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Revisions to the Point Pedernales Field Development and Production Plan, Addition of the Tranquillon Ridge Field, Biological

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Revisions to the Point Pedernales Field Development and Production Plan, Addition of the Tranquillon Ridge Field, Biological Revisions to the Point Pedernales Field Development and Production Plan Addition of Tranquillon Ridge Field Biological Evaluation of Threatened and Endangered Species Prepared for the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Accordance with Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Amended June 2008 Biological Evaluation Revisions to the Pt. Pedernales DPP – Tranquillon Ridge Table of Contents Page 1.0 SUMMARY........................................................................................................................ 1 2.0 PURPOSE........................................................................................................................... 2 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION....................................................................... 2 3.1 OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED ACTION........................................................................ 2 3.2 PROPOSED DRILLING ACTIVITIES ......................................................................... 3 4.0 PROTECTED SPECIES..................................................................................................... 5 4.1 SPECIES EXCLUDED FROM THIS ANALYSIS ....................................................... 5 4.1.1 Wildlife ................................................................................................................... 5 4.1.2 Plants....................................................................................................................... 7 4.2 MARINE MAMMALS................................................................................................... 8 4.2.1 Blue Whale (Endangered)....................................................................................... 8 4.2.2 Fin Whale (Endangered)......................................................................................... 9 4.2.3 Sei Whale (Endangered) ....................................................................................... 10 4.2.4 Humpback Whale (Endangered)........................................................................... 11 4.2.5 Northern Right Whale (Endangered).................................................................... 12 4.2.6 Sperm Whale (Endangered).................................................................................. 13 4.2.7 Steller Sea Lion (Threatened) ............................................................................... 14 4.2.8 Guadalupe Fur Seal (Threatened) ......................................................................... 16 4.2.9 Southern Sea Otter (Threatened) .......................................................................... 16 4.3 BIRDS........................................................................................................................... 19 4.3.1 Brown Pelican (Endangered) ................................................................................ 19 4.3.2 California Least Tern (Endangered) ..................................................................... 23 4.3.3 Bald Eagle (Threatened) ....................................................................................... 25 4.3.4 Western Snowy Plover (Threatened).................................................................... 27 4.3.5 Light-footed Clapper Rail (Endangered) .............................................................. 30 4.4 REPTILES .................................................................................................................... 32 4.4.1 Leatherback Sea Turtle (Endangered) .................................................................. 32 4.4.2 Green Sea Turtle (Endangered) ............................................................................ 34 4.4.3 Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle (Endangered) ............................................................... 35 4.4.4 Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Threatened) .................................................................... 35 4.5 MARINE INVERTEBRATES..................................................................................... 35 4.5.1 White Abalone (Endangered) ............................................................................... 35 4.6 AMPHIBIANS.............................................................................................................. 37 4.6.1 California Red-legged Frog (Threatened)............................................................. 37 4.7 FISH.............................................................................................................................. 39 4.7.1 Tidewater Goby (Endangered).............................................................................. 39 4.7.2 Steelhead Trout (Endangered) .............................................................................. 41 4.8 TERRESTRIAL PLANTS............................................................................................ 43 4.8.1 Salt Marsh Bird’s-Beak (Endangered).................................................................. 43 4.8.2 California Sea-Blite (Endangered)........................................................................ 43 5.0 POTENTIAL IMPACT SOURCES................................................................................. 44 5.1 NOISE AND DISTURBANCE .................................................................................... 44 5.1.1 Vessel Traffic........................................................................................................ 44 i Biological Evaluation Revisions to the Pt. Pedernales DPP – Tranquillon Ridge Table of Contents Page 5.1.2 Aircraft.................................................................................................................. 45 5.1.3 Offshore Drilling................................................................................................... 46 5.1.4 Offshore Production.............................................................................................. 46 5.2 EFFLUENT DISCHARGES........................................................................................ 47 5.2.1 Drilling Fluids....................................................................................................... 47 5.2.2 Produced Water..................................................................................................... 48 5.3 OIL SPILLS.................................................................................................................. 50 5.3.1 Oil Spill Risk Assessment..................................................................................... 50 5.3.2 Oil Spill Prevention and Response ....................................................................... 56 6.0 IMPACTS TO THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES................................. 59 6.1 MARINE MAMMALS................................................................................................. 59 6.1.1 Blue Whale (Endangered)..................................................................................... 63 6.1.2 Fin Whale (Endangered)....................................................................................... 65 6.1.3 Sei Whale (Endangered) ....................................................................................... 65 6.1.4 Humpback Whale (Endangered)........................................................................... 65 6.1.5 Northern Right Whale (Endangered).................................................................... 66 6.1.6 Sperm Whale (Endangered).................................................................................. 66 6.1.7 Steller Sea Lion (Threatened) ............................................................................... 67 6.1.8 Guadalupe Fur Seal (Threatened) ......................................................................... 67 6.1.9 Southern Sea Otter (Threatened) .......................................................................... 67 6.2 BIRDS........................................................................................................................... 68 6.2.1 Brown Pelican (Endangered) ................................................................................ 70 6.2.2 California Least Tern (Endangered) ..................................................................... 71 6.2.3 Bald Eagle (Threatened) ....................................................................................... 71 6.2.4 Western Snowy Plover (Threatened).................................................................... 72 6.2.5 Light-footed Clapper Rail (Endangered) .............................................................. 73 6.3 REPTILES .................................................................................................................... 73 6.3.1 Leatherback Sea Turtle (Endangered) .................................................................. 75 6.3.2 Green Sea Turtle (Endangered) ............................................................................ 75 6.3.3 Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle (Endangered) ............................................................... 75 6.3.4 Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Threatened) .................................................................... 75 6.4 MARINE INVERTEBRATES..................................................................................... 75 6.4.1 White Abalone (Endangered) ............................................................................... 76 6.5 AMPHIBIANS.............................................................................................................
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