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G C! d, G r C! 0 r 11 11 0 ... ....... 4' 2 VEGETATION AND WIL®LIFE -111 -RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING: This chapter discusses the biological resources occurring at the proposed Tracy Materials Recovery and Transfer Facility project site; assesses the impacts on these resources from the proposed project; and recommends mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for potential impacts. Methods The habitats and wildlife at the project site were studied intensively by Jones & Stokes Associates in February 1993 during surveys for San Joaquin kit foxes. Jones & Stokes Associates was contracted by Tracy Delta Disposal Service to conduct surveys for San Joaquin kit fox. The survey results were submitted as part of use permit application No. UP -93-4 for a materials recovery and transfer facility. Much of the analysis of wildlife presented here is based on this detailed survey. (See Appendix H for the complete report of kit fox survey methods and results at the project site.) A Jones & Stokes Associates botanist and wildlife biologist performed reconnaissance -level surveys of the site on August 20, 1993. Common and scientific names of all plants and wildlife species mentioned in the text or observed on or near the project site are shown in Appendices B and C. The botanist and biologist also reviewed pertinent literature and contacted knowledgeable individuals to acquire information. Information sources included the California Natural Diversity Data Base (NDDB) (1993) and agency biologists at the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) (Broddrick pers. comm.) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (Host, Simons, White pers. comms.). Biological Communities The project site consists of approximately 40 acres of disturbed annual grasslands on exposed gravel soils with no shrubs or trees. Lonestar Industries mined the site for gravel between 1971 and 1975, which resulted in a large, excavated pit approximately 30 feet deep that occupies most of the site. Lonestar Industries reseeded the site in 1986. Although the site has not been disturbed since 1986, previous mining activities and ongoing vehicular disturbance are evident. The surrounding area is dominated by agriculture (grain, pasture, and orchards) and mining. Annual grassland at the site is an open habitat supporting grasses and forbs with little or no woody vegetation. Nonnative grasses such as wild oat, barley, ripgut brome, and soft chess dominate. Typical scattered fortis are pigweed amaranth, prickly wild lettuce, great valley gumplant, and western sunflower. Annual grasslands provide cover and foraging habitat for wildlife species. Typical reptiles include western fence lizard and gopher snake. Birds known to breed in annual grasslands near the project site include horned lark, burrowing owl (see "Special -Status Species" below), and western meadowlark. Several raptors forage in grasslands and were observed during field surveys, including turkey vulture, American kestrel, red-tailed hawk, black -shouldered kite, and northern harrier (see "Special -Status Species" below). Deer mice, black -tailed hares, California ground squirrels, striped skunks, and coyotes or their sign (scat, burrows, tracks, or prey remains) were observed during field surveys. The few ground squirrels were observed on the project site slopes. ER -93-1 -34- (9-27-93)