Bureau of Land Management's Decision Record and Environmental

Jersey Valley Geothermal Development Project
Environmental Assessment: NV063 -EAO8-09 1
3.7.2 Environmental Consequences
3.7.2.1 Proposed Action
The potential for erosion within the Jersey Valley Unit Area is slight to moderate. The potential
for erosion within the the transmission line corridor is moderate to high.
Surface disturbance and vegetation removal during construction of proposed project facilities
within the Jersey Valley Unit Area and transmission line corridor would increase the potential
for erosion through exposure of denuded surfaces. Based on implementation of environmental
protection measures specified by Ormat, water would be applied to the ground during
construction as necessary to control dust (see Section 2.1.11). Each of the well pads, access roads
and the power plant site would be surfaced with aggregate which would minimize dust and
stabilize erosive soils. Additionally, disturbed areas would be reclaimed in accordance with
applicable BLM requirements (see Section 2.1.10).
An NDEP-BAPC Surface Area Disturbance Permit, documenting the areas of proposed
disturbance and the best practical dust control methods to be use, will be required for activities
conducted within the Jersey Valley Unit Area and transmission line corridor because the surface
disturbed within each area would be greater than 5 acres (see Section 3.2). Implementation of the
applicable best practical dust control methods, through compliance with the Surface Area
Disturbance Permit, would minimize fugitive dust emissions and soil erosion from wind and
water during construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed Project.
3.7.2.2 Alternative 1
The construction, operation and maintenance of Alternative 1 would differ from the Proposed
Action only by the small increase (0.25 acre) in the total permanent surface disturbance. The
impacts of Alternative 1 to soils would not be different from that of the Proposed Action.
3.8 VEGETATION
3.8.1 Affected Environment
Differences in the kind of vegetation are closely related to the kind of soil. Soils within the
Jersey Valley Unit Area and the transmission line corridor were mapped by the USDA, Natural
Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in the Lander County, North Part, soil survey and the
Pershing County, East Part, soils survey (see Section 3.7.1). Vegetation communities mapped
within the Jersey Valley Unit can be found in Figure 16 and Figure 17).
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