DRAFT Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Shiloh III Wind Plant Project, Solano County, California October 2010 Prepared for: Prepared by: DRAFT HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED SHILOH III WIND PLANT PROJECT, SOLANO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA P REPARED FOR: enXco 4000 Executive Parkway, Suite 100 San Ramon, CA 94583 Contact: Dick Timmons 925.354.6576 P REPARED BY: ICF International 630 K Street, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95814 Contact: Brad Norton 916.737.3000 October 2010 ICF International. 2010. Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Shiloh III Wind Plant Project, Solano County, California. Draft. October. (ICF 00263.09) Sacramento, CA. Prepared for enXco, Tracy, CA. Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1‐1 1.1 Overview ................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.2 Scope of the HCP ....................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.2.1 Permit Holder/Permit Duration .......................................................................... 1‐1 1.2.2 Plan Area ............................................................................................................. 1‐2 1.2.3 Covered Species .................................................................................................. 1‐2 1.2.4 Covered Activities ............................................................................................... 1‐2 1.3 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................. 1‐3 1.3.1 Federal Endangered Species Act ......................................................................... 1‐3 1.3.2 National Environmental Policy Act ..................................................................... 1‐4 Chapter 2 Land Use and Covered Activities ............................................................................... 2‐1 2.1 Land Use .................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.1.1 Surrounding Land Use ......................................................................................... 2‐1 2.1.2 Land Ownership .................................................................................................. 2‐1 2.1.3 Solano County General Plan Zoning ................................................................... 2‐1 2.2 Covered Activities ...................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.2.1 Project Construction ........................................................................................... 2‐2 2.2.2 Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 2‐4 2.2.3 Decommissioning ................................................................................................ 2‐4 Chapter 3 Physical and Biological Resources ............................................................................. 3‐1 3.1 Physical Resources .................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.1.1 Location and Setting ........................................................................................... 3‐1 3.1.2 Topography ......................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.2 Biological Resources .................................................................................................. 3‐2 3.2.1 Vegetation Communities .................................................................................... 3‐2 3.2.2 Covered Species (California Tiger Salamander) .................................................. 3‐4 Chapter 4 Impact Assessment ................................................................................................... 4‐1 4.1 Project‐Specific Impacts ............................................................................................ 4‐1 4.1.1 Habitat Loss......................................................................................................... 4‐1 4.1.2 Habitat Degradation ........................................................................................... 4‐3 4.1.3 Habitat Fragmentation ....................................................................................... 4‐4 4.1.4 Construction‐Related Impacts ............................................................................ 4‐5 4.2 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................... 4‐6 4.3 Impacts with Respect to Survival and Recovery ........................................................ 4‐7 Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Shiloh III October 27, 2010 i Wind Plant Project, Solano County, California ICF 00263.09 Chapter 5 Conservation Strategy .............................................................................................. 5‐1 5.1 Biological Goal ........................................................................................................... 5‐1 5.2 Conservation Approach ............................................................................................. 5‐1 5.2.1 Avoidance and Minimization .............................................................................. 5‐1 5.2.2 Mitigation ........................................................................................................... 5‐3 5.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management .................................................................... 5‐4 5.3.1 Monitoring .......................................................................................................... 5‐4 5.3.2 Adaptive Management ....................................................................................... 5‐4 5.3.3 Reporting ............................................................................................................ 5‐5 5.4 Summary of Conservation Strategy........................................................................... 5‐5 Chapter 6 Plan Implementation ................................................................................................ 6‐1 6.1 Responsible Parties ................................................................................................... 6‐1 6.1.1 Permittees ........................................................................................................... 6‐1 6.1.2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................. 6‐1 6.1.3 California Department of Fish and Game ........................................................... 6‐1 6.2 Compliance Monitoring and Reporting ..................................................................... 6‐1 Chapter 7 Funding and Assurances ........................................................................................... 7‐1 7.1 Funding ...................................................................................................................... 7‐1 7.2 Assurances ................................................................................................................. 7‐1 7.2.1 “No Surprises” Assurances, Definitions and Background ................................... 7‐1 7.2.2 Summary of Circumstances ................................................................................ 7‐1 Chapter 8 Alternatives to Take ................................................................................................. 8‐1 8.1 ESA Requirement ....................................................................................................... 8‐1 8.2 Reduced Take Alternative ......................................................................................... 8‐1 8.3 No‐Action Alternative ................................................................................................ 8‐2 Chapter 9 Revisions and Amendments ..................................................................................... 9‐1 9.1 Minor Amendments .................................................................................................. 9‐1 9.2 Standard Amendment ............................................................................................... 9‐2 9.2.1 Amendments to the Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permits ............................................... 9‐2 9.2.2 Suspension/Revocation ...................................................................................... 9‐3 9.2.3 Permit Renewal ................................................................................................... 9‐3 9.2.4 Permit Transfer ................................................................................................... 9‐3 Chapter 10 References Cited .................................................................................................... 10‐1 Appendix A Covered Species Assessment Appendix B Agency Correspondence Appendix C Grassland Restoration Plan Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Shiloh III October 27, 2010 ii Wind Plant Project, Solano County, California ICF 00263.09 Tables and Figures Table Page 1‐1 Shiloh III Anticipated Project Schedule ............................................................................ 1‐2 4‐1 Impacts on Agriculture and Grasslands ..........................................................................