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f Biological Resources, MONK&ASSOCIATES Impacts and Mitigations Tracy Facility Expansion Site as a border between the project site and Interstate 580. Non-native grassland is the single plant community present on the project site. This plant community and its associated wildlife habitat are discussed below. 8.1 Non-Native Annual Grassland The project site's non-native annual grassland community has been greatly disturbed over the recent disturbance to this community is grazing.years. The most r ty s sheep gr . The herbaceous g vegetation has been heavily grazed. Annual disking of fire breaks is another disturbance. The middle portion of the project site is also degraded due to off-road vehicles, such as dirt bikes and motorcycles,that illegally enter the project site in order to race over the mine tailing piles. At the time of M&A's January 8, 1998 site visit,the dominant grass and forb species were wild oats (Avena sp.), soft chess brome(Bromus hordeaceus), filaree(Erodium botrys and E. moschatum), Kellogg's tar plant(Hemizonia kelloggii),vinegar weed(Trichostema lanceolatum), and black mustard (Brassica nigra). While many plant species are not evident in the month of January, based on the project site's dominant plant species composition,it is likely that the plants that will emerge on the site in the spring months will also be non-native grasses and forbs. A complete list of plant species observed during the January 8, 1999 site visit is included as Table 2. Wildlife observed on the project site in January were those species typical of Central Valley grassland habitats. Animal species observed included northern harrier(Circus cyaneus), savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis),Says phoebe(Sayornis saya),mourning dove (Zenaida macroura),western meadowlark(Sturnus neglecta),black-tailed hare(Lepus californicus),Audubon's cottontail(Sylvilagus audubonii),California meadow vale(Microtus cal fornicus),California ground squirrel(Spermophilus beeches) and their burrows, and coyote (Canis latrans)tracks. A complete list of animal species observed during the January 8, 1999 site visit is included as Table 3. 9. SPECIAL-STATUS SPECIES DEFINITION For purposes of this report, special-status species are plants and animals that are legally protected under the State and Federal Endangered Species Acts or other regulations, and species that are considered rare by the scientific community. Special-status species are defined as: • plants and animals that are listed or proposed for listing as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act(Fish and Game Code §2050 et seq.; 14 CCR §670.1 et seq.) and/or the Federal Endangered Species Act(50 CFR 17.12 for plants; 50 CFR 17.11 for animals; various notices in the Federal Register[FR] for proposed species); • plants and animals that are candidates for possible future listing as threatened or endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act(50 CFR 17;FR Vol. 62,No. 182,pages 49397- 49411, September 19, 1997); and under the State Endangered Species Act(California Fish and Game Code §2068); 7