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4 Environmental Analysis <br /> 4.4 Biological Resources <br /> Literature Review <br /> Prior to the field surveys, biologists reviewed relevant literature, databases, and aerial imagery. <br /> The following sources were reviewed: <br /> oo CDFW California Natural Diversity Database data (CDFW 2022) <br /> oo California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants data <br /> (CNPS 2022) <br /> oo USFWS National Wetland Inventory and Critical Habitat data (USFWS 2022a, 2022b) <br /> oo Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) data (NRCS 2022) <br /> oo U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps (Midway Quadrangle) <br /> oo Griffith Critical Issues Analysis (Tetra Tech 2021) <br /> Field Surveys <br /> The following types of general and focused biological surveys were conducted at the Project site <br /> in 2022 (Tetra Tech 2022a, 2022b): <br /> oo Vegetation community mapping; <br /> oo Rare plant surveys; <br /> oo CTS habitat and migration barrier assessment; <br /> oo Swainson's hawk nesting habitat assessment; <br /> oo Habitat assessment for special-status species and nesting birds; and <br /> oo Jurisdictional delineation. <br /> Within the proposed gen-tie line area, reconnaissance-level biological surveys, protocol-level <br /> surveys for BUOW, and rare plant surveys were conducted between 2020 and 2022 (Jacobs <br /> 2022). <br /> Impact Analysis <br /> Biological resources either may be "directly" or "indirectly" impacted by a project (defined by <br /> CEQA Guidelines section 15358): <br /> oo Direct impact: impacts which are caused by the project and occur at the same time and <br /> place. Any alteration, disturbance or destruction of biological resources that could result <br /> from project-related activities is considered a direct impact. <br /> oo Indirect impact: impacts which are caused by the project and are later in time or farther <br /> removed in distance but are still reasonably foreseeable. Examples include growth- <br /> inducing impacts and other impacts related to induced changes in the pattern of land use, <br /> population density, or growth rate, and related effects on air and water and other natural <br /> systems, including ecosystems. <br /> Impacts either may be "permanent" or"temporary" in nature: <br /> oo Temporary impacts (short-term): impacts considered as having reversible impacts on <br /> biological resources can be viewed as temporary, such as construction noise. <br /> Griffith Energy Storage Project 4.4-28 Tetra Tech/SCH 2022120675 <br /> Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2023 <br />