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San Joaquin County Community Environmental Setting, Impacts,and Mitigation Measures Development Department Biological Resources activities occur(including vehicle access and equipment staging). Potential construction impacts include damage to or destruction of dens,direct mortality from construction vehicles or heavy equipment,direct mortality from den — collapse and subsequent suffocation, temporary disturbance from noise and human presence associated with construction activities, and harassment by construction crews. In addition,exposed pipes or large excavated holes that are left open after construction has finished for the day could entrap San Joaquin kit — fox moving through the construction area. This impact is considered significant. Implementation of Mitigation Measures BIO-3a,BIO-3b,BIO-3c,and BIO- 3d would reduce this impact to a less-than-significant level. Mitigation Measure BI0-3a: Compensate for Loss of San Joaquin Kit Fox Habitat — Loss of potential foraging and denning habitat for San Joaquin kit fox may result in the incidental take of an SJMSCP-covered species. The project area is currently unmapped and is considered open space land _ under the SJMSCP. The SJMSCP defines orchards within San Joaquin County as"Multipurpose Open Space Lands,"which generally are not considered habitat for SJMSCP-covered species; fees paid for _ multipurpose open space conversion are not used to create preserve lands. Because orchards in the study area provide potential habitat for San Joaquin kit fox and are located within a known kit fox movement _ corridor, compensation for removal of this habitat will be determined in consultation with the SJCOG,as outlined in the SJMSCP(Section 4.1.2(A]). Alternatively,the Applicant may elect to initiate consultation with the USFWS under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act and obtain a Biological Opinion for the project that specifies the avoidance, — minimization, and compensation measures that must be implemented prior to initiating the project. Mitigation Measure BI0-3b: Minimize and Avoid Temporary Construction Disturbances to San Joaquin Kit Fox To avoid disturbances to San Joaquin kit fox during project construction, _ DeSilva Gates or its contractor will implement the following construction and operational requirements as identified in the Standardized Recommendations for the Protection of San Joaquin Kit — Fox Prior to or During Ground Disturbance(Standardized Recommendations)(USFWS 1999). ■ Before any work occurs in the construction area, including grading,a — qualified biologist shall conduct mandatory contractor/worker awareness training for construction personnel. The awareness training shall include a description of San Joaquin kit fox and — representative photographs of the species,the species' legal status and protection under the ESA and the CESA, and the penalties for not complying with biological mitigation requirements. If new construction personnel are added to the Project, the contractor shall DeSilva Gates Quarry Project Draft Environmental Impact Report 3.D-16 J&S 05105.05