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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-25 difficult to accurately determine whether this occurrence truly intersect the ROW corridor. The known occurrences of awned halfchaff sedge are within wetlands along the Columbia River. Within the proposed Project, wetlands and the area immediately adjacent to the Columbia River would be avoided. As not all federal and state land were surveyed, additional awned halfchaff sedge occurrences could be present. With the implementation of RDFs described above and the assumption that occurrences would be spanned and avoided, Project construction, operation, and maintenance activities could impact individuals or habitat (moderate impact), but would not contribute a trend toward federal listing. Beaked Spike-Rush Beaked spike-rush is a BLM Strategic and Washington Sensitive species. Beaked spike-rush is known from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia, Canada south to northern Mexico and the Greater Antilles and in the South American Andes. In Washington, beaked spike-rush is currently known from Grant and Yakima counties. Within the region, beaked spike-rush is known from six populations occupying approximately 563 acres. The primary threats to this species are the invasion of habitat by exotic species and loss of habitat through the increased density of woody species (WNHP and BLM 2005). WNHP data indicate that beaked spike-rush intersects Route Segment 3b for 0.7 mile. Impacts from the proposed Project are similar to those described above for Nuttall’s sandwort. With the implementation of RDFs described above and the assumption that potential occurrences would be spanned and avoided, Project construction, operation, and maintenance activities could impact individuals or habitat (moderate impact), but would not contribute a trend toward federal listing. Bristle-flowered Collomia Bristle-flowered collomia is a BLM Strategic and a Washington Sensitive species. This species is distributed from north-central Oregon into central Washington. In Washington, it is known to occur in Kittitas and Yakima counties. Within the region, nine populations occupying 869 acres are known to occur. Primary threats to bristle-flowered collomia are habitat loss through non-native plant invasion, grazing, OHV use and military training (WNHP and BLM 2005). WNHP data indicate that bristle- flowered collomia intersects Route Segment 3b for approximately 0.3 mile; however, special status species locations include large buffers, so it is uncertain whether this occurrence intersects the ROW corridor. With the implementation of RDFs described above and the assumption that any occurrences found during pre-construction surveys would be spanned and avoided, Project construction, operation, and maintenance activities could impact individuals or habitat(moderate impact), but would not contribute toward the need for federal listing. Caespitose Evening-Primrose Caespitose evening-primrose is a BLM Strategic and Washington Sensitive species. This species is known from eastern Oregon eastward, through Montana and Wyoming to the Dakotas. In Washington, it occurs in Kittitas, Yakima, Grant and Benton counties. Within the region, nine populations occupying approximately 1,737 acres are known to occur. This species was identified along a 0.4-mile section of Route Segment 3b during special status plant surveys (Table 4.2-5). The occurrence of caespitose evening primrose was located within a previously documented location and consisted of approximately 75 individuals scattered along the ROW. Approximately 0.3 acre of long-term disturbance and 1.4 acres of short-term disturbance are anticipated to occur in this location, 0.1 percent of known occupied habitat for caespitose evening-primrose in the region. WNHP data indicate additional occurrences of caespitose evening-primrose may occur along Route Segment 3b. These locations include large buffers; therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine whether these occurrences truly intersect the ROW corridor. Direct impacts to this species could occur due to habitat loss from ground disturbance, injury and/or mortality from vehicle and human trampling during construction and maintenance, and increased OHV activity. Indirect impacts could occur through the degradation in habitat quality through the establishment of noxious weeds and invasive plants (e.g., cheatgrass) and increased wildland fire. In addition to RDFs described above, the following RDFs would be also be implemented to reduce direct and indirect impacts