Procedures, Standards, and Criteria Sample Clauses

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. 6.5.1 Habitat Acquisition The acquisition of forest habitat parcels by Puget Sound Energy and the other members of the TRIG will be guided by the criteria described in TRMP section 4.1.1, “General Acquisition Criteria” and TRMP section 4.1.2, “Criteria for Forest Habitat Acquisition.” The evaluation of potential acquisitions will be based on information collected in accordance with TRMP section 4.2, “Identification and Selection of Habitat Parcels.” 6.5.2 Post-acquisition Habitat Assessment Within one year of acquisition of a forest habitat parcel, a post-acquisition habitat assessment will be prepared for the parcel according to the following procedures. The post-acquisition habitat assessment will consist of detailed and focused field surveys and reviews of best available science. It will be funded by the forest habitat management budget established in SA 502 except for stand-specific assessments of legacy wood, which will be funded by the budget for the Decaying and Legacy Wood Plan (SA 511). Based on the site-specific conditions and anticipated management objectives of the parcel, the post-acquisition habitat assessment may include:  Topographic maps and aerial photos showing parcel boundaries, structures, roads, surface water features (streams, lakes, and wetlands), current forest cover (divided into stands based on tree species composition and size), non-forest habitats, and adjacent ownerships.  Detailed descriptions of mapped forest stands (access, slope, soil stability, canopy cover, species, tree size – dbh and height, and age, and vertical diversity of trees).  General descriptions of the current forest understory vegetation, including species composition, cover, and any presence of wetland indicator species.  Stand-specific assessments of the number, size, and distribution of legacy wood features (snags, logs, and residual live trees), as determined in accordance with and funded under the Decaying and Legacy Wood Plan (SA 511).  Final assessment of the long-term forest habitat potential based on site conditions, current forest stand conditions, and accepted principles of forest plant succession.  The presence of any unique, sensitive, or otherwise important wildlife or their habitats, including Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife priority habitats and species, in areas that may be disturbed by proposed habitat management.  The presence of any nests, dens, or important habitats for animals listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servi...

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. 6.5.1 Bald Eagle Nest and Communal Winter Night Roost Management 1. Puget Sound Energy will develop specific bald eagle nest site and communal winter night roost management plans for known nests and communal roosts within the project boundary in consultation with the TRIG. Plans will account for known sensitivity of bald eagles to human activity (Appendix B). 2. Puget Sound Energy may periodically conduct surveys of known nest sites to determine occupancy and to identify new nests within the project boundary, per SA 514. 3. Puget Sound Energy may conduct pre-construction surveys for bald eagle nests in suitable habitat to reduce risk of disturbance to bald eagles from Project-related construction activities on existing and acquired lands per LA 410. 4. Nest site management plans and communal winter night roost management plans will be consistent with the National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines (USFWS 2007), and Washington State Bald Eagle Protection Rules (WAC-232-12-292), or other current regulations at the time the plan is issued. 6.5.2 Bald Eagle Communal Winter Night Roost Surveys 1. Puget Sound Energy will conduct two rounds of communal winter night roost surveys. Each round of surveys will take place over a three year period, and will consist of two survey seasons, beginning in November/December and continuing through the following January/February. 2. Surveys will take place twice monthly from November through February of the consecutive year, in the late afternoon and evening. 3. Survey stations will be selected in consultation with the TRIG, to provide good visibility of suitable habitat stands, either from a boat or on the ground. 4. Surveyors will record observations following the recommended protocol using the WDFW night roost survey form, or other protocol approved by the TRIG. 5. If bald eagles are observed entering a stand, Puget Sound Energy will conduct a follow-up morning survey to observe bald eagles leaving the stand. 6. Once a communal winter night roost is identified, Puget Sound Energy will survey the stand in midday for other signs of bald eagle use such as prey remains, feathers, and whitewash. 7. Puget Sound Energy will then develop a site-specific CWNRP in consultation with the TRIG.

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. ‌ The FCIP will be implemented to meet SA 104 objectives in a manner that minimizes detrimental effects on other environmental resources. Near-term implementation activities consist of active fish collection and transport that includes collecting tissue samples and PIT-tagging native char in Xxxx Xxxxxxx to enable recaptured native char to be transported upstream or downstream or returned to the collection site according to established protocols. If future plan modifications are deemed necessary and require design, construction, and operation of structural fishway facilities, these facilities will be constructed using best management practices and according to guidelines identified through the permitting process and through consultation with the ARG. Standards and criteria will be reviewed in consultation with the USFWS, NOAA Fisheries, WDFW, and other members of the ARG as part of an annual protocol meeting held each spring. This process will allow procedures, standards, and criteria to be modified through adaptive management as additional information is developed or if local conditions change. Procedures, standards, and criteria for SA 104 will be described in the annual report and may include the following. 6.5.1 FCIP – Fish Connectivity Construction & Design Pursuant to consultation with the USFWS, NOAA Fisheries, WDFW, and other members of the ARG, implementation of SA 104 does not involve construction of an upstream fish passage facility in Xxxx Xxxxxxx below Upper Xxxxx Dam. If future plan modifications require the design, construction, and operation of a Xxxx Xxxxxxx upstream fish passage facility, a fish connectivity, construction and design document will be prepared and submitted for approval. 6.5.2 FCIP – Fish Connectivity Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Under SA 104, the operation and maintenance (O&M) plan shall include at least the following elements: a) fish handling, b) hauling frequencies, c) frequency and magnitude of attraction flows, d) species protocol, e) trap operational flows, f) a schedule, g) the method for providing annual updates, and h) trap reporting requirements. Elements c, e, and h are not applicable, since implementation does not currently include a structural facility; however, those elements will be addressed if structural facilities are deemed necessary in the future. Implementation of the FCIP currently involves the active collection of native char in Xxxx Xxxxxxx and the subsequent handling and transport of adult and ...

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. The RSECMP provides for the identification and treatment of erosion sites along reservoir margins within the Xxxxx Project Boundary. During Plan implementation, treatment of erosion sites will be conducted using Best Management Practices and according to guidelines identified through the permitting process and consultation with the USDA-FS and where applicable, Skagit County. Changes to the standards and criteria will be reported in the annual report consistent with SA 102 Reporting. Implementation of the RSECMP will occur following FERC approval of the plan. The process for implementation will follow the steps of initial site identification, project evaluation, prioritization, site selection, treatment implementation, maintenance and monitoring. Elements of the implementation process are shown in figure 2 and described in greater detail in the following sections. Reservoir Shoreline Erosion Control Plan Plan Implementation 6.4.1 Annual Project Review‌ Under SA 110, the licensee will consult with the USDA-FS and Skagit County during fund allocation years and at five year intervals (2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2022, 2027, 2032, 2037, 2042, 2047, 2052, and 2057). A technical memorandum will be prepared that identifies potential reservoir shoreline erosion sites on Xxxxx Lake and Xxxx Xxxxxxx and potential treatments to control erosion at high priority sites. A list of sites will initially be developed using the results of the AESI (2003) relicensing study A14a Reservoir Shoreline Erosion and Deposition. The list of sites identified in the Study A14a report will be supplemented by available information on changes to sites described in the 2003 report, and any new sites that exhibit severe or high erosion that were not previously reported. Sites included in the technical memorandum will represent developed (i.e., campgrounds, resorts, boat launches) and dispersed recreation sites classified in the Study A14a report as Category 1(severe) or Category 2(high erosion), sites with severe or high erosion located directly adjacent to developed recreation sites, and erosion sites identified through collaboration with the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (under SA 201). Potential erosion treatment techniques will be reviewed to identify appropriate measures based on potential benefits, disadvantages, likelihood of success and cost of application. Erosion control measures may include, but are not limited to: a) vegetation and/or bioengineering; b) anchored log...

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. Decaying and legacy wood management on Xxxxx River Project lands will be prescribed on a site-specific basis following the guidelines presented in this plan. Decaying and legacy wood management will be a secondary objective on all Project lands, and will occur only where it does not conflict with or detract from the primary objective of a given parcel of Project lands, present a safety hazard, or otherwise interfere with Project operation. The plan reflects the view that human safety and reliable project operation are paramount at all times. All live tree, snag and log criteria are subject to modification where needed to maintain the safety of persons working and recreating on project lands, and to provide for the reliable and cost-effective operation of the project. Decaying and legacy wood consists of residual live trees, snags and logs. The rates at which these habitat features will be retained and created on Project lands will be guided by the USFS DecAID model (Xxxxxx-XxXxxx et al. 2008). DecAID provides two alternate methods of determining target snag and log densities for managed forestlands. Targets can be based on the estimated needs of wildlife species, as described in the scientific literature, or they can be based on observed densities of snags and logs in natural (unmanaged) forest. The former method is considered the least reliable because it is based on observational (rather than experimental) studies of varying designs, few of which measure the survival and productivity of wildlife and compare these to snag and log density. It was common practice in the past to base legacy wood targets on the anticipated snag needs of primary cavity nesters (Neitro et al., 1985), but a recent assessment of the issue by Rose et al. (2001) suggests that the minimum functional sizes and densities for primary cavity nesters may not be sufficient to account for the habitat needs of all wildlife species that rely on decaying wood. To avoid this potential pitfall, legacy wood targets for Project lands will be based on observed snag and log densities in unmanaged forest. The snag and log data set employed in the DecAID model consists of several thousand long-term monitoring plots maintained by the USDA and Bureau of Land Management throughout the Pacific Northwest. The subset of plots used for the Project area will be either the Westside Lowland Conifer-hardwood Forest or the Montane Mixed Conifer Forest, depending on the elevation and forest type of the lands in q...

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. ‌ The FPFP will provide for the construction and operation of fish propagation facilities in a manner that minimizes detrimental effects on other environmental resources. During Plan implementation, construction, and operation of facilities will be conducted using Best Management Practices and according to guidelines identified through the permitting process and through consultation with the ARG. Changes to standards and criteria will be reported in the annual report for SA 101. Elements of the implementation process are described in greater detail in the following sections.

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. ‌ SA 109 provides for the transport of LWD from Xxxxx Lake and Xxxx Xxxxxxx to stockpile areas. For the purposes of the LWDMP, wood to be transferred to stockpile areas will be over 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter and over 8 feet (244 cm) long. The transport target by the end of license year 20 is 3,660 pieces of LWD consisting of:  2,960 pieces of LWD 12-23.6 in (30-60 cm) diameter;  540 pieces of LWD 23.7-35.4 in (61-90 cm) diameter; and  160 pieces greater than 35.4 in (>90 cm) diameter. This 20-year transport target is equivalent to an annual average of 183 pieces of LWD. An estimated 773 pieces of LWD are annually delivered to the reservoirs from all sources (R2 2003). However, recruitment of LWD to the reservoirs will vary considerably from year to year depending on the frequency and magnitude of storm events. Elements of the SA 109 implementation process are described in greater detail in the following sections. 6.5.1 Identify LWD Available for Removal An initial step in implementing the LWDMP is to validate the procedure for identifying LWD that is available for collection and transport. The LWD transport rates identified in pre-licensing Study A-20 (R2 2003) were based on theoretical modeling and estimated the total amount of LWD that enters the reservoirs. However, some LWD that enters the reservoirs may provide environmental benefit if left within the reservoir. Large trees along the reservoir shoreline riparian zone that fall into the reservoir will not be removed if their rootball rests more than a couple of feet above the full pool elevation and prevents the wood from floating away. Some LWD that settles along the reservoir shoreline may provide habitat for snag and log dependent species and provide greater ecological benefit remaining in place rather than being removed and stockpiled. LWD that is identified by the ARG or the TRIG as providing in-place environmental benefits will be marked for identification and included in the count of stockpiled LWD. Some LWD that enters Xxxxx Lake and Lake Xxxxxxx xxx pass over the dams through spillways. LWD that passes over Upper Xxxxx Dam may accumulate in Xxxx Xxxxxxx and be available for removal, but LWD that passes over Lower Xxxxx Dam will enter the Skagit River. Although LWD passing over Lower Xxxxx Dam and entering the Skagit River provides ecological benefit, it would be difficult to accurately quantify the size and number of LWD pieces that pass downstream over Lower Xxxxx Dam during flood even...

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. ‌ Implementation of the BRGMP involves identifying measures that could be implemented to augment gravel, defining channel conditions that will trigger the need for augmentation, and monitoring to determine when, where and if gravel augmentation is warranted. Elements of the implementation process are shown in figure 2 and described in greater detail in the following sections. Submit BRGMP to FERC • Identify Potential Augmentation Measures • Develop Monitoring Procedures • Identify Augmentation Triggers The BRGMP provides for the monitoring of conditions in the Skagit River below the Xxxxx River confluence, and implementation of gravel augmentation measures if monitoring identifies such actions are warranted. During plan implementation, gravel augmentation will be implemented using best management practices and according to guidelines identified through the permitting process and consultation with the ARG. Changes to the standards and criteria will be reported in the annual report consistent with SA 102. Monitoring No Yes No Yes Implement Gravel Augmentation Implement Gravel Augmentation Submit BRGMP to FERC • Identify Potential Augmentation Measures • Develop Monitoring Procedures • Identify Augmentation Triggers 6.5.1 Identification of Potential Gravel Augmentation Measures The selection of potential gravel augmentation measures is related to the spatial scale of the intended benefit. Gravel augmentation treatments such as hydraulic structure placement, spawning channels, xxxxxx augmentation and bar shaping are designed to improve gravel conditions at the local scale (i.e., 5-7 stream widths). Reach scale gravel augmentation typically consists of passive gravel augmentation that provides for hydraulic entrainment and transport of gravels below a source location (Xxxxx, 2004). SA 108 provides for gravel augmentation to improve the geomorphic function of the lower Xxxxx River alluvial fan and the Skagit River reach below the Xxxxx River confluence. Potential gravel augmentation measures will be identified in an implementation plan to be developed in consultation with the ARG. Measures to be considered will focus primarily on passive approaches, which involve placement of gravel in the river channel, allowing for subsequent redistribution by the river during high flows. For this approach to be successful, high flows must be available to entrain and transport the placed gravels, entrained gravels must be transported downstream and settle out in bars or riffle...

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. 6.5.1 Forest Habitat Monitoring of deciduous forest habitat will be determined on a site-specific basis and described in habitat management measures developed by Puget Sound Energy and the TRIG according to the Forest Habitat Plan prepared for SA 502, and by reference SA 501. Forest management measures will contain habitat objectives for each deciduous forest parcel, and monitoring will be conducted to determine whether the habitat objectives are met. Habitat objectives may include the quantity (acres) and/or quality (plant species composition, structural condition, and presence of specific habitat elements) of habitat to be provided on a given parcel. Habitat objectives may be general in nature, or they may be specific to the needs of particular wildlife species. Monitoring will be conducted to measure the habitat quantity and quality parameters specified in the objectives. Monitoring will be conducted prior to and during implementation of the management measures to detect any changes in habitat quantity and quality resulting from management. Monitoring may be conducted to report general habitat conditions for all deciduous forest species, or it may be directed to the needs of a particular set of neotropical migratory bird species that are in decline in the Puget Sound region, using the USFWS Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) (USFWS 1980a, 1980b, 1981) or an alternate methodology selected by Puget Sound Energy and the TRIG.

Procedures, Standards, and Criteria. 6.5.1 Construction and Maintenance of Artificial Nest Structures Artificial nest structures will be placed and maintained on Xxxx Xxxxxxx according to the following criteria.  By October 1, 2009, Puget Sound Energy will provide and maintain a minimum of 10 artificial osprey nest structures at Xxxx Xxxxxxx.  The 10 nest structures will consist of up to nine of the artificial structures in place at the time of license issuance, and one or more new artificial structures to be installed at the site of a former natural snag nest or artificial nest structure.  Structures will be placed in a manner that is designed to provide a sufficient number of suitable osprey nest sites at Xxxx Xxxxxxx to support an estimated seven breeding pairs.