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Jones & Stokes Associates will complete the following tasks for the "Setting" section: ■ Review responses to the NOP concerning biological issues. ■ Review existing information, including previous surveys by Pamela Muick, the wetlands delineation by Sugnet & Associates, DFG records and reports, and records from the DFG's NDDB. ■ Contact federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), USFWS, and DFG to identify their concerns about the project and obtain agreement on our approach to biological resource issues and study methodology. ■ Document contacts, including, but not limited to, DFG, USFWS, California Department of Water Resources(DWR),State Lands Commission,and Audubon Society. ■ Review aerial photographs of the project area to describe the vegetation and wildlife habitats on and surrounding the site and to make a preliminary evaluation of wildlife habitat relationships. ■ Identify special-status plant and wildlife species that could occur in the project area by reviewing the existing literature and database report from the NDDB, and by contacting the DFG and reviewing the USFWS comments on the NOP. ■ Identify county general plan elements and policies concerning biotic resources. ■ Identify state laws, policies, and regulations that may be applicable to wetlands, streambeds, riparian habitats, endangered species, or other special biotic resources (such as a streambed alteration agreement, riparian water rights, and 2018 permit under the state Endangered Species Act for taking state-listed species, including the Swainson's hawk and giant garter snake). ■ Identify federal policies and regulations concerning wetlands and endangered species (such as individual versus nationwide Section 404 permit, and Section 7 or Section 10A permit for taking endangered species such as the valley elderberry longhorn beetle). ■ Develop criteria for determining significance of impacts on biotic resources. ■ Conduct field surveys of the project area to gather information required to describe the biological resources of the area, evaluate wildlife habitat conditions, and determine the occurrence of and habitat use by special-status plant and wildlife species. If the botanical field surveys are conducted before or after the spring or summer flowering periods of potentially occurring special-status plants, results will be presented as preliminary, based on the presence of suitable habitat, and additional surveys will be recommended. In addition, several III-15