Energy Gateway South Transmission Project Biological Assessment Prepared for BLM Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009 Prepared by Environmental Planning Group, LLC 208 East 800 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 July 20, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Consultation History .............................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Project Location ..................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Preparation of Plan of Development ...................................................................................... 3 1.4 Project Description ................................................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Biological Resource Surveys .................................................................................... 7 1.4.2 Geotechnical Investigation ........................................................................................ 7 1.4.3 Construction or Upgrade of Access Roads ............................................................... 7 1.4.4 Vegetation Management ........................................................................................... 8 1.4.5 Construction of 500-kilovolt Transmission Line ...................................................... 9 1.4.6 Rebuilding 345-kilovolt Transmission Line ............................................................. 9 1.4.7 Stringing of Transmission Line ............................................................................... 10 1.4.8 Series Compensation Station Construction and Substation Reconfiguration ......... 10 1.4.9 Right-of-way Reclamation ...................................................................................... 11 1.4.10 Operation and Maintenance .................................................................................... 11 1.4.11 Environmental Design Features .............................................................................. 11 1.4.12 Decommissioning .................................................................................................... 12 1.5 Deconstructing the Action .................................................................................................... 12 2.0 Methods ........................................................................................................................................... 17 2.1 Species Considered in Analysis ........................................................................................... 17 2.2 Species Information ............................................................................................................. 20 2.3 Project Action Area and Analysis Areas for Species ........................................................... 21 2.4 Direct Effects Analysis ........................................................................................................ 22 2.5 Indirect Effects Analysis ...................................................................................................... 23 2.6 Water Depletion Analysis .................................................................................................... 23 2.7 Cumulative Effects Analysis ................................................................................................ 23 3.0 Environmental Baseline and Current Status .................................................................................... 24 3.1 Fish ....................................................................................................................................... 24 3.1.1 Bonytail (Gila elegans) – Endangered .................................................................... 24 3.1.1.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 24 3.1.1.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 24 3.1.1.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 24 3.1.1.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 25 3.1.1.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 25 3.1.1.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 26 3.1.2 Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) – Endangered ................................. 26 3.1.2.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 26 3.1.2.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 26 3.1.2.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 26 3.1.2.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 27 3.1.2.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 28 3.1.2.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 28 3.1.3 Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) – Endangered ......................................................... 28 3.1.3.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 28 3.1.3.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 29 Energy Gateway South Transmission Project i July 20, 2015 Biological Assessment 3.1.3.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 29 3.1.3.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 29 3.1.3.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 29 3.1.3.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 30 3.1.4 June Sucker (Chasmistes liorus) – Endangered ...................................................... 30 3.1.4.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 30 3.1.4.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 30 3.1.4.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 30 3.1.4.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 31 3.1.4.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 31 3.1.4.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 31 3.1.5 Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) – Endangered .......................................... 32 3.1.5.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 32 3.1.5.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 32 3.1.5.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 32 3.1.5.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 32 3.1.5.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 33 3.1.5.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 33 3.1.6 Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) – Endangered .......................................... 33 3.1.6.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 33 3.1.6.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 33 3.1.6.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 33 3.1.6.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 34 3.1.6.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 35 3.1.6.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 35 3.2 Birds ..................................................................................................................................... 35 3.2.1 Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) – Candidate ............................ 35 3.2.1.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 35 3.2.1.2 Designated Critical Habitat ..................................................................... 37 3.2.1.3 Taxonomy and Life History .................................................................... 37 3.2.1.4 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................. 38 3.2.1.5 Primary Threats to Survival .................................................................... 40 3.2.1.6 Species Recovery .................................................................................... 42 3.2.2 Least Tern, Interior Population (Sternula antillarum) – Endangered ..................... 42 3.2.2.1 Regulatory Status .................................................................................... 42 3.2.2.2 Designated