Vantage to Pomona FEIS Index 34 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment PAGE 3-36 NNR-2 ROW are documented as occupied by these nine noxious weed species. Burningbush was also present, but not mapped because of its abundance and frequency of occurrence on federal land within the Route Segment NNR-2 ROW (Table 3.2-2; Appendix B-4 - Noxious Weed Reports). 3.2.4.12 Route Segment NNR-3 Route Segment NNR-3 crosses WSDOT, BLM, and private land. Approximately 0.9 mile of the Project study area would pass through the western edge of the BLM Yakima River Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern, which was designated for the preservation of basalt daisy and Hoover’s desert- parsley. Vegetation within the Route Segment NNR-3 Project study area consists primarily of annual grasses (6,104.2 acres, 44.1 percent) and sagebrush with a perennial grass understory (6,984.9 acres, 50.4 percent; Table 3.2-1). The ROW for Route Segment NNR-3 parallels a palustrine wetland. This wetland is an excavated pond associated with the eastbound Selah Creek Rest Area and contains no wetland vegetation. Route Segment NNR-3 ROW crosses several un-named intermittent or ephemeral drainages and three streams categorized as perennial: Burbank Creek, Lmuma Creek, and Selah Creek. Riparian vegetation is present along Burbank and Lmuma Creeks. Selah Creek contains perennial flow for much of the season (JBLM YTC 2002); however, the reach of Selah Creek within the Route Segment NNR-3 Project study area appears to be intermittent. WNHP data indicate that five special status species (basalt daisy, Hoover’s desert-parsley, Hoover’s tauschia, pauper milkvetch, and snowball cactus) are known to occur within the Route Segment NNR-3 Project study area (Table 3.2-5). Special status plant surveys conducted for the proposed Project documented Hoover’s desert-parsley, pauper milkvetch, and snowball cactus within Route Segment NNR-3. Basalt daisy occurs in crevices in basalt cliffs on canyon walls and this occurrence is associated with the Selah Creek Canyon. Basalt daisy was not identified during the special status plant survey; however, as it occurs on steep canyon walls that were not surveyed, basalt daisy could occur with the Route Segment NNR-3 ROW. One occurrence of Hoover’s desert-parsley was documented for NNR-3 during the special status plant surveys of the proposed ROW. This occurrence consisted of approximately 21 individuals scattered across 0.2 acre of a basalt flow. WNHP data indicate that Hoover’s tauschia intersects Route Segment NNR-3 for approximately 0.4 mile; however, these locations include large buffers; therefore, it is uncertain whether this occurrence intersects the ROW. The pauper milkvetch occurrence consisted of approximately 1,800 individuals within 34.6 acres, of which 12.6 acres are located within the proposed ROW. The snowball cactus occurrence consisted of approximately 34 individuals scattered across 4.6 acres, of which 0.9 acre is located within the proposed ROW. Forty-three percent of federal and WSDOT lands (23.4 acres of BLM-managed land and 10.2 acres of WSDOT land) within this route segment’s ROW was surveyed for special status plants; however, the remainder of Route Segment NNR-3 is comprised of non-federal land (91.1 acres) and was not surveyed (Table 3.2-3). Approximately 103.9 acres of suitable habitat, 63.9 acres of marginal, and 1.2 acres of unsuitable habitat is present within this route segment (Table 3.2-6). One priority ecosystem, big sagebrush-bluebunch wheatgrass, is present within five miles of Route Segment NNR-3 (Table 3.2-7). Two noxious weed species were identified and mapped on federal and WSDOT land during the Project- specific noxious weed survey and include: Russian knapweed and diffuse knapweed. Approximately 0.1 acre of federal and WSDOT land within the Route Segment NNR-3 ROW has these two noxious weed species present (Table 3.2-2; Appendix B-4 - Noxious Weed Reports). 3.2.4.13 Route Segment NNR-4 Route Segment NNR-4 is located on JBLM YTC, WSDOT, and private land. This route segment parallels the existing Pacific Power Pomona-Wanapum 230 kV Transmission Line and crosses through a JBLM YTC bivouac area that has been dissected by roads. The majority of vegetation within one mile of this