The Preserve Habitat Conservation Plan for the Olympia Subspecies Of
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The Preserve Habitat Conservation Plan for the Olympia subspecies of Mazama Pocket Gopher (Thomomys mazama pugetensis) and the Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) in Thurston County, Washington Prepared for UCP Sagewood, LLC November 2017 Prepared by: Krippner Consulting, LLC PO Box 17621 Seattle, Washington 98127 November 2017 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 Regulatory and Legal Framework for HCPs and Incidental Take Permits ........................... 9 The Endangered Species Act ................................................................................................................. 9 National Environmental Policy Act .................................................................................................... 11 National Historic Preservation Act ..................................................................................................... 11 Other Federal, State, County and Local Requirements .................................................................... 12 Applicant’s Goals ........................................................................................................................ 13 Plan Area and Permit Area ........................................................................................................ 14 Plan Area ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Permit Area ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Proposed Action .......................................................................................................................... 16 Covered Activities ................................................................................................................................. 16 Requested Permit Duration ................................................................................................................. 18 Status of the Covered Species .................................................................................................... 18 Mazama Pocket Gopher Thomomys mazama Merriam, 1897 .......................................................... 18 Conservation Status ............................................................................................................................ 18 Distribution and Population Trends ................................................................................................... 19 Life History and Ecology ................................................................................................................... 21 Habitat Characteristics ....................................................................................................................... 21 Threats/Reasons for Decline .............................................................................................................. 22 Oregon Spotted Frog Rana pretiosa, Baird and Girard, 1853 .......................................................... 24 Conservation Status ............................................................................................................................ 24 Population Trends and Distribution ................................................................................................... 25 Life History and Ecology ................................................................................................................... 26 2 November 2017 Habitat Characteristics ....................................................................................................................... 27 Threats/Reasons for Decline .............................................................................................................. 28 Restoration approaches ...................................................................................................................... 30 Analysis of the Impacts Likely to Result from the Taking...................................................... 30 Olympia pocket gopher ........................................................................................................................ 30 Oregon Spotted Frog ............................................................................................................................ 37 Conservation Program ............................................................................................................... 38 1. Biological Goals................................................................................................................................. 38 2. Biological Objectives ........................................................................................................................ 39 3. Minimization Measures .................................................................................................................... 41 4. Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................................................... 42 5. Monitoring Plan ................................................................................................................................ 42 6. Adaptive Management Plan............................................................................................................. 44 Changed and Unforeseen Circumstances ................................................................................. 46 Changed Circumstances ....................................................................................................................... 46 Unforeseen Circumstances and “No Surprises” Assurances ............................................................ 47 Evaluation of Unforeseen Circumstances ........................................................................................... 48 The “No Surprises” Policy ......................................................................................................... 48 Funding Assurances .................................................................................................................... 49 Alternatives to the Taking the Applicant Considered ............................................................. 50 Such Other Measures that the Secretary May Require .......................................................... 51 Permit Amendments ............................................................................................................................. 51 Annual Reporting........................................................................................................................ 52 Literature Cited .......................................................................................................................... 52 Appendix A. Existing Conditions Map Set ............................................................................... 59 3 November 2017 Appendix B. The Preserve Data Forms and Photos ................................................................ 69 Appendix B is 11 pages long, inserted separately into this document. Appendix C. Site Management Plan: Conservation Site ......................................................... 71 Appendix C is 47 pages long, inserted separately into this document. Appendix D. Effects Matrix ....................................................................................................... 73 Appendix D is 7 pages long, inserted separately into this document. Appendix E. Estimated Funding Requirements ...................................................................... 75 Appendix E is 1 page. LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1. EXISTING AND POST-CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS AT THE PRESERVE ......................................................... 33 TABLE 2. COMPARISON OF POTENTIAL GOPHER HABITAT QUALITY AT THE PROJECT AND CONSERVATION SITES ...... 35 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1. THE PROJECT SITE AND THE CONSERVATION SITE ....................................................................................... 15 FIGURE 2. CURRENT AND HISTORICAL RANGE OF MAZAMA POCKET GOPHER IN WASHINGTON STATE ...................... 19 FIGURE 3. APPROXIMATE RANGE OF OLYMPIA POCKET GOPHER ................................................................................. 20 FIGURE 4. DISTRIBUTION OF OREGON SPOTTED FROG IN THURSTON COUNTY ............................................................ 26 4 November 2017 LIST OF ACROYNMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND FREQUENTLY USED TERMS Applicant Refers to any person, as defined in section 3(13) of the ESA, who requires formal approval or authorization from a Federal agency as a prerequisite to conducting an action (50 CFR 402.02). The Applicant submitting this habitat conservation plan is UCP Sagewood, LLC. Categorical (NEPA definition) A category of actions which do not individually or exclusion cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedure adopted by a Federal agency in implementations of these regulations (Sec. 1507.3) and for which, therefore, neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required (40 CFR 1508.4). CFR Code of Federal Regulations Changed Changes in circumstances affecting a species or geographic area covered circumstances by a conservation plan or conservation agreement that