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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-80 implementation of RDFs is anticipated to be effective at eliminating impacts to bull trout. No identifiable impacts to bull trout or bull trout habitat are anticipated to occur through construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed Project. The reach of the Yakima River within one mile of Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 is within designated critical habitat for the Middle Columbia River steelhead DPS. No structure or road construction work would occur directly within the Yakima River, which is located greater than or equal to 0.75 mile from the proposed Project. Erosion would be minimized by applying and maintaining standard erosion and sediment control methods. No identifiable impacts to steelhead or its habitat are anticipated to occur through construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed Project. The Selah Waterfowl Concentration Area/Selah Gravel Pit Wetlands associated with the Yakima River are located within one mile of Route Segment 1a/NNR-1, just northwest of the Pomona Heights Substation. Four special status aquatic bird species are likely to utilize the area: great blue heron, eared grebe, tundra swan, and American white pelican. Waterfowl and aquatic bird injury and mortality could occur through collision with the new transmission line, though it is not very likely because the route segment will not cross the wetlands or cross between the wetlands and likely feeding areas such as agricultural fields. Bald eagles are also known to utilize the Selah Wetlands and there is a documented bald eagle nest located along the Yakima River approximately 0.8 mile west of Route Segment 1a/NNR- 1. RDFs include installing bird flight diverters in locations with known avian mortality through collision with transmission line infrastructure. Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 is expected to have no identifiable impacts to waterfowl or aquatic bird species. Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 is expected to have 0.3 mile of low impact level on bald eagles. All habitat disturbance associated with Route Segment 1a/1a/NNR-1 is within the Regularly Occupied Habitat Management Unit (MU) for Sage-Grouse. Construction activities would disturb less than one percent of Regularly Occupied Habitat (Table 4.3-7). The majority of the disturbance for this route segment would occur in habitat that has been disturbed in the past and is currently dominated by rabbitbrush, exotic annual grasses, and developed areas such as agricultural and residential areas. Approximately 3.7 acres of disturbance is predicted to occur within suitable Sage-Grouse habitat; 6.4 acres of disturbance is anticipated to occur in marginal habitat, and 2.6 acres within unsuitable habitat (Table 4.3-8). However, given the proximity of the route segment to surrounding disturbance and urban development, it is doubtful that the immediate area would be used by Sage-Grouse. Considering the existing degraded habitat available within Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 and with the implementation of RDFs, the scale of disturbance and degradation to Sage-Grouse habitat is anticipated to be low for the entire route segment (2.4 miles). Existing perching, roosting, and nesting sites are available along Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 from buildings, trees, fences associated with developed areas and existing distribution and 230 kV H-frame transmission lines. Construction of Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 would require approximately 31 new structures; approximately 14 (45 percent) of these new structures would be located greater than 0.25 mile from an existing transmission line (Table 4.3-5).