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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-84 The estimated Sage-Grouse population range does not overlap the Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 ROW (Figure 3.3-4). There are no active leks within four miles of Route Segment 1a/NNR-1. Potential impacts to lekking Sage-Grouse would be minimized by the implementation of RDFs (refer to Sections 4.3.3.1 and 4.3.3.2). With the implementation of RDFs combined with no known active or inactive leks within four miles, impacts to lekking Sage-Grouse with the construction of Route Segment 1a/NNR-1 is anticipated to be low. 4.3.4.2 Route Segment 1b Approximately 36.8 acres of long-term and 21.2 acres of short-term disturbance would occur through the construction of Route Segment 1b. Fire history records indicate there have been several fires within and near this route segment. Two fire breaks are present within most of the route segment’s ROW corridor consisting of bare ground, cheatgrass, and Russian thistle (Kali tragus). Despite this disturbance, the adjacent habitat is predominantly high quality big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and stiff sagebrush (A. rigida) with abundant native perennial bunchgrasses, low non-native species cover, and a diverse and abundant native forb layer. Permanently disturbed areas would include 28.4 acres of sagebrush/perennial grassland, 2.4 acres of other shrublands, and 3.1 acres of perennial grassland (Table 4.3-4). Perennial grassland accounts for about half of the short-term disturbance (10.4 acres) disturbance, with the remaining short-term disturbance in agriculture/disturbed areas and annual grassland. Route Segment 1b would also require the permanent removal of approximately 0.5 acre of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) trees. This area is important to wildlife, especially during dry times of the year because riparian habitats are relatively limited in the area. Unless it is determined during Project design that this area should be spanned, removal of riparian vegetation and aspen would constitute a moderate impact level. RDFs would be implemented to minimize habitat loss and degradation, as described in Section 4.3.3.1. Impact levels to habitat are expected to be low for 6.1 miles and moderate for 6.4 miles (6.3 miles of sagebrush/perennial grassland, and 0.1 mile of trees/aspen). The presence of new transmission line structures, which could provide additional perch and/or nesting sites for avian predators, could negatively impact nearby prey species such as small mammals and avian species, particularly when the new structures are built in an area where perching opportunities currently do not exist (i.e., greater than 0.25 mile from existing structures or trees). Construction of Route Segment 1b would require an estimated 89 structures, of which 85 would be located greater than 0.25 mile from an existing transmission line (Table 4.3-5). Within one mile of Route Segment 1b, potentially suitable habitat is present for 38 special status wildlife species that are possible, likely, or known to occur (Tables 3.3-2, 3.3-3, and 3.3-7). Potential impacts and RDFs to address them are discussed in Sections 4.3.3.1 and 4.3.3.2. Species or wildlife resources that have been documented at specific locations within one mile of Route Segment 1b include priority species regional areas for regular concentrations of loggerhead shrikes and long-billed curlews, curlew breeding occurrences, elk winter range, five burrowing owl nests, and black-tailed jackrabbit occurrences. There is a small loggerhead shrike concentration area on the north slope of Yakima Ridge just east of the route segment’s ROW corridor (0.1 mile away). Potential impacts include direct habitat loss, indirect habitat loss or degradation, increased predation from corvids and raptors attracted to nesting and/or perching opportunities on the new transmission line structures, and disturbance or displacement from noise or visual disturbance, especially during construction. RDFs would be implemented to minimize impacts, as described in Sections 4.3.3.1 and 4.3.3.2. The loggerhead shrike concentration area is located outside of the route segment’s ROW and RDFs are anticipated to successfully minimize impacts to loggerhead shrike; no identifiable impacts are anticipated. Route Segment 1b crosses 3.2 miles of long-billed curlew Priority Species Regional Area and additional potential habitat is present. Impacts to long-billed curlew include a reduction and degradation of habitat,