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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT____________________________________________________________________________________ 1
1. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE_______________________________________________________________ 2
1.1 Purpose of the Strategy_______________________________________________________________________ 2
1.2 Background______________________________________________________________________________ 3
1.3 Solar Regional Mitigation Strategy Process___________________________________________________________ 4
1.4 Stakeholder Involvement in the Solar Regional Mitigation Strategy Process________________________________________ 5
2. MITIGATION STRATEGY – DRY LAKE SOLAR ENERGY ZONE__________________________________________ 6
2.1 Description of the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone and Surrounding Region__________________________________________ 6
2.1.1 General Description of the Solar Energy Zone______________________________________________________ 6
2.1.2 Landscape Conditions of the Solar Energy Zone and the Region___________________________________________ 6
2.1.3 Regional Setting_______________________________________________________________________ 8
2.1.3.1 General Description________________________________________________________________ 8
2.1.3.2 Problematic Regional Trends___________________________________________________________ 8
2.2 General Description of Solar Development in the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone______________________________________ 18
2.2.1 Description of Existing Rights-of-Way and Impact on Developable Area_____________________________________ 18
2.2.2 Description of Potential Development_________________________________________________________ 18
2.3 Summary of Solar Development Impacts on the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone______________________________________ 19
2.4 Mitigation Strategy (Hierarchy) of the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone_____________________________________________ 20
2.4.1 Avoidance__________________________________________________________________________ 20
2.4.1.1 Dry Wash/Riparian Areas____________________________________________________________ 20
2.4.1.2 Existing Rights-of-Way, Mining Claims, etc._________________________________________________ 20
2.4.2 Minimization________________________________________________________________________ 21
2.4.2.1 Summary of Programmatic Design Features to be Applied________________________________________ 21
2.4.2.2 Other Required Impact Minimization Measures and/or Stipulations___________________________________ 21
2.4.3 Regional Mitigation____________________________________________________________________ 21
2.4.3.1 Identification of Unavoidable Impacts____________________________________________________ 22
2.4.3.2 Unavoidable Impacts that May Warrant Regional Mitigation_______________________________________ 23
2.4.3.2.1 Conceptual Models__________________________________________________________ 23
2.4.3.2.2 Unavoidable Impacts that May Warrant Regional Mitigation_________________________________ 23
2.5 Regional Mitigation Goals____________________________________________________________________ 24
2.5.1 Background on Regional Goals______________________________________________________________ 24
2.5.2 Las Vegas Resource Management Plan Goals and Objectives____________________________________________ 24
2.5.3 Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone Mitigation Goals and Objectives____________________________________________ 25
2.6 Calculating the Recommended Mitigation Fee for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone___________________________________ 26
2.7 Management of Solar Regional Mitigation Fees________________________________________________________ 28
2.8 Evaluation of Mitigation Locations, Objectives, and Actions_________________________________________________ 29
2.9 Mitigation Effectiveness Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan__________________________________________ 35
2.10 Implementation Strategy_____________________________________________________________________ 43
REFERENCES_________________________________________________________________________________ 45
APPENDIX A: Impact Assessment Summary Table___________________________________________________________ 46
APPENDIX B: Regional and Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone Conceptual Models____________________________________________ 51
APPENDIX C: Summary Table: Impacts that May Warrant Regional Mitigation for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone_____________________ 54
APPENDIX D: BLM Screening of Candidate Regional Mitigation Sites for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone__________________________ 57
APPENDIX E: Mitigation of Visual Resource Impacts in the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone_____________________________________ 63
REGIONAL MITIGATION STRATEGY FOR THE DRY LAKE SOLAR ENERGY ZONE • TECHNICAL NOTE 444 • iii