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Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report Page IV.A-8
<br /> Forward Inc.Landfill 2018 Expansion Project
<br /> Forward Landfill safety procedures include monitoring bird populations at the site. Bird •
<br /> surveys (conducted over a period of at least 1.5 hours on a single day) observed 500 gulls on •
<br /> February 23, 2005, 661 gulls in January 2007, 75 gulls on January 14, 2009, and 400 gulls on
<br /> February 10,2010(Schneider, 2005;Stagnaro, 2009).
<br /> At the Forward Landfill, a pilot gull control program, using falconers with trained falcons to
<br /> lure and chase gulls,was conducted between March 9, 2010 and April 14, 2010 (Davis,2013;See
<br /> Appendix D of the 2013 FEIR for a copy of this report). The pilot program was successful in
<br /> reducing gulls at the landfill site;one gull was observed on March 10, 2010 by a consulting
<br /> biologist who is independent of both the gull control consultant and the project sponsor. •
<br /> (Stagnaro,2010; See Appendix D of the 2013 FEIR). After the end of the pilot gull control •
<br /> program,44 and 65 gulls were observed on September 22 and 23,2010, respectively,by the
<br /> independent third-party consulting biologist. (Stagnaro, 2011; See Appendix D of the 2013 EIR).
<br /> As a result of the success of the pilot gull control, a permanent gull control program was
<br /> initiated by Forward Landfill on September 27, 2010. This program consists primarily of
<br /> falconry, and expanded on the pilot program discussed in the previous paragraph to include
<br /> use of bird flares, remote-controlled airplanes that resemble predatory birds, whistles, and other
<br /> noisemakers to discourage birds. The program employs falcons directed by a falconer, •
<br /> supplemented by pyrotechnics to frighten gulls away when weather conditions make use of •
<br /> falcons difficult (e.g., foggy and stormy conditions). During an observation on December 2,
<br /> 2010 by an independent third-party consulting biologist, 18 gulls were observed approaching at
<br /> a high elevation;the falconer flew one of his birds and the gulls left the area. Later on the same •
<br /> day, one gull scouted the area but left. The use of falcons is reported to have been fully •
<br /> effective; no gulls landed on or approach within close proximity to the site during a survey by •
<br /> an independent biologist conducted in December 2010. (Stagnaro, 2011; see Appendix D of the
<br /> 2013 EIR). During the 2011-2012 winter season, no gulls were observed at the landfill during a
<br /> survey conducted in April 2012. (Yakich, 2012, see Appendix D of the 2013 EIR). No gulls were
<br /> observed at the landfill in four surveys conducted since the preparation of the 2013 EIR, in April •
<br /> 2013, April 2014,June 19,2015; and June 7, 2017 respectively. (Yakich, 2013, Yakich, 2014;
<br /> Valcarel, 2015;and Teichman, 2017;see Appendix Q. In addition to the biologist's surveys
<br /> described above, observations are made by an independent observer as part of the bird control •
<br /> program, to provide added oversight. The independent observer noted two cases on Thursday, •
<br /> February 7, 2013 where gulls began feeding at the active face. In both cases, the gulls were able
<br /> to begin feeding but were deterred by the control program prior to reaching the site-specific
<br /> failure criteria. Forward staff was notified regarding the gull incidents. Based on discussions
<br /> with landfill staff, it appears that the position of the active face may have prevented the
<br /> controllers from observing the gull landings. The controller was notified of this incident. •
<br /> Measures taken to deter future gull landing and feeding included requiring the controller to
<br /> monitor areas that may be screened with the support of landfill staff in constructing additional
<br /> access roads. During surveys of gulls at the Forward Landfill from fall of 2010 to spring of 2013,
<br /> other species of birds have been recorded. (Davis, 2014). There are four species of raptors that •
<br /> generally occur in the area: Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, and American
<br /> Kestrel. Each of these species occupies large home ranges of which the landfill is only a small,
<br /> non-essential part. The species do not feed at the landfill and would still occur in the same
<br /> areas even if the landfill were not present. The landfill sometimes attracts small numbers of '
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