DOCKETED Docket Number: 15-AFC-01 Project Title: Puente Power Project TN #: 216716 Document Title: Applicant's Biological Resources Survey Methodology Description: N/A Filer: Paul Kihm Organization: Latham & Watkins LLP Submitter Role: Applicant Representative Submission Date: 3/27/2017 10:08:32 AM Docketed Date: 3/27/2017 1 Michael J. Carroll LATHAM & WATKINS LLP 2 650 Town Center Drive, 20th Floor Costa Mesa, California 92626-1925 3 Tel.: (714) 540-1235 [email protected] 4 Attorneys for Applicant 5 6 State of California 7 Energy Resources 8 Conservation and Development Commission 9 In the Matter of: Docket No. 15-AFC-01 10 Application for Certification APPLICANT’S BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES for the PUENTE POWER PROJECT SURVEY METHODOLOGY 11 12 Pursuant to the “Committee Orders for Additional Evidence and Briefing Following 13 Evidentiary Hearings” dated March 10, 2017 (CEC TN # 216505) (the “Committee Order”), the 14 15 enclosed Biological Resources Survey Methodology (“Survey Methodology”) has been prepared 16 by AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (“AECOM”), on behalf of NRG Energy Center Oxnard 17 LLC (“Applicant”), in connection with the Puente Power Project (“Project”). The Committee 18 Order directs Applicant to file a survey plan for party and public comment and invite and allow 19 for the participation of the California Energy Commission staff, the California Coastal 20 Commission staff, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff in the design and 21 22 conduct of additional biological resources surveys to determine the likelihood of the presence of 23 certain specified species on the Project site. 24 In addition, the enclosed Survey Methodology responds to requests from Interveners for 25 additional biological resources surveys beyond those called for in the Committee Order, as set 26 forth in Interveners’ “Joint Motion To Modify The California Energy Commission’s Committee 27 Orders For Additional Evidence And Briefing Following Evidentiary Hearings” dated March 21, 28 US-DOCS\83625836.2 State of California ATTORNEYS AT LAW ORANGE COUNTY Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission 1 2017 (CEC TN #216641) (the “Interveners’ Motion”).1 The enclosed Survey Methodology 2 covers all of the species identified in both the Committee Order and the Interveners’ Motion, and 3 the biological study area (“BSA”) includes not only the Project site, but also the areas potentially 4 affected by removal of the existing outfall structure, as requested in the Interveners’ Motion. 5 Applicant requests comment on the enclosed Survey Methodology by 5:00 p.m. Pacific 6 7 time on April 7, 2017. Applicant will review all timely comments, make appropriate and 8 necessary changes to the Survey Methodology, and file a final Survey Methodology prior to 9 commencing actual surveys. Applicant may engage in preliminary field work to prepare for 10 conducting the surveys prior to filing the final Survey Methodology, but all surveys shall be 11 conducted in accordance with the final Survey Methodology. Applicant intends to conduct the 12 biological resource surveys during the optimal time period for the species in question, which is 13 April and May. The overall schedule for completing the additional biological resource surveys 14 15 and submitting the Survey Report is as follows: 16 Date Event 17 March 27, 2017 File Survey Methodology 18 April 7, 2017 Deadline for Agency/Party/Public Comments 19 on Survey Methodology March through April 9, 2017 Preparation for Conducting Surveys 20 April 10, 2017 File Final Survey Methodology 21 April 10, 2017 through May 30, 2017 Conduct Surveys 22 May 1, 2017 through May 31, 2017 Prepare Survey Report 23 24 May 31, 2017 File Final Survey Report 25 26 27 1 Applicant will file a separate response to Interveners’ Motion that addresses other issues raised therein. 28 US-DOCS\83625836.2 State of California ATTORNEYS AT LAW ORANGE COUNTY 2 Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission 1 DATED: March 27, 2017 Respectfully submitted, 2 /s/ Michael J. Carroll _________________________________ 3 Michael J. Carroll LATHAM & WATKINS LLP 4 Counsel to Applicant 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 US-DOCS\83625836.2 State of California ATTORNEYS AT LAW ORANGE COUNTY 3 Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission Application for Certification (15-AFC-01) Puente Power Project Oxnard, California Biological Resources Survey Methodology Prepared For: NRG Energy Center Oxnard LLC March 27, 2017 Table of Contents i Table of Contents 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Background ................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2.1 Scope of Biological Surveys and Reports Completed to Date .................................. 2 1.3 Biological Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Project Site .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.3.2 Outfall Area .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.3.3 Outfall Access Road ................................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Sensitive Species Covered by Survey Methodology .................................................................. 4 1.4.1 Species Identified in Committee Order ............................................................................. 4 1.4.1.1 Ventura Marsh Milkvetch ..................................................................................... 4 1.4.1.2 Globose Dune Beetle ............................................................................................. 5 1.4.1.3 Two-Striped Garter Snake ................................................................................... 5 1.4.1.4 California Legless Lizard ...................................................................................... 6 1.4.1.5 Blainville’s Horned Lizard ..................................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Species Identified in Interveners’ Motion ......................................................................... 7 1.4.2.1 Western Snowy Plover .......................................................................................... 7 1.4.2.2 California Least Tern.............................................................................................. 7 1.4.2.3 Least Bell’s Vireo ..................................................................................................... 8 1.4.2.4 Burrowing Owl .......................................................................................................... 8 1.4.2.5 White-Tailed Kite ..................................................................................................... 9 1.4.2.6 Northern Harrier .................................................................................................... 10 1.4.2.7 California Black Rail .............................................................................................. 10 1.4.2.8 Salt Marsh Bird’s-Beak ........................................................................................ 11 1.4.2.9 Orcutt’s Pincushion .............................................................................................. 11 2 Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Method Background Review: Species Identified in Committee Order ................................ 12 2.1.1 Ventura Marsh Milkvetch ...................................................................................................... 12 2.1.2 Globose Dune Beetle ............................................................................................................. 12 2.1.3 Two-Striped Garter Snake ................................................................................................... 13 2.1.4 California Legless Lizard ....................................................................................................... 13 2.1.5 Blainville’s Horned Lizard ...................................................................................................... 14 2.2 Method Background Review: Species Identified in Interveners’ Motion ............................ 15 2.2.1 General Avian Surveys ........................................................................................................... 15 2.2.1.1 Western Snowy Plover and California Least Tern ..................................... 15 2.2.1.2 Least Bell’s Vireo ................................................................................................... 15 2.2.1.3 Burrowing Owl ........................................................................................................ 15 2.2.1.4 White-Tailed Kite ................................................................................................... 15 2.2.1.5 Northern Harrier ...................................................................................................