Appendix M Biological Assessment BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR PROJECT ICEBREAKER Lake Erie and City of Cleveland Cuyahoga County, Ohio TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................... ii TABLES ............................................................................................................................................ iv FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... iv COMMONLY USED ACRONYMS and ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................... v 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT ................................................................ 1 1.2 PROPOSED ACTION .............................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Federal Action .................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 LEEDCo’s Action ............................................................................................................... 2 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR EQUIPMENT .............................................................................. 3 2.1.1 Wind Turbines .................................................................................................................... 3 2.1.1.1 Foundation ................................................................................................................ 3 2.1.1.2 Turbine ...................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.2 Transmission Cables ......................................................................................................... 6 2.1.3 Substations, Switching Substations, and Transformers .................................................... 7 2.1.4 Meteorological Towers....................................................................................................... 8 2.1.5 Transportation Facilities, Access Roads, and Crane Paths .............................................. 8 2.1.6 Construction Laydown Areas ............................................................................................. 9 2.2 CONSTRUCTION .................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ...................................................................................... 10 2.4 PROJECT MAP...................................................................................................................... 11 2.5 CONSERVATION MEASURES ............................................................................................. 11 3.0 ACTION AREA .................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 The underwater Area within lake erie .................................................................................... 13 3.2 CLEVELAND PUBLIC POWER PROPERTY ........................................................................ 13 3.3 GREAT LAKES TOWING FACILITY ..................................................................................... 14 3.4 PORT and harbor of Cleveland ............................................................................................. 14 3.5 AIRSPACE NEAR PROJECT ................................................................................................ 15 4.0 STATUS OF LISTED SPECIES IN THE ACTION AREA .................................................................................... 16 4.1 INDIANA BAT ......................................................................................................................... 16 4.1.1 Life History ....................................................................................................................... 16 4.1.2 Historic and Local Abundance ......................................................................................... 18 4.1.3 White-Nose Syndrome..................................................................................................... 20 4.2 NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT .......................................................................................... 21 4.2.1 Life History ....................................................................................................................... 22 4.2.2 Historic and Local Abundance ......................................................................................... 24 4.2.3 White-Nose Syndrome..................................................................................................... 25 4.3 KIRTLAND’S WARBLER ....................................................................................................... 25 4.3.1 Life History ....................................................................................................................... 25 4.3.2 Historic and Local Abundance ......................................................................................... 26 4.4 PIPING PLOVER ................................................................................................................... 27 4.4.1 Life History ....................................................................................................................... 28 4.4.2 Historic and Local Abundance ......................................................................................... 29 4.5 RUFA RED KNOT .................................................................................................................. 30 4.5.1 Life History ....................................................................................................................... 30 4.5.2 Historic and Local Abundance ......................................................................................... 31 5.0 EFFECTS ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................................... 33 5.1 INDIANA BAT ......................................................................................................................... 33 5.1.1 Direct and Indirect Effects ............................................................................................... 33 5.1.2 Actions to Reduce Adverse Effects ................................................................................. 33 Biological Assessment Project Icebreaker ii 5.1.3 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 34 5.2 NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT .......................................................................................... 34 5.2.1 Direct and Indirect Effects ............................................................................................... 34 5.2.2 Actions to Reduce Adverse Effects ................................................................................. 34 5.2.3 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 35 5.3 KIRTLAND’S WARBLER ....................................................................................................... 35 5.3.1 Direct and Indirect Effects ............................................................................................... 35 5.3.2 Actions to Reduce Adverse Effects ................................................................................. 36 5.3.3 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 36 5.4 PIPING PLOVER ................................................................................................................... 36 5.4.1 Direct and Indirect Effects ............................................................................................... 36 5.4.2 Actions to Reduce Adverse Effects ................................................................................. 38 5.4.3 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 38 5.5 RUFA RED KNOT .................................................................................................................. 38 5.5.1 Direct and Indirect Effects ............................................................................................... 38 5.5.2 Actions to Reduce Adverse Effects ................................................................................. 39 5.5.3 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 39 5.6 Cumulative Effects ................................................................................................................. 40 6.0 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................... 41 7.0 LITERATURE CITED 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