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West Butte Wind Power Project Final Avian and Bat Protection Plan and Golden Eagle Conservation Plan

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West Butte Wind Power Project Final Avian and Bat Protection Plan and Golden Eagle Conservation Plan Appendix 1: West Butte Wind Power Project Final Avian and Bat Protection Plan and Golden Eagle Conservation Plan WEST BUTTE WIND POWER PROJECT FINAL AVIAN AND BAT PROTECTION PLAN & GOLDEN EAGLE CONSERVATION PLAN MARCH 15, 2011 This document is copywrited and is the sole property of West Butte Wind Power LLC and shall not be distributed, and/or copied in whole or in part without written approval of West Butte Wind Power, LLC 1885 Augustenborg Place, Solvang, CA 93463. WEST BUTTE WIND POWER PROJECT AVIAN & BAT PROTECTION PLAN & GOLDEN EAGLE CONSERVATION PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction/Company Policy ....................................................................1 2.0 Existing Legal Frame Work.........................................................................1 3.0 Site Suitability & Pre-construction site surveys .........................................2 3.1 NWC Study Area & Habitat ...............................................................2 3.2 Review of Existing Information & Data Base Search ........................2 3.3 Raptors............................................................................................3 3.4 Raptor Nest Surveys.........................................................................4 3.5 Avian Use Surveys (large-plot) ........................................................5 3.6 Small Plot Avian Surveys..................................................................6 3.7 Special Status Wildlife Surveys ........................................................6 3.8 Greater Sage-Grouse Lek Censuses..................................................7 3.9 Inventory of Bat Species ..................................................................7 3.10 Habitat Mapping...............................................................................9 4.0 Results .......................................................................................................10 4.1 Review of Existing Information & Data Base Search ........................10 4.2 Habitat Mapping...............................................................................10 4.3 Avian Use Surveys (large-plot) ........................................................11 4.4 Raptor Nest Surveys.........................................................................12 5.0 Discussion..................................................................................................14 5.1 Raptor Use.......................................................................................14 5.2 Raptor Nests....................................................................................15 6.0 Post Construction & Bat Monitoring Plan....................................................16 7.0 Additional Avian & Bat Survey Plans ..........................................................16 7.1 Raptor Surveys – General.................................................................16 7.2 Additional Bat Surveys.....................................................................16 7.3 General Mitigation Measures/Project Design Features.....................16 8.0 Adaptive Management Measures, Including Compensatory Measures for Migratory Avian & Bat Species, not including Golden Eagles ................19 8.1 Baseline Mortality ............................................................................19 8.2 Adaptive Management Levels...........................................................19 8.3 Ten Fatalities Per Turbine ................................................................19 8.4 Cut in Speed Study ...........................................................................20 8.5 Level One Minimization Measures ....................................................20 8.6 Level Two Minimization Measures ....................................................20 8.7 Level Three Minimization Measures..................................................21 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED 9.0 Additional Golden Eagle Surveys & Adaptive Management Measures, Including Compensatory Measures for Golden Eagles ................................21 9.1 Purpose............................................................................................21 9.2 Additional Golden Eagle Surveys ......................................................22 9.3 Golden Eagle Adaptive Management Measures, including Compensatory Measures in the Case of a Golden Eagle Fatality .......23 9.3.1 Power Lines...........................................................................23 9.3.2 Power Pole Upgrades.............................................................24 9.3.3 Extensive Monitoring..............................................................24 9.3.4 Turbine Curtailment...............................................................24 9.3.5 Additional Utility Pole Upgrades.............................................24 9.3.6 Conservation Study................................................................25 9.3.7 Additional Nest Studies ..........................................................25 9.3.8 Future Technology .................................................................25 9.3.9 Construction Restrictions.......................................................25 9.3.10 Fledgling Monitoring .............................................................25 9.3.11 Lighting on Site.....................................................................25 9.3.12 Maintenance Personnel for GE Mortality Monitoring ..............25 9.3.13 GE Mortality Reporting ..........................................................26 9.3.14 Annual Reports......................................................................26 10.0 Action Items Involving the Service ............................................................26 10.1 Performance Responsibility..............................................................26 10.2 Bat Studies.......................................................................................26 10.3 General Mitigation Measures ............................................................26 10.4 Ten Fatalities Per Turbine ................................................................26 10.5 Level One Minimization ....................................................................27 10.6 Level Two Minimization....................................................................27 10.7 Additional Golden Eagle Surveys ......................................................27 10.8 Extensive Monitoring........................................................................27 10.9 Additional Utility Pole Upgrades.......................................................28 11.0 Implementation .........................................................................................28 11.1 Permits Required.............................................................................28 11.2 Employee Training ...........................................................................28 11.3 Quality Control.................................................................................28 11.4 Key Resources..................................................................................28 11.5 Public Awareness.............................................................................28 Appendix A NWC Wildlife Risk Assessment for West Butte Wind Power Project Appendix B NWC Wildlife Monitoring Plan Appendix C NWC Biological Study Results of WBWP Project Area WEST BUTTE WIND POWER PROJECT AVIAN AND BAT PROTECTION PLAN & GOLDEN EAGLE CONSERVATION PLAN 1.0 Introduction/Company Policy. West Butte Wind Power LLC (WBWP), an Oregon limited liability company, is developing a 104 MW wind energy project on private property in Crook and Deschutes Counties, Oregon. The project is located 30 miles east of Bend and 30 miles south of Prineville on the 10,000 acre West Butte Ranch. Access to the turbine locations on the private property has to cross in part BLM lands. WBWP believes that conservation of the environment is an important aspect of development of the West Butte Project. As an environmentally conscious company WBWP is committed to promoting development of clean renewable energy with its associated positive environmental benefits, while limiting the adverse impacts of the project on Avian and Bat Species, including Golden Eagles. These impacts include direct strike mortality, injury from birds running into turbines, and overhead power lines, and electrocution from overhead power lines. This Avian and Bat Protection Plan & Golden Eagle Conservation Plan ( Plan) proposes post operational fatality monitoring of migratory birds and bats, and mitigation measures intended to result in no net loss of golden eagles, if fatalities occur. It also includes an Adaptive Mitigation Section that discusses mitigations that will be used if certain levels of impacts occur to migratory birds and bats and specifically to Golden Eagles. 2.0 Existing Legal Frame Works The Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibits the harassment, harm, pursuit, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capture, or collection of a listed species. ESA provides specific mechanisms to authorize “incidental” take that occurs as a result of an otherwise legal activity and does not jeopardize listed species or adversely modify habitat designated as critical. The Golden Eagle is not a listed species. In fact there are no listed species on the site. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703 et seq.; MBTA) prohibits the taking, killing, possession, transportation
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