APPENDIX F.7 Biological Evaluation Appendix F.7 Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline Project Biological Evaluation March 2019 Prepared by: Tetra Tech, Inc. Reviewed and Approved by: USDA Forest Service BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION This page intentionally left blank BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 PROPOSED ACTION AND ACTION ALTERNATIVES .................................................... 1 PRE-FIELD REVIEW ........................................................................................................ 4 RESULTS OF FIELD SURVEYS ...................................................................................... 4 SPECIES IMPACT DETERMINATION SUMMARY .......................................................... 5 DETAILED EFFECTS OF PROPOSED ACTION ON SPECIES CONSIDERED ............ 25 6.1 Global Discussion ........................................................................................................ 25 6.1.1 Analysis Areas and Current Environment ............................................................. 25 6.1.2 Impacts .................................................................................................................. 33 6.1.3 Conservation Measures and Mitigation ................................................................. 62 6.2 Species Accounts and Analysis of Impacts ................................................................. 63 6.2.1 Mammals ............................................................................................................... 65 6.2.2 Birds ...................................................................................................................... 81 6.2.3 Amphibians .......................................................................................................... 124 6.2.4 Reptiles ............................................................................................................... 129 6.2.5 Fish ...................................................................................................................... 134 6.2.6 Terrestrial Invertebrates ...................................................................................... 137 6.2.7 Aquatic Invertebrates .......................................................................................... 169 6.2.8 Plants and Fungi ................................................................................................. 181 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 197 March 2019 i Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline Project BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION List of Tables Table 1. Forest Service Sensitive Species with Potential to Occur near the Project .................... 6 Table 2. Available Habitat within 700 feet of the Proposed Action ............................................. 25 Table 3. Available Habitat within 3,200 feet of the Proposed Action .......................................... 28 Table 4. Available Habitat within 5 miles of the Proposed Action ............................................... 31 Table 5. Construction Spread Locations ..................................................................................... 34 Table 6. Seasonal Timing Restrictions Associated with Bird Species for Timber Felling, Logging, Clearing, and Construction Activities .............................................................................. 36 Table 7. Effects to Acres of Johnson and O’Neil Habitat Type by National Forest ..................... 39 Table 8. Total Terrestrial Habitat Affected/Removed1/ by Construction within Riparian Reserves in Fifth Field Watersheds ................................................................................................ 42 Table 9. Total Terrestrial Habitat Affected in the 30-foot-wide Maintained Corridor within Riparian Reserves in Fifth Field Watersheds .................................................................. 43 Table 10. Snag Density Estimates on NFS lands ....................................................................... 44 Table 11. Helicopter Staging Locations ...................................................................................... 47 Table 12. Estimated Equipment Noise and Noise Attenuation at Specified Distances During a Typical Pipeline Construction Sequence ......................................................................... 49 Table 13. Forest Service Project-related Mitigation and Recent, Current, or Proposed Actions that May Cumulatively Affect Resources Evaluated in this BE on Forest Service- Managed Lands .............................................................................................................. 55 Table 14: Cumulative Acres Impacted by Watershed by the Project, Related Mitigation Projects, and Other Projects 1/, 2/, 3/ ................................................................................................. 59 Table 15. Pallid Bat Habitat Associations ................................................................................... 66 Table 16. Townsend’s Big-eared Bat Habitat Associations ........................................................ 70 Table 17. Fringed Myotis Habitat Associations ........................................................................... 74 Table 18. Pacific Fisher Habitat Associations ............................................................................. 79 Table 19. Red-necked Grebe Habitat Associations .................................................................... 83 Table 20. Horned Grebe Habitat Associations ............................................................................ 86 Table 21. American White Pelican Habitat Associations ............................................................ 89 Table 22. Harlequin Duck Habitat Associations .......................................................................... 92 Table 23. Bufflehead Habitat Associations ................................................................................. 95 Table 24. Upland Sandpiper Habitat Associations ...................................................................... 99 Table 25. White-tailed Kite Habitat Associations ...................................................................... 102 Table 26. Bald Eagle Habitat Associations ............................................................................... 105 Table 27. American Peregrine Falcon Habitat Associations ..................................................... 108 Table 28. White-headed Woodpecker Habitat Associations ..................................................... 112 Table 29. Lewis’ Woodpecker Habitat Associations ................................................................. 115 Table 30. Purple Martin Habitat Associations ........................................................................... 119 Table 31. Tricolored Blackbird Habitat Associations ................................................................. 122 Table 32. Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog Habitat Associations .................................................... 125 Table 33. Western Pond Turtle Habitat Associations ............................................................... 130 Table 34. Umpqua Chub Potential Habitat ............................................................................... 135 March 2019 ii Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline Project BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION Table 35. Traveling Sideband Habitat Associations ................................................................. 139 Table 36. Siskiyou Hesperian Habitat Associations .................................................................. 143 Table 37. Western Bumblebee Habitat Associations ................................................................ 147 Table 38. Siskiyou Short-horned Grasshopper Habitat Associations ....................................... 152 Table 39. Gray-blue Butterfly Habitat Associations .................................................................. 156 Table 40. Johnson’s Hairstreak Habitat Associations ............................................................... 159 Table 41. Mardon Skipper Habitat Associations ....................................................................... 163 Table 42. Coronis Fritillary Habitat Associations ...................................................................... 166 Table 43. Umpqua Mariposa Lily Habitat Associations ............................................................. 183 Table 44. Pine Woods Cryptantha Habitat Associations .......................................................... 187 Table 45. California Globe Mallow Habitat Associations .......................................................... 190 Table 46. Bellinger’s Meadowfoam Habitat Associations ......................................................... 194 List of Figures Figure 1. General Location of the Proposed Project ..................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Pipeline Construction Schedule ................................................................................... 35 Figure 3. Generalized Pipeline Construction Sequence ............................................................. 53 List of Appendices Appendix A: Sensitive Species that Are Not Expected to be Impacted by the Project Appendix B: Summary of Construction and Operation-Related Disturbance to Each National Forest Appendix C: Waterbodies