Conservation Plan California Ridge Wind Energy Project Champaign and Vermillion Counties, Illinois Initial Submission: June 3, 2020 Revised Submission: November 10, 2020 Prepared for: California Ridge Wind Energy LLC 1 Illinois Conservation Plan – Required Elements Data provided in the California Ridge Wind Energy Project Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the California Ridge Wind Farm (CRWF) satisfies the following required elements needed for preparation of the State Conservation Plan. California Ridge Wind Energy, LLC (CRWE) requests a 20-year Incidental Take Authorization (ITA) for the Illinois state-listed species described below, as well as two additional species that may be listed in the future. It is the intent of CRWE to use the federal HCP, along with this document, to satisfy the requirements for an ITA from the State of Illinois. The 134-turbine project is already built and operating and take of the covered species is only anticipated during operation of the turbines. The proposed action would involve operation of the project with a cut-in speed of 5.0 meters-per-second (m/s) in the fall (August 1 – October 15), and 3.0 m/s during the rest of the bat active season (March 15 – July 31) or when temperatures are below 50°F in the fall. The Implementing Agreement is included in Appendix A and the HCP is included in Appendix B. 1. Description of the impact likely to result from the proposed taking of the species that would be covered by the authorization, including but not limited to: A. Identification of the area to be affected by the proposed action – Figure 1 in Section 2.1 of the HCP shows the Project location and turbine layout. Shapefiles of the turbine layout and project boundary have also been provided to the State of Illinois. Take of the covered species may occur due to operations at the turbine locations. Legal Description – Turbines located in the following: Champaign County: Township 20N, Range 14W, Sections 4 – 6, 8 & 9 Township 21N, Range 10E, Sections 25 & 26 Township 21N, Range 11E, Sections 30 & 31 Township 21N, Range 14W, Sections 19 – 21, 28 – 33 Vermilion County: Township 20N, Range 12W, Sections 19 & 20 Township 20N, Range 13W, Sections 3 – 24 Township 20N, Range 14W, Sections 1 – 3, 10 – 15, & 24 Township 21N, Range 13W, Sections 29 – 32 Township 21N, Range 14W, Sections 25 – 27, 34 – 36 CRWE has control of all the affected properties (i.e. turbines) through ownership or lease agreements with the landowners. B. Biological data on the affected species including life history needs and habitat characteristics – • Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) – Section 4.1 of the HCP • Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) – Section 4.2 of the HCP In addition to the Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat, the HCP provides biological data for the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the tricolored bat 2 (Perimyotis subflavus) (Sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the HCP, respectively). Although these species are currently not listed by the State of Illinois, CRWF is including these species due to the potential for future listing. It is understood that the State of Illinois cannot provide take authorization for these species at this time due to their unlisted status, however, it is assumed that take coverage for little brown bats and tricolored bats would become effective should these species become listed in the future, potentially through an amendment of this ITA. CRWE will remain in contact with the State of Illinois regarding these species should they become listed during the ITA term. C. Description of activities that will result in the taking of an endangered or threatened species, including practices and equipment to be used, a timeline or proposed activities, and any permitting reviews – • Operations and Maintenance – Section 2.5.1 of the HCP • Mitigation and Monitoring – Section 2.5.2 of the HCP Section 5.0 of the HCP presents the effects of the covered activities. Timeline of Proposed Activities – The project is currently built and operating. It is anticipated to continue operations, maintenance, mitigation, and monitoring for 20 years. The implementation schedule is provided in Section 8.1.2 of the HCP. D. Explanation of anticipated adverse effects on listed species – Section 5.0 of the HCP includes a discussion of direct and indirect effects to Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, little brown bat, and tricolored bat as a result of the project. 2. Measures the applicant will take to minimize and mitigate the impact and the funding that will be available A. Plans to minimize the area affected by the proposed action, and the estimated number of individuals of an endangered or threatened species that will be taken and the amount of habitat affected – Section 7.2.1 of the HCP includes plans to minimize the area affected by the proposed action, plans to minimize impacts from operations, and other avoidance and minimization measures implemented. Section 6.2.5 of the HCP includes takes estimates for the covered species. The project is already built and operating, there are no new habitat impacts. B. Plans for management of the area affected by the proposed action that will enable continued use of the area by endangered or threatened species by maintaining/re-establishing suitable habitat – N/A, no habitat will be impacted. C. Description of all measures to be implemented to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the effects of the proposed action on endangered or threatened species – 3 Section 7.2.1 of the HCP includes measures to avoid and minimize the effects of the proposed action on the covered species. Section 7.2.2 of the HCP includes measures to mitigate the effects of the proposed action on the covered species. The State of Illinois will be provided any monitoring and mitigation reports. D. Plans for monitoring the effects of measures implemented to minimize or mitigation the effects of the proposed on endangered or threated species – Section 7.3 of the HCP describes the post-construction monitoring plan. The State of Illinois will be provided with any post-construction monitoring reports. If requested, California Ridge will provide carcasses or tissue samples for genetic research, at the direction of the State of Illinois. In addition, California Wind Energy LLC commits to conducting one (1) night of mist-netting within suitable bat habitat in proximity to the project area concurrent with the first year of post-construction monitoring under the permit. The survey will take place during the summer maternity season, and a report detailing species captured will be submitted to the State. Mitigation effectiveness monitoring will be outlined in the mitigation plan, which will be developed once mitigation properties are chosen, in consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State of Illinois. Mitigation monitoring will include mist netting at a minimum of one (1) location within the mitigation property, and potentially telemetry and roost emergence counts if target species are captured, but results of these surveys will not be used to alter mitigation requirements. The State of Illinois will be provided any relevant mitigation and monitoring reports. Section 7.2.2.1 of the HCP describes the process for choosing mitigation and a general outline of monitoring requirements. E. Adaptive management practices used to deal with changed or unforeseen circumstances – Adaptive management is addressed in Section 7.4 of the HCP and changed and unforeseen circumstances are addressed in Section 8.2 of the HCP F. Verification that adequate funding exists – Sections 8.1.2 and 8.1.3 of the HCP includes verification that adequate funding exists to implement the conservation plan. 3. Description of alternative actions considered – Project alternatives are described in Section 2.6 of the HCP. 4. Data and information to indicate the proposed taking will not reduce the likelihood of the survival of the endangered or threatened species in the wild within the State of Illinois, the biotic community of which the species is a part, or the habitat essential to the species existence in Illinois – Occurrences of covered species are not limited to the Project Area. All covered species occur elsewhere in Illinois (Sections 4.1.8, 4.2.7, 4.3.7, and 4.4.7 of the HCP). The impacts of estimated take are described in Section 6.3 of the HCP and all take will be fully offset by the mitigation described in Section 7.2.2 of the HCP. 4 5. An implementing agreement will be prepared that will include: A. Names of all participants in the execution of the conservation plan, including public bodies, corporations, organizations, and private individuals: California Wind Energy LLC and Whitney Wilson, vice president wind operations, TerraForm Power and authorized signatory for California Wind Energy LLC Whitney Wilson Vice President, Wind Operations TerraForm Power B. The obligations and responsibilities of each of the identified participants with schedules and deadlines for completion of activities in the Conservation Plan and a schedule for preparation of progress report to be provided to the Department. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (the Department) is responsible for the review of this Conservation Plan and for subsequent issuance of the ITA. CRWE will be responsible for implementing the Conservation Plan. The implementation schedule is described in Section 8.1.2 of the HCP. CRWE will promptly report any Indiana bat or northern long-eared bat carcasses to the Department. If listed in the future, CRWE will also promptly report any little brown bat or tricolored bat carcasses to the Department. Reports summarizing the results of post-construction monitoring will be provided to the Department by January 31 following the completion of each year of post-construction monitoring C.