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BIOLOGICAL OPINION ON THE EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A SAND SLURRY PIPELINE SYSTEM AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, SANDY HOOK UNIT, GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY ON PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus), SEABEACH AMARANTH (Amaranthus pumilus), AND NORTHEASTERN BEACH TIGER BEETLE (Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis) Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New Jersey Field Office Ecological Services Pleasantville, New Jersey 08232 May 2005 BIOLOGICAL OPINION ON THE EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A SAND SLURRY PIPELINE SYSTEM AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, SANDY HOOK UNIT, GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY ON PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus), SEABEACH AMARANTH (Amaranthus pumilus), AND NORTHEASTERN BEACH TIGER BEETLE (Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis) Prepared for: National Park Service Gateway National Recreation Center Sandy Hook Unit Fort Hancock, New Jersey 07732 Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New Jersey Field Office Ecological Services Pleasantville, New Jersey 08232 Preparer: Annette M. Scherer Assistant Project Leader: John C. Staples Project Leader: Clifford G. Day May 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................1 II. CONSULTATION HISTORY..........................................................................................1 A. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................1 B. CHRONOLOGY OF KEY CORRESPONDENCE, MEETINGS, AND COMMUNICATIONS .........................................................................................2 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION..........................................................5 A. OVERVIEW OF SANDY HOOK ........................................................................5 B. CRITICAL ZONE .................................................................................................7 C. PROPOSED SAND SLURRY PIPELINE PROJECT.......................................8 D. ACTION AREA .....................................................................................................9 E. CONSERVATION MEASURES PROPOSED TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO FEDERALLY LISTED SPECIES ..............................................................10 1. Conservation Measures to Protect All Species......................................10 a. Shoreline Change Monitoring........................................................10 b. Endangered Species Monitoring....................................................10 c. Off-Road Vehicles .........................................................................11 d. Remediation of Vegetation and Ground Disturbance....................11 e. Invasive Species Control................................................................11 2. Conservation Measures to Protect Piping Plovers................................11 a. Project Timing and Operation........................................................11 b. Habitat Monitoring and Management............................................12 c. Invertebrate Monitoring.................................................................12 d. Piping Plover Monitoring ..............................................................12 e. Monitoring and Management of Public Use Near Nesting Areas.................................................................................12 f. Outreach and Education.................................................................13 g. Off-Road Vehicles .........................................................................13 h. Predator Monitoring and Management ..........................................13 3. Conservation Measures to Protect Seabeach Amaranth .....................13 a. Surveys and Protection in Construction Areas .............................14 b. Restoration of Seabeach Amaranth Plants Likely to be Destroyed.......................................................................................14 c. Seabeach Amaranth Surveys and Monitoring................................14 d. Seed Storage ..................................................................................14 4. Conservation Measures to Protect Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle ..............................................................................................15 IV. SPECIES STATUS ........................................................................................................15 A. PIPING PLOVER AND SEABEACH AMARANTH .....................................15 B. NORTHEASTERN BEACH TIGER BEETLE ...............................................15 1. Species Description ..................................................................................15 2. Life History ..............................................................................................16 3. Status of the Species Within its Range ..................................................18 a. Historic Population Trends ............................................................18 b. Population Trends Since Listing Under the Endangered Species Act .................................................................................................19 4. Continuing Threats..................................................................................20 a. Predation ........................................................................................20 b. Habitat Loss, Degradation, and Disturbance ................................21 5. Vulnerability to Extinction......................................................................23 V. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE .................................................................................24 A. STATUS OF THE SPECIES WITHIN THE ACTION AREA ......................24 1. Piping Plover ...........................................................................................24 2. Seabeach Amaranth ................................................................................29 3. Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle ...........................................................30 B. FACTORS AFFECTING SPECIES ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE ACTION AREA ..................................................................................................32 1. Habitat .....................................................................................................32 2. Beach Management and Recreational Use ............................................33 3. Predation ..................................................................................................35 4. Other Beach Nesting Birds .....................................................................37 ii VI. EFFECTS OF THE ACTION ........................................................................................38 A. BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ...................................................................................38 1. Habitat Creation Incidental to Beach Nourishment ............................38 2. Endangered Species Monitoring and Management Program .............39 B. DIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS .......................................................................40 1. Sand Slurry Pipeline Construction and Operation...............................40 2. Shoreline and Beach Profile Surveys ....................................................41 C. INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS ...................................................................42 1. Preclusion of Natural Habitat Formation..............................................42 2. Creation of Sub-Optimal Beach and Dune Habitats ...........................43 3. Burial of Piping Plover Prey Base ..........................................................43 4. Recreational Activities ............................................................................45 5. Predation ..................................................................................................46 6. Perpetuation of a Piping Plover Population Sink .................................49 D. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ................................................................................50 VII. CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................51 VIII. INCIDENTAL TAKE STATEMENT ...........................................................................52 A. DEFINITION OF INCIDENTAL TAKE .........................................................52 B. EXTENT OF ANTICIPATED TAKE ..............................................................53 1. Anticipated Take from Direct Effects....................................................53 a. Piping Plover..................................................................................53 b. Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle ..................................................54 2. Anticipated Take from Indirect Effects ................................................54 a. Piping Plover..................................................................................54 b. Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle ..................................................58 C. EFFECT OF THE TAKE ..................................................................................58 D. REASONABLE AND PRUDENT MEASURES AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS ...........................................................................................58 iii IX. CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................................66 X. REINITIATION - CLOSING STATEMENT...............................................................67