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 3-39 3.2.4.17 Route Segment NNR-8 Route Segment NNR-8 starts on BLM managed land and crosses Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Grant County Public Utility District land, and WSDOT ROW. This short route segment crosses the Columbia River. Vegetation within one mile of this route segment is comprised primarily of sagebrush/perennial grassland (4,450.6 acres, 83.6 percent; Table 3.2-1). A small amount (0.5 acre) of rabbitbrush/annual grassland is present within the Columbia River floodplain, within the Route Segment NNR-8 Project study area. Some riparian vegetation is present along the margins of the Columbia River. Based on WNHP data, annual sandwort, dwarf evening-primrose, and gray cryptantha intersect Route Segment NNR-8. In addition, WNHP data indicate beaked spike-rush, bristle-flowered collomia, caespitose evening-primrose, Columbia milkvetch, Geyer’s milkvetch, Great Basin gilia, naked-stemmed evening-primrose, and white eatonella are known to occur within one mile of Route Segment NNR-8 (Table 3.2-5). None of these species were identified in the special status plant survey. Ninety-three percent of federal lands (7.1 acres of BLM-managed land and 23.2 acres of Reclamation land; no WSDOT land present) within this route segment’s ROW were surveyed for special status plants; however, the remainder of Route Segment NNR-8 is comprised of non-federal land (17.4 acres) and was not surveyed (Table 3.2-3). Approximately 26.3 acres of suitable habitat, 13.8 acres of marginal habitat, and 10.1 acres of unsuitable habitat is present within this route segment’s ROW (Table 3.2-6). Three priority ecosystem types are located within five miles of Route Segment NNR-8: Antelope bitterbrush- Indian ricegrass, Intermountain Basins Active and Stabilized Dune, and Wyoming big sagebrush-needle and thread grass (Table 3.2-7). Two noxious weed species, diffuse knapweed and field bindweed, were identified and mapped in Route Segment NNR-8’s ROW. These two weed species comprise approximately 0.1 acre of the route segment’s ROW. Burningbush was also present but not mapped because of its abundance and frequency of occurrence on federal land within the Route Segment NNR-8 ROW (Table 3.2-2; Appendix B-4 - Noxious Weed Reports). 3.2.4.18 Route Segment MR-1 Route Segment MR-1 crosses private, JBLM YTC, DNR, and WSDOT land. Vegetation within one mile of this route segment is comprised of a mixture of sagebrush/perennial grassland (6,488.4 acres, 38.0 percent), annual grassland (5,627.7 acres, 32.9 percent), and agriculture (3,867.8 acres. 22.6 percent; Table 3.2-1). The Route Segment MR-1 ROW crosses several un-named intermittent and ephemeral drainages. This route segment ROW also crosses Scorpion Coulee Creek, which appears to be intermittent and contains little to no riparian vegetation. WNHP data indicate snowball cactus occurs within one mile of Route Segment MR-1; however, no special status plant species were identified during the special status plant surveys. Approximately 0.4% (0.5 acre) of federal and WSDOT lands within this route segment’s ROW were surveyed for special status plants due to route adjustments and the identification of Route Segment MR-1 following completion of the plant surveys. An additional 63.6 acres is comprised of non-federal land and was not surveyed (Table 3.2-3). Approximately 79.4 acres of suitable habitat, 88.8 acres of marginal habitat, and 47.7 acres of unsuitable habitat is present within this route segment’s ROW (Table 3.2-6). Three priority ecosystem types are located within five miles of MR-1: big sagebrush-bluebunch wheatgrass, big sagebrush-Idaho fescue, and stiff sagebrush-Sandberg bluegrass (Table 3.2-7). As described above for special status plants, Route Segment MR-1 was identified following the completion of noxious weed surveys and, as such, no noxious weed surveys were conducted for this route segment’s ROW.