SU0004094 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

4.Environmental Analysis 1:1,prior to construction.This preservation and/or creation of wetlands may occur either on-site,at an off-site location,or at an ACOE approved mitigation bank. To ensure mitigation of habitat similar to that impacted by Mining Plan Option 2, if this mitigation occurs off-site and not at a mitigation bank, the mitigation shall be located on alluvial fans or terraces in either western San Joaquin or Stanislaus Counties. Permits secured for the project may require higher ratios. Impact Significance After Mitigation: Less than Significant. — Impact 4.9.2: Project activities could result in adverse impacts to special-status species covered under the SJMSCP.This is a potentially significant impact. Several species covered under the SJMSCP(San Joaquin kit fox,tricolored blackbird, western burrowing owl, Swainson's hawk, white-tailed kite, and loggerhead shrike)may be adversely affected by activities resulting from the project. Species may be directly affected during construction,or their habitats may be temporarily converted to other uses. Given the long-term nature of the project and that the SJMSCP is being implemented,the status of these species may change during the duration of the project; therefore mitigation included below is phased in conjunction with the project. a) San Joaquin kit fox may use the agricultural matrix at the project site for foraging, and could use the relatively sparsely distributed ground squirrel burrows on Hospital Creek and west of the Delta-Mendota Canal for denning. In several locations on Hospital Creek, especially at bends in the creek bed,the banks are armored with irregularly-sized pieces of concrete that create features resembling burrows. These features, and a small complex of ground squirrel burrows on the bank of Hospital — Creek, showed no evidence of use for denning by San Joaquin kit fox. The majority of burrows are less than 5 inches in diameter, but several in a burrow complex about 100 meters west of the project area,and west of the Delta-Mendota Canal, are large — enough to be used by San Joaquin kit fox. Although the likelihood of use of the project area by San Joaquin Kit fox is low due to barriers to movement across the Delta-Mendota Canal,the species may use the project site. — b) Tricolored blackbirds were observed breeding in a gravel mine pond near the project site in 2005. The species breeds in dense vegetation over water and in silage crops, in addition to other substrates. If project operations include the cultivation of silage crops, or creation of detention ponds or basins where emergent vegetation becomes established, it may result in the creation of habitat for this species. Operations that cause the failure of a colony of nesting tricolored blackbirds would result in a significant impact. c) Landscaped trees located on the project site provide potential breeding habitat for Swainson's hawk or white-tailed kite. Although no Swainson's hawk nests or any — other raptor nests were observed on the property during biological surveys, the RMC Pacific Vernalis Quarry Mining and Reclamation Project 4.9-14 ESA/203015 Draft Environmental Impact Report May 2006