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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-36 With the implementation of RDFs, impacts to special status plant species and potential suitable habitat is anticipated to include 0.9 mile of low impacts and 5.6 miles of moderate impacts with Route Segment NNR-6u. Suksdorf’s Monkeyflower Suksdorf’s monkeyflower is a BLM Sensitive and Washington Sensitive species. The distribution of Suksdorf’s monkeyflower ranges from California to Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Arizona. In Washington, it is known to occur in Benton, Chelan, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Yakima counties. Within the region, 25 populations occupying approximately 8,776 acres are known to occur. Potential threats to Suksdorf’s monkeyflower include habitat degradation by livestock, agriculture and military training activities (Camp and Gamon 2011). WNHP data indicates that Suksdorf’s monkeyflower intersects Route Segment NNR-6o/NNR-6u for 0.3 mile. These locations include large buffers; therefore, it is uncertain whether this occurrence intersects the ROW corridor. As no federal land was surveyed, there may be occupied habitat for Suksdorf’s monkeyflower in the disturbance footprint that would be identified during pre-construction surveys. Direct impacts and RDFs that would be implemented to minimize impacts to potential occurrences of Suksdorf’s monkeyflower are similar to those described above for snowball cactus (Route Segment 1b). With the implementation of RDFs described above and the assumption that any occurrences found during pre-construction surveys would be avoided, Project construction, operation, and maintenance activities could impact individuals or habitat (moderate impact), but would not contribute toward the need for federal listing. 4.2.4.16 Route Segment NNR-7 General Vegetation Long-term disturbance to approximately 38.1 acres of land (Table 4.2-4) would occur with the construction of Route Segment NNR-7. All of the long-term disturbance would occur in areas classified as sagebrush/perennial grassland. No vegetation is anticipated to be temporarily disturbed. General vegetation impacts are similar to those described above for Route Segment 1a/NNR-1. Disturbance would be minimized by RDFs described above that are designed to reduce impacts to vegetation resources. RDFs include using existing public roads to access structure sites, minimizing blading and disturbance to plant communities, revegetating following construction, and implementing a Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Plan. Refer to Section 2.3 - Required Design Features Common to Action Alternatives for a complete list and description of RDFs. Moderate impacts levels are anticipated for the entire length of this route segment (8.3 miles). Special Status Species and Priority Ecosystem No federally listed special status plant species or priority ecosystems are known to occur along Route Segment NNR-7 (Table 4.2-5). WNHP data indicate Route Segment NNR-7 intersects occurrences of beaked cryptantha, bristle-flowered collomia, caespitose evening-primrose, dwarf evening-primrose, gray cryptantha, miner’s candle (Cryptantha scoparia), and Suksdorf’s monkeyflower. In addition, WNHP data indicate that Columbia milkvetch, naked-stemmed evening-primrose, snowball cactus, and white eatonella are known to occur within one mile of Route Segment NNR-7. Special status plant surveys were conducted along this route segment; however, adjustments were made to the preliminary route to decrease separation distances between the proposed Project and an existing 230 kV line therefore the current ROW was not surveyed. Approximately 1.6 percent (2.4 acres) of federal land within this route segment was surveyed for special status plants (Table 3.2-3). Long-term disturbance would occur to 7.2 acres of potential suitable habitat for special status plants. RDFs described above for Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 would also be implemented during construction, operation, and maintenance of Route Segment NNR-7 to minimize impacts to special status plants.