaced, and the area would be planted with either native or other preferred vegetation using an appropriate method (i.e., harrowing, hydro-seeding, broadcast seeding) to ensure effective vegetative re-growth appropriate to the desired future land use. Final site rehabilitation would return the location to as close to pre-disturbance conditions as possible and Stormwater BMPs would be left in place until such time as the site was deemed stabilized and the desired vegetative cover was restored to the satisfaction of the land owner.