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 3-109 and, on JBLM YTC, Sage-Grouse are known to prefer flatter areas (less than 15 percent slope; Livingston 1998). WHCWG did not include slope in their models, asserting that slope is not likely a factor impeding movement (Robb and Schroeder 2012). The estimated Sage-Grouse population range does not overlap the Route Segment NNR-7 ROW or the analysis area. Four walking transects surveyed during two visits in May and July of 2013 did not reveal any sign of Sage-Grouse use of this route segment (Appendix B-1). No active leks are known to occur within the eight-mile wide NNR-7 analysis area (Table 3.3-5). One historic lek is located approximately 0.75 mile north of the route segment. 3.3.4.17 Route Segment NNR-8 Route Segment NNR-8 starts on BLM-administered land and crosses Reclamation land and Grant County PUD land and crosses over State Route 243 and the associated WSDOT ROW. This short route segment (2.7 miles) crosses the Columbia River and is comprised primarily of sagebrush/perennial grassland (4,451 acres, 84 percent; Table 3.3-2). These shrublands provide suitable habitat for shrub-steppe and grassland species. Some riparian habitat is present along the margins of the Columbia River. Regular concentrations of mule deer are known to utilize JBLM YTC and a location north of the Vantage Substation. Common loon, waterfowl, and other aquatic birds are known to occur in the reservoirs present along the Columbia River. Canada geese nest on islands within Priest Rapids Reservoir and American white pelicans have been documented on the islands as well, though not nesting. Wanapum Reservoir is a waterfowl concentration area. A mule deer Priority Species Regional Area is located in a wetland adjacent to the Vantage Substation. Habitat and known locations of striped whipsnake are known to occur along Route Segment NNR-8, located on both the west and east sides of the Columbia River. Sagebrush lizard is known to occur within the Project study area near the Vantage Substation and sand dunes north of the substation likely provide good habitat for sagebrush lizard. Within the Project study area, the night snake is known to occur near the Columbia River. Bull trout, Chinook salmon, steelhead (Upper Columbia River), Coho salmon, leopard dace, mountain sucker, pacific lamprey, sockeye salmon, tui chub, and Umatilla dace are known or likely to occur in the Columbia River near Route Segment NNR-8. This route segment ROW passes from Sage-Grouse MUs defined as Regularly Occupied Habitat into Occasionally Occupied Habitat as it crosses the Columbia River. The analysis area does not overlap any JBLM YTC protection zones for Sage-Grouse. Patchy sagebrush with a perennial grass understory covers roughly half of this route segment’s ROW; most of the remaining area is either rocks and open water or cheatgrass and other weeds. The eight-mile wide Route Segment NNR-8 analysis area contains 28,583 acres of suitable Sage-Grouse habitat (63 percent of the analysis area), 1,333 acres of marginal habitat (three percent), and 15,183 acres of unsuitable habitat (34 percent; Table 3.3-9). The estimated Sage-Grouse population range does not overlap the Route Segment NNR-8 ROW or the analysis area. Four walking transects west of the Columbia River surveyed during two visits in May and July of 2013 did not reveal any sign of Sage-Grouse use of this route segment (Appendix B-1). No active leks are known to occur within the eight-mile wide Route Segment NNR-8 analysis area (Table 3.3-5). One historic lek is located approximately 2.1 miles northwest of this route segment. 3.3.4.18 Route Segment MR-1 This 11.9-mile long subroute is a proposed option to the 4.5-mile long Route Segment NNR-4. Shaped like a horseshoe, it circumnavigates to the west, north, and east of Manastash Ridge. It crosses private, DNR, and JBLM YTC lands and crosses over I-82 and the associated WSDOT ROW. This route segment is comprised of a mixture of sagebrush/perennial grassland (6,488 acres, 38 percent), agriculture (3,868