DRAFT Cross Valley Transmission Line Habitat Conservation Plan Environmental Assessment Prepared for: United States Fish and Wildlife Service 2800 Cottage Way, W-2650 Sacramento, California 95825 Prepared by: 31878 Camino Capistrano, Suite 200 San Juan Capistrano, California 92675 JULY 2013 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................... ACR-I 1.0 INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION...................................... 1-1 1.1 Background Information ...................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.1 SCE’s Big Creek Hydroelectric System .................................................. 1-1 1.1.2 SCE’s San Joaquin Cross Valley Project ................................................. 1-1 1.1.3 SCE’s Proposed Cross Valley Transmission Line and HCP Location ... 1-3 1.2 Purpose of and Need for Action, Including the Proposed Action ....................... 1-3 1.2.1 Purpose and Need Statement ................................................................... 1-4 1.3 Public and Agency Involvement .......................................................................... 1-5 1.4 Relationship of this EA to Other Environmental Documents ............................. 1-6 1.5 Scope of this EA .................................................................................................. 1-7 1.6 Required Permits, Approvals, and Other Entitlements ................................. 1-14 1.7 Decisions to be Made ......................................................................................... 1-23 1.8 References Cited ................................................................................................ 1-24 2.0 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................ 2-1 2.1 Approach to Alternatives ..................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Alternatives Carried Forward for Detailed Analysis ........................................... 2-2 2.3 No Action Alternative .......................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Proposed Action Alternative ................................................................................ 2-5 2.4.1 Construction Covered Activities .............................................................. 2-6 2.4.2 Operations and Maintenance Covered Activities .................................. 2-15 2.4.3 Conservation Strategy ............................................................................ 2-23 2.4.4 Monitoring Plan and Adaptive Management Plan ................................. 2-36 2.4.5 Energy Conservation or Creating New Energy Sources ........................ 2-53 2.4.6 Alternative Transmission Line Alignments ........................................... 2-54 2.4.7 Alternative Facility Designs Along the Cross Valley Line ................... 2-55 2.4.8 Alternatives to Specific Construction or O&M Covered Activities ...... 2-55 2.5 References Cited ................................................................................................ 2-56 3.0 INTRODUCTION TO THE RESOURCE CHAPTERS AND THE EFFECTS ANALYSIS .................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Definitions/Terminology...................................................................................... 3-2 3.2 Cumulative Effects Analysis in This EA ............................................................. 3-4 3.2.1 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Actions Considered in Each Cumulative Effects Analysis........................................................... 3-4 3.2.2 Methodology Used to Analyze Cumulative Effects ................................ 3-6 Cross Valley Transmission Line Habitat Conservation Plan Environmental Assessment 7273 July 2013 TOC-i TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 3.3 Methodology Used to Determine Significance of Effects ................................... 3-7 3.4 References Cited .................................................................................................. 3-8 4.0 SOILS AND GEOLOGY .............................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Impact Analysis Regulatory Framework ............................................................. 4-6 4.3 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................. 4-8 4.3.1 Methodology for Impact Analysis ........................................................... 4-8 4.3.2 No Action Alternative .............................................................................. 4-9 4.3.3 Proposed Action Alternative .................................................................... 4-9 4.4 References Cited ................................................................................................ 4-15 5.0 AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Impact Analysis Regulatory Framework ............................................................. 5-5 5.3 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................. 5-8 5.3.1 Methodology for Impact Analysis ........................................................... 5-8 5.3.2 No Action Alternative .............................................................................. 5-9 5.3.3 Proposed Action Alternative .................................................................. 5-10 5.4 References Cited ................................................................................................ 5-16 6.0 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY ................................................................. 6-1 6.1 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Impact Analysis Regulatory Framework ........................................................... 6-10 6.3 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................ 6-17 6.3.1 Methodology for Impact Analysis ......................................................... 6-17 6.3.2 No Action Alternative ............................................................................ 6-18 6.3.3 Proposed Action Alternative .................................................................. 6-18 6.4 References Cited ................................................................................................ 6-27 7.0 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES: LAND COVER TYPES AND ASSOCIATED NATIVE SPECIES ........................................................................................................ 7-1 7.1 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 7-1 7.1.1 Land Cover Types and Natural Communities ......................................... 7-1 7.1.2 Invasive and Noxious Weeds ................................................................... 7-9 7.1.3 Native Wildlife....................................................................................... 7-12 7.2 Impact Analysis Regulatory Framework ........................................................... 7-15 7.3 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................ 7-20 7.3.1 Methodology for Impact Analysis ......................................................... 7-21 7.3.2 No Action Alternative ............................................................................ 7-21 Cross Valley Transmission Line Habitat Conservation Plan Environmental Assessment 7273 July 2013 TOC-ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 7.3.3 Proposed Action Alternative .................................................................. 7-23 7.4 References Cited ................................................................................................ 7-31 8.0 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES – SPECIAL-STATUS SPECIES .............................. 8-1 8.1 Methodology ........................................................................................................ 8-1 8.2 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................... 8-2 8.3 Covered Species ................................................................................................... 8-8 8.3.1 Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (FT) ................................................ 8-8 8.3.2 Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (FT) .............................................................. 8-12 8.3.3 Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp (FE) ......................................................... 8-18 8.3.4 California Tiger Salamander (FT, SE) ................................................... 8-20 8.3.5 Western Spadefoot Toad (CSC)............................................................. 8-26 8.3.6 Burrowing Owl (CSC) ........................................................................... 8-32 8.3.7 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (FE, SE) ............................................ 8-36 8.3.8 Little Willow Flycatcher (CSC) ............................................................