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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment PAGE 3-52 Gray Wolf In Washington, the gray wolf (Canis lupus) received listing as federally endangered in March 1967. The Project study area borders the DPS of gray wolves that was delisted in May 2011; however, gray wolves are listed as endangered within the Project study area (USFWS 2011b). Historically, wolves were found throughout most or all of Washington, but were extirpated from the state by the 1930s through trapping, poisoning, and shooting. Wolves are generalists in their habitat use and are opportunistic carnivores. Within their historical distribution, wolves occurred in habitats that had large ungulates present, including forests, shrub-steppe, prairies, swamps, and coastal areas. Wolves hunt large prey species, such as mule deer, elk (Cervus canadensis), and moose (Alces alces), but will also prey on smaller animals, scavenge carrion, and, occasionally, eat fish and vegetation (WDFW 2011a). As of March 2015, a minimum of 68 wolves in 16 confirmed packs are present within Washington. The two closest confirmed wolf packs are located in the Cascade Mountains northwest and northeast of Ellensburg, approximately 25 to 30 miles from the Project study area (WDFW 2015b). Potential suitable habitat exists in the Project study area. Steelhead (Middle Columbia River DPS and Upper Columbia River DPS) The Project study area overlaps with the Middle Columbia River steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) DPS and the Upper Columbia River steelhead DPS; both are currently listed as threatened under the ESA (NOAA 2015). Steelhead typically prefer fast water in small-to-large main stem rivers and medium-to- large tributaries. Although they will also use smaller streams with sufficient water flow, they tend to spawn in the main stem of streams where the water flow is high (Healey 2003). The Middle Columbia River steelhead DPS includes all naturally spawned anadromous populations below impassable barriers in tributaries of the Columbia River from above Wind River, Washington up to and including the Yakima River. Critical habitat has been designated (NOAA 2000) and includes the Yakima River located within one mile of Route Segments 1a/NNR-1 and NNR-3 and lower Burbank Creek located within one mile of Route Segment NNR-3. The critical habitat also includes lower Lmuma Creek downstream from, but not within one mile of Route Segments NNR-3, NNR-4, and MR-1 (NOAA 2013). The Upper Columbia River steelhead DPS includes all naturally-spawned anadromous populations below impassable barriers in streams of the Columbia River Basin upstream from the Yakima River, to the Canadian border (NOAA 2013). Within the Project study area, the Columbia River and lower Crab Creek are designated critical habitat. Critical habitat is crossed by Route Segments 3b, 3c, and NNR-8, and within one mile of Route Segments 2d, 3a, and NNR-7. While the Columbia River is adjacent to the JBLM YTC Installation, the JBLM YTC is excluded from the critical habitat designation for this DPS pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108-136; Army 2010). Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) was listed as threatened under the ESA in November 2014 (USFWS 2014b). In western North America, yellow-billed cuckoo inhabit large continuous riparian zones with cottonwoods (Populus sp.) and willows. Though once abundant in portions of Washington, in areas along wooded rivers in eastern Washington and along the lower Columbia River near present-day Vancouver, they were rare in the state by about 1940. Breeding has not been documented in Washington since 1934 (WDFW 2012b). Vagrants are rarely sighted in Washington (WDFW 2012b, ebird 2015). None of the Action Alternatives cross potential yellow-billed cuckoo habitat, but potential habitat does exist within one mile of Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 along the Yakima River. Therefore, it is not anticipated that yellow-billed cuckoo will be impacted by the Project.