Appendix F Revised Biological Resource Assessment Revised Biological Resources Assessment SYAR INDUSTRIES - LAKE HERMAN ROAD QUARRY SOLANO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Prepared For: Lake Herman Quarry EIR Winzler & Kelly Contact: Phil Greer [email protected] Geoff Smick [email protected] Date: May 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 4 2.0 REGULATORY BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 4 2.1 Special Status Species ............................................................................................ 4 2.2 Sensitive Biological Communities ............................................................................ 5 3.0 METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Biological Communities ........................................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Non-sensitive Biological Communities ........................................................ 8 3.1.2 Sensitive Biological Communities ............................................................... 8 3.2 Special Status Species ............................................................................................ 9 3.2.1 Literature Review ....................................................................................... 9 3.2.2 Site Assessment ........................................................................................ 9 3.2.3 Special Status Plant Surveys ................................................................... 10 4.0 RESULTS ...................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 Biological Communities ..........................................................................................11 4.1.1 Non-sensitive Biological Communities ...................................................... 11 4.1.2 Sensitive Biological Communities ............................................................. 13 4.1.2.1 Non-wetland Waters ...................................................................14 4.1.2.2 Wetlands ....................................................................................14 4.1.2.3 Other Sensitive Communities .....................................................15 4.1.2.4 Solano County General Plan Sensitive Communities .................16 4.1.2.5 Solano County Multispecies HCP Natural Communities .............16 4.2 Special Status Species ...........................................................................................16 4.2.1 Plants ....................................................................................................... 16 4.2.2 Wildlife ..................................................................................................... 19 5.0 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ................................................ 23 5.1 Project Description .................................................................................................23 5.2 Potentially Significant Impacts and Mitigation Measures .........................................23 5.2.1 Sensitive Biological Communities ............................................................. 29 5.2.2 Special Status Species ............................................................................. 30 6.0 REFERENCES................................................................................................................ 34 i LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Potential Waters of the U.S. and Waters of the State ................................................ 13 Table 2. Impacts and Mitigation for Sensitive Biological Communities. ................................... 25 Table 3. Impacts and Mitigation for California Red-legged Frog Habitat. ................................. 26 Table 4. Impacts and Mitigation for Callippe Silverspot Butterfly Habitat. ................................ 27 Table 5. Sensitive Features Not Impacted by the Proposed Project (in the Area of No New Ground Disturbance). ............................................................................................................... 28 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A. Species Observed in the Project Area Appendix B. Representative Photographs Appendix C. Potential Special Status Species in the Project Area Appendix D. Figures: Figure 1. Location Map Figure 2. Proposed Project Figure 3. Biological Communities Figure 4. Sensitive Biological Resources Figure 5. California Red-legged Frog Habitat Figure 6. Proposed Project Impacts ii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS CCR California Code of Regulations California Department of Fish and Wildlife (formerly California Department of CDFW Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]) CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CESA California Endangered Species Act CFR Code of Federal Regulations CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database CNPS California Native Plant Society CRLF California Red-Legged Frog CSB Callippe Silverspot Butterfly Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CWA Clean Water Act EFH Essential Fish Habitat ESA Federal Endangered Species Act HCP Habitat Conservation Plan Inventory CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration OWHM Ordinary High Water Mark Rank California Rare Plant Rank RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board SCWA Solano County Water Agency USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WRA WRA, Inc. iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of a Biological Resources Assessment for a quarry pit expansion at Syar Industries Lake Herman Road Quarry Operations site (Project Area) in Solano County, California (Figure 1 in Appendix D). The results are intended for use in the proposed project’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This assessment is based on field surveys conducted by WRA, Inc. (WRA) in 2006, 2009, and 2010 and a literature review conducted by WRA in 2010 and 2013. The environmental review of this project was delayed and the Project Area revised to propose a smaller footprint, removing the originally proposed new overburden areas. As a result, the purpose of this Revised Biological Resources Assessment is to provide an assessment of sensitive resources and special-status species that is current as of the revision date. The Project Area is approximately 468 acres and includes a mix of existing quarry operations and natural habitat areas. It is located approximately 0.6 miles east of Columbus Parkway on Lake Herman Road. Lands to the north, east, and south are dominated by open grasslands and a golf course is located to the northwest. The Project Area includes the existing quarry operations area, surrounding disturbed and undisturbed areas, and an existing bridge that is to be replaced (Figure 2). The proposed offsite bridge crossing is located approximately ½ mile southeast of the quarry. As shown in Figure 2, the project includes expanding the existing quarry pit into the proposed “Quarry Pit Expansion Areas”, and continued operations in the remaining “Existing Operational Area”. This report describes the results of the site visits, which assessed the Project Area for (1) the presence of special status species; (2) potential to support special status species; and (3) presence of other sensitive biological resources protected by local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Finally, based on the results listed above, this report evaluates potential impacts to sensitive biological resources and recommends mitigation measures. A biological resources assessment provides general information on the potential presence of sensitive species or habitats. In addition, protocol-level special status plant surveys were conducted throughout the Project Area in addition to California Red-legged Frog (CRLF) protocol surveys in the northeast corner of the Project Area and a CRLF site assessment throughout the rest of the Project Area. This assessment is based on information available at the time of the studies and on site conditions that were observed on the date of each site visit. 2.0 REGULATORY BACKGROUND The following sections explain the regulatory context of the biological assessment, including applicable laws and regulations that were applied to the field investigations and analysis of potential project impacts. 2.1 Special-Status Species Special status species include those plant and wildlife species that have been formally listed, are proposed as endangered or threatened, or are candidates for such listing under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) or California Endangered Species Act (CESA). These acts afford protection to both listed and proposed species. In addition, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Species of Special Concern, which are species that face extirpation in California if current population and habitat trends continue, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Birds of Conservation Concern, and CDFW special-status invertebrates are all 4 considered special-status species. Although California and USFWS species of concern generally have no special legal status, they are given special consideration under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In addition to regulations for special-status species, most birds in the United States, including non-special-status species, are protected by the