2.2.6.3 Schedule

Decommissioning would be scheduled to take place at the end of the operation phase (i.e., about 50± years after commencement of Project operations), but various factors could extend the life of the Project and delay Project decommissioning. These factors would include an increase in the selling price of geothermal energy, modifications to the proposed facility that would increase the production capacity of the wells, the ability to access geothermal fluid with existing wells, or a decrease in the cost of production. Other factors that could extend the operational life of the Project include continued demand for power, extension or renewal of the power sales contract, and reservoir longevity. It is possible that the power plant could continue operating while some of the wells would be shut down. Conversely, decreased demand for electrical power, failure to renew the power sales contract, poor geothermal reservoir performance, or other unanticipated adverse factors could decrease the operational life of the Project. Project activities and facilities would be the same regardless of whether the operational life of the Project is shorter or longer than the projected 50± years of anticipated operation phase.

2.2.6.4 Financial Assurance

Financial assurances for various aspects of the Project that could be applicable to Project decommissioning and site restoration include bonds, or other instruments of financial assurance, required by the responsible agencies. CEGC, as a federal geothermal lessee, is required to submit a bond to the BLM prior to conducting drilling operations on a federal geothermal lease (43 CFR 3206.1-1). CEGC has already submitted a $150,000 bond (Bond No. U436101) in compliance with these regulations (Personal Communication — Sean Hagerty, BLM State Office; January 28, 1998). In addition to the lease bond, CEGC would be required to submit a power plant site license bond of not less than $100,000 prior to the development of the power plant site (43 CFR 3250.7).

Other bonds or instruments of financial assurance would be expected to be required by other responsible agencies as a condition of their respective permits and approvals.

2.2.7 Water Use and Hydrologic Monitoring

2.2.7.1 Water Consumption

As described in previous sections, fresh water from the shallow groundwater aquifer in the Medicine Lake basin would be used during well drilling, for dust abatement, to fill the cooling tower basin prior to startups, for fire protection, and for domestic purposes during power plant operations. Estimates of the water usage during the construction, operations, and decommissioning phases of the Project are presented in Table 2.2.8.

Geothermal fluid would be consumed during the testing of geothermal wells (see Sections 2.2.3.2 and 3.2.3), and steam condensate from the flashed fraction of the geothermal fluid would be used for cooling water makeup and consumed by evaporative cooling from the cooling tower (see Table 2.2.2).

2.2.7.2 Proposed Hydrology Monitoring Plan

A plan for monitoring hydrologic and geothermal resources in the vicinity of the Project has been proposed by CEGC and submitted to the BLM and USFS for consideration (see Exhibit 5). The plan generally envisions collecting baseline data from selected wells, lakes, and springs in the Project vicinity on a semi-annual basis for a period of three years, and annually thereafter. The plan also includes collection of baseline meteorologic information from an established meteorologic station within the Project area; monitoring geothermal fluid and production and injection; and monitoring the temperature of one of the gas vents and the extent of non-vegetated areas in the vicinity of the “Hot Spot” on the northwest flank of Glass Mountain. Reports of the monitoring activities would be prepared annually and submitted to the BLM and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board—Central Valley Region (RWQCB).

The monitoring program is designed to monitor the proposed geothermal Project activities and address concerns regarding potential hydrologic effects of the Project. The proposed monitoring plan is under consideration by the agencies and may be amended as a result of agency review and comments received during the public review process for this EIS/EIR.

Table 2.2.8: Projected Freshwater Usage for Project Construction, Operations, and Decommissioning

Project Time Period	Activity	Volume of Shallow Groundwater Used
Construction (Approximately 1 year)	Construction of power plant and well pads (includes dust abatement)	5,000,000 to 8,000,000 gallons per year (15.3 to 24.5 ac-ft/yr)
	Drilling of production and injection wells	6,720,000 gallons per year (20.6 ac-ft/yr)
	Fire protection	200,000 gallons (one time only) (0.6 ac-ft)
	Domestic uses (non-drinking water)	1,300,000 gallons per year (4.0 ac-ft/yr)
	Construction Total: (non-drinking water)	16,220,000 gallons over 1 year (49.8 ac-ft)
Project Time Period	Activity	Volume of Shallow Groundwater Used
Operations (Approximately 50 years)	Drilling of production and injection wells	425,600 gallons per year (1.3 ac-ft/yr)
	Cooling water required at power plant startup	240,000 gallons (one time only) (0.7 ac-ft)
	Periodic recharge or partial recharge of cooling water (less than twice per year)	400,000 gallons per year (1.2 ac-ft/yr)
	Domestic uses (non-drinking water)	1,300,000 gallons per year (4.0 ac-ft/yr)
	Operations Total:	106,520,000 gallons over 50 years (326.7 ac-ft) Average: 6.5 ac-ft/yr
Project Time Period	Activity	Volume of Shallow Groundwater Used
Decommissioning (approximately 3 years)	Domestic uses (non-drinking water)	1,300,000 gallons per year (4.0 ac-ft/yr)
	Decommissioning Total:	3,900,000 gallons over 3 years (12.0 ac-ft) Average: 4.0 ac-ft/yr
Total Projected Freshwater Consumption for the Project:		127,400,000 gallons over 54 years (390.8 acre-ft)

2.2.8 Project Workforce

2.2.8.1 Project Exploration

Workers associated with exploration well drilling and ongoing maintenance and testing of existing wells would not be active before mid- to late-1999. Each drill rig would require about 24 workers split into two, 12-hour shifts or three, 8-hour shifts. Exploration drilling, if any, would focus on the two well pads (56-18 and 13-18) that were previously approved for drilling. Well testing of new and existing exploration wells (68-8, 31-17, and 87-13) would require about five workers to set up the well test and one worker to monitor the test. Exploration activities would continue throughout the life of the Project; however, once the development phase begins, assuming the Project is approved by the agencies, the exploration workers would be considered part of the construction work force. It is estimated that there would be up to 20 to 40 workers associated with exploration drilling activities if wells were to be drilled at each well pad concurrently.

2.2.8.2 Project Construction

The construction phase would be expected to begin upon approval of the Project, weather permitting, and development well drilling of both injection and production wells would begin as soon as practical following approval with one drill rig. Assuming timely Project approval, this work could be completed in late-1999. One to two drill rigs could start up as early as late first quarter to early second quarter of 1999. It is likely that a third drill rig would be added in the late second quarter 1999. The drilling work for 1999 would be completed in late-1999 prior to the winter months. The same drilling program would start up again in 2000 and continue until sufficient production and injection capacity and reserves are developed to support the Project. The drilling schedule would be set back accordingly if Project approval is delayed.

Power plant and transmission line site clearing would begin following Project approval, weather permitting. Power plant construction could begin in the early spring (second quarter) of 1999. The construction schedule would be set back accordingly if Project approval is delayed. The final transmission line and the pipeline construction, including site restoration and revegetation, could be completed by the end of the third quarter 2001. Assuming timely Project approval, power plant operations could start as early as the end of the second quarter 2001. In addition to the construction crews, there could be additional people on site including suppliers and agency representatives. The construction workforce, including the drilling work force, would peak between 220 and 250 workers during the third quarter of 1999, and an additional 30 non-construction people could be on-site during this peak period. Drilling operations would be 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with a crew of approximately 8-12 personnel per 12-hour shift. Construction of the transmission line and power plant would be during daylight hours on approximately 12-hour shifts with a maintenance crew working during the night shift on equipment. Night construction would commence after the turbine-generator building is constructed and 24-hour work schedules can be established for inside the building. The construction schedule would be set back accordingly if Project approval is delayed.

2.2.8.3 Project Operations

Normal power generation operations would require about 25 permanent employees. Shifts would be expected to include crews of seven personnel on 12-hour shifts. A third relief crew would also be used to rotate the crews. In addition, to the 21 power plant and wellfield operators comprising the three crews, it is expected that there would be a site manager, and engineering, mechanical, and maintenance staff who would usually be on site during the day shift. Approximately one-half of these positions would be filled with trained operators from other CEGC geothermal plants and about one-half would be filled by local hires. The new employees would be hired in the third quarter of 1999 with the plant expected to begin startup operations by the end of the third quarter of 2000. The operations schedule would be set back accordingly if Project approval is delayed.

2.2.8.4 Project Decommissioning

The decommissioning phase of the geothermal facility would require one-third to one-half of the number of workers that would be required for the construction phase. Decommissioning would take about two to three years and would take place approximately 50± years in the future after the conclusion of the operation phase of the Project. The operations phase would be expected to continue as long as sufficient commercially suitable geothermal resources are available and a power sales agreement for the generated electricity exists.

2.3 Alternative Project Locations

Concern was raised during scoping regarding the proximity of the proposed Project to the seasonal residences and developed recreation areas near Medicine Lake with respect to a perceived potential for intrusional impacts from the Project, including: noise, increased traffic, air emissions and resulting odors, and the visibility of Project facilities. Members of the public, comprised mostly of Medicine Lake homeowners, requested that the Project be moved further away from Medicine Lake. Alternative locations were considered which would be responsive to these concerns and also meet the purpose and need for the Project. It was determined that the production wells were generally located in that portion of the Project area where commercial production of geothermal fluid could be anticipated and it was infeasible to relocate the wellfield and still meet the purpose and need. However, it was determined that alternative locations for the power plant site within a reasonable distance of the middle of the wellfield were technically and economically feasible.

Two power plant site alternatives are evaluated in detail in this EIS/EIR. These sites are progressively further from Medicine Lake than the Proposed Action power plant site. Potential power plant sites even further from the Lake were considered, but these sites were considered either technically or economically infeasible or offered no environmental advantage over the Project Alternatives being evaluated in detail.