I. Biological Resources
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JULY 2017 BART TO LIVERMORE EXTENSION PROJECT EIR CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS I. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES I. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 1. Introduction This section describes the biological resources setting and existing conditions as they relate to the BART to Livermore Extension Project, discusses the applicable regulations, and assesses the potential impacts to biological resources from construction and operation of the Proposed Project and Alternatives. For the purpose of this analysis, the study area for potential direct impacts includes the collective footprint—the combined footprints of the Proposed Project, Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Alternative, and Express Bus/Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Alternative. In addition, the bus routes and bus infrastructure improvements for the Enhanced Bus Alternative, as well as for the feeder buses for the Proposed Project and other Build Alternatives, which are anticipated to extend along existing streets and within the street rights-of-way (ROWs), are addressed programmatically in this analysis, as described in Chapter 2, Project Description. To produce a comprehensive species list for the study area, the analysis considered sensitive wildlife and plant resources that are documented within 5 miles of the collective footprint. The analysis presented in this section is based on a review of existing information and results from site surveys, which include the following: . Focused and reconnaissance-level wildlife, botanical, and wetland surveys performed by Environmental Science Associates (ESA) from 2013 to 2016 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 . City of Dublin General Plan6 1 Environmental Science Associates, 2013a. BART to Livermore Extension (BLVX) Project Consolidated Biological Resources Report, Site 7 [I-580 Corridor Area], Alameda County, California. Prepared for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. October. 2 Environmental Science Associates, 2013b. BART to Livermore Extension (BLVX), Consolidated Biological Resources Report, Site 2 [Isabel North], Alameda County, California, Prepared for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, October. 3 Environmental Science Associates, 2013c. BART to Livermore Extension (BLVX), Consolidated Biological Resources Report, Site 1 [Isabel South], Alameda County, California, Prepared for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. November. 4 Environmental Science Associates, 2013d. BART to Livermore Extension (BLVX), Consolidated Biological Resources Report, Site 3 [Laughlin Road Area], Alameda County, California, Prepared for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, October. 5 Environmental Science Associates (ESA), 2014. BART to Livermore Extension Project, Rare Plant Survey Report, Prepared for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. June. 6 City of Dublin, 2013a. City of Dublin General Plan 817 BART TO LIVERMORE EXTENSION PROJECT EIR JULY 2017 CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS I. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES . City of Dublin, Eastern Dublin Specific Plan 7 . City of Dublin, Dublin Crossing Specific Plan EIR 8 . City of Livermore, El Charro Specific Plan Final EIR9 . City of Pleasanton, Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan/Staples Ranch Final EIR10 . California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Environmental Assessment/Initial Study Interstate Highway (I-) 580 Eastbound HOV Lane Project from East of Greenville Road to Hacienda Drive11 . The 2010 East Alameda County Conservation Strategy (EACCS)12 . U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Programmatic Biological Opinion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Permitted Projects Utilizing the EACCS that May Affect Federally Listed Species in East Alameda County, California 13 . USFWS, Recovery Plan for Vernal Pool Ecosystems of California and Southern Oregon 14 . USFWS, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Designation of Critical Habitat for Four Vernal Pool Crustaceans and Eleven Vernal Pool Plants; Final Rule15 . California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Biogeographic Data Branch, California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB), Rarefind 516 7 City of Dublin, 1994. Eastern Dublin Specific Plan. Available at: http://dublinca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7776. 8 City of Dublin, 2013b. Dublin Crossing Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report. June. Available at: http://www.ci.dublin.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/4739. 9 City of Livermore, 2007. Final Environmental Impact Report for the El Charro Specific Plan. April. Available at: http://www.cityoflivermore.net/citygov/cedd/planning/charro.htm, accessed April, 2016. 10 City of Pleasanton, 2008. Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan/Staples Ranch Final Environmental Impact Report. Available at: http://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/cd/planning/specific/ stoneridge.asp. 11 California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), 2006. Environmental Assessment/Initial Study I 580 Eastbound HOV Lane Project from East of Greenville Road to Hacienda Drive. September. 12 ICF International, 2010. East Alameda County Conservation Strategy. Final Draft. October. (ICF 00906.08.) San Jose, CA. Prepared for East Alameda County Conservation Strategy Steering Committee, Livermore, CA. 13 United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 2012. Programmatic Biological Opinion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permitted Projects Utilizing the East Alameda County Conservation Strategy that May Affect Federally Listed Species in East Alameda County, California (Corps File Number 2011 00230S). May 31. 14 United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 2005a. Recovery Plan for Vernal Pool Ecosystems of California and Southern Oregon, Portland, Oregon, xxvi+ 606 pages. 15 United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 2006. Federal Register Final Rule; Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Designation of Critical Habitat for Four Vernal Pool Crustaceans and Eleven Vernal Pool Plants. Federal Register 71(28):7118 7316. 16 California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), 2016. Rarefind 5. Biogeographic Data Branch, California Natural Diversity Database, August 4. 818 JULY 2017 BART TO LIVERMORE EXTENSION PROJECT EIR CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS I. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES . USFWS, Species List of Federal Endangered and Threatened Species 17 . California Native Plant Society (CNPS), Electronic Inventory of Rare and Endangered Vascular Plants of California18 . USFWS, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for California Red-Legged Frog; Final Rule19 No scoping comments pertaining to biological resources were received in response to the Notice of Preparation for this EIR or during the public scoping meeting held for the EIR. 2. Existing Conditions This subsection describes the existing conditions for biological resources, including the regional context, the local setting and survey methods, vegetation communities, special-status plant and wildlife species, accounts of species occurrence, wetlands and other waters, critical habitats, and wildlife corridors. a. Regional Overview The study area is located within eastern Alameda County within the Dublin, Livermore, and Altamont United States (U.S.) Geological Survey 7.5-minute quadrangles. Topographically, the study area includes a range of elevations, including approximately 330 feet above mean sea level at the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station (Dublin/Pleasanton Station) and approximately 510 feet above mean sea level at the Cayetano Creek Area. The overall slope and aspect of the study area falls in an east-to-west direction. The study area generally runs parallels to I-580, within highly urbanized landscapes in the cities of Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore. However, the study area also extends through agricultural and grazing lands in the vicinity of Isabel South Area and the Cayetano Creek Area. The study area encompasses a variety of land uses that include the existing I-580 transportation corridor and residential, commercial, and industrial uses. Undeveloped areas both north and south of I-580 support agriculture and open space land uses, with annual grassland and ruderal habitats as the most common habitat types north of I-580 in 17 United States. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 2016. Species List of Federal Endangered and Threatened Species. Available at: www.fws.gov/sacramento/es/spp_lists/auto_list.cfm, accessed August 5, 2016. 18 California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2017. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California (online edition, v8-03 0.45). Available at: http://www.rareplants.cnps.org, accessed 10 July 2017. 19 United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 2010. Federal Register Final Rule; Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for California Red Legged Frog. Federal Register 50(17): 12816-12959. 819 BART TO LIVERMORE EXTENSION PROJECT EIR JULY 2017 CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS I. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES undeveloped areas. South of I-580, non-urbanized areas support recreation (e.g., Las Positas Golf Course), limited agriculture, and open space. Approved and planned urban development in the cities of Dublin and Pleasanton has reduced much of the remaining open space in the western portion of the study area. Drainages that extend through the study area include Line G-1-1, Chabot Canal, Line G-2 (Hewlett Canal), Tassajara Creek, Line G-3, Cottonwood Creek, Collier Canyon Creek, Isabel Creek, Arroyo las Positas, and Cayetano Creek, as well as several smaller aquatic features. With the exception of Arroyo las Positas, these watercourses have been