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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment PAGE 3-54 Ecology and Population Status Sage-Grouse is a sagebrush-obligate species of the western United States and Canada (Schroeder et al. 1999). Sage-Grouse are known for their breeding displays in early spring when males congregate in open areas within sagebrush and perform elaborate displays that include inflating their gular sacs. Females select mates at these breeding display grounds, called “leks”, and then nest, typically within four miles of a lek (Connelly et al. 2000). The historical distribution of Sage-Grouse in Washington spanned the extent of shrub-steppe and meadow steppe habitats of the Columbia Basin of eastern Washington in an area exceeding 22,000 square miles. Sage-Grouse populations have declined dramatically due to habitat loss and fragmentation associated with conversion of native sagebrush landscapes for human land uses (principally agriculture) and widespread degradation of remaining habitat through poor land management practices and the invasion of aggressive exotic weeds (Stinson et al. 2004). The population size in Washington declined more than 50 percent between 1970 and 2011. The current range within Washington is now approximately eight percent of the presumed historic range and limited to two populations with a total of approximately 1,200 Sage-Grouse (Robb and Schroeder 2012). The Moses Coulee population, numbering approximately 930 birds, is found in Douglas and Grant counties on mostly private land. The second population, the YTC population, is located in Kittitas and Yakima counties on the JBLM YTC land which is used for combat readiness training. During the past five years, the estimated Sage-Grouse population at JBLM YTC has averaged 203 birds and has fluctuated dramatically, with a high of 263 birds estimated in 2014 and a low of 140 birds estimated in 2016. Depending on the Action Alternative, the proposed Project approximately follows the western and northern edges, or the southern and eastern edges, of the JBLM YTC Sage- Grouse population. Habitat Use With the exception of portions of Route Segments 3a, 3c, and NNR-8, all of the route segments are within the Yakima Training Center (YTC) Priority Area for Conservation (PAC; Figure 3.3-1) and all route segments cross WDFW Management Units designated as Regularly Occupied Habitat (west of the Columbia River) or Occasionally Occupied Habitat (east of the Columbia River—portions of Route Segments 3a, 3c, and NNR-8). The eight-mile wide Sage-Grouse analysis area also encompasses land within Expansion Habitat and land not designated for Sage-Grouse management (Figure 3.3-2). JBLM YTC has designated two Sage-Grouse protection zones: primary and secondary. The primary protection zone includes areas that are considered as essential Sage-Grouse habitat. Secondary protection zones provide indirect benefits to Sage-Grouse (JBLM YTC 2002). Route Segment 1b passes through JBLM YTC primary and secondary protection zones, and Route Segments 1c, 2b, 2c, and NNR-2 run adjacent to primary and/or secondary protection zones for all or part of their lengths. All other route segments avoid passing through or adjacent to any of JBLM YTC’s protection zones. With the exception of Route Segments 3a and NNR-8, all route segments pass within four miles of various primary protection zones (Figure 3.3-2). The eight-mile wide Sage-Grouse analysis area is dominated by shrub-steppe vegetation, with the most prevalent vegetation cover types including: 1) sagebrush-steppe with a perennial grass understory and 2) annual grassland/noxious weeds. Other common cover types include: 1) sagebrush-steppe with an annual grass understory, 2) perennial grassland, 3) forb-dominated communities, and 4) agricultural, developed, and disturbed areas. Other shrublands and riparian areas are present, but make up a relatively small part of the eight-mile wide analysis area.