Oregon Department of Transportation Statewide Habitat Conservation Plan for Routine Maintenance Activities May 21, 2015 Oregon Department of Transportation Maintenance & Operations Branch 800 Airport Road SE Salem, OR 97301-4792 Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. ES-1 Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................................ ES-1 Impacts and Conservation Measures .................................................................................... ES-2 Implementation ..................................................................................................................... ES-2 1.0 Introduction and Background ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Evolution of the ODOT Routine Maintenance HCP ...................................................... 2 1.3 Permit Duration ............................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Regulatory/Legal Framework for the RM-HCP ............................................................. 3 1.4.1 Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) ................................................................. 3 1.4.2 State Endangered Species Laws.............................................................................. 4 1.5 Plan Area ......................................................................................................................... 4 1.6 Covered Species .............................................................................................................. 5 1.6.1 Animal Species ....................................................................................................... 5 1.6.2 Plant Species ........................................................................................................... 5 1.7 Species Not Covered ....................................................................................................... 7 1.7.1 Animal Species ....................................................................................................... 7 1.7.2 Plant Species ........................................................................................................... 8 2.0 Environmental Setting and Biological Resources............................................................. 10 2.1 Environmental Setting .................................................................................................. 10 2.1.1 Coast Range Ecoregion ......................................................................................... 10 2.1.2 Willamette Valley Ecoregion ................................................................................ 10 2.1.3 Klamath Mountains Ecoregion ............................................................................. 10 2.1.4 Cascade Mountains Ecoregion .............................................................................. 12 2.1.5 Eastern Cascades Slope and Foothills Ecoregion ................................................. 12 2.1.6 Columbia Plateau Ecoregion................................................................................. 12 2.1.7 Blue Mountains Ecoregion ................................................................................... 12 2.1.8 Northern Basin and Range Ecoregion ................................................................... 13 2.2 General Roadside Conditions ....................................................................................... 13 2.3 Covered Species Information ........................................................................................ 13 2.3.1 Animals Species .................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Plant Species ......................................................................................................... 16 3.0 Project Description/Activities Covered by Permit ............................................................ 36 3.1 Project Description........................................................................................................ 36 3.2 Maintenance Activities Covered by Permit .................................................................. 39 3.2.1 Stormwater Management ...................................................................................... 39 3.2.2 Stockpiling (Activity 081) .................................................................................... 39 3.2.3 Shoulder Work ...................................................................................................... 39 3.2.4 Drainage Work ...................................................................................................... 40 3.2.5 Vegetation Management ....................................................................................... 42 3.2.6 Fence Maintenance (Activity 138)........................................................................ 43 3.2.7 Traffic Services Work ........................................................................................... 43 3.2.8 Structural Work ..................................................................................................... 43 3.2.9 Snow and Ice Work ............................................................................................... 44 3.2.10 Emergencies and Extraordinary Maintenance ...................................................... 44 ODOT RM-HCP 5-21-2015 i 3.2.11 Miscellaneous Maintenance .................................................................................. 45 3.4 Covered Property Types ............................................................................................... 45 3.4.1 Right of Way ......................................................................................................... 45 3.4.2 Operational Roadway............................................................................................ 46 3.4.3 Other ODOT Properties ........................................................................................ 49 4.0 Potential Biological Impacts ............................................................................................. 50 4.1 Methodology for Assessing Impacts to Covered Species ............................................. 50 4.1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................... 50 4.1.2 Survey Methodology ............................................................................................. 50 4.1.3 Baseline Population Estimate Methodology ......................................................... 52 4.1.4 Calculating Impacts in Known Occupied Sites .................................................... 55 4.1.5 Methodology for Calculating Impacts in Un-surveyed Areas .............................. 56 4.2 Assessed Direct and Indirect Impacts ........................................................................... 57 4.2.1 Overview ............................................................................................................... 57 4.2.2 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Activities ................................................. 57 4.2.3 Assessed Impacts: Animals................................................................................... 57 4.2.4 Assessed Impacts: Plants ...................................................................................... 58 4.3 Cumulative Impacts ...................................................................................................... 60 4.3.1 Agricultural Development .................................................................................... 61 4.3.2 Residential Development ...................................................................................... 61 4.3.3 Infrastructure Development .................................................................................. 61 4.3.4 Summary of Cumulative Impacts ......................................................................... 62 5.0 Conservation Strategy ....................................................................................................... 63 5.1 Biological Goals............................................................................................................ 63 5.1.1 Biological Goals: Animals .................................................................................... 63 5.1.2 Biological Goals: Plants ........................................................................................ 65 5.2 Biological Objectives and General Strategy ................................................................. 65 5.3 Measures to Minimize Impacts ..................................................................................... 65 5.3.1 Measures to Minimize Routine Maintenance Impacts.......................................... 65 5.3.2 Measures to Minimize Third Party Impacts........... Error! Bookmark not defined. 5.4 Mitigation Measures ..................................................................................................... 66 5.4.1 Mitigation Overview ............................................................................................. 66 5.4.2 Mitigation