AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER’S AMERICAN BURYING BEETLE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN IN OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, & TEXAS PREPARED FOR: American Electric Power 212 East 6th Street Tulsa, Oklahoma PREPARED BY: Enercon Services, Inc. 1601 Northwest Expressway, Suite 1000 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118 ICF 14123 Denver West Parkway, Suite 100 Golden, Colorado 80401 PHOTO: USFWS AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER’S AMERICAN BURYING BEETLE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN IN OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, AND TEXAS P REPARED FOR : American Electric Power 212 East 6th Street Tulsa, OK Contact: Kelli Boren P R E P A R E D B Y : Enercon Services, Inc. 1601 Northwest Expressway, Suite 1000 Oklahoma City, OK 73118 ICF 14123 Denver West Parkway, Suite 100 Golden, CO 80401 September 2018 Enercon Services, Inc., and ICF. 2018. American Electric Power’s American Burying Beetle Habitat Conservation Plan in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. September. Prepared for: American Electric Power. Contents List of Tables and Figures ............................................................................................................................................. v List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.1 Applicant’s Purpose and Need ......................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Scope of the Habitat Conservation Plan .......................................................................... 1-2 1.2.1 Plan Area .......................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.2 Covered Activities ............................................................................................................ 1-2 1.2.3 Covered Species ............................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.4 Permit Duration ............................................................................................................... 1-6 1.3 Regulatory Setting............................................................................................................ 1-7 1.3.1 Federal Endangered Species Act ...................................................................................... 1-7 1.3.2 National Environmental Policy Act .................................................................................. 1-9 1.3.3 National Historic Preservation Act ................................................................................... 1-9 1.3.4 Arkansas Endangered Species Act ................................................................................. 1-10 1.3.5 Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Code .......................................................................... 1-10 1.3.6 Texas Threatened and Endangered Species Act ............................................................ 1-10 1.4 Document Organization ................................................................................................. 1-10 Chapter 2 Covered Activities ........................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Operations and Maintenance of Facilities ....................................................................... 2-2 2.2.1 Reconductoring ................................................................................................................ 2-2 2.2.2 Isolated Pole Replacement and Repair ............................................................................ 2-3 2.2.3 Emergency Response and Outage Repair ........................................................................ 2-3 2.2.4 Routine Maintenance and Inspections ............................................................................ 2-3 2.2.5 Vegetation Management ................................................................................................. 2-4 2.3 Construction of Lines and Facilities ................................................................................. 2-4 2.3.1 Construction and Upgrading of Aboveground Electric Lines ................................................. 2-4 2.3.2 Road Construction and Improvement ............................................................................. 2-5 2.3.3 New Construction or Expansion of Support Facilities...................................................... 2-5 2.4 Post-Construction Restoration Activities ......................................................................... 2-6 American Electric Power’s American Burying Beetle Habitat September 2018 i Conservation Plan in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas American Electric Power Contents Chapter 3 Environmental Setting ..................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Physical Resources ........................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.1 Plan Area .......................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.2 Regional Geology and Topography .................................................................................. 3-2 3.2.3 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.4 Climate and Climate Change ............................................................................................ 3-3 3.3 Biological Resources ........................................................................................................ 3-3 3.3.1 Land Cover ....................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.4 American Burying Beetle ................................................................................................. 3-4 3.4.1 Status ............................................................................................................................... 3-4 3.4.2 Species Description .......................................................................................................... 3-5 3.4.3 Life History ....................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.4.4 Range ............................................................................................................................... 3-6 3.4.5 Habitat ............................................................................................................................. 3-8 3.4.6 Threats ........................................................................................................................... 3-11 Chapter 4 Effects Analysis and Take Assessment .............................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Impact Mechanisms ......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.1 Soil Disturbance and Movement ..................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.2 Off-Road Travel by Vehicles and Heavy Equipment ........................................................ 4-2 4.2.3 Artificial Lighting .............................................................................................................. 4-3 4.2.4 Human Presence and Movement .................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.5 Altered Soil Moisture ....................................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.6 Erosion ............................................................................................................................. 4-4 4.2.7 Predation ......................................................................................................................... 4-4 4.2.8 Food Availability ............................................................................................................... 4-4 4.2.9 Fire ................................................................................................................................... 4-4 4.3 Estimated Incidental Take and Impact of the Taking....................................................... 4-5 4.4 Cumulative Impacts ....................................................................................................... 4-10 Chapter 5 Conservation Strategy ..................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Definitions 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