Exhibit D.5.B Implications Relevant to Metro's Request to Amend the CP and for Permits As Any
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Appendix A ESA Litigation The established facts are that listed salmon and steelhead use Burlington Bottoms. McCarthy Creek is a salmon spawning stream. These species also use Burlington Creek. It seems highly likely that, given the slopes, type of soil in the BCF, and the more extreme weather events brought on by global warming, that harm will result from almost any version of the trails Metro has thus far proposed, because fine silt does the most harm to fish. The definition of "take," which triggers EPA liablity is expansive under the Act, and is further expansively refined by administrative rule. Set forth below is an excerpt from the Habit:iJ Conservation Planning and Incidental Take Permit Processing fiandbook (NOAA Fisheries, 2016). This excerpt is probably as good a summary of the ESA take provisions and rules, and their Exhibit D.5.b implications relevant to Metro's request to amend the CP and for permits as any: Section 9 of the ESA prohibits the take of any fish or wildlife species listed as endangered. Section 9 prohibits damage or destruction of plants listed as endangered on Federal property or on non-Federal lands when doing so in knowing violation of any State law or regulation or in the course of any violation of a State criminal trespass law. Take is defined as "harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct." FWS further defines "harm" (50 CFR 17.3) as " ... an act which actually kills or injures wildlife. Such act may include significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering." The NMFS definition of "harm" (50 CFR 222.102) is very similar, but adds more specific terms related to fish. It is " ... an act which actually kills or injures fish or wildlife. Such act may include significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures fish or wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavior patterns, including breeding, spawning, rearing, migrating, feeding, or sheltering." Tlie FWS further defined "harass" in 50 CFR 17.3 as " ... an intentional or negligent act or omission which creates the likelihood of injury to wildlife by annoying it to such an extent as to significantly disrupt normal behavioral patterns which include, but are not limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering." On October 21, 2016, NMFS issued "Interim Guidance on the Endangered Species Act Term, Harass" employing a similar definition (see Glossary). Although section 9 does not prohibit take of fish and wildlife species listed as threatened, the FWS promulgated a regulation (50 CFR 17.3 l(a)) stating that all prohibitions for endangered fish and wildlife species also apply to threatened species ... In 1988, the ESA definition of "person" was amended to include an " .. .individual, corporation, paiinership, trust, association, or any other private entity; or any officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, of any State, municipality, or political subdivision of a State, or of any foreign government; any State, municipality, or political subdivision of a State; or any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States ... " States, counties, cities, municipalities and other political subdivisions that regulate or issue permits for certain activities (e.g., building permits, capital improvement projects, etc.) that could result in unauthorized take may be held equally liable for violation of section 9. The things that are most pertinent from the above summary are that conduct that amounts to a take of either threatened or endangered fish can expose counties to ESA liability if they issue permits or otherwise engage in action that can result in a take. Appendix B ODFW and Metro interactions including email correspondence and ODFW recommendations to Metro regarding its trail plans for BCF. I INTERGOVERNli1ENTAL CONSULTATION FORJv.f STATE I FEDERAL AGENCY REVIEW A REVIEW OF A PROPOSED OUTDOOR RECREATION PROJECT WHICH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN REQUESTED Project Name: Bmlington Creek Forest Natural Surface Trails Project Sponsor: Metro Parks and Nature Retum Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017 To Agency Addressed: This is a Federal Aid Grant. A comment is required. If your agency cannot respond by the return date, please notify us immediately. PROGRAM REVIEW AND COMMENT We have reviewed the subject notice and have reached the following conclusions on its relationship to our plans and programs: [ ] It has no effect. [ ] We have no comment. [ ] Effects, although measurable, would be acceptable. [ ] It has adverse effects. (Explain in Remarks Section.) [ ] We are interested, but require more infonnation to evaluate the proposal. (Explain in Remarks Section.) Additional comments for project improvement. (Attach if necessary). REMARKS Agency: or=0»Y'- De___etl-1-\-m~+ oi2· -r{~i,.,._ ~. ve>;\c:l.llk_ Reviewed By: SU. SA-V\ f2c£he S ~%\ 'DYV'-\ C-e>Y'-se.rf ci±\oY'\.. JS 1·0 \ 05is+ Name Title Retum to: Karen Vitkay Metro Parks and Nature 600 NE Grand A venue Portland, Oregon 97232 cc: Jodi Bellefeuille, Recreational Trails Program Coordinator Oregon Parks and Recreation Depmiment 725 Summer St. NE, Suite C Salem, OR 97301 Attachment 1. ODF\V Remarks and Additional Comments for OPRD Federal Aid Grant Date: December 15, 2017 Project Name: Burlington Creek Forest Natural Surface Trails Project Sponsor: Metro Parks and Nature Thank you for the opp01tunity for the Oregon Depaitment of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to review and comment on Metro's October 2017 version of tl1e proposed Burlington Creek Forest Natural Surface Trails Project. ODFW appreciates Metro's consideration of our previously submitted comments and recommendations, and subsequent adjustments made to the proposed trail alig1m1ent in an effort to avoid and minimize negative impacts to fish and wildlife resources. In accordance with our mission and authorities, ODFW offers the following comments and recommendations: Comment #1: ODFW offers the following information to describe the context of the project site in terms of ecoregion and local landscape level fish and wildlife conservation goals. The proposed project area lies within two Conservation Oppo1tunity Areas1 (COA ID 054 and COA ID 058) as identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy2-. Recommended conservation actions for these CO As include: address fish and wildlife movement ba111ers, foster forest succession to old growth, improve stream buffer vegetation and width, manage public access and recreation to proteet fish and wildlife, protect and improve water quality, protect and improve habitat for_ turtles, amphibians and bats; and reduce road m01tality for amphibians and other wildlife crossing Highway 30. Comment #2: ODFW offers the following information to describe the relative value of the project site to fish and wildlife. According to ODFW' s on-line mapping tool COMPASS3 (Centralized Oregon Mapping Products and Analysis Suppo1t System), the proposed project ls located within Compiled Crucial Habitat Priority Ranks of 1 and 2. COMPA.SS is intended to infmm land use decisions and project planning as related to fish and wildlife and their habitats. ODFW crucial habitat layers were developed using multiple data somces, various aggregation methodologies, and classifications which are intended to reflect agency priorities. All layers are categorized and assigned a priority rank 1 through 6. 'Ibe highest score of 1 indicates the most valuable habitat. 1 Conservation Opportunity Areas (COAs) are places where broad fish and wildlife conservation goals would best be met. Focusing investments i.n these prioritized areas can increase the likelihood oflong-tenn success, maximize effectiveness over larger landscapes, improve funding efficiency, and promote cooperative eff01is across ownership boundaries. 2 The Oregon Conservation Strategy (Strategy, ODFW 2016) is Oregon's State Wildlife Action Plan and voluntary approach for conserving fish and wildlife. The goals of the Strntegy are to maintain hea1thy fish and wildlife populations by maintaining and restoring functioning habitats, preventing declines of at-risk species, and reversing declines in these resources where possible. 3 h_ttp://www.dfw.state.or.us/maps/compass/index.asp 1 Comment #3: ODFW offers the following information to describe the relative impmiance of the project site to fish and wildlife. ODFW has categorized the Burlington Creek Forest tract as "Habitat Category 3'' per ODFW's Fish and Wildlife Habitat Mitigation Policy (OAR 635-415- 0000). "Habitat Category 3" is essential, but not limited, habitat for fish and wildlife, or important habitat for fish and wildlife that is limited either on a physiographic province or site specific basis, depending on the individual species or population. The mitigation goal is no net loss of either habitat quantity or quality. Mitigation of impacts, if unavoidable, is to be accomplished tlu·ough reliable in-kind, in-proximity habitat mitigation. Comment #4: ODFW is concerned about development of new recreation trails and their potential impacts to wildlife habitat. Impacts from recreational trails, though not as well studied as roads, are known to adversely impact fish and wildlife, both directly and indirectly. The proposed project has the potential for adverse impacts to a variety of wildlife species, but of particular concern are migratory