J. Herbert Stone Nursery Solar Array Environmental Assessment

December 15 2016

Lead Agency United States Forest Service J. Herbert Stone Nursery Responsible Official John Justin J. Herbert Stone Nursery Manager 2606 Old Stage Road Central Point, Oregon 97502 For Further Information, Contact: Sitka Pence Environmental Coordinator

sitkapence@fs.fed.us 541-426-5689

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Summary

What action is proposed?

The Proposed Action is to construct a solar array at J. Herbert Stone Nursery that would cover approximately 1.3 acres at one of three possible sites analyzed within this Environmental Assessment. The array will produce approximately 500 kilowatts of power.

Why? Executive Order 13693- Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, requires that Federal entities reduce their energy intensity and increase their amount of renewable energy used. The Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region has received an Assisting Federal Faculties with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to construct infrastructure that will derive a total of 0.76 mega-watts of energy from solar energy. The proposed 500 kilowatt solar array would generate two-thirds of the power required by the DOE for the grant. If constructed the solar array would assist in the Forest Service’s compliance with Executive Order 13693 and continue the Forest Service’s ongoing efforts towards sustainable operations. The construction of this array would allow J. Herbert Stone Nursery to decrease both its carbon footprint and its operational costs. This proposed system is estimated to produce 76 percent of the electricity used by the nursery, saving an estimated 783,380 pounds of carbon dioxide, 827 pounds of sulphur dioxide, and 1,147 pounds of nitrogen oxides each year for the next 20 years.

What would it mean to not meet the need?

If the solar array is not built at J. Herbert Stone Nursery the requirements of the DOE AFFECT grant will not be satisfied, which will result in the DOE pulling the funds for the project at this site. The Forest Service would not be able to reduce their carbon footprint and would result in less sustainable operations and increase operational costs.

What factors will be used when making the decision between alternatives?

- Visibility of the array from Old Stage Road and view point - The extent to which it can reduce carbon footprint, reduce

operations costs, and contribute to sustainable operations - Construction complexities (tunneling under road surfaces,

avoidance of utilities, etc.) What monitoring is required?

If site three is selected Archeological monitors will be required to be on site during the excavation phase of the project implementation to assure that cultural resources are not affected.

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Introduction The Forest Service has prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant federal and State laws and regulations. This EA discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and alternatives, including the No Action alternative. It also provides the supporting information for a determination to prepare a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Background J. Herbert Stone Nursery is operated by the USDA Forest Service and produces plant materials for reforestation and restoration activities by federal, state, and local government agencies in the Pacific Northwest. J. Herbert Stone Nursery (JHSN) is located on 310 acres of agricultural land between Hanley Road and Old Stage Road in Central Point, Oregon. The nursery has 220 acres of plant production fields, five greenhouses, two shade houses, and a seven-acre reservoir that provides irrigation water. Additionally, there is a large administrative site with numerous buildings and warehouses, including a 20,400 square-foot cold storage facility. In the past few years JHSN has expanded production, in terms of the volume and the variety of plants grown. Nursery administrative, cold storage, and greenhouse operations consume large amounts of electricity. Over 62 percent of this electricity is produced from fossil fuels sources, such as coal and natural gas. The Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region has received an Assisting Federal Faculties with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to construct infrastructure that will derive a total of 0.76 mega-watts of energy from solar energy. The proposed 500 kilowatt solar array at the nursery would generate two-thirds of the power required by the DOE for the grant. If constructed the solar array would assist in the Forest Service’s compliance with Executive Order 13693 and continue the Forest Service’s ongoing efforts towards sustainable operations. The construction of this array would allow J. Herbert Stone Nursery to decrease both its carbon footprint and its operational costs. This proposed system is estimated to produce 76 percent of the electricity used by the nursery, saving an estimated 783,380 pounds of carbon dioxide, 827 pounds of sulphur dioxide, and 1,147 pounds of nitrogen oxides each year for the next 20 years. This is the equivalent of reducing driving by 939,772 miles or planting 60 acres of trees for each year that the solar array is in use. The life expectancy of the array exceeds 20 years. Purpose and Need Executive Order (EO) 13693, Planning for Federal Facilities in the Next Decade, requires that federal entities reduce their energy intensity and increase their amount of renewable energy used. To address the EO, a grant application was submitted to the DOE by the USDA Forest Service to construct a total of 0.76 MW of power generating facilities on National Forest System lands or facilities within the Pacific Northwest Region. By erecting 500 kw at the JHSN, two-thirds of the Region’s requirements for the grant would

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be met. The construction of this array would allow JHSN to decrease both its carbon footprint and its operational costs. Proposed Action The proposed action is to construct a solar array that would consist of approximately 1.3 acres of ground-mounted solar panels at site 1 (Figures 1 and 3). The solar array will be ground mounted and will consist of approximately 1500 panels covering 31,400 square feet (1.3 acres). The array will produce approximately 500 kw of power. The project will not include any additional fencing (the entire site is already fenced). The rack system that supports the panels will be galvanized steel. The configuration of the array will consist of two rows of panels, installed in “portrait position”. Several electrical junction boxes will be necessary. They will be buried in the ground (approximately 18 inches deep) and the top of each box will be flush with the ground. They will be covered with traffic rated covers. Construction at this site would avoid all known utility lines, French drains and historic properties. The array would tie into an existing transformer and not remove any field space from production. Typically, solar array installations include the replacement of existing grass with landscape fabric and gravel, in order to lessen the amount of maintenance (weed eating) that is required under the panels. If gravel is installed, a certain color could be specified that blends in with the surroundings. Whether or not the gravel option is implemented will depend on cost and how it affects the payback of the project. The solar array would be constructed via an Energy Savings Performance Contract, wherein the cost of the construction is paid back over a set amount of time, with cost savings from the energy savings. Decision Framework Given the purpose and need, the J. Herbert Stone Nursery Manger will review the proposed action location alternatives and the no action alternative to make the following decision:

• Whether to implement the proposed action as described, select an alternative, or take no action.

Public Involvement This project has been listed on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) since August 2016. On July 11th 2016 a scoping letter was sent to approximately 70 individuals that live in the surrounding area to JHSN. Approximately 25 comments were received. These scoping comments generally did not favored the proposed location at site 1 (Figure 3), due to the solar array visibility from the

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Old Stage Road and the view point. Based on these scoping comments the Forest Service added alternatives 2 (site 2) and 3 (site 3). An open house was held at JHSN on August 20th 2016. Invites were sent to those who received the scoping letter, as well as any interested parties that had contacted employees at JHSN. Approximately 10 induvials attended. Comments were received similar to the visual concerns expressed during the scoping period. A legal notice starting the 30 day comment period on this draft environmental assessment has been placed to appear in the Medford Mail Tribune on November 1st 2016. Issue One key issue has been identified within the scope of the project decision: Visual Quality During public scoping, 23 comments were received that expressed concern that the solar array will be visible from the Old Stage Road and will diminish visual quality along the Old Stage Road Corridor. Commentors felt that the solar array would contrast with the naturally appearing landscape and diminish the scenic integrity of the view shed. Alternatives This section describes and compares the alternatives considered for the J. Herbert Stone Nursery Solar Array project. All alternatives are consistent with both the Rogue River Forest Plan (1990)1 and the Siskiyou Forest Plan (1989)2 for administrative site management. All applicable standards and guidelines for administrative sites have been incorporated in the design of all alternatives. Alternatives 2 and 3 have been developed to address public comments, received during the scoping period, regarding the array as viewed from Old Stage Road and the view point. Alternative 1 – Site 1 (Proposed Action) Site 1 is located below Old Stage and immediately southwest of the cold storage facility at the west side of the property (Figure 1). Construction at this site would avoid all known utility lines and French drains. The array would tie into an existing transformer and not remove any field space from production. Utilization of Site 1 will have no effect on historic properties. Alternative 2 – Site 2 Site 2 is located directly west of the reservoir (Figure 1). Construction of the solar array at site 2 would require avoidance of some utility lines, including city water. City water service is not expected to be interrupted. There are multiple French drains located through-out the field K (Figure 1) that would need to be avoided or repaired if impacted. Use of site 2 would remove approximately 2 acres from nursey production. Utilization of Site 2 will have no effect on historic properties.

1 Rogue River Forest Plan, 1990, Recreation, Visual, and Cultural, 4-2 and Facilities 4-26. 2 Siskiyou Forest Plan, 1989, Visual Resources- Administrative Sites IV-19.

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Alternative 3 – Site 3 Site 3 is located south of the reservoir (Figure 1). Construction of the solar array at site 3 would require a conduit for wiring to be drilled under a roadway. The conduit placement will need to avoid multiple underground utilities, including storm drains, water, natural gas, phone, power, and irrigation lines. If correctly avoided these services would not be interrupted. Construction costs to avoid and drill the conduit an estimated to be at least $10,000 more than costs for site 1 or site 2. These construction costs would decrease the trade off in energy saving, thus increasing the payback time period for the project. There are multiple French drains located through-out field D (Figure 1) that will need to be avoided or repaired if impacted. Use of site 3 would remove approximately 2 acres from nursey production. No historic properties are within the proposed location at site 3. Site 3 is in the vicinity of a known historic property (FS# RR-206/ 35 JA 85). Site 3 has been designed to fully avoid the known historic property. Archeological monitors will be required to be on site during the excavation phase of the project implementation, if site 3 is chosen, to assure that cultural resources are not affected. Alternative 4 - No Action Under the No Action Alternative, there would be no construction of a solar array. Existing facilities at JHSN would continue to operate (Figure 2). If the solar array is not built at J. Herbert Stone Nursery the requirements of the DOE AFFECT grant will not be satisfied, which will result in the DOE pulling the funds for the project at this site. Energy usage and cost would continue to increase as nursey production increases to meet demand. The No Action alternative would cause no impact to the known heritage site. Other Alternative Not Analyzed in Detail Roof or building mounted solar array. The buildings at JHSN were found to be incompatible with the construction needs for roof mounted, or building mounted solar panel arrays.

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Figure 1, Overview of J. Herbert Stone Nursery with possible solar array sites 1-3.

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Environmental Consequences This section provides a summary of the environmental impacts of each alternative. It focuses the effects relative to the key issue of visual impacts of the proposed action and alternatives. Due to the location and nature of J. Herbert Stone Nursey, a finding of No Effect to any listed Endangered Species Act listed fish, wildlife, or botanical species has been determined for all alternatives, as well as a No Impact finding for any Region 6 Sensitive listed fish, wildlife or botanical species for all alternatives. Therefore these resources are not discussed further. Visual Quality Affected Environment The view shed around the nursery is dominated by agricultural development (including the nursery) and residences (Figure 2). Background views include panoramic views of the Rogue River Valley; vistas of the cities of Medford, White City, and Central Point; and dramatic views of surrounding mountains, including the Table Rocks, the Cascades, and the Siskiyous (Old Stage Corridor Management Plan). Although human development is apparent in the view shed, there are also large groves of trees and other naturally appearing features. Along the Old Stage Road, residences are easily viewable on both sides of the road; however, some vegetative screening obscures a few residences from view. In addition, agricultural fields are easily viewable along the east side of the Old Stage Road near the nursery. Figure 2, current view from above old stage road, alternative 4- no action.

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Environmental Impacts to Visual Quality Regardless of location, the solar array will likely be visible from the Old Stage Road. However, none of the alternatives are expected to substantially alter the view shed from the Old Stage Road. The Old Stage Road is not a naturally appearing landscape and residences and other development are readily apparent to a casual observer. The solar array will only encompass about 1.3 acres of land within a view shed that is already dominated with residences and agricultural development. While the solar array will further detract from the view shed, the array is not large enough or high enough that it will dominate or substantially alter the view shed along Old Stage Road. In addition, travelers in vehicles along the Old Stage Road will only see the array for a short period of time. The most direct visual impacts from solar arrays occurs from the introduction of geometric patterns into the landscape. While introduction of a geometric pattern into most natural appearing landscapes creates a high degree of contrast the proposed project locations are within or adjacent existing furrowed nursery fields which already exhibit a rectilinear shape. In addition, much of the surrounding fields adjacent to the nursery are agricultural or former agricultural lands of large parcels. Therefore, the shape of the array is not expected to create a high degree of contrast. Similarly, as the arrays are to be arranged in parallel rows, the lines of the project should blend in with the surrounding furrowed fields. Solar arrays have a reduced glint and glare as compared to other forms of solar power; however, they still produce varying degrees of glint, glare and color shift relative to lighting conditions and viewer location. These will vary from a dark black, to shades of blue, to bright white. Under each of these conditions, considerable contrast with the surrounding landscape is apparent; however, less-so from ground level viewing positions. Inverted boxes located within an array tend to change color as well, contrasting with the apparent color and shade of the surrounding panels. Therefore, while the shape of the array itself may blend with the surrounding fields, the color of the array will likely create contrast that may draw attention from a casual observer. In 2000, Jackson County developed the Old Stage Road Corridor Management Plan to guide management along the Old Stage Road. The plan recognizes the importance of scenic resources along the Old Stage Road; particularly, agricultural views and views of Table Rocks and Mt. McLoughlin. However, it does not include any restrictions for scenic resources on development along the corridor or prohibit the construction of solar arrays and all alternatives are consistent with the plan. Impact to Visual Quality from Alternative 1 – Site 1 (Proposed Action) Under Alternative 1, the solar array would be located nearest to the majority of the existing nursery facilities (Figures 3 and 4). While this would normally be a good solution to minimizing impacts to the otherwise intact agricultural appearance of the open space portions of the nursery, locating the array near the entrance would result in the closest position to any of the possible viewing points. From this distance, all details of

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the solar installation would be noticeable and for the longest duration of any of the locations proposed.

Impacts to Visual Quality from Alternative 2 – Site 2 Under Alternative 2, the solar array would be located further away from Old Stage Road along the northern portion of the nursery (Figures 3 and 4). It is possible the facility would be visible from Old Stage Road. From the viewpoints of the homes above Old Stage Road, the solar array would visible and would appear to contrast with the surrounding agricultural landscape, with degrees varying dependent upon lighting conditions. The longest duration of view into location 2 would be from the two residences located directly north of the nursery boundary near the pond. From this location, the array could be seen from a foreground perspective, similar to the pull-off area in location 1. Under this alternative, the orientation of the proposed array would contrast with the orientation of the underlying existing and immediately adjacent furrows. Location 2 would also be near existing facilities, which could help mitigate contrast in an otherwise open space. Impacts to Visual Quality from Alternative 3 – Site 3 Under Alternative 3, the solar array would be located the furthest from Old Stage Road and would be aligned with existing and adjacent furrows, which could help with it blending into the surrounding nursery fields (Figures 3 and 4). It would be located closer to the eastern boundary entrance road and to residences on the other side of Hanley Road, although views from that location are likely screened by existing vegetation along the roadway. Location 3 would be nearest existing facilities, which could help mitigate contrast in an otherwise open space.

Impacts to Visual Quality from Alternative 4- No Action The No Action Alternative will maintain the existing visual conditions at JHSN (Figure 2).

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Figure 3, View from above Old Stage Road with visual depiction of alternative sites 1, 2, and 3.

Figure 4, View from above JHSN looking South West with visual depiction of alternative sites 1, 2, and 3.

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Consistency National Forest Management Act – All Alternatives comply with the Forest Plan. No Forest Plan amendment is would be required. The Forest Plan complies with all resource integration and management requirements of 36 CFR 219. Endangered Species Act – Biological evaluations were completed for threatened, endangered, proposed, and sensitive plant and animal species. No threatened and endangered plant or animal species would be affected by any of the action alternatives. National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 – Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires that all federal undertakings follow the regulations found at 36 CFR 800 to identify and protect cultural resources that are within the project areas and which may be effected by projects. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will follow the procedures in the Programmatic Agreement among the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Officer regarding management of the project area.

Executive Order 12898 – Environmental Justice – Implementation of this project is not anticipated to cause disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effect to minority or low-income populations.

Clean Air Act – Emissions anticipated from the implementation of the Action Alternatives would be of short duration and would not be expected to exceed State of Oregon ambient air quality standards.

Executive Order 13112 – Invasive Species – J. Herbert Stone Nursery currently has an aggressive invasive species abatement plan and will continue to utilize this plan.

Agencies and Persons Consulted The Forest Service consulted an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists in the development of this environmental analysis. The following tribes have been contacted regarding this project on 10/06/2016 Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indian Tribe. For public involvement please see above section titled ‘Public Involvement’.

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