2.3.2 Environmental Factors

downstream flows. The feasibility study found that the proposed volume of water pumped into the new reservoir would be very small relative to the volume of water in the existing Seminoe Reservoir and would, therefore, be unlikely to change reservoir elevations such that there would be adverse effects to Seminoe Reservoir resources (Reclamation 2013).

Additional favorable factors present in the region adjacent to Seminoe Reservoir, northeast of Rawlins and south of Casper include:

• Rawlins is the largest town in Carbon County, affording nearby services to support

Project development, construction, and operation. • Casper is the largest city in Wyoming, affording services to support Project development, construction, and operation. • Good aggregate material on the Project site that will be excavated can likely be utilized in the construction of the RCC upper reservoir dam. • Good highway access is available to the Project site, including Interstate 80 and

Interstate 25.

Environmental screening factors are key to site selection. These include biological and cultural factors, along with general land use policy.

Figure 2.3-2 shows the location of the proposed Project configuration overlaid with the location of the Bennett Mountains WSA. The Bennett Mountains WSA does not currently have a wilderness designation. In Reclamation’s Phase I and II Report alternatives, portions of the proposed upper reservoirs had overlapped with this area. The concept study prepared to support the 2019 Preliminary Permit Application and PAD considered the Bennett Mountains WSA, and relocated the upper reservoir presented in Reclamation’s Phase II Report such that no Project feature would extend into the Bennett Mountains WSA. This aspect was maintained in the feasibility study and the selected Project configuration.

Under all action alternatives, construction and operation of the Project has the potential to temporarily or permanently impact habitat, wildlife, and botanical species, including aquatic habitats and species.

As described in Exhibit E Section 3.0 Environmental Analysis of this FLA, a combination of avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and enhancement measures (PM&Es measures) support selection of pumped storage development in this location.