Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for the Cross Valley Transmission Line Prepared for: Southern California Edison June 2013 Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for the Cross Valley Transmission Line Prepared for: Southern California Edison 1218 South 5th Avenue Monrovia, CA 91016 Contact: Nichole Yeto Environmental Coordinator 626/462‐8686 Prepared by: AECOM 2020 L Street, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95811 Contact: Kelly Fitzgerald‐Holland Senior Wildlife Biologist 916/414‐5800 60247233 06.12.13 June 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... ES-1 Purpose of the Habitat Conservation Plan ............................................................................................... ES-1 Scope of the Habitat Conservation Plan .................................................................................................. ES-1 Impact Assessment .................................................................................................................................. ES-3 Conservation Strategy ............................................................................................................................. ES-4 Habitat Conservation Plan Implementation ............................................................................................. ES-4 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Background .................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.3 Permit Applicant ........................................................................................................................... 1-6 1.4 Permit Term .................................................................................................................................. 1-6 1.5 Habitat Conservation Plan Planning Area .................................................................................... 1-9 1.6 Habitat Conservation Plan Covered Species .............................................................................. 1-10 1.7 Regulatory Framework ............................................................................................................... 1-16 1.8 Habitat Conservation Plan Organization .................................................................................... 1-20 2 COVERED ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Definitions .................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Construction Covered Activities .................................................................................................. 2-2 2.3 Operations and Maintenance Covered Activities ....................................................................... 2-22 3 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING/BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................... 3-1 3.1 Environmental Setting .................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Covered Species within the Habitat Conservation Plan Planning Area ..................................... 3-23 4 IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND LEVEL OF TAKE ............................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Definitions .................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Approach ...................................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.3 Effects on Covered Species ........................................................................................................ 4-15 5 CONSERVATION STRATEGY ........................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Species Conservation Strategies ................................................................................................... 5-2 5.3 Summary of Avoidance, Minimization, and Mitigation ............................................................. 5-59 6 MONITORING, ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, AND REPORTING .............................................. 6-1 6.1 Monitoring Plan ............................................................................................................................ 6-1 6.2 Adaptive Management Program ................................................................................................... 6-6 6.3 Emergency Management .............................................................................................................. 6-8 6.4 Reporting ...................................................................................................................................... 6-8 7 IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................................. 7-1 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 7-1 7.2 Habitat Conservation Plan Implementation Responsibilities ....................................................... 7-1 7.3 Changed Circumstances ............................................................................................................... 7-1 7.4 Unforeseen Circumstances and “No Surprises” Rule ................................................................... 7-9 7.5 Plan Funding .............................................................................................................................. 7-10 Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for the Cross Valley Transmission Line SCE i Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page 7.6 Modifications to the Habitat Conservation Plan ........................................................................ 7-10 7.7 Suspension/Revocation .............................................................................................................. 7-12 7.8 Permit Extension ........................................................................................................................ 7-13 7.9 Land Transfer ............................................................................................................................. 7-13 7.10 Dispute Resolution ..................................................................................................................... 7-14 8 ALTERNATIVES TO TAKE ................................................................................................................ 8-1 8.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................................................................. 8-3 8.2 Alternatives to a New Transmission Line .................................................................................... 8-3 8.3 Alternative Transmission Line Alignments .................................................................................. 8-4 8.4 Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp ............................................................................................................. 8-5 8.5 Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp ........................................................................................................ 8-6 8.6 Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle ............................................................................................. 8-6 8.7 California Tiger Salamander ........................................................................................................ 8-8 8.8 Western Spadefoot Toad .............................................................................................................. 8-9 8.9 Little and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ............................................................................. 8-11 8.10 Least Bell’s Vireo ....................................................................................................................... 8-12 8.11 Burrowing Owl ........................................................................................................................... 8-13 8.12 San Joaquin Kit Fox ................................................................................................................... 8-14 8.13 Hoover’s Spurge ......................................................................................................................... 8-16 8.14 San Joaquin Orcutt Grass ........................................................................................................... 8-18 8.15 Spiny-Sepaled Button-Celery ..................................................................................................... 8-18 9 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................ 9-1 10 ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................