Biological Resources Assessment. The Consultant will review existing data, conduct field surveys, and prepare maps to document sensitive and common biological resources in the approximately 3.3 acre project area. Consultant biologists will first review existing data to preliminarily identify special-status species and other sensitive resources known or with potential to occur in the project area. Following the data review, Consultant biologists will conduct reconnaissance field surveys of the project area to verify information collected during the data review and supplement that information with current project- specific survey results. The reconnaissance surveys will include: (1) a habitat assessment for terrestrial and aquatic wildlife and special-status plants; (2) vegetation/habitat mapping; (3) documentation of invasive plant occurrences; and (4) preliminary mapping of any potential wetlands and aquatic resources. During the reconnaissance field surveys, information about land cover type, hydrology, vegetation composition and structure, and habitat suitability for special-status species will be recorded. Vegetation types will be mapped and classified according to Classification and Assessment with Landsat of Visible Ecological Groupings (CALVEG) and will be verified and refined in the field. The Consultant will document the results of the biological resources assessment in a Biological Resources Report. The report will describe assessment methods and existing conditions for biological resources; it will be used to support preparation of the CEQA and NEPA biological resources analysis. Consultant biologists will also be available to support coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), if needed.
Biological Resources Assessment. NCE will prepare a biological resources assessment (BRA) for the project. The BRA will be prepared to facilitate discussions with key agencies including the USFS, CDFW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and the TRPA. Within the BRA, NCE will evaluate biological resources within a defined Biological Study Area (BSA). The BSA represents a one mile or half-mile buffer around the APE and includes an area where special status species (SSS) or their habitat may exist, that is outside of the footprint of the proposed improvements. The BSA considers the possible movement of species, impacts to SSS if the project expands beyond the APE, and allows the biologist to evaluate possible effects to SSS if project limits or project design parameter changes. The BRA will include the project description, regulatory background, and surveys of the BSA’s sensitive biological communities including botanical resources, fish, and wildlife resources, SSS and critical habitat, and invasive plants. In addition, the BRA will discuss the potential impacts and mitigation which will be prepared based on the results of the above studies. Botanical - NCE will provide a qualified botanist to conduct surveys for special status plant species within the BSA at the appropriate floristic time, as determined by NCE’s qualified botanist, to detect special status plant species as defined by the USFWS, USFS, California Native Plant Society (CNPS), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and TRPA. NCE’s qualified botanist will spend one (1) day in the field and will conduct the surveys on foot by meandering transects, examining habitat types and vegetation levels present within the BSA. Late season surveys may be required for some vegetation species. Prior to conducting the botanical surveys, NCE’s qualified botanist will contact the appropriate resource managers including the USFWS, USFS, CNPS, CDFW, and TRPA to ensure that NCE is utilizing the most updated botanical SSS lists and survey protocols. NCE will characterize vegetation communities and will determine the potential for both direct and indirect effects on botanical resources. In addition, NCE’s qualified botanist will utilize existing literature and knowledge of the physical setting and project vicinity to determine if there is the potential for SSS to exist, even if not encountered during the foot surveys. NCE will ensure that the survey data is mapped and delineated in ESRI Arc...
Biological Resources Assessment. (EIR Section) FCS will prepare a programmatic Biological Resources analysis to be included in the SEDA Specific Plan EIR. The programmatic Biological Resources section will analyze to what extent the proposed actions of the Specific Plan have the potential to impact regulated biological resources occurring within the Plan Area. Regulated biological resources include special-status species and their habitats, sensitive biological communities, water and wetland resources, and others. Therefore, FCS Biologists will research and interpret documentation and databases containing relevant information related to regulated biological resources known to occur or potentially occurring within the Planning Area. This includes Fresno-specific previous analyses, including the Program Environmental Impact Report Public Review Draft, CDFW’s California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR) system; California Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB); California Native Plant Society Electronic Inventory (CNPSEI), and others. General habitat and landcover mapping will be based on USDA’s Region 5 CALVEG Data, and representative critical areas will be evaluated during one site visit. Existing conditions and applicable federal, state, and local regulations will be summarized. Key implications for the SEDA Specific Plan will be identified. Additionally, the FCS will prepare a program- level impact analysis addressing potential SEDA Specific Plan-related impacts to regulated biological resources. Based on identified potential impacts, FCS will develop program-level avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures to reduce potential project-related impacts to biological resources to a less-than-significant level. The impact analysis and mitigation measures will not be project-specific or site-specific, but rather will address potential impacts and mitigation thereof on a programmatic level, including a streamlined but adequate checklist based on Section IV. Biological Resources of the CEQA Guidelines Appendix G.
Biological Resources Assessment. 2. A Design Plan for the construction or Reconstruction of each Stream Crossing or reservoir.
Biological Resources Assessment. HDR will conduct a biological resources assessment to inventory botanical, fish, and wildlife species and sensitive habitats that may be affected by the proposed project. The initial phase of the assessment will involve a desktop analysis of the project site. During this phase, applicable data from the U.S. Geological Survey, NMFS, USFWS, CDFW, California Native Plant Society, and other publicly available data will be reviewed, compiled, and analyzed. These data will then be used to develop preliminary delineations of onsite land uses, and further refine special-status species with the potential to occur in the project vicinity. The second phase of the assessment will be to conduct thorough field surveys of the project area. These surveys serve to ground-truth and refine data collected during the desktop analysis. Data collected during field surveys result in the description and mapping of land use patterns on and adjacent to the project, and the identification and classification of the suitability of those land uses for utilization by special-status species. This information will be used to prepare a biological resources assessment. The draft version of the biological resources assessment will be submitted electronically to the City for review and comment. Comments and edits will be addressed, and the final version of the document will be prepared and submitted to the City as well as included in the XXX and supplemental information package. DELIVERABLES: • Draft and Final Biological Resources Assessment in Microsoft Word and PDF format. • Spatial with approximate aquatic resources limits for planning purposes. Ms. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx December 7, 2022 ASSUMPTIONS: • A USACE Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, Water Board Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification, Section 7 ESA Consultation, and a CDFW Section 1602 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement would not be necessary because impacts on aquatic resources will be avoided; therefore, these permits are not included in this scope of work. • No more than one round of revisions to the biological resources assessment will result from client review. • Access to the entire project area will be granted such that two HDR biologists can complete the requisite field work in two 14-hour day. • No other site visits or coordination will be required to complete this task. • The City is responsible for all permit/application fees as well as Local Coastal Program approvals.
Biological Resources Assessment. A survey and biological resource report of the project site by a Biologist.
Biological Resources Assessment. Consultant will prepare a Biological Resources Assessment (BRA) report to address the baseline marine and terrestrial biological conditions that could be affected by the project and will be of sufficient detail to support the CEQA and/or NEPA environmental review and regulatory permitting processes. The focus of the BRA will be to inventory and assess the possible biological resources that could be affected by the project and identify measures to avoid, minimize, and/or compensate for potential effects to state and federally listed species and other regulated biological resources. The proposed work program involves review of existing literature sources (e.g., California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW] California Natural Diversity Database [CNDDB], United States Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS] Critical Habitat Mapper), a reconnaissance-level site visit, and preparation of the BRA report to incorporate the findings of the detailed field investigation, assess potential impacts, and develop recommendations. Work includes developing safety documents, reviewing background information, and conducting site surveys based on mapped critical habitat, Essential Fish Habitat, and submerged vegetation known to exist. Background review will include review of the base maps in CAD and/or GIS formats and preparation of preliminary desktop vegetation and habitat mapping. Following the background review and desktop mapping, a reconnaissance-level field survey will be completed to document marine, estuarine and other aquatic resources, terrestrial vegetation and habitat types and other terrestrial resources (e.g., native trees), and assess the site for the capacity to support special status species and other regulated biological resources (e.g., Essential Fish Habitat). This will include a broad-based assessment of soft bottom communities (benthic infauna) conducted in locations of the proposed levee and/or breakwater to describe and quantify the intertidal and subtidal soft bottom communities. Soft bottom sampling will utilize a shallow draft motorized vessel outfitted with a davit or boom to support the deployment of a single or double Xxx Xxxx grab to take sediment collections to approximately 1.0-foot depth. The collected samples will be analyzed for physical grain size, and then rinsed through a 1.0 mm sieve. Remaining material placed in laboratory containers for eventual sorting and species identification. Additionally, the site visit will include scuba diving o...
