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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 4 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Environmental Consequences PAGE 4-89 are expected to be low for the 0.3 miles of the route segment within winter range, with no identifiable impacts to elk outside of the winter range. All habitat disturbance associated with Route Segment 2a is within the Regularly Occupied Habitat MU for Sage-Grouse. Construction activities would disturb less than one percent of Regularly Occupied Habitat (Table 4.3-7). All 6.0 acres of anticipated ground disturbance would occur in marginal Sage- Grouse habitat (Table 4.3-8). RDFs are anticipated to be effective at reducing impacts to Sage-Grouse habitat (refer to Sections 4.3.3.1 and 4.3.3.2). The scale of disturbance and degradation to Sage-Grouse habitat is anticipated to be low for the entire 1.0-mile long route segment. Construction of Route Segment 2a would require approximately 7 structures, all of which would be located greater than 0.25 mile from an existing transmission line (Table 4.3-5). One hundred percent of the Route Segment 2a ROW is within the estimated core Sage-Grouse population range (Figure 3.3-4). One active lek (Lek #4) occurs within four miles of Route Segment 2a (Table 3.3-7). Lek #4 is located approximately 3.9 miles east of Route Segment 2a; it is described in more detail for Route Segment 2b to which it is more closely located. Approximately 0.6 miles of Route Segment 2a are within four miles of an active or inactive lek. 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 0.4 mile and moderate for 0.6 mile. 4.3.4.5 Route Segment 2b Approximately 76.1 acres of long-term and 19.3 acres of short-term disturbance would occur through the construction of Route Segment 2b. Most of the permanently disturbed area would be sagebrush/perennial grassland (65.8 acres), with the remaining. 10.3 acres split among annual grassland, noxious weeds, agriculture, disturbed ground, perennial grassland, and intermittent stream/dry gully (Table 4.3-4). Short- term disturbance is prominently annual grassland (11.7 acres), along with agriculture/disturbed land (4 acres), perennial grassland (2.5 acres), and intermittent stream/dry gully (1.1 acres). 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 five miles and moderate for 11.4 miles (sagebrush/perennial grassland for 11.1 miles and intermittent stream/dry gully for 0.3 miles). 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 2b would require an estimated 116 structures in a landscape dominated by low growing grasses and shrubs. All new structures would be located greater than 0.25 mile from an existing transmission line or trees (Table 4.3-5). Within one mile of Route Segment 2b, 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 2b include elk winter range and a black-tailed jackrabbit occurrence. All 16.3 miles of Route Segment 2b are within the Rattlesnake Elk Winter Range Regular Concentration area. RDFs to minimize impacts to elk will include a seasonal restriction on construction. Specifically, construction would be avoided during the wintering season, typically December 1 through March 1, or as defined by WDFW for each big game population in question (Section 2.3). The avoidance RDF is anticipated to be effective at minimizing impacts to elk; therefore, impacts are expected to be low for the entire 16.3-mile long route segment.