Appendix B.2 Biological Evaluation TRTP BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION 2010 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION .............................................................................................. 15 Forest Land and Resources Management Plan (LRMP) ......................................................................... 15 Program Strategies and Tactics ...................................................................................................... 16 Applicable Land Management Plan Standards .............................................................................. 17 Forest Service Manual 2081.03 .............................................................................................................. 19 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (1940) ........................................................................................ 20 Bald Eagle Management Guidelines (2007) ........................................................................................... 20 California Spotted Owl Conservation Strategy ....................................................................................... 20 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................................... 22 Segment 11: Mesa – Vincent (via Gould) 500/220 kV T/L .................................................................... 24 Segment 6: Section of New Replacement Rio Hondo – Vincent No. 2 500-kV T/L and Section of New Mira Loma – Vincent 500-kV T/L .......................................................................................................... 24 Construction ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Transmission Line Construction .................................................................................................... 24 Staging and Support Areas ............................................................................................................. 25 Access and Spur Roads .................................................................................................................. 29 Removal of Existing Wire, Structures, and Footings .............................................................................. 30 Tower and Pole Construction .................................................................................................................. 31 Site Preparation .............................................................................................................................. 31 Foundations .................................................................................................................................... 32 Tower and Pole Assembly (Ground-Based Construction) ............................................................. 33 Tower and Pole Erection ................................................................................................................ 34 Wire Stringing Operations ...................................................................................................................... 34 Pulling and Splicing Locations ...................................................................................................... 36 Operations and Maintenance ................................................................................................................... 36 Project Analysis Area and Scope of Analysis ......................................................................................... 40 Applicant-Proposed Measures ................................................................................................................ 40 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................................... 41 Best Management Practices .................................................................................................................... 56 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................................. 56 Baseline Data Collection Methodology .................................................................................................. 57 Special-Status Avian Habitat and Risk Assessment Surveys ........................................................ 57 Special-Status Bat Species Surveys ............................................................................................... 58 Herpetological Surveys .................................................................................................................. 59 Wildlife Corridors and Special Linkages ................................................................................................ 59 The Station Fire....................................................................................................................................... 60 Fire Effects on Wildlife ................................................................................................................. 61 Fire Effects on Aquatic Species ..................................................................................................... 63 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................................... 64 Vegetation Type Mapping ............................................................................................................. 65 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................... 66 Wildlife Movement ........................................................................................................................ 67 SPECIES ACCOUNTS .......................................................................................................................... 68 Special-Status Plants ...................................................................................................................... 68 Special Status Wildlife ................................................................................................................... 82 EFFECTS ANALYSIS AND DETERMINATION STATEMENTS ....................................................... 104 Cumulative Effects Analysis Methodology .......................................................................................... 104 Special Status Plants ............................................................................................................................. 106 TRTP BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION 2010 San Gabriel Manzanita, Slender Mariposa Lily, Palmer’s Mariposa Lily, Plummer’s Mariposa Lily, Mt. Gleason Paintbrush, Mojave Indian Paintbrush, San Gabriel River Dudleya, San Gabriel Mountains Dudleya, San Gabriel Bedstraw, Johnston’s Bedstraw, San Gabriel Mountains Sunflower, Fragrant Pitcher Sage, San Gabriel Linanthus, Urn Flowered Alumroot, Short joint beavertail, Rock Creek Broomrape, Chickweed Starry Puncturebract, ....................................... 106 Special Status Wildlife .......................................................................................................................... 109 Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) ........................................................................................ 109 California Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) ............................................................ 110 Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallida), Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii) ..................................................................................................... 113 San Gabriel Mountains (Nelson’s) Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) ............................ 114 San Gabriel Mountains Slender Salamander (Batrachoceps gabrieli) ........................................ 115 Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Rana boylii) ................................................................................. 116 Southwestern Pond Turtle (Clemmys (Actinemys) marmorata pallida) ...................................... 120 Two-striped Garter Snake (Thamnophis hamondii), San Bernardino Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata parvirubra), San Bernardino Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus modestus), Coastal Rosy Boa (Lichanura [Charina] trivirgata roseofusca), California Legless Lizard (Anniella pulchra pulchra), San Diego Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum blainvillii) 122 Arroyo Chub (Gila orcutti), Santa Ana Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus ssp. 8) ................. 124 CONTRIBUTERS .................................................................................................................................... 128 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................................. 129 TRTP BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION 2010 INTRODUCTION The Angeles National Forest (ANF) is proposing to upgrade and install 42.25 miles of transmission lines on National Forest System lands. This project is part of a larger project that involves the construction of 172.5 miles of new or upgraded transmission line extending south from the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area to Ontario,