Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
A construction permit is needed from the state or local air agency to control or miti-
gate these emissions; therefore, these emissions would not likely cause an exceed-
ance of air quality standards or have an impact on climate change.
C
ulturAl
r
esourCes
Direct impacts on cultural resources could occur from construction activities, and
indirect impacts might be caused by soil erosion and increased accessibility to pos-
sible site locations. Potential impacts include the following:
•
Complete destruction of the resource could occur if present in areas under-
going surface disturbance or excavation.
•
Degradation or destruction of near-surface cultural resources on- and off-
site could result from topographic or hydrological pattern changes or from
soil movement (removal, erosion, sedimentation). (Note that the accumula-
tion of sediment could protect some localities by increasing the amount of
protective cover.)
•
Unauthorized removal of artifacts or vandalism at the site could occur as a
result of increase in human access to previously inaccessible areas, if sig-
nificant cultural resources are present.
•
Visual impacts could result from vegetation clearing, increases in dust,
and the presence of large-scale equipment, machinery, and vehicles (if the
resources have an associated landscape component that contributes to their
significance, such as a sacred landscape or historic trail).
e
CologiCAl
r
esourCes
Ecological resources that could be affected include vegetation, fish, and wildlife, as
well as their habitats. Adverse ecological effects during construction could be caused
by the following:
•
Erosion and runoff
•
Fugitive dust
•
Noise
•
Introduction and spread of invasive vegetation
•
Modification, fragmentation, and reduction of habitat
•
Mortality of biota (i.e., death of plants and animals)
•
Exposure to contaminants
•
Interference with behavioral activities
Site clearing and grading, along with construction of access roads, towers, and
support facilities, could reduce, fragment, or dramatically alter existing habitat in the
disturbed portions of the project area. Ecological resources would be most affected
during construction by the disturbance of habitat in areas near turbines, support
facilities, and access roads. Wildlife in surrounding habitats might also be affected
if the construction activity (and associated noise) disturbs normal behaviors, such as
feeding and reproduction.
