environmental assessment for the hog lake road improvement project

Ramona Hog Lake Road Improvement Project August 2011
The Quino is a medium-sized butterfly of the brush-footed butterfly family. Preferred
habitats consist of open spaces within coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and sparse
native woodlands. Quino has a 4-6 week flight period from late January-early March
and continuing as late as early May, depending on weather conditions.
In 2008 the USFWS proposed an updated and revised critical habitat area, from that
originally designated, based on the most recent occupation data for Quino. The
revised critical habitat does alter critical habitat in the San Jacinto and Cahuilla area
and now includes the central portion of the Project area. Consultation with the
USFWS is required for projects that fall within designated critical habitat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion, dated June 9 th , 2010,
concluded that the “proposed action is not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of the Quino checkerspot butterfly and is not likely to adversely modify its
designated critical habitat” based on the following reasons:
1. The project affects a small amount of the overall range of the species.
2. Impact minimization measures: habitat replacement, implementation outside the
butterfly’s breeding and plant seeding season, numerous BMP’s, bio monitoring
of construction and the speed limit of 25 mph.
3. Only a small portion of the Bautista Unit of Quino Designated Critical Habitat will
be subject to potential impacts and these impacts will be effectively minimized.
4. The expected use of the road is low as it is only for Reservation access.
USFWS anticipates the level of incidental take will not exceed 0.15 acres and this
level of take will not result in jeopardy to the Quino Checkerspot butterfly. No
additional reasonable or prudent measures were identified beyond those outlined in
the Design Criteria (Table 1) that would minimize incidental take.
Determination
Botanical
Based on the lack of habitat, lack of designated or proposed critical habitat and lack
of species occurrence within the Project area, the Proposed Action would not affect
endangered or threatened botanical species, or designated critical plant habitat.
Wildlife
The BE/BA (L & L Environmental, Inc. 2009), determined that the Proposed Action
may affect and is likely to adversely affect the Quino Checkerspot butterfly.
According to the results of the Section 7 Consultation process conducted between
the BIA and US Fish & Wildlife Service the Proposed Action is not likely to
jeopardize the continued existence of the Quino checkerspot butterfly and is not
Frank Springer & Associates, Inc. Page 41 of 79 Environmental Assessment