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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3
<br />230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment
<br />PAGE 3-35
<br />caespitose evening-primrose, Columbia cress (Rorippa columbiae), fuzzytongue penstemon (Penstemon
<br />eriantherus), Geyer’s milkvetch, Great Basin gilia, Nuttall’s sandwort, Piper’s daisy, Snake River
<br />cryptantha (Cryptantha spiculifera), Wanapum crazyweed (Oxytropis campestris var. wanapum), and
<br />Wormskiold’s northern wormwood. Approximately 99 percent (179.8 acres) of federal lands within this
<br />route segment were surveyed for special status plants; however, the majority of Route Segment 3c is
<br />comprised of non-federal land (308.7 acres) and was not surveyed (Table 3.2-3). Approximately 128.3
<br />acres of suitable habitat, 167.2 acres of marginal habitat and 163.5 acres of unsuitable habitat is present
<br />within this route segment (Table 3.2-6). Eight priority ecosystems are located within five miles of Route
<br />Segment 3c: Antelope bitterbrush-Indian ricegrass; big sagebrush-bluebunch wheatgrass; big sagebrush-
<br />Sandberg bluegrass; Intermountain Basins Active and Stabilized Dune; sand dropseed-Sandberg
<br />bluegrass; spiny hopsage-Sandberg bluegrass; winterfat-Sandberg bluegrass; and Wyoming big
<br />sagebrush-needle and thread grass.
<br />Route Segment 3c has the most noxious weeds that were documented on federal land during the Project-
<br />specific noxious weed survey. Fifteen noxious weed species were identified on federal land during the
<br />noxious weed survey and include: burningbush, diffuse knapweed, rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla
<br />juncea), Canada thistle, horseweed (Conyza canadensis), Russian olive, common catsear (Hypochaeris
<br />radicata), perennial pepperweed, Scotch thistle, reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea), common reed,
<br />cereal rye (Secale cereale), purple loosestrife, groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), and puncturevine (Tribulus
<br />terrestris). Approximately 130.0 acres of federal land within Route Segment 3c are documented as
<br />occupied by these noxious weed species; however, burningbush occurrences were not mapped because of
<br />its ubiquitous and dominant nature on federal land within the Project study area and horseweed, common
<br />catsear, groundsel, puncturevine, and Russian olive were not determined to be noxious until after surveys
<br />were complete (Table 3.2-2; Appendix B-4 Noxious Weed Reports).
<br />3.2.4.11 Route Segment NNR-2
<br />Route Segment NNR-2 parallels an existing JBLM YTC fire break road, existing roads, and an existing
<br />transmission line (Bonneville Power Administration’s Ellensburg-Moxee No.1 115 kV). The majority of
<br />the Route Segment NNR-2 Project study area is comprised of annual grasses (3,558.6 acres, 47.9 percent)
<br />and sagebrush/perennial grassland (1,780.7 acres, 24.0 percent; Table 3.2-1). Approximately 54.6 acres of
<br />rabbitbrush/annual grassland is present within one mile of Route Segment NNR-2, occurring along the
<br />JBLM YTC firebreak. Route Segment NNR-2 crosses an irrigation canal on JBLM YTC and several un-
<br />named intermittent or ephemeral drainages. This route segment also crosses one palustrine wetland
<br />bisected by JBLM YTC’s 7th Avenue Road. This palustrine wetland is highly disturbed and contains two
<br />noxious weeds: purple loosestrife and reed canarygrass.
<br />No special status species were identified during the special status plant surveys. WNHP data indicate that
<br />basalt daisy, Hoover’s desert-parsley, and pauper milkvetch are known to occur within one mile of Route
<br />Segment NNR-2 (Table 3.2-5). Basalt daisy occurs in crevices in basalt cliffs on canyon walls and this
<br />occurrence is associated with the Selah Creek Canyon. Basalt daisy was not identified during the special
<br />status plant survey; however, as it occurs on steep canyon walls that were not surveyed, basalt daisy could
<br />occur with the Project study area (Table 3.2-6). The majority of the Route Segment NNR-2 ROW is
<br />comprised of federal lands and WSDOT lands, with approximately 88.1 percent (79.7 acres) of this route
<br />segment surveyed for special status plants (Table 3.2-3). Approximately 20.8 acres of suitable habitat,
<br />37.4 acres of marginal, and 34.4 acres of unsuitable habitat is present within this route segment’s ROW
<br />(Table 3.2-6). No priority ecosystems are present within five miles of Route Segment NNR-2.
<br />Nine noxious weed species were identified and mapped on federal land during the Project-specific
<br />noxious weed survey and include: Russian knapweed, burningbush, diffuse knapweed, Canada thistle,
<br />field bindweed, horseweed, Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica ssp. dalmatica), purple loosestrife,
<br />and reed canarygrass. Approximately 13.9 acres of federal and WSDOT land within the Route Segment
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