APPENDIX C Terrestrial and Marine Biological Resource Information Appendix C1 Resource Agency Coordination Appendix C2 Marine Biological Resources Report APPENDIX C1 RESOURCE AGENCY COORDINATION 1 The ICF terrestrial biological team coordinated with relevant resource agencies to discuss 2 sensitive biological resources expected within the terrestrial biological study area (BSA). 3 A summary of agency communications and site visits is provided below. 4 California Department of Fish and Wildlife: On July 30, 2020, ICF held a conference 5 call with Greg O’Connell (Environmental Scientist) and Corianna Flannery (Environmental 6 Scientist) to discuss Project design and potential biological concerns regarding the 7 Eureka Subsea Fiber Optic Cables Project (Project). Mr. O’Connell discussed the 8 importance of considering the western bumble bee. Ms. Flannery discussed the 9 importance of the hard ocean floor substrate and asked how the cable would be secured 10 to the ocean floor to reduce or eliminate scour. The western bumble bee has been 11 evaluated in the Biological Resources section of the main document, and direct and 12 indirect impacts are avoided. The Project Description describes in detail how the cable 13 would be installed on the ocean floor, the importance of the hard bottom substrate, and 14 the need for avoidance. 15 Consultation Outcomes: 16 • The Project was designed to avoid hard bottom substrate, and RTI Infrastructure 17 (RTI) conducted surveys of the ocean floor to ensure that proper routing of the 18 cable would occur. 19 • Ms. Flannery will be copied on all communications with the National Marine 20 Fisheries Service 21 California Department of Fish and Wildlife: On August 7, 2020, ICF held a conference 22 call with Greg O’Connell to discuss a site assessment and survey approach for the 23 western bumble bee. Because capture of insects was not part of the sampling design, an 24 incidental take permit was not necessary. Mr. O’Connell stressed the importance of 25 nesting and over-wintering habitat but was not concerned with the bee’s flight period. Mr. 26 O’Connell described an approach to assess the cable landing site 1 year prior to ground 27 disturbance to determine the presence/absence of western bumble bee. 28 Consultation Outcomes: 29 • Mr. O’Connell provided literature for review that was used to develop the survey 30 and assessment approach. 31 • A survey was designed that involved two separate site visits during the appropriate 32 time and weather conditions to observe and photograph foraging insects. February 2021 C1-1 Eureka Subsea Cables Project MND Appendix C1 – Resource Agency Coordination 1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): On August 7, October 9 and 13, 2020, ICF 2 corresponded via email with John Hunter, of the Arcata U.S. Fish and Wildlife Office. 3 Consultation Outcomes: 4 • August 7 – Mr. Hunter stated that he would be in contact to discuss the project in 5 more detail. 6 • October 9 – On behalf of RTI, ICF emailed Mr. Hunter a letter requesting technical 7 assistance for the federally endangered beach layia (Layia carnosa) and federally 8 threatened western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus). ICF requested 9 that USFWS concur with our no effect (NE) determination. 10 • October 13 – Mr. Hunter responded to the technical assistance letter emailed on 11 October 9. Mr. Hunter asked whether the Project was private or had a federal 12 nexus. If private, he stated that “This might be a no take at this point” and that a 13 technical assistance letter would be issued. However, if there was a federal nexus, 14 the process for a no effect concurrence would be different. ICF’s Steve Yonge 15 emailed Mr. Hunter and stated that RTI had yet to contact the U.S. Army Corps of 16 Engineers (USACE) to discuss the Project and whether the terrestrial portion of 17 the Project would be included in the Clean Water Act 404 permit that RTI will apply 18 for. Mr. Hunter stated that the USFWS does not issue technical assistance letters 19 for NE determinations but stated “It would seem to us that your reasoning for a 20 potential NE determination looks sound.” Mr. Hunter requested that ICF inform him 21 of the permitting approach the USACE takes and whether a federal nexus is 22 identified. 23 California Department of Fish and Wildlife: On August 19, 2020, ICF met Greg 24 O’Connell at the cable landing site to discuss the potential for the western bumble bee to 25 occur. We reviewed the area for nesting and over-wintering habitat, and discussed the 26 proposed methods to determine whether western bumble bees were using the site. We 27 explained our sample approach and the photography taken to capture images of foraging 28 insects that would be used for identification to be performed by an entomologist. We 29 discussed potential temporary and permanent impacts, and installation of temporary 30 fencing around the work area during construction. Mr. O’Connell thought impacts on the 31 dune mat community may require restoration; he provided example restoration 32 opportunities and recommended that ICF contact Laurel Goldsmith with USFWS for 33 assistance with dune restoration concepts. 34 Consultation Outcomes: 35 • Mr. O’Connell thought it was sufficient to photograph insects and then have the 36 photographs reviewed by an entomologist. 37 • Permanent impacts at the cable landing site would be minimal and would involve 38 installation of four vault boxes. Eureka Subsea Cables Project MND C1-2 February 2021 Appendix C1 – Resource Agency Coordination 1 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS): From August 5 through August 31, 2020, 2 ICF corresponded via email with multiple staff members who support the West Coast and 3 Pacific Islands NMFS regions. ICF clarified the location of the cable landing site and 4 discussed the nexus for consultation that would be initiated by the USACE as part of 5 Nationwide Permit #12. 6 On October 21, 2020, ICF held a conference call with representatives from both the NMFS 7 West Coast and Pacific Islands Regional offices. We discussed the four phases of the 8 Project, potential effects of the Project to be addressed in the biological assessment (BA) 9 and essential fish habitat (EFH) assessment, and the permitting approach. 10 Consultation Outcomes: 11 • Developed a list of NMFS staff to coordinate with and discuss an approach to 12 review and analyze the Project that spans the NMFS West Coast and Pacific 13 Islands regions. 14 • Agreed to engage the USACE to determine the most appropriate way to permit the 15 Project through the Clean Water Act 404 process. 16 • ICF on behalf of RTI would begin to prepare the draft BA and EFH assessment 17 that would support formal consultation under Section 7 of the federal Endangered 18 Species Act. February 2021 C1-3 Eureka Subsea Cables Project MND Appendix C1 – Resource Agency Coordination Table C1-1. Special-Status Wildlife and Fish Species and Their Potential to Occur in the Terrestrial Biological Study Area (BSA) Legal Common Name Status Potential to Occur in General Range and Habitat Description Scientific Name Federal/ the BSA Statea Southern torrent –/SSC Found in coastal drainages from southern Mendocino County None – No suitable habitat salamander north to Oregon; prefers cold shaded streams and seeps, present. Rhyacotriton variegatus often with rocks and talus, usually on north-facing slopes. Pacific tailed frog –/SSC Occurs in coastal northern California and inland to Big Bend in None – No suitable habitat Ascaphus truei Shasta County and north in the Cascade Mountains. present Restricted to montane cold, clear, rocky perennial streams in wet forests; tadpoles require water below 15 degrees Celsius. Northern red-legged frog –/SSC Occurs in coastal northern California; Mendocino County None – No suitable habitat Rana aurora through Oregon and Washington; humid forests, woodlands, present and streams with plant cover. Often found in woods adjacent to streams. Breeding habitat is in permanent water sources; lakes, ponds, reservoirs, slow streams, marshes, bogs, and swamps. Foothill yellow-legged –/SSC Occurs throughout the North and South Coast Ranges, south None – No suitable habitat frog to the Transverse Range, across northern California to the present Rana boylii west slope of the Cascade Range, and south through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Inhabits forest streams and rivers (both perennial and intermittent) with sunny, sandy, and rocky banks, with deep pools, and shallow riffles. Western pond turtle –/SSC Occurs throughout California west of the Sierra-Cascade crest; None – No suitable habitat Emys marmorata found from sea level to 6,000 feet; occupies ponds, marshes, present rivers, streams, and irrigation canals with muddy or rocky bottoms. Eureka Subsea Cables Project MND C1-4 February 2021 Appendix C1 – Resource Agency Coordination Table C1-1. Continued Legal Common Name Status Potential to Occur in General Range and Habitat Description Scientific Name Federal/ the BSA Statea White-tailed kite –/FP Occur in savanna, open woodlands, marshes, desert Moderate – Suitable Elanus leucurus grassland, partially cleared lands, and cultivated fields nesting and foraging throughout the West; often nest in isolated trees in open- habitat present. Not country or forest edges. observed during the July 10, 2020 habitat-based field survey. Bald eagle –/SE, FP Nests in large, old-growth, or emergent live tree with open None – No suitable nesting Haliaeetus leucocephalus branchwork. Nests typically located 50 to 200 feet above or foraging habitat present ground. Forages primarily in large inland fish-bearing waters with adjacent large trees or snags, and occasionally in uplands with abundant rabbits, other small mammals, or carrion. Breeding range includes the Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and portions of the Coast Ranges; winter range expands to include most of the State. Northern harrier –/SSC Widespread throughout North America in wide-open Moderate – Suitable Circus cyaneus grasslands, marshes, or fields; breed in freshwater and nesting and foraging brackish marshes; nest on the ground and usually in a dense habitat present.