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Draft Environmental Impact Report Page IV.H-6 P P g Forward Inc. Landfill Expansion Project Special-Status Biological Resources Special-status biological resources include plant and animal species and natural communities or habitats deemed rare or locally significant by federal,State or local agencies or professional associations. The study area supports or has the potential to support several special-status species and biological resources. Each is described below. A summary of the status,habitat affinities, reported localities in the project area,and potential for occurrence within the project area for each of the target plant and animal species and those with a low potential to occur are presented in Appendix D, Biological Resources. Special-status Natural Communities and Habitats Special-status natural communities are those that are considered rare in the region, support special-status plant or wildlife species, or receive regulatory protection (i.e., waters of the United States, covered under Sections 404 and 401 of the Clean Water Act [CWA] and/or waters of the State' covered under the CFGCZ and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Acta. The California Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB) has ranked a number of natural communities in terms of their significance and rarity (CDFG 2003). A single special-status natural community, freshwater marsh, occurs in the study area. In addition,the actual stream channel of the South Branch of the South Fork of Littlejohn's Creek qualifies as a "waters of the U.S." and"waters of the State". Special Status Plants The laws comprising California's legal framework and authority for plant species conservation include the federal Endangered Species Act (FESA), California Endangered Species Act (CESA), the Native Plant Protection Act (NPPA), and CEQA(see discussion below). Special-status plants include those listed as endangered, threatened, or rare or as candidates for listing by the USFWS (2008) and the CDFG (2008b). Other species regarded as having special-status include special plants, as listed by the CDFG (2008a), as well as those found on lists 1B and 2 of the CNPS (2008). Based on a review of special-status plant species recorded in the project region(CNDDB 2008, CNPS 2008, SJCOG 2000), a total of 17 special-status plant species were evaluated for the study area. Focused botanical surveys were not conducted as part of this EIR; due to the highly modified nature of the site, they were not warranted. No federally or State-listed species or other special-status plant species are considered to have any potential to occur within the study area. Special Status Animals Special-status animal species include those listed as endangered,threatened, rare, or as candidates for listing by the USFWS(2008) and/or CDFG (2008d). Other species regarded as ' Waters of the State are defined as"any surface water or groundwater, including saline waters,within the boundaries of the state" California Water Code Section 13050(e).These include nearly every surface or ground water in California,or tributaries thereto, and include drainage features outside USACE jurisdiction(e.g.,dry and ephemeral/seasonal stream beds and channels,etc.), isolated wetlands(e.g.,vernal pools,seeps,springs and other groundwater-supplied wetlands,etc.), and storm drains and flood control channels. 2 Section 1600,et seq. 3 Water Code Sections 13000-14920