SU0011836 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report Page IV.17-31 Forward Inc. Landfill 2018 Expansion Project 3. Confine the movement of heavy equipment within 200 feet of the banks of potential giant garter snake aquatic habitat to existing roadways to minimize habitat disturbance. 4. Prior to ground disturbance, all on-site construction personnel shall be given instruction regarding the presence of SJMSCP Covered Species and the importance of avoiding impacts to these species and their habitats. 5. In areas where wetlands,irrigation ditches,marsh areas or other potential giant garter snake habitats are being retained on the site: 1. Install temporary fencing at the edge of the construction area and the adjacent wetland,marsh, or ditch; 2. Restrict working areas, spoils and equipment storage and other project activities to areas outside of marshes,wetlands and ditches; and 3. Maintain water quality and limit construction runoff into wetland areas through the use of hay bales, filter fences,vegetative buffer strips, or other accepted equivalents. 6. If on-site wetlands, irrigation ditches, marshes, etc. are being relocated in the vicinity: the newly created aquatic habitat shall be created and filled with water prior to dewatering and destroying the pre-existing aquatic habitat. In addition,non-predatory fish species that exist in the aquatic habitat and which are to be relocated shall be seined and transported to the new aquatic habitat as the old site is dewatered. 7. If wetlands, irrigation ditches,marshes, etc. will not be relocated in the vicinity, then the aquatic habitat shall be dewatered at least two weeks prior to commencing construction. 8. Pre-construction surveys for the giant garter snake (conducted after completion of environmental reviews and prior to ground disturbance) shall occur within 24 hours of ground disturbance. 9. Other provisions of the USFWS Standard Avoidance and Minimization Measures during Construction Activities in Giant Garter Snake Habitat shall be implemented (excluding programmatic mitigation ratios which are superseded by the SJMSCP's mitigation ratios). These mitigation measures would reduce potential impacts to the giant garter snake to less than significant levels because impacts to giant garter snake would be minimized or avoided. . In addition, restoration of the realigned creek channel would provide at least equivalent habitat for giant garter snake. Impact F.4. Potential"Take"of Western Pond Turtle. Though the lack of consistent flows within the South Branch of South Littlejohn's Creek within the study area are unlikely to support western pond turtle, habitat elements for the species are present in other portions of Littlejohn's Creek, and these are hydrologically connected to the study area. If the species were present in the South Branch of the South Fork of Littlejohn's Creek during construction, a "take" of western pond turtle could occur. This is a potentially significant impact. In the long term, restoration of the realigned creek channel, proposed as part of this project, will provide at least equivalent enhance habitat for some semi-aquatic and riparian wildlife species, including for western pond turtle.