BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION WILDLIFE AND BOTANY REPORTS

Transcription

1 BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION WILDLIFE AND BOTANY REPORTS and MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES EVALUATIONS for SCE STRAWBERRY PEAK FIBER OPTIC CABLE PROJECT Mountaintop Ranger District San Bernardino National Forest Prepared by: /s/scott Eliason 4/23/2012 Scott Eliason, District Botanist Date Prepared by: /s/robin Eliason 4/23/2012 Robin Eliason, District Wildlife Biologist Date Page 1

2 1. Introduction This memo is to document biological and botanical input regarding a request from S. California Edison s (SCE) to install fiber optics cable on the Strawberry Peak Circuit. SCE conducted surveys and prepared biological reports for this project. Table 1 summarizes the project addressed in this memo and identifies the reports provided by SCE. Circuit SCE Report Location Accessibility Project Type Wildlife/Botany Notes Strawberry Peak Fiber Optic Cable Biological and Botanical Survey Report Deteriorated Pole Replacement Project Pole E (WO ) December NOTE: Bio Report name is an error - report actually addresses the fiber optic cable. Sections 19, 20, 29, 30 of Harrison Mountain Quad The existing structures which do not have vehicle access will be walked to by SCE crews. For underground installations, all trenching would occur in existing paved roads. Fiber optic cable between Arrowhead office and Strawberry Peak. Some is underground; some is overhead on existing poles; one new pole installed. Installation expected to last about 18 days with a 5-person crew. Southern rubber boa; Whiteeared pocket mouse; California spotted owl Plants: Streptanthus bernardinus (Sensitive); Eriophyllum lanatum var. obovatum (Watchlist); Sidotheca caryophylloides (Sensitive) A biological monitor is required for the project since it is all considered occupied by southern rubber boa and white-eared pocket mouse. A botanical monitor is required for flagging the rare plant occurrences and must be present when work occurs in the vicinity of the occurrences. This memo incorporates by reference the information in the SCE Biological/Botanical Report listed above and supplements that document as needed. Together, they fulfill the Biological Assessment and Biological Evaluation requirements for the project, including Determinations of Effects as described later in this memo. 2. Project Description The SCE report includes descriptions of the proposed action for the project and identifies Design Features that would be used to reduce potential impacts to habitat and species. In addition to the Design Features identified in the SCE report, DC-13 and the following Design Features shall be incorporated into SCE s approval. Incorporation of these Design Features in SCE s approval is assumed as a basis for our Determinations of Effects. If they cannot be included as part of the approval, the determinations may need to be reconsidered. The Design Features that are applicable to the proposed project are shown in bold font. DC-31. Crew members will not bring pets to the work sites. DC-32. Removal of vegetation (including removal of dead trees) will only be conducted with prior approval from the Forest Service. DC-33. Trees marked with a wildlife tag or white paint will not be felled without prior approval from a FS Wildlife Biologist. DC-34. To the greatest extent possible, hazard trees will be felled away from riparian areas Page 2

3 and healthy trees. All vegetation-disturbing activities (removal and trampling) shall be conducted in a manner that avoids or minimizes the potential for disturbance of TES species. DC-35. To the greatest extent possible, roots of trees will not be severed during trenching and digging. Where feasible, hand tools will be used to remove dirt under and around roots 3+ in diameter, leaving the root connected. DC-36. Equipment will avoid working within the dripline of trees to minimize impacts of compaction and risk of damage to tree trunks. Where this is not feasible, the use of equipment will be planned carefully in order to limit those impacts. DC-37. Equipment, supplies, materials, and soil/gravel, etc. will not be stored up against living trees. DC-38. Work sites and access routes (including foot traffic) will be surveyed for non-native invasive weeds prior to work. Locations on non-native invasive plants will be flagged and all occurrences will be avoided by personnel and equipment (in order to limit the spread of seeds, etc.). A botanist will determine whether monitoring during implementation is required. DC-39. All material from off-site sources, including base material, fill, rock and gravel, will be from weed-free sources. DC-40. Modeled habitat for T/E species is considered to be suitable unless surveys indicate otherwise. DC-41. Suitable habitat is considered to be occupied unless protocol-level surveys are conducted and results are negative. DC-42. Crews will not intentially injure or kill wildlife species (including snakes). Instead, animals will be allowed to leave the work area before work resumes. DC-43. Crews will be instructed to avoid moving or disturbing downed logs and rock outcrops in order to protect small animal habitats. If disturbance is unavoidable, a biologist may need to be present to monitor for sensitive species during disturbance of the habitat. Equipment, supplies, materials, and soil/gravel, etc. will not be stored on or against logs or rock outcrops. DC-44. Crews are not permitted to loiter within riparian zones. DC-45. Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (May 1 st through August 31 st ) a. No activities within 500 of willow flycatcher habitat during LOP. Exceptions may be allowed where work at a particular site can be completed within a 2-hour period or where a biologist determines that sound levels associated with the project activities would not raise noise above ambient levels in the suitable habitat. b. No helicopter use within ¼-mile of willow flycatcher habitat during the LOP. The buffer zone may be larger (depending on topography, helicopter size, etc.) if a biologist determines that ¼-mile does not provide an adequate sound buffer. c. Willow flycatcher designated Critical Habitat will be flagged prior to the onset of work. A biological monitor must be on site (regardless of time of year) during work in these areas to ensure that impacts to known Primary Constituent Elements are avoided. d. Suitable habitat for willow flycatcher will be flagged prior to the onset of work. Work that would result in changes to the vegetation (including hazard tree felling) Page 3

4 will need to be evaluated (and possibly monitored) by a biologist prior to implementation. DC-46. Arroyo Toad (March 1 st - August 31 st for breeding; year-round for upland) a. Work areas with suitable breeding habitat for arroyo toads will be surveyed within a week prior to the onset of work in order to determine if this species is present and to determine if on-site monitoring is needed during implementation. b. During the breeding LOP in suitable and known arroyo toad breeding habitat, no work will be done within 300 of high water mark (includes within road prism) unless biological monitor present. c. Year-round within 500 of high water mark of known or suitable breeding habitat, vegetation removal will be avoided. Where vegetation must be removed to provide for safety or road maintenance operations (including hazard tree felling), the work will need to be evaluated (and possibly monitored) by a biologist prior to implementation. DC-47. Mountain Yellow-legged Frog (year-round) a. Work areas with suitable habitat for mountain yellow-legged frogs will be surveyed within a week prior to the onset of work in order to determine if this species is present and to determine if on-site monitoring is needed during implementation. b. During the breeding LOP in suitable and known mountain yellow-legged frog breeding habitat, no work will be done within 300 of high water mark (includes within road prism) unless biological monitor present. c. Year-round within 500 of high water mark of known or suitable breeding habitat, vegetation removal will be avoided. Where vegetation must be removed to provide for safety or road maintenance operations (including hazard tree felling), the work will need to be evaluated (and possibly monitored) by a biologist prior to implementation. DC-48. California Spotted Owl (February 1 st through August 15 th ) a. A LOP will be observed where concentrated work with heavy equipment is planned in very close proximity (less than 500 ) of known nest and roost trees (unless protocol surveys determine the territory is unoccupied). b. No helicopter use within ¼-mile of CASPO nest stands during the LOP. The buffer zone may be larger (depending on topography, helicopter size, etc.) if a biologist determines that ¼-mile does not provide an adequate sound buffer. c. No removal of vegetation (including dead trees) unless pre-approved by the Forest Service. d. No felling of trees within 500 of nest trees (any time of year) unless a biologist is on site and pre-approved by the Forest Service. Directional felling should be used to minimize impacts to nest groves. DC-49. Bald Eagle (December 1 st through March 31 st ) a. No work within ¼ mile of known day use or nests between ½ hour before sunset to ½ hour after sunrise. Exceptions may occur where a Forest Service biologist determines that the type and duration of the work is unlikely to result in substantial disturbance to eagles. Page 4

5 b. No helicopter use within ¼-mile of bald eagle nests or day use areas during the LOP. The buffer zone may be larger (depending on topography, helicopter size, etc.) if a biologist determines that ¼-mile does not provide an adequate sound buffer. DC-50. Threatened or Endangered Plant Species or Designated Critical Habitat a. T/E plant occurrences will be flagged for avoidance prior to the onset of work. A botanical monitor must be on site during work in these areas to ensure that impacts to known T/E occurrences are avoided. The project leader will coordinate with the District Botanist or Forest Botanist. b. Suitable habitat for T/E Plants will be surveyed before implementation of road maintenance where practical, with an emphasis on areas of high likelihood of species presence. c. Designated Critical Habitat for plant species will be flagged prior to the onset of work. Maintenance in roadbed, existing leadouts, and existing structures is allowable. New construction/disturbance is not allowed. A botanical monitor must be on site during work in these areas to ensure that impacts to known Primary Constituent Elements are avoided. DC-51. Regional Sensitive Plant Species a. Sensitive plant occurrences will be flagged for avoidance prior to the onset of work. A botanical monitor must be on site during work in these areas to ensure that impacts to Sensitive plants are avoided or minimized. The project leader will coordinate with the District Botanist or Forest Botanist. DC-52. SBNF Watch-List Plant Species a. Watch-list plant species and other plant species of interest may be flagged for avoidance where they co-occur with sensitive species, riparian conservation areas, or where objectives and operability are not compromised. 3. Consultation to Date The quarterly species list request was sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on December 2, 2011 for projects being evaluated on the SBNF. The USFWS responded in a letter dated January 10, 2012 (FWS-SB/WRIV-12B SL0106) concurring with the SBNF list. The species listed in the SBNF letter and previous USFWS responses are included in this evaluation. On a programmatic level, US Fish and Wildlife Service provided Biological and Conference Opinions on the revised Land and Resource Management Plans for the four Southern California National Forests ( F-773.9) on September 15, Project Area Description, Existing Condition, and Environmental Effects Project Area Description See the SCE Reports for a description of the project sites. Existing Condition, Environmental Effects, and Cumulative Effects We have some additional data that were not presented in the SCE Report. The project area includes mapped Suitable and Home Range Core habitat for California spotted owl. The project area is not within ¼ mile of a known nest so no Limited Operating Period is required. However, Page 5

6 any removal of trees would require pre-approval by the Forest Service. The Design Features call for no night-time work and pre-approval of vegetation removal. As such, the effects should be limited to short-term disturbance to roosting owls if they are present in the area during the time of implementation. Southern rubber boas are known from within 0.6 miles of the project site and would be expected in the project area. The Design Features call for presence of a biological monitor when working in southern rubber boa habitat. As such, the potential for loss/injury of individuals is low and no effects to habitat would be expected. Additionally, there are two Sensitive and one Watchlist plants that are known to occur in the project area: Streptanthus bernardinus (Sensitive), Sidotheca caryophylloides (Sensitive), and Eriophyllum lanatum var. obovatum (Watchlist). The Design Features call for flagging those plant occurrences and avoiding them during the project. The SCE Report states that suitable habitat for white-eared pocket mouse is not present in the project area. All of the known records for this species are from 2.5 miles of Strawberry Peak (between 1920 and 1933). The project area does contain suitable habitat. While many believe this species is extinct, it may still exist. Extensive trapping was done in the early 1980s but additional survey work is needed before considering it extinct. The project site should be considered occupied. Any activities (especially equipment and vehicles) off of existing disturbed areas have the potential to result in collapsed burrows and injury/death of individuals. The Design Feature that requires a biological monitor onsite when work is being conducted in white-eared pocket mouse habitat would help ensure avoidance of burrows and other important habitat features. 5. MIS Plant and Animal Species We concur with the data and evaluation in the SCE Report. One additional MIS that was not addressed is the California spotted owl. The project site overlaps mapped Suitable and Home Range Core habitat for this species. The project is not expected to result in effects to spotted owl habitat. As such, no changes to Forest-wide or Province-wide trends and status would be expected from this project. 6. Weed Risk Assessment We concur with the data and evaluation in the SCE Report. 7. Determinations of Effects These determinations are based on the assumption that the Design Features listed above will be implemented. If they are not included in the authorization for SCE, the following determinations would need to be re-visited. A. For Threatened/ Endangered Species: It is our determination that implementation of the proposed action as described will not affect any federally-listed plants or animals or any designated critical habitat. Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation is not required. Page 6

7 B. Forest Service Sensitive Species: It is my determination that implementation of the proposed action as described will not affect any Forest Service Sensitive plant species. It is my determination that implementation of the proposed action as described may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing of the Sensitive animal species on the current SBNF list. C. Viability and Distribution: The project will not interfere with maintenance of viable plant and animal populations well-distributed across the SBNF, including Sensitive and Watch-list species. D. Management Indicator Species: The proposed project is not expected to result in changes to Forest-wide or Province-wide populations or trends of MIS. 8. Summary This document supplements the SCE biological/botanical reports for these pole replacements. We have assumed that the additional Design Features recommended above would be incorporated into SCE s approval and that they will be followed during planning and implementation. If that is not feasible, we will need to re-assess the evaluation of effects and the determinations. This document will serve as the Biological Evaluation and Biological Assessment for this project. Page 7

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