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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-26 to caespitose evening-primrose from the proposed Project: maintain intact vegetation wherever possible; minimize the blading of native plant communities during construction, consistent with safe construction practices; utilize overland travel where feasible; reseed disturbed areas using an agency approved mixture of native and non-native species or seed for revegetation as detailed in POD; and develop and incorporate a Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Plan and a Fire Protection and Control Plan into the final POD. It was assumed that this occurrence will be spanned and construction activities would avoid this occurrence. With the implementation of RDFs described above and the assumption that this occurrence will 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. Columbia Milkvetch Refer to Route Segment 2b for information on Columbia milkvetch. Columbia milkvetch was documented along a 0.7-mile section of Route Segment 3b during special status plant surveys. The occurrence of Columbia milkvetch contained over 220 individuals within and was located near previously documented populations. WNHP data indicates that an additional Columbia milkvetch occurrence intersects Route Segment 3b for 0.2 mile. These locations include large buffers; therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine whether these occurrences truly intersect the ROW corridor. Direct impacts and RDFs that would be implemented to minimize impacts to occurrences Columbia milkvetch are similar to those described above for Route Segment 2b. Approximately 0.9 acres of long-term disturbance and 3.2 acres of short-term disturbance are anticipated to occur in this location, less than 0.1 percent of the known occupied habitat for Columbia milkvetch in the region. It was assumed that these occurrences will be spanned and construction activities would avoid occurrences. 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. Gray Cryptantha Gray cryptantha is a federal Species of Concern and BLM Sensitive and Washington Sensitive species. This species is a regional endemic in the Columbia and Lower Yakima Rivers in the Western Columbia Basin. It occurs from Wenatchee, Washington to The Dalles, Oregon. In Washington, it is currently known from Benton, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties and, historically, Douglas County. Within the region, gray cryptantha is known from 33 populations occupying approximately 16,169 acres. The primary threats to this species include OHV use, increased weed invasions, changes in sand deposition, and agricultural conversion (WNHP and BLM 2005). WNHP data indicate that gray cryptantha intersects Route Segment 3b for 1.8 miles. These locations include large buffers; therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine whether these occurrences truly intersect the ROW corridor. 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. Hoover’s Desert-Parsley Hoover’s desert-parsley is a federal Species of Concern and BLM Sensitive and Washington Sensitive species. This species is endemic to Washington and is known only from Yakima County and adjacent portions of Benton, Grant, and Kittitas counties. Within the region, Hoover’s desert-parsley is known from 22 populations occupying approximately 13,210 acres. The primary threats to this species include gravel extraction, road construction, military training activities, grazing herbicide drift from nearby agricultural land and noxious weed establishment (WNHP and BLM 2005). WNHP data indicate that Hoover’s desert-parsley intersects Route Segment 3b for 3.8 miles. These locations include large buffers; therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine whether these occurrences truly intersect the ROW