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Administrative Draft Environmental Impact Report Gill Medical Center Project Western Pond Turtle The Woodbridge Irrigation District irrigation canal represents potential habitat for western pond turtle. The SJMSCP only addresses impacts to potential western pond turtle nesting habitat, of which there is none within the Study Area. However, the site supports potential upland habitat, within the northern buffer described above and the development area,which may be used by foraging and transitory turtles. As such, project construction presents a potentially significant impact to western pond turtle. With implementation of Mitigation Measures 4.6-1a, 4.6-1b and 4.6-1d, impacts would be less than significant with mitigation incorporated. Giant Garter Snake The Woodbridge Irrigation District irrigation canal and adjacent uplands located along the northern border buffer represents marginally suitable habitat for giant garter snake.The intermittent nature of the irrigation ditch, absence of dense emergent vegetation cover in the channel, and farmed adjacent uplands reduces, but does not eliminate, the likelihood for giant garter snake presence in the Study Area. As such Project development represents a potentially significant impact to giant garter snake.With implementation of Mitigation Measures 4.6-1a, 4.6-1b, 4.6-1e and 4.6-1f, impacts would be less than significant with mitigation incorporated. Swainson's Hawk and other Migratory Birds and Raptors Mature trees, including native oaks, that could provide suitable nesting habitat for Swainson's Hawk and other migratory birds and raptors are located onsite within ruderal areas as shown on Figure 4.6-1.Trees that provide suitable nesting habitat are also located adjacent the project site. Project construction is expected to occur during the nesting season for Swainson's Hawk and other migratory birds (generally March through August) and could result in the disturbance of active nests. Nest tree removal or construction disturbance (noise or activity) during the breeding season could result in the incidental loss of fertile eggs or nestlings or otherwise lead to nest abandonment. This would be considered a potentially significant impact to Swainson's Hawk and other raptors or nesting migratory birds. With implementation of Mitigation Measures 4.6-1a, 4.6-1b and 4.6-1g, impacts would be less than significant with mitigation incorporated. Indirect impacts to Swainson's Hawk could also result from the loss of the ±10-acre fallow agricultural field located on the Project's east side.This fallow field provides suitable Swainson's Hawk foraging habitat. Because only a relatively small area of suitable foraging habitat would be lost, and due to an abundance of foraging habitat in the Project vicinity, the proposed project is not expected to adversely affect Swainson's Hawk foraging and this is considered a less-than-significant impact. Burrowing Owl The Project site exhibits evidence of ground squirrels as several ground squirrel burrows are located on the property, particularly along the northwest site boundary adjacent the Woodbridge Irrigation District canal. No burrowing owls were observed onsite, and no indication of burrowing owl use of the site was noted during field surveys. However, the presence of squirrel burrows indicates the potential for burrowing owls to inhabit the site. Grading and other construction activities, including within the Biological Resources 4.6-33 October 2021