Common use of General Methodology Clause in Contracts

General Methodology. Analyzing the potential oil and gas development impacts for LEPCs requires three basic components: 1) A defined plan area. 2) An estimate of the rate and extent of habitat loss related to the development and management activities. 3) An estimate of population density to define the effects of those direct impacts on LEPCs. The plan area for the RWP is defined by EOR+10 which encompasses 62,733 mi2 or 40,149,404 acres across parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The buffer around the range accounts for shifts in the estimated occupied range over time due to changes in habitat, movements of birds, and detectability of birds in areas of low population density. The EOR+10 is broken into four ecoregions. These ecoregions broadly reflect the different ecotypes across the LEPC range. Existing infrastructure or developments were identified based on publicly available GIS data for Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The sources and dates for these data sources are described in detail on ages 131–134 of the RWP. These datasets represent the best available data on developments within the region, but in many cases, the spatial and attribute error rates of these datasets are undefined. It is expected that the mitigation framework under the RWP and this CCAA will incentivize industry to provide better data on existing developments and will improve the assessment of impacts over time. In addition to the infrastructure data sources, this analysis uses data from the 2013 CHAT, which includes the focal areas (CHAT 1), connectivity zones (CHAT 2) and the remainder of the EOR+10. The density estimate utilized in this analysis is based on a reconstruction of LEPC populations across the range by Xxxxxx (2012). This reconstruction used LEPC ground survey data and aerial survey data collected across all four ecoregions. Depending on the ecoregion, this collective long-term average population estimate represents a period of 13-22 years from 1990 to 2012. During this period, populations ranged from roughly 37,000 to 84,000 birds, and that population estimate is representative of past and future conditions, including the population goals within the RWP. The density estimate uses the Xxxxxx average population estimate divided by the area of suitable habitat as predicted by a Maximum Entropy lek habitat model developed by USGS (Xxxxxxxxx et al. unpublished data) (Table 3). It conservatively represents all potential take resulting from development or habitat and population management actions within that suitable habitat. The MaxEnt lek habitat model used estimates approximately 30% of the area within the EOR+10 is currently suitable habitat for LEPCs. This analysis assumes that take of LEPCs is a function of the average lifespan or generation time for the species. Mean lifespan is calculated based on Xxxxxx (1955) as 0.4343/log10(S) = 1.95 years (95%CIs = 0.99 to 5.6 years), where S represents the estimated yearling survival rate of 60%.

General Methodology. Analyzing the potential oil and gas development impacts for LEPCs requires three basic components: 1) A defined plan area. 2) An estimate of the rate and extent of habitat loss related to the development and management activities. 3) An estimate of population density to define the effects of those direct impacts on LEPCs. The plan area for the RWP is defined by EOR+10 which encompasses 62,733 mi2 or 40,149,404 acres across parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The buffer around the range accounts for shifts in the estimated occupied range over time due to changes in habitat, movements of birds, and detectability of birds in areas of low population density. The EOR+10 is broken into four ecoregions. These ecoregions broadly reflect the different ecotypes across the LEPC range. Existing infrastructure or developments were identified based on publicly available GIS data for Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The sources and dates and for these data sources are described in detail on ages 131–134 of the RWP. These datasets represent the best available data on developments within the region, but in many cases, the spatial and attribute error rates of these datasets are undefined. It is expected that the mitigation framework under the RWP and this CCAA will incentivize industry to provide better data on existing developments and will improve the assessment of impacts over time. In addition to the infrastructure data sources, this analysis uses data from the 2013 CHAT, which includes the focal areas (CHAT 1), connectivity zones (CHAT 2) and the remainder of the The EOR+10. The density estimate utilized in this analysis is based on a reconstruction of LEPC populations across the range by Xxxxxx (2012). This reconstruction used LEPC ground survey data and aerial survey data collected across all four ecoregions. Depending on the ecoregion, this collective long-term average population estimate represents a period of 13-22 years from 1990 to 2012. During this period, populations ranged from roughly 37,000 to 84,000 birds, and that population estimate is representative of past and future conditions, including the population goals within the RWP. The density estimate uses the Xxxxxx average population estimate divided by the area of suitable habitat as predicted by a Maximum Entropy lek habitat model developed by USGS (Xxxxxxxxx et al. unpublished data) (Table 3). It conservatively represents all potential take resulting from development or habitat and population management actions within that suitable habitat. The MaxEnt lek habitat model used estimates approximately 30% of the area areas within the EOR+10 is currently suitable habitat for LEPCs. This analysis assumes that take of LEPCs is a function of the average lifespan or generation time for the species. Mean lifespan is calculated based on Xxxxxx (1955) as 0.4343/log10(S) = 1.95 years (95%CIs = 0.99 to 5.6 years), where S represents the estimated yearling survival rate of 60%.