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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.01 Impact AnalysisImpact Analysis ■ HUNTER RIDGE ENERGY SERVICES LLC G. Impact Analysis. Where the proposed Development will impact specific features of the site, the Applicant shall describe both the existing conditions and the potential changes created by the project. The Impact Analysis shall include a complete description of how the Applicant will ensure that impacts will be mitigated and standards will be satisfied. The following information shall be included in the Impact Analysis: 1. Adjacent Property. An address list of real property adjacent to the subject property, and the mailing address for each of the property owners. A List of adjacent property owners is included in the "Land/Legal" Tab. 2. Adjacent Land Use. Existing use of adjacent property and neighboring properties within 1,500 -foot radius. The adjacent uses within a 1500' radius of the site primarily consist of natural gas extraction. There are no private residences within a 1,500' radius from the project site. The proposed use is consistent with the surrounding land uses. The surrounding land uses will not be adversely impacted by construction and operation of the 003 Story Booster on the subject property due to the facility's remote location and the existing surrounding uses being similar to the proposed 003 Story Booster. 3. Site Features. A description of site features such as streams, areas subject to flooding, lakes, high ground water areas, topography, vegetative cover, climatology, and other features that may aid in the evaluation of the proposed Development. Hunter Ridge Energy Services LLC (HRES) has an existing facility, the Story Booster Compressor Station, located in Section 3, Township 5 South, and Range 96 West, of the Sixth Principal Meridian (see vicinity map). This facility is situated between two seasonal drainages and at an elevation of 8,240 feet above sea level, and located north of West Fork Parachute Creek, approximately eighteen miles northwest of Parachute, Colorado in Garfield County. U.S. Geological Survey mapping indicates that no potential WoUS cross the project area and no drainages exhibiting an ordinary high water mark were observed. WWE biologists determined that no jurisdictional wetlands or drainages are affected by the project. 4. Soil Characteristics. A description of soil characteristics of the site that have a significant influence on the proposed use of the land. According to information prepared by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey, soils in the location of this site have been mapped as the Rhone loam (61), Parachute loam (52), and Parachute -Rhone loam (53), (Fig. S-1). A copy of a NCRS Custom Soil Resource Report for the project site has been provided. The majority (56.4%) of the facility lies within the Rhone loam (61), with 36.3% being the Parachute -Rhone loam (52) and 7.2% being the Parachute -Rhone loam (53) The Rhone loam soils are developed on 30 to 70 percent slopes consisting of well drained soils on mountainsides and ridges at elevations ranging from 7,600 to 8,600 feet. The restrictive bedrock layer is approximately 40 to 60 inches in depth. The parent material for this soil is Marl and/or residuum weathered from sandstone. The Parachute - Rhone loam soils are developed on 26 to 65 percent slopes, and consist of welldrained soils on mountain sides, ranging in elevations from 7,500 to 8,700 feet. The parent material for this soil is residuum weathered from sandstone. The Parachute -Rhone loam soils set at elevations ranging from 7,600 to 8,600 feet and found on mountainsides and ridges. Depth to restrictive paralithic bedrock is approximately 40 to 60 inches. The parent material of this soil is Marl and/or residuum weathered from sandstone. 5. Geology and Hazard. A description of the geologic characteristics of the area including any potential natural or manmade hazards, and a determination of what effect such factors would have on the proposed use of the land. Structural Geology The location for this facility is underlain by the main body of the Eocene Uinta Formation. The Uinta Formation (Eocene) formed mainly from the clastic sediments of a generally southward prograding deltaic complex that ultimately filled the Eocene lake in which sediments of the Green River Formation were deposited. Much of the Uinta consists of southward -thinning wedges composed chiefly of sandstone, and sandstone that interfingers with northward -thinning tongues of marlstone of the Green River Formation. The Uinta Formation, including its tongues, is mostly brown weathering sandstone, but also includes marlstone, mudstone, shale, oil shale, minor limestone, and thin tuff beds The sandstone beds, highly variable in lithology, range from very fine to very coarse grained, and are locally conglomeratic sandstone beds that are generally massive or poorly bedded. Main body of Uinta Formation - The uppermost part of the Uinta in the map area includes fairly abundant marlstone beds similar in lithology to the underlying tongues of the Green River Formation. However, most, if not all of these marlstone beds, are lenticular and are not regarded as tongues of the Green River Formation. The basal contact of the main body of the Uinta is placed at the top of the stratigraphically highest mapped tongue of the Green River Formation or at the top of the Parachute Creek Member where tongues of the Green River Formation are absent. Surficial Geology This part of the Uinta Formation consists of siltstone, marlstone and sandstone with some minor oil shale, limestone and conglomeratic sandstone. The majority of the plateau top in the central Roan Plateau area is underlain by this part of the Uinta Formation (Fig. G- 1). The cliffs at the edges of the plateau to the west, southwest of the location are comprised of the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation and consist of oil shale, sandstone and mudstone. The rocks of the Uintah Formation are the parent material for the soils that occur at this location. No geologic hazards have been mapped by Garfield County in this area, and no faults or other hazards are evident on the Geologic Map of Colorado. 6. Groundwater and Aquifer Recharge Areas. Evaluation of the relationship of the subject parcel to Floodplains, the nature of soils and subsoils and their ability to adequately support waste disposal, the Slope of the land, the effect of sewage effluents, and the pollution of surface runoff, stream flow, and groundwater. Because this is an existing site and there will be no new disturbance, no impacts to groundwater and aquifer recharge areas will occur. 7. Environmental Impacts. Determination of the existing environmental conditions on the parcel to be developed and the effects of development on those conditions, including: a) Determination of the long-term and short-term effect on flora and fauna; FLORA The Story Booster (003) is a previously developed site, and no additional vegetation will be cleared as a part of this project. No TESS plants would be affected. Implementation of Encana's integrated vegetation management plan for projects on the NPR (WWE 2009) would reduce the effects of disturbance to the project site. FAUNA Greater Sage -grouse Because the Story Booster (003) is a previously developed site, no additional disturbance to sagebrush habitat within the NDIS mapped sage -grouse production area would be removed by development of the project. An increase in vehicle traffic could result in mortality due to collisions (road -kill). Certain features of the Story Booster (003) could provide hunting perches for raptors that could contribute to an increase in sage - grouse mortality. b) Determination of the effect on significant archaeological, cultural, paleontological, and historic resources; The file search was conducted on Decmeber 19, 2012, by reviewing the Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservations COMPASS database. Six previous Class 111 cultural resource inventories have taken place in Section 3, T5S, R96W (Table 1); no paleontological, prehistoric or historic cultural resources have been recorded as a result of these projects. Therefore, based on the results of this Class 1 inventory, Flattops Archaeological Consultants recommends a finding of no historic properties affected. c) Determination of the effect on designated environmental resources, including critical Wildlife Habitat; WestWater Engineering (WWE) biologists conducted field surveys and assessments of wildlife, wildlife habitats, and sensitive plant species at the Story Booster site. A copy of the wildlife impact report is included with this application for staff review. d) Impacts on Wildlife and domestic animals through creation of hazardous attractions, alteration of existing native vegetation, blockade of migration routes, use patterns, or other disruptions; There will be no reduction of vegetative habitat or blockage of migration routes due to there being no new disturbance. e) Evaluation of any potential radiation hazard that may have been identified by the State or County Health Departments; and • No potential radiaion hazards have been identified by the State or County Health Departments. t) Spill prevention control and counter measures plan, if applicable. g) All hydrocarbon based liquid storage will be in accordance with the SPCC plan. Containment will be designed to accommodate 110% of the largest storage volume, including but not limited to earthen berms, impervious liners and steel containment. 8. Nuisance. Impacts on adjacent land from generation of vapor, dust, smoke, noise, glare or vibration, or other emanations. Adjacent lands will not be impacted by the generation of vapor, dust, smoke, noise, glare or vibration. HRES will apply the appropriate level of controls to accommodate potential impacts via adherence to CDPHE regulations and the implementation of industry BMPs included in the SWMP and dust control plan. This proposed use will comply with Colorado Revised State Statute regarding noise at all times. 9. Reclamation Plan - A reclamation plan consistent with the standards in Section 7- 212. A Reclamation plan, prepared by Westwater, is included in the "Reclamation Tab."