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 4-86 Three active leks (Leks #1, #3, and #4) and one inactive lek occur within four miles of Route Segment 1b (Table 3.3-7). Approximately 6.8 miles of Route Segment 1b are within four miles of an active or inactive lek. Lek #1 is located approximately 3.6 miles north of Route Segment 1b. As it is slightly closer to Route Segment NNR-3, Lek #1 is described in more detail for Route Segment NNR-3. Lek #3 occurs approximately 2.9 miles northeast of Route Segment 1b. Lek #3 had four males attending in 2015, and four in 2014 (SEE 2015). An inactive lek within the same complex (complex #3) is located approximately 1.6 miles southwest of the active Lek #3, and 1.3 miles northeast of Route Segment 1b.This lek was last active in 2006 (SEE 2015). Lek #4 occurs approximately 3.9 miles east of Route Segment 1b; it is described in more detail for Route Segment 2b, to which it is more closely located. 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). Lek impact levels are anticipated to be low for 5.7 miles and moderate for 6.8 miles. 4.3.4.3 Route Segment 1c Approximately 35.4 acres of long-term and 35.5 acres of short-term disturbance would occur through the construction of Route Segment 1c. The majority of the habitat along and immediately adjacent to this route segment is highly disturbed and poor quality and borders agricultural land, roads, and residences. However, much of the surrounding habitat is predominantly high quality big sagebrush and stiff sagebrush with abundant native perennial bunchgrasses, low non-native species cover, and a diverse and abundant native forb layer. Permanently disturbed areas would include 17.2 acres of sagebrush/perennial grassland, 13.6 acres of annual grassland/noxious weeds, 1.7 acres of other shrublands, and 2.0 acres of perennial grassland (Table 4.3-4). Short-term disturbance would include 3.7 acres of perennial grassland and 27.1 acres of annual grassland/noxious weeds. 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 9.8 miles and moderate for 3.2 miles (3.1 miles of sagebrush/perennial grassland and 0.1 mile of intermittent stream/dry gully). 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 1c would require an estimated 92 structures, of which 88 would be located greater than 0.25 mile from an existing transmission line (Table 4.3-5). Within one mile of Route Segment 1c, 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 1c 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 (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 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 segments’ ROW and RDFs are anticipated to successfully minimize impacts to loggerhead shrike; no identifiable impacts are anticipated. Route Segment 1c skirts the edge of long-billed curlew Priority Species Regional Area for a few miles and potential habitat is present within the Route Segment 1c ROW. Impacts to long-billed curlew include