Vantage to Pomona FEIS Index 34 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-60 implemented during construction. Fugitive dust emissions would also be reduced by implementing the following RDFs: limiting ground disturbing activities during construction; closing and revegetating new or improved access roads, where practicable; utilizing water trucks to control dust during construction; and covering construction materials that are a source of blowing dust (e.g., dirt piles and open pits). Indirect impacts to habitat could occur because ground disturbance and vegetation removal increase the potential for the introduction and spread of noxious and invasive weeds (Olson 1999; Trombulak and Frissell 2000; Levine et al. 2003). Spread of Invasive Weeds Ground disturbance and vegetation removal can increase the potential for the introduction and spread of noxious weeds and invasive species (Olson 1999; Levine et al. 2003). Disturbed areas, such as roads and construction work areas, can act as conduits for weeds to become established in native habitats adjacent to the disturbed areas (Gelbard and Belnap 2003). Linear features such as transmission lines and roads are also associated with a greater abundance of noxious and invasive weeds that decrease with increasing distance from the linear feature (Gelbard and Belnap 2003; Bradley and Mustard 2006; Bradley 2010). Non-native plant invasions have the potential to alter wildlife habitat quality by outcompeting native plants, altering the natural fire regime, and by changing ecosystem processes (e.g., nitrogen cycling). Construction of access roads and the movement of construction equipment and other vehicles along these roads would increase the potential for the spread of noxious weeds in the affected areas (Sheley et al. 1999; Gelbard and Belnap 2003). RDFs would be implemented to reduce the potential spread of noxious weeds and invasive species from Project activities and include the following: reseeding disturbed areas with certified weed-free materials (e.g., borrow material, straw wattles, and bale barriers); reseeding disturbed areas with certified weed-free land management agency approved native or non-native species; washing all equipment before entering the Project area and when leaving areas where noxious weeds are present; closing and revegetating new or improved access roads that are not required for ongoing maintenance activities; and complying with all federal, state, and county noxious weed control regulations and guidelines. In addition, a Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Plan would be developed in consultation with land management agencies and local weed control districts and would be incorporated into the final POD. The Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Plan would emphasize control of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) during follow-up visits to prevent, to the extent practical, the establishment of cheatgrass before, during, and shortly after establishment of reclaimed vegetation. Alteration of Fire Regime Biological change through habitat modification and degradation could occur in the Project study area by a wildland fire event. Non-native plants, particularly cheatgrass, create a more continuous fuel source than native bunchgrasses, resulting in an increased risk of wildfire. Wildfires in turn, increase opportunities for cheatgrass establishment. This creates a positive feedback loop, often resulting in a self-sustaining cycle that permanently converts large portions of the landscape from sagebrush-steppe to annual grasslands dominated by cheatgrass (Brown 2000; Paysen et al. 2000). In addition, increased use of access roads and the Project ROW could lead to an increase in fire danger from campfires, un-extinguished cigarettes, and vehicle exhaust systems coming into contact with dry vegetation. To minimize the potential for wildland fire and loss of wildlife habitat, the following RDFs would be implemented: the development and implementation of a Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Management Plan; closing or restoring new or improved access roads that are not required for ongoing maintenance activities; all applicable fire laws and regulations would be observed during the construction period and construction personnel would be advised of their responsibilities under the applicable fire laws and regulations, including taking practical measures to report and suppress fires; and a Fire Protection and Control Plan would be developed and incorporated into the POD. This Plan would include measures to be implemented during construction and maintenance, such as: restricting smoking to designated areas; restricting equipment parking to sites cleared of all flammable material; equipping vehicles with appropriate fire suppression equipment; and